Off-course facilities such as Topgolf play a major role in attracting more women to the game. Randy Pench, Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Observed reality might often be dismissed as anecdotal, but when it comes to golf participation, everybody who has tried to make a tee time or buy a new driver has seen the game explode since COVID-19. Ball manufacturers are maxing out their capacities and still not meeting demand, while some resorts such as Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley are booked solid through the end of this year and well into next.
If you are a keen observer, you’ve also noticed an increased number of women. Stand on the first tee at any course and you will see far more women than you did just a few years ago.
Until recently, evidence of more women in golf was anecdotal. Now we have data. According to the National Golf Foundation, the fastest-growing segment in golf comes from women and girls. Of all new participants taking an interest in the “green grass” game, more than 35 percent are women. That is double...