Following new research from the Women's Sport Trust, Editor Emma Ballard looks into what golf can learn from the report and how to capitalise on a big year for women's sport
Each year, the Women’s Sport Trust releases its annual report on the visibility of women’s sport in the UK. The 2024 edition highlighted a record-breaking year, with 44.7 million viewers tuning in – surpassing the previous peak of 37.6 million in 2022. These insights, compiled by Futures Sport & Entertainment, emphasise the growing audience for women’s sports.
Women’s golf had a strong presence in 2023, with the Solheim Cup leading pay-TV viewership, attracting 3.1 million viewers for the Sunday singles matches. Given this momentum, it was surprising to see the 2024 Solheim Cup absent from this year’s report. The reasons are speculative – perhaps the time difference played a role, or the expectation of a Team USA victory dampened interest (even though it turned out to be more competitive than many had anticipated).
Despite this omission, there were positives for women’s golf. The AIG Women’s Open final round was the second most-watched women’s golf event on pay-TV in 2024, drawing nearly one million viewers. Additionally, golf’s share of total women’s sports viewing hours increased by 3% to 6%, though football remained dominant at 55%.
Women's golf in the digital space
In the digital space, women’s golf gained significant traction. The LPGA ranked second among women’s sports leagues on YouTube, amassing 55 million views. The report also emphasised the growing influence of individual athletes, for example, Ilona Maher (rugby) and Caitlin Clark (basketball), in expanding the sport’s reach. While global football stars dominated engagement metrics, English golfer Charley Hull stood out, ranking 10th among UK-based athletes with 3.5 million Instagram engagements.
The AIG Women’s Open also provided key insights into the sport’s audience demographics. Only 18% of viewers were under 54, highlighting a major opportunity to attract younger audiences. Given that 68% of UK YouTube users are aged 16–44, and the LPGA is among the most-viewed women's sports channels on the platform, there is clear potential to leverage digital content to engage this demographic. However, the report also revealed that only 3% of the LPGA’s female YouTube audience fell within the 13–34 age range, suggesting more targeted outreach is needed.
AIG Women's Open TV viewing audience
It’s also important to recognise that growing women’s golf isn’t just about reaching more women. Currently, 67% of the AIG Women’s Open viewing audience was male, presenting a key opportunity for UK golf media to engage this existing audience and transition them into fans of the women’s game. Another notable insight was the AIG Women’s Open’s higher proportion of Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority viewers – 4% more than The Open. Understanding and expanding this audience could be crucial for the sport’s future growth.
What’s next for women's golf?
Could women’s sport hit 50 million viewers in 2025? With major events like the UEFA Women’s Euros, Rugby World Cup, and ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, this year is poised to drive even greater visibility.
For women’s golf to capitalise on this momentum, here are four key areas to focus on:
- Increased media visibility – Only 2% of print coverage was dedicated to women’s sport in 2024, down from 3% in 2023. This needs to change.
- Leveraging star players – Tours should create campaigns around their biggest names to build engagement.
- Converting existing men’s golf viewers – With a majority-male audience, there’s a strong opportunity to transition them into women’s golf fans.
- Expanding short-form content – Platforms like TikTok are key to reaching younger audiences.
With the rise of athlete-driven content and the inherent individuality of golf, the sport is well-positioned to capitalise on digital trends. While women’s golf is likely to feature in next year’s report, its continued evolution in the digital space will be crucial to maintaining and expanding its visibility, ensuring it isn’t overshadowed in a year dominated by team sports.
View the full Women's Sport Trust report - Visibility Uncovered 2024 - The Year in Review here.
