EDITOR’S NOTE: Donna Hoffman has revived and reenergized Women and Course since these events of 2016. You can read about the comeback here.
BUSINESS SEEMED to be booming for Women on Course. Founded by Donna Hoffman in 2005 and acquired by Billy Casper Golf in 2013, the unique social golf group regularly announced astounding growth rates — 400 percent in November 2014, for example. Press releases described it as “America’s premier networking organization.” As recently as December 3, Billy Casper Golf touted a new website “to fuel growing appeal of golf among females.”
But in February of 2016, as the golf industry convened at the PGA Expo in Orlando, Fla., to try to figure out how to get more women and young people into the game, Women on Course informed its members that as of February 29 it is “dissolving as a business.”
The Facebook and Twitter pages have already shut down. A January 27 email told members: “After February 29, the website and event service will end.” Already all signs of Women on Course have been removed from the Billy Casper Golf website except for a small, unlinked box on the home page.
The Billy Casper Golf spokesman to whom GottaGoGolf was referred did not return calls Monday and Tuesday; the person answering the phone at Women on Course said she could only say, “It’s a business decision.” But Hoffman answered her phone in Fairfax County, Va., and could shed no light on the sudden and mysterious demise of Women on Course.
Hoffman said she had been shocked when members forwarded her the final email.
“I was terminated two weeks ago,” said Hoffman, who had remained the face and voice of Women on Course after the transition. “They made the decision to dissolve the company. I’m not at liberty to give any answers because I’m not sure myself why this decision was made to dissolve. I’m not really happy right now… This is a little shocking to me, because the interest and the need is still there.”
Pam Swensen, executive director of EWGA, the only national golf organization with a local chapter footprint across the United States, said, “My reaction is, I was surprised. But I don’t think it’s a reflection of a trend in golf. I think it was a business decision by Billy Casper Golf. I don’t know that for a fact, but I think they saw they could potentially align the women players at Billy Casper clubs and just develop that without having a third name involved… I think we’ve only seen half the story.”
SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO WOMEN ON COURSE?
The other half of the story no doubt involves red numbers. Hoffman became a thought leader in efforts to get more women interested in golf by creating a community for them that, oh, by the way, happened to have a golf theme. There were happy hours and fashion shows and girls nights out, along with signature events and wine-and-nines.
For women, she said over and over again, it can’t just be all about golf.
“What I enjoyed most was creating a community of ladies who just so enjoyed each other, and they happened to enjoy golf,” Hoffman said.
“I don’t work for the golf industry. I work for ladies, and when I went out in the public I found that women who didn’t play golf thought about golf, were interested in getting into the game, and I offered them a way. I said, hey, let me show you how to get in here, it’s a little intimidating … (A woman) wasn’t as confident going on her own to play. She wanted the group to pave the way.”
But after eight years of developing the membership and a busy events schedule for Women on Course, Hoffman was so eager to sell out to Billy Casper Golf in 2013 that she settled out of court a lawsuit from members of the National Coalition for Men, who said they had been excluded from an event in California strictly because of their gender.
(It should be noted that both Women on Course and EWGA have clear nondiscrimination policies spelled out in their charters and on their websites.)
“I cleared the lawsuit so that I could dissolve the company and become part of a new company called Women on Course Acquisition Co., where I owned 40 percent and Billy Casper Golf owned 60 percent,” Hoffman said.
It’s every entrepreneur’s dream, really, to sell out and yield the responsibility yet still be the face of the organization. But Hoffman had only 40 percent of the power, which meant nothing in the end.
Billy Casper Golf runs more than 140 golf courses in 29 states, and owns stakes in many of them. Hoffman herself admitted the opposite of a famous American Express commercial — in this case, membership had its headaches, from sales to tracking to customer service. The current situation doesn’t flatter Billy Casper Golf or help its PR efforts, and so let’s just assume, hope and demand that there’s a woman-friendly alternative on its way.
Soon.
Donna Hoffman won’t be part of that. But she’ll be creating something. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @Events_19.
I worked at a course run by Billy Casper golf. The morale amongst the employees was very low. The GM and the Pro were downright rude to the hourly staff. I watched the course deteriorate before my eyes over 2 seasons. A true crap organization. I took my daughter to a Billy Casper course on a warm winter day and the didn’t even bother to set up the ladies tee box. My daughter refused to play and we went back on asked for our money back and the were extremely rude to us. Kudos to my girl she is a good golfer and a great ambassador of the game to other women. Not to mention a Captain in the United States Marines. The wrong woman to treat with disrespect.
Thanks for your comment. If we receive any response from Billy Casper golf, we will publish that as well.
Let’s hope and demand that there’s a woman-friendly alternative on its way that does not discriminate against men the way that Women on Course events did by prohibiting men from participating based solely on their sex. Here’s for equal treatment of men everywhere, including golf courses.
Thanks for your comment David, and sorry to hear that. We thought Women on Course events, though geared to women, did not exclude men. We thought it was sort of the way that executive board rooms, while filled mostly by men, do not exclude women. We are for equal treatment for all too and against the exclusion (whether overt or quietly systemic) of anyone in golf. In fact we were just thinking how much more fun the Olympics would be with men and women golfers competing together for their countries!
I am so bummed. I live in the Ann Arbor area and new to Michigan. I participated in WOC events when I lived in Philadelphia. I was sure I’d have an opportunity to reconnect with the organization and play now that the weather is breaking – only to find out WOC is no more. What a bummer!! I had so much fun – the clinics, learning to play and meeting such nice women. I wanted to play this weekend, started looking for WOC online and read the article about its’ demise. It was a great idea. I hope a similar organization resurfaces somehow.
Rose
I read the above comment by Susan MK. I too was a member of WOC. WOC has not refunded my payment, which I had recently just paid before they closed with barely any notice. The true driver of the WOC in Arizona was truly Lauri Gill, it is so unfortunate that her efforts and our enjoyment came to such an abrupt stop. Billy Casper certainly knows how to cheat women in more ways than golf. Thank you Lauri for bringing so many great times to the game of golf in Arizona.
Sorry to hear that Julie, hope you don’t stop having fun with golf. We invite comment by Billy Casper representatives.
Yesterday I participated in the last event in Scottsdale at Troon North. The real driver of the events was a volunteer Lauri Gill. She flawlessly planned and executed events for us. I vote with my “pocketbook” and will not be supporting any Billy Casper events/products. Several years ago Vijay Singh was rude to Annika and all Cleveland products left my home. All seven golf bags were relieved of Cleveland products and no new have been purchased. As I go….so goes the rest of the house. I wrote Cleveland to let them know that as long as Vijay was a spokesperson they would not be joining us on the course. Never heard back from them and of course, my house did not put them out of business. Thank you to Lauri and all of the ladies I played with – you are awesome! And I count some of you as good friends now. Cheers!
I was a member of WOC since the beginning 10 years ago and noticed a downward change in the last two years since Billy Casper. I loved WOC. I loved the socialization and the opportunity to play at some great private golf courses. I made several business connections as well as a great group of women to play golf with. I hope the best for Donna and can’t wait to be a part of her next adventure.
Thanks Caryn — It’s a unique group, with the main goal of socializing, not competing.
Did you get your money back like they said we would. I also had a deposit on Boca FL trip.