Lee Westwood: ‘There’s not enough black people’ in golf though Tiger Woods ‘has done a lot to promote’ the sport

Briton Westwood said part of the problem is the perception of golf as a “White sport.”

“I think it’s still perceived as a White sport if I’m being completely honest,” he said. “If you look at the people that partake in it, and certainly the crowds that turn up, it’s dominated by White people.

“There’s not enough Black people that come into the game. I don’t know what the answer is to that. But there has to be an answer because sport should be for everybody, shouldn’t it?”

In a statement sent to CNN Sport, the European Tour said it played in 31 countries across five continents, had members from 35 countries and winners from 36 countries since the Tour began in 1972.

“We are the gatekeepers of the professional game and we discriminate against nobody,” added the Tour statement. “Anyone who comes through the junior or amateur ranks, from any country, to qualify for our Tour, we welcome with open arms.

“Diversity is something we celebrate each day, but at the same time we also continue to listen and work on ways to broaden golf’s appeal, and golf participation, to all areas of society. We also stand in solidarity with everyone wishing to end all forms of discrimination.”

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which together with the US Golf Association (USGA), governs the sport of golf worldwide, was not immediately available to comment at the time of publication.

In the US, approximately 25% of those who played on a golf course for the first time in 2017 were non-White.

However, 82% of all golfers in the US are White, while 25% of junior golfers (aged 6-17) were non-White.

The PGA Tour and the USGA did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Priced out

Westwood singled out the cost of playing golf as a significant barrier to entry.

“Golf’s too expensive, I think,” said the 47-year-old Westwood. “It’s too expensive to join clubs.”

Only 30% of responding private clubs had a list price of $7,500 or less. That is without annual “dues” (membership fees) which, according to the survey, cost an average of $6,245 (approximately $520 per month). Some clubs also require a minimum amount to be spent in the club shop and bar every month.