@ Alexis Orloff / FFGolf

What is the proportion of women who play golf in France?

There are 29% of women and 71% of men made redundant in our country. The proportion of female practitioners is a little more difficult to assess. According to the Sport Marketing Survey firm, we could reach 35% of women who play golf in France, without necessarily having a license.

What could we do to attract more women to our routes?

It is necessary to have an approach that is both practical and societal. In 2008, we implemented a plan to build 100 small local golf facilities in ten years. More urban, more accessible, these structures have had a positive impact on female and young practice. Some moms don't always have time to play 18 holes. The 9 holes or the pitches & putts in urban areas, sometimes accessible by bike or public transport, more easily affect women since there are nearly 38% of those with licensees in these urban structures. We have also realized that the clubs that welcome children very early, around 5-6 years old - and not only to babysit them but also to teach them to play - are an important lever of attractiveness for young mothers. The Scandinavians, who have nearly 40% of female players, understood very early on that it was necessary to put golf schools in the clubs.

Are there not other reasons why women are, in proportion, less attracted to golf?

Yes, there is undoubtedly an aspect which relates to the practice of sport. In horse riding for example, there are 80% women and 20% men. We also realized that during initiations or open house operations, in equal numbers, women seem to cling less to the practice than men.

What impact has the health crisis had on the number of licensees in France this year?

Golf is doing better than other sports. According to a CNOSF survey (French national and sports committee), the majority of sports federations have lost between 15 and 20% of their licensees, against 3 to 5% for golf. We are fortunate to be one of the sports least exposed to the risk of transmitting the virus, since we are an individual sport that is played outdoors in a very large space. We have also benefited from favorable media coverage since many reports or articles have appeared in recent months on the theme: golf, an outdoor sport that is good for health. And then, we witnessed a real craze during the open house and discovery operations of golf, companies like Blue Green or UGOLF have made their best figure since 2012.

Are you worried about the future of the women's circuit in Europe?

I am rather less worried than 3-4 years ago since the LPGA and the LET have come closer. The LET model which wants to challenge the American circuit was doomed to failure. The European Tour aims to become a regional circuit, which feeds the American circuit. Which is the benchmark circuit, and even more marked for women than for men. In addition, a lot of companies want to invest in golf, which looks like a clean sport in many ways. And women's golf is also very attractive in terms of image, especially since the entry ticket is very high to join the men's circuit as a sponsor. At the federation, we are optimistic for women's golf.

Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Catherine Lacoste are the only two French women to have won a Major. Apart from Céline Boutier, are there other players who have the potential to win a Major one day in your opinion?

You quote Céline, but we must not forget either Perrine Delacour, who has her LPGA card and also has the potential. There are two types of profile that emerge at the highest level, among women as well as among men. There are atypical profiles, those who have never performed among young people and amateurs, and come out of nowhere. I think for example of Sophia Popov, who won the British last August by being classified in the 304^e world place. By definition, this type of success is difficult to predict. And then there are the traditional profiles, which are in the majority. Most of the great champions have been very successful during their amateur careers, this is the main predictor. With Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who was world n ° 1 amateur at the beginning of the year, Agathe Laisné and Lucie Malchirand who are among the best players in the world among amateurs, we have serious candidates to win a Major in the future.

In the world top 100 this summer, there was only one French woman against three for men. And in the world top 500, eight French women against fourteen for men. How do you explain the lesser representation of our players compared to men in the elite of international golf?

It is quite fluctuating. Not so long ago, with Gwladys Nocera and Karine Icher in particular, there was a stronger French presence in the world top 150. But it is true that out of 10 very talented players in France, 9 will go pro for men and only 5 for women. This may also explain the lower density of our projects at the highest level, especially since there is an over-representation of American and South Korean players among women. And then, especially for reasons related to motherhood, the careers of French players are on average shorter than for men.

You mention the South Koreans. How do you explain that there are so many on the leaderboards?

We did a study on the subject ten years ago, because it intrigued us. It is probably related to their approach to sport in schools. Koreans have to choose a sport from a very young age - and golf is on the list - and then fully engage in it in order, why not, to excel at it. Sport is experienced there as a vector of social and economic emancipation, a bit like in Anglo-Saxon countries. In addition, golf, in some ways, has similarities with the martial arts, which are part of Asian culture. In France, sport is more of an educational lever, it is called physical education. The notion of competition and adversity hardly exists in our schools. And the speech is more like: OK, play golf, but pass your bac first.

The fact of having the chance to organize a Major each year, in Evian, does it not create vocations, like Roland-Garros in tennis?

We are convinced of it. Having a big event on its soil, relayed by the media, is very important. It is by seeing champions on TV that many young people dream of a career. We have found that organizing major events in France such as Evian or the Ryder Cup is the best way to expose our discipline and to create vocations as you say. It is even more important today than having a great champion, as it could be the case in the past for some sports. In Ireland, they have lost 10% of their licensees in ten years despite the emergence of Rory McIlroy. In Spain, they lost 15% despite Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm. In tennis, they also lost players in Switzerland and Spain despite Federer and Nadal. Judo loses licensees despite Teddy Riner, the same for handball. It is no longer enough to bring out a great champion to attract new practitioners. The key is rather to showcase your sport, but also to adequately structure the sporting offer.

In recent years, and even in recent months with Bryson DeChambeau, have we witnessed an explosion in the power of champions, who sometimes reach incredible distances and give many courses a shot? Are the courses not now more suited to female players than to professional players?

It is true that some historical courses are very interesting for women to play, but may appear outdated for men. The Médoc, which hosts the Lacoste Ladies Open, would for example have difficulty defending themselves against the best. There are two solutions to counteract this trend and prevent golf from becoming a javelin throwing sport in the long run. Play on the architecture of the courses, make the roughs larger and the greens steeper or even increase the doglegs. The other possibility would be to change the ball for pro players. The advantage of this track is that it provides a global response to the problem by changing very little. This is what the English call the "bifurcation": we change the rule for 1% of golfers, like what is done in baseball for example, where the ball is not the same for golfers. professionals.

The other problem with professional golf is slow play. We think again of Bryson DeChambeau, but the pro players are not exempt from all reproach either. At the Women's Scottish Open last August, the final group on Sunday - consisting of Azahara Munoz, Jennifer Song and Stacey Lewis - played 18 holes in 5:16. We can not do anything ?

The solution is in the hands of those who regulate the game. In football, tennis, basketball, players are penalized when they exceed the allotted time. The example must come from above. It is incomprehensible that we let a player take two minutes to strike. Ricky Fowler made it clear: there is an inconsistency in applying the rule to the letter and giving a penalty if the ball moves a quarter of a millimeter when the timeout is never sanctioned. Sanctions must be up to the stakes here. It might sound a little silly and mean, but you just have to apply the rule of the time to the letter.

Interview by Franck Crudo.

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