As Chief Marketing Officer of global golf brand Cabot, Jules Cowan-Dewar has helped take the business from two destinations to seven. She talks to Women & Golf about making the game more welcoming, why gender-neutral tees matter and how women are reshaping what golfers expect from the modern golf experience.
Golf runs through the Cowan-Dewar family business, but Jules Cowan-Dewar brings a rather different perspective to it.
Her brother Ben founded Cabot with its first development in Nova Scotia, transforming a former coal mining community into a golf destination that would ultimately put Cape Breton on the international golfing map. Jules joined the business in 2019, bringing a background in sales, marketing and brand building.
At the time, Cabot had just announced its second destination, Cabot Saint Lucia. Today its portfolio stretches across seven destinations, including Canada, Florida, the Caribbean, Scotland, France and Norway, with further expansion planned.
As Cabot’s Chief Marketing Officer, Cowan-Dewar has been closely involved in building the identity around that growth. But she has also brought a female perspective to a part of the golf industry that has traditionally been overwhelmingly male.
From gender-neutral tees to female caddies, professionals and leaders, Cabot is attempting to make inclusivity part of the experience rather than an addition to it.
We spoke to Jules about working alongside her brother, what women are bringing to golf and why the definition of a great golf destination is changing.
W&G: You’re one half of a sibling partnership running a global luxury golf brand. What does Jules bring to Cabot that Ben doesn’t?
Ben has an incredible eye for golf course development and a unique ability to recognize the potential and vision for a raw piece of land. My background is in sales and marketing, with a focus on building brands and telling their stories. I think our strengths complement each other really well.
When I joined Cabot in 2019, we had just announced our second destination, Cabot Saint Lucia. Today, we have seven destinations in our portfolio, with another soon to be announced, so it’s been incredibly rewarding to see Cabot evolve into a globally recognized brand and to help shape that growth.
Being a woman in this role also gives me a unique perspective. I’m conscious of making sure women see themselves represented throughout the Cabot experience, whether that’s on the course, in our content, in leadership or simply in the way we think about the guest experience.
W&G: Golf is still coded as a man’s game to a lot of outsiders. What’s the single biggest misconception you’re trying to dismantle with Cabot’s approach?
I think the biggest misconception for women is that you can’t play a round of golf until you’re already good at golf.
I hear so many women say, “I’d love to play, but I’m not very good,” and I completely understand that feeling. There are a lot of rules, etiquette and traditions that can make golf feel unapproachable, particularly if you’re new to the sport.
That’s why we think about accessibility in all the details at Cabot, from gender-neutral tees and rental clubs designed for women to having female caddies, pros and leaders throughout the organization.
We’re seeing a younger, more diverse generation come into the game, and it’s an incredibly exciting time for golf. We want Cabot to be part of making the sport feel more welcoming, accessible and relevant to a new generation of golfers.
W&G: You’ve built gender-neutral tees into every course. Was that a hard sell internally, or an easy yes?
It was an easy yes. We want every golfer who plays on our courses to choose the tees that best suit their game, regardless of gender.
Golf is more enjoyable when you’re playing from the right distance for your ability, and removing those traditional labels helps make that choice feel more natural.
It’s a relatively simple change, but I think it reflects a broader shift happening in golf. As more women, younger players and new golfers enter the game, we have an opportunity to reconsider some of the conventions that can make golf feel less accessible than it needs to be.
W&G: What do women bring to golf – as players, but also as buyers and members – that the industry has historically undervalued?
Women have helped broaden the idea of what a great golf experience looks like.
It’s not necessarily about playing 36 holes a day. It can be golf alongside wellness, dining, outdoor recreation, and time with friends and family.
Those interests certainly aren’t exclusive to women, but their growing presence has helped push the industry toward more holistic experiences that appeal to a broader audience.
You’re marketing golf-anchored real estate to ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Has the profile of that buyer changed – are more women driving these property decisions themselves?
We’re seeing a much more diverse buyer, and increasingly, women are playing a very active role in the decision-making process.
The conversation is no longer simply about finding the best golf course. We continue to see interest increasing from young families looking for places to spend time together outside, doing something active.
Because of this, it’s becoming much more of a family decision, instead of driven by one person, and I think this is where Cabot wins out over the competition.
W&G: The bar for what counts as a ‘luxury golf destination’ has moved fast. What used to impress buyers five years ago that wouldn’t cut it now?
Five years ago, having a world-class golf course and beautiful accommodations could be enough to make a destination stand out. Today, that’s really just the starting point.
Buyers still want exceptional golf, but they also want multiple courses and different ways to play, outstanding food and hospitality, destination-specific experiences and a real sense of place.
They want to be able to spend extended periods of time with their family and have something to enjoy every day, whether or not they play golf.
I think food stands out as a key element where expectations have elevated so quickly – when it used to be a hot dog on the course. That is exciting for our team because it means we have to keep raising the bar and delighting our guests with exceptional dining experiences.
W&G: If you had to pick one Cabot location that best captures where you think women’s presence in golf is heading, which would it be and why?
While all of our properties prioritize creating an inviting and inclusive atmosphere for women, Cabot Cape Breton stands out.
This year alone, the property has already hosted two women-focused events – the Metro Ladies Golf and Iron Lady Golf events; both were tremendously successful, and we have our upcoming Women’s Golf Weekend, returning October 16–18.
The response has been incredible and reflects a growing demand for programming that supports and celebrates women in the sport.
We see women’s events coming up at Cabot Bordeaux and Cabot Citrus Farms this fall and we are delighted to be a destination for these groups and look forward to continuing to evolve to exceed their expectations.
A changing golf experience
What emerges from Cowan-Dewar’s perspective is that attracting more women to golf isn’t necessarily about creating an entirely separate version of the sport for them.
Sometimes it is about questioning conventions that have simply been accepted for decades – whether that means removing gender labels from tees, making beginners feel they are allowed onto the course before their game is perfect, or recognising that a golf trip can involve considerably more than squeezing in another 18 holes.
As more women enter the sport as golfers, consumers, property buyers and decision-makers, their influence is extending well beyond participation numbers. They are helping change what the golf experience itself looks like – and businesses such as Cabot are paying attention.
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