• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
MPWCommentary

Even Women Who Golf Are Still Being Left Out of Deals Struck on the Course

By
Romy Newman
Romy Newman
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Romy Newman
Romy Newman
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 8, 2016, 1:25 PM ET
Two golfers walking off green shaking hands
Two golfers walking off green shaking handsPhotograph by Thomas Barwick — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The idea that many of biggest business deals are done on the golf course may be a cliché, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still true. Yes, even in 2016.

And while our society is slowly chipping away at many of the behaviors that make working women feel excluded, the continuing importance of work-related golf outings appears to be one that’s still flying under the radar.

Here’s what some members of our site Fairygodboss, where women can share their work experiences, have to say about golf and the workplace:

“Men advance a lot further than women and get special treatment, especially if you’re into what the “boss” is into, like golf or drinking.” — a healthcare executive

“You better know how to play golf, but then, you won’t get invited to play.” — a finance executive

“A senior employee may invite a young man to play golf at a local charity event, but would not extend this opportunity to a young lady” — a packaged goods executive

At times in my own professional experience, I have felt alienated both personally and professionally by the continuing importance of golf in business.

Sign up: Click here to subscribe to the Broadsheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the world’s most powerful women.

In fairness, golf is a salesperson’s dream come true. Compared to the typical stiff thirty-minute sales meeting, a golf outing with a client is an extraordinary opportunity to build rapport. “Think of it as a six-hour sales call,” Bill Storer, president of Business Golf Strategies, told Golf.com. And he’s right. In what other situation would you ever get to spend such a long amount of time in an fun and relaxed situation with your client or prospect?

Better still, an invitation to play golf on a good course is something that many clients who are golf aficionados just can’t refuse. It’s much easier to land a meeting with a key prospect than offering the boring standard in-office sales call.

But while golf can be a fantastic tool for salespeople, it’s one that’s rarely available to women.

 

In business school, in addition to studying finance, accounting, and strategy, I diligently took golf lessons. And while I’m no Jordan Spieth, I’ve had enough experience to handle myself on a golf course. I’ve even played Pinehurst No. 2! But in all my years of sales—even as my male peers spent day after day on the course with key clients—I never received a single invitation. Nor did I ever extend one.

Why? Golf is still predominantly an activity for men to engage in with other men. Not because women can’t play, and not because they don’t have access, but because the male clients want to golf with other men. Golf is one of the few pockets of the business world where men feel that they can defensibly exclude women. The unspoken implication, of course, is that the outing would simply be less fun with women present.

In my own experience, when it was clear that golf was the way to a client’s heart, a man always took the lead. That means a female salesperson would get excluded from conversations with key clients. Even in client meetings where the chatter turned to golf, I suddenly became invisible.

The prevalence of golf in the workplace in 2016 is surprising. In many ways, it’s a last vestige of boys-only clubs and three-martini lunches. For companies, it’s expensive both in the cash outlay and in the lost time away from the office. And it’s not just women who are left out in the cold by our continuing reliance on the sport; I’ve also seen golf used as a way to exclude other men who were not “in the club” in a terribly junior high school way.

I believe it’s time to ask ourselves: Is there still a place for golf in business? I’d like to ask the business community—salespeople and clients alike—to think twice the next time you select your foursome and consider a more inclusive activity. Personally, I’m a fan of Karaoke.

Romy Newman is co-founder of Fairygodboss, a job and career community for women. Have you ever felt excluded at work because of golf or similar activities? If so, consider sharing your advice and opinions with other women in the Fairygodboss community.

 

 

About the Author
By Romy Newman
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

With the exits of Apple’s Tim Cook and Dow’s Jim Fitterling, the Fortune 500 is losing two groundbreaking gay CEOs—leaving just one 
C-SuiteLeadership
With the exits of Apple’s Tim Cook and Dow’s Jim Fitterling, the Fortune 500 is losing two groundbreaking gay CEOs—leaving just one 
By Phil WahbaJune 20, 2026
6 hours ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPWSports
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
23 hours ago
Arianna Huffington swears by one boundary to switch off from work every night—and Ralph Lauren’s CHRO says it’s the best thing she’s ever done too
SuccessDay in the Life of a CEO
Arianna Huffington swears by one boundary to switch off from work every night—and Ralph Lauren’s CHRO says it’s the best thing she’s ever done too
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
z
PoliticsElections
Zohran’s primary of power: the Democrat that Republicans fear most runs New York City
By Steve Peoples, Anthony Izaguirre, Matt Brown and The Associated PressJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Trump caught on hot mic saying one word to EU’s top official at the G7: ‘Greenland’
EuropeDonald Trump
Trump caught on hot mic saying one word to EU’s top official at the G7: ‘Greenland’
By The Associated Press, Rob Gillies, Sylvie Corbet, Darlene Superville and Collin BinkleyJune 16, 2026
4 days ago
REE Corp. chair Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh spent 40 years navigating Vietnam’s economy. Here’s what she thinks comes next
MagazineVietnam
REE Corp. chair Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh spent 40 years navigating Vietnam’s economy. Here’s what she thinks comes next
By Nicholas GordonJune 16, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
1 day ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
3 days ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPW
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
23 hours ago
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
Success
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.