Levelling the Fairways: Vicki Harrison on her year as General Manager at Dundonald Links

The ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open returns to the renowned Dundonald Links this week. Featuring a star-studded line-up of players including 36 Olympians and 18 Major winners, the co-sanctioned event is an important fixture on both the LET and LPGA Tour calendars. And for Dundonald Links’ General Manager Vicki Harrison, the prestige of the event has definitely not been lost.

Now approaching her one-year anniversary as the venue’s first female General Manager, I couldn’t wait to chat to Vicki and get all the insider information as part of our new Levelling the Fairways series.

As you approach your one-year anniversary as the first female General Manager at Dundonald Links, what have been some of the most rewarding aspects of your role, and have you faced any challenges as a woman in this leadership position?

Time has ticked by so quickly. I have always been very familiar with Dundonald.  I consider myself a people person, and it has been so rewarding to work alongside the passionate team that I manage on a daily basis. It’s also been great to work within the wider circle of our ownership company, Darwin Escapes, which is overseen by our Managing Director for the group, Lindsey Esse.

The growth and the journey of Dundonald Links over the years I find fascinating, owed hugely to the people that have all played their part and contributed to make it the success that it is to this day.

How do you believe your leadership has influenced female participation and representation at Dundonald Links but also more widely across the golf industry?

From its early beginnings, women have been part of the golfing landscape, albeit with various restrictions and barriers when it came to accessing courses and associated competitions.  It is vital for the progression of women’s golf, probably the fastest growing arm of the sport, that we maximise gender equal opportunities.

Dundonald Links has been at the forefront of that cause. If you look back as far as 1913 and the opening ceremony of the then Southern Gailes Golf Course it was recorded that Mr. J Harling, Factor of the Duke of Portland, designed the clubhouse “With the most modern facilities of the time…. Including accommodation for ladies on the ground floor.” We have come a long way since then. Fast forward 110 years and Dundonald Links (formerly Southern Gailes) is regularly hosting Championship Ladies Golf events such as the Women’s Scottish Open.

It is my firm commitment to continue to promote our club and course to its maximum potential. 

Of course, the Women’s Scottish Open tees off this week at Dundonald Links. What’s it been like so far overseeing a major tournament like that?

It is very exciting, and it brings a smile to the team and a buzz whenever we have meetings and talk about it. I am very fortunate that the majority of the team have experience in recent years of the WSO being held here. The team involved in the behind the scenes of this event are first class and it has been great to bring all of our ideas together.

How do you think events like the Women’s Scottish Open contribute to the visibility and promotion of women's golf?

It is vital to our continued and ongoing commitment to promote women’s golf not just in the Ayrshire area but in general. The attitudes towards women’s golf has changed almost full circle in the past 40 or 50 years.

Limitations on gender specific tee times or days of the week for play are now thankfully less common.

To be on the forefront of promoting inclusion and ensuring the sport is, and remains, accessible to all who want to play golf irrespective of gender or persuasion is important to me to maintain at Dundonald Links.

In your opinion, what are some of the key barriers still faced by women in golf today, at any level? What steps do you think the industry should be taking to address these issues?

We are all trying to break down barriers in everyday life, so I don’t like looking at the issue in that way. But, according to the R&A “25% of British Female golfers were trying golf for the first time during the Covid Pandemic.”  What an opportunity for continued progression.

Further supporting evidence suggests that 25% of golfers in the world are women. Compared to the UK where we are at 15%. So, while it is clear that progress has been made, the UK is going at a much slower rate compared to the rest of the world.

I think everything in life starts as a seed and progressing golf is no different. I will play my part in enabling as many people – male and female, younger and older ­– to participate in the wonderful sport.

My hope is that showing Dundonald as progressive and inclusive environment for all golfers will encourage more women to come along and play here. I think that hosting events such as Women’s Scottish Open helps us to demonstrate that.

If you can tear yourself away from all the action of the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open, catch up on our Levelling the Fairways series and find out more about how we're driving change in the golf industry. And remember to keep sharing your thoughts, stories and experiences with me by emailing [email protected]!