Views from the Fairway

The game of golf is full of contradiction. Exclusive policies pervade, yet a wide swath of demographic groups participate. Social-oriented foursomes are common, yet the game remains solemn and focused on the individual. Avid golfers are known to spend many hours discussing how much they hate the game in all its maddening embodiments. In a similar vein, this book is also about contractions. How does one resolve how media coverage and commentary veers in different directions based on issues such as gender, nationality, and ethnicity? How does one negotiate a sense of identity in a sporting environment that can be seen as stifling diversity? Through a series of specific case studies ranging from Tiger Woods to the now-defunct Golf for Women magazine, this book explores the eccentricities embedded in media discourses surrounding golf, shedding light on a sport that millions play, millions, watch, and yet millions more struggle to understand.