'Battle of the sixes': investigating print media representations of female professional golfers competing in a men's tour event

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Bowes, A. ORCID: 0000-0001-5635-106X and Kitching, N., 2019. 'Battle of the sixes': investigating print media representations of female professional golfers competing in a men's tour event. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. ISSN 1012-6902

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690219842544

Abstract

In May 2018, the men's European Tour invited five female professional golfers to compete in its GolfSixes event in England, against 27 professional male players. This was significant, particularly given the female struggle for equality of access, participation, employment and decision making in golf settings. This research investigates the print media representation of these five female professional golfers competing in this male domain. Using the Nexis database, data was collected from print newspapers in the United Kingdom and Ireland over six days before, during and after the event. Following thematic analysis, findings highlight a double-edged sword to media coverage of female athletes competing against men; women received greater media coverage when in the male sport spotlight, but the coverage was framed by gendered discourses. The results document a slow shift towards more equal and equitable print media coverage of female athletes, whilst drawing attention to the problematic ways in which sportswomen are represented.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

Creators:

Bowes, A. and Kitching, N.

Publisher:

Sage

Date:

14 April 2019

ISSN:

1012-6902