Unlocking Leadership Through Golf: Elevating Women to New Heights

When you move to a new place, you learn a lot about yourself. You are thrown into an entirely different environment with unique cultural norms, foods, activities, people, ways of life.

I've lived in Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Argentina, Peru, Colorado, Florida, and Utah throughout my 35 years. As I'm getting settled into Salt Lake City, I can't help but notice a profound deep-seated passion amongst female leaders to elevate women into leadership. Utah is ranked the #47 out of 50 in terms of pay disparities across the country. Although Salt Lake is making strides toward gender equity in leadership, systemic changes are still needed to support more women in reaching top leadership positions across industries.

When we talk about women in leadership, we can’t ignore the statistics: only 9.6% of Utah CEOs are women. While this reflects progress from 2018’s 4.7%, the numbers show we still have work to do. Certain industries, like education and healthcare, are making strides, yet sectors such as finance and construction lag far behind, with women holding just 2.4% and 1.1% of CEO roles, respectively.

But what if I told you that golf could be the catalyst for change?

Ladies Executive Golf Society (LEGS) isn’t just about women learning to play golf—it’s about building visibility, developing confidence, and elevating women into leadership roles. Golf is more than a game; it’s an opportunity to network with executives and decision-makers. Research shows that women who play golf are 54% more likely to be in senior management. So, by stepping onto the course, you’re stepping into opportunities for leadership.

One of the barriers women often face in business is the lack of visibility and opportunities for networking—the so-called “good old boys club.” Golf has traditionally been one of those spaces. But by creating environments where women can network in these settings, we can break those barriers and open doors. In fact, corporate boards chaired by women are more likely to have female directors and company CEOs, fostering more diverse leadership teams.

Through LEGS, we’re not only changing the face of leadership, but we’re also rewriting the narrative of who gets to be in the room. As Utah research shows, women’s representation in top roles is increasing—rising to 20.4% in 2024, up from just 6.4% in 2018.

Imagine how much faster this progress could be if women had greater access to leadership-building platforms like golf.

At LEGS, we believe that every swing of the club brings us closer to bridging the gender gap in leadership. We’re cultivating a space where women aren’t just asking for a seat at the table—we’re building our own. By fostering connections and mentoring future leaders, we’re accelerating the path for women to take the lead.

The course is ready, and so are we.

I'm curious what else we can do as an organization to truly create a ripple effect and lasting change? What are other ways LEGS can help accelerate the success and visibility of women?