Aig Women’s Open: Golf’s ‘world Class Spectator Experience’

Hi Zoe. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, career to date, and current role at the R&A?

As an avid golfer, I play off 6 and my home club is Crail Golfing Society – working in golf is my dream job.

I lead a talented team who all work together to stage and host a major championship which attracts an international audience both on-site and via our live broadcast. I have worked in golf for over 20 years, first starting out at International Sports Management Ltd, a sports management agency managing golfers, cricketers and staging golf events internationally. 

I joined the R&A in 2018 and since joining, I have held several positions. I have been fortunate enough to have worked on The Open, the oldest golf championship in the world, and the male equivalent of the AIG Women’s Open and The Senior Open.

In my role, no two days are the same, it’s always interesting and I get to deliver a major championship for the very best women athletes to compete in. When I am at the AIGWO, I don’t often get to watch much of the golf, but to be involved behind the scenes is a real honour and there is always a positive atmosphere to enjoy. 

To people unfamiliar with golf, what is the AIG Women’s Open and how does fit in the sport’s calendar?

The AIG Women’s Open is one of five major championships in women’s professional golf. It sees the world’s best players compete against each other in one of the strongest and most international fields of the year. Last year, 45 of the world’s top 50 and all the top 14 players competed.

The Championship has a rich history that can be traced back to 1976 and is traditionally played in July or early August. This year we are delighted to be back playing in greater London, for the first time in almost 20 years, at the beautiful Walton Heath Golf Club.

Over the past few years, and especially post-Lioness win, women’s sport seems to be gaining momentum. Are you seeing this within golf?

It’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved in women’s sport. There’s definitely been a momentum shift in recent years, and we’ve seen the interest and popularity of women’s golf grow significantly.

In 2022 we saw 50% more on-course adult golfers than pre-pandemic levels and 20% of adult golfers on full-length courses in Great Britain and Ireland were female last year compared to 15% in 2019.

To make the most of that, we must continue to elevate the AIG Women’s Open as a world-class sporting event. We’ve made huge strides in recent years to enhance prize money, venues, and facilities for the benefit of the world’s best golfers who compete, and for the supporters that come to watch, but there will always be more we can do.

For the first time ever, live music is set to feature at the championship. How important is the entertainment aspect of the event, and what impact do you hope it has?

World-class golf needs to have a world-class spectator experience to match. For us, this is an essential ingredient to attracting new audiences and ensuring that those attending have an unforgettable time.

We commissioned research into the UK golf audience and that highlighted that two-thirds of fans are interested in live music and entertainment at women’s golf championships and so we have incorporated that into our event offering at the AIG Women’s Open.

We are so excited to have BRIT Award winner Ellie Goulding performing on Saturday night! Just like the championship, Ellie Goulding is world class, she recently had the number 1 single in the UK charts – it’s going to be an incredible event. We also have other acts and plans still to be announced, so keep an eye out for plenty more to come!

It looks like there will be some panels and talks around women’s sport across the Championship too. What are hopes for the impact you can have outside of the action on the course?

Celebrating golf and the incredibly talented athletes competing in the AIG Women’s Open will always be the centrepiece of this championship, but we are aware that there is so much more we can do to enhance the spectator experience, especially for those new to golf. 

This year we’ve designed a whole new festival fan village with a stage that will host Q&As and talks with the most amazing women in sport, business and entertainment. There’s so much to look forward to across the whole week – we can’t wait to share the full line-up very soon!

The village will also have an enhanced food and drink offering, a big screen to watch all the sporting action and plenty of fun golf and sporting activities for people to have a go at themselves. It’s going to be a breath of fresh air and, I am sure, one of the liveliest places to experience the weekend.

Ultimately, we want people to have fun; to come with friends and family and enjoy elite-level sport on a beautiful site that caters to all their wants and needs. We know the athletes will deliver amazing on-course action, so we have to match that with an exceptional off-course experience.

How has the rise of women’s sport impacted the tournament commercially? Have you seen more positive interest from brands? Are brands able to see the potential more easily?

We’re in the fortunate position that we’ve had a long-term title partner in AIG that has always shared our vision – they are as determined as we are to continue to accelerate the progress of women’s golf. I know having such a genuine and aligned partnership is not always the case across other sports, so we have a great match in that sense.

We also have a further nine patrons and three official suppliers of the AIG Women’s Open. This year we are looking to attract a new audience to the Championship via an enhanced fan offering and this has only been possible thanks to the support of our partners and in particular adidas, HSBC and Mastercard who have really embraced this side of the Championship.

Of course, as the Championship continues to grow, there will be more eyeballs and with that will come more commercial exposure and opportunities. That is only going to increase as the years go on, but it’s the authentic partnerships that are making a long-term difference and commitment to the sport will always stand head and shoulders above the rest.

What is the biggest challenge women’s golf is facing over the next five years?

I think visibility continues to be a challenge as women’s golf is competing for air time and media attention amongst many other sports, as well as entertainment more widely.  We are fortunate to have committed broadcast partners for the AIGWO. 

In addition, social channels, digital and OTT services provide greater opportunities to engage with fans and showcase the incredibly talented athletes, whilst also providing fans an insight into the players’ stories and personalities through human interest pieces.  There are some exceptional role models in the game at the moment and visibility is key to inspiring the next generation of women and girls to play golf.

What are your hopes, and your expectations, for the future of women’s golf?

To see the momentum behind women’s golf continue, not only in the professional game but at the grass roots participation level too.  It is important for the long-term future of golf that we continue to attract more women and girls into the sport and the AIGWO hopefully not only showcases the exceptional skills of the world’s best players, but also provides an encouraging and fun environment to show golf is open to all.

But for me, it’s not just about participation, as a woman working in the golf industry I am passionate about seeing more women working within the sport at every level, that is how golf will truly thrive 50 years from now. I am proud that my employer, The R&A, is committed to creating an inclusive culture within golf and is really leading the way in creating pathways into a career in golf via the Women in Golf Leadership programme.

ZOE RIDGWAY