“I think the sport and the R&A has made good progress but there is a hell of a lot more to do.”

With the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie this week, the Guardian’s Ewan Murray talks to Phil Anderton, the R&A’s person in charge of development looking at spending their dollars to grow interest among women and girls. Anderton says golf has “underperformed” when it comes to women and girls but has theories on how to change that.

“I think golf in general fell previously into the trap of talking to itself,” Anderton says. “Golf talked to golf. If you didn’t play it, you didn’t know anything about it. I think it also fell into the trap of just putting on programmes; come here and learn about golf. If you have a perception barrier and people don’t think it is a sport or a brand for them, you can put on every course and build every structure you want but it will be incredibly difficult. Women and girls have to see this as a sport for them, promoted to them.

“If you had once asked people in the UK for their perceptions of tennis, I think most would have said ‘Wimbledon, whites, strawberries and cream.’”

Don’t forget the Pimms!

Anderton is hoping to see purse equity and other initiatives help the cause. As noted here and elsewhere, do not underestimate the elevation of the women’s majors to iconic, time-tested venues.