- A male golf club member has been suspended by his team in Australia
- He dressed as a woman in protest against a new membership agreement
- More than 100 people have signed a petition against the cheaper offer
A row over sexism has erupted at one of Australia’s most prestigious gold clubs after a player was suspended for dressing as a woman in protest against cheaper treatment for women.
A male member of Victoria’s 13th Beach Golf Links, home of the Victorian Open, turned up at the golf course’s reception desk in a dress and wig, telling staff he now identified as a woman.
The player and an individual who filmed the video of him approaching the table, both aged 70, as well as another member, have been suspended by the club.
According to the Herald Sun, a petition is currently circulating among club members calling for the dismissal of club chairman Grant Phelps “primarily over this issue”.
The petition is understood to have gathered more than 130 signatures from both male and female players, which could force a Special General Assembly to remove the acting president.
Explaining the reason for the suspension, general manager Rob Hurley said the trio allegedly violated club policies “by treating staff with disrespect, filming them without their consent and then posting that video on a messaging service.”
“The suspension was not related to the dress code chosen by the members,” he said.
’13th Beach has a clear process for dealing with complaints regarding member behaviour, and the process for this matter is still ongoing. 13th Beach is committed to protecting and providing a safe working environment for its staff.’
A golf club member was suspended after dressing up as a woman at a protest
The 13th Beach Golf Links has been caught in a storm of sexism in recent months
Golf Australia’s James Sutherland backed the club, saying the organisation strongly opposes “individuals who protest, harass or campaign against efforts to redress historical under-representation in our sport”.
“We want golf to be a sport for everyone. We firmly believe that everyone can be a golfer and that people should feel welcome and included in our golf community,” he said.
‘There have been some incredible success stories in recent times where clubs have transformed themselves in line with the ambition of golf being a fun and welcoming community sport. We therefore strongly support 13th Beach Golf Links’ initiative to try and grow and diversify its membership base.
‘Behaviour that opposes golf’s ambition to become more inclusive, whether it be towards women, young people, people with disabilities or people from culturally diverse backgrounds, only reinforces the perception that golf is stuck in the past and refuses to change.
“This type of behaviour should not be tolerated and should be challenged by the wider golf community.”
13th Beach has announced new special offers aimed at encouraging more female players to take part. The club aims to increase female membership from the current 18 per cent to 30 per cent by 2027.
In May, the club said on social media that the new membership arrangements provided “the perfect opportunity for women new to golf, or experienced golfers,” to play at 13th Beach Golf Links, located near Barwon Heads.
Last month, Phelps said only 10 women had accepted the six-day membership deal and defended the move.