Page 125 - Introduction to Electronic Commerce and Social Commerce

114 • Sport, Media and Society

like the players [the magazine] celebrates’. The literary writing style that prevailed
throughout the magazine could be understood as part of an indirect address to this
well-educated, middle-class, female reader, who would be comfortable with sophis-
ticated language constructions.

So, while the magazine sought to appeal to a specific group of female readers,
it attempted to do so by flattering women, rather than by identifying with them.

For example, the editor’s letter (Tilley 2004: 13) began with a quote from Margaret
Thatcher: ‘if you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done ask a
woman.’ The column, written by a man, then discussed the various types of women
who were involved in the production of the magazine. This slightly patronising tone

achieved a further distancing of the writer from golfing women among its readership
and workforce, whilst effectively interpellating them as politically conservative by
praising Thatcher’s bon mots.

The various contributors to the magazine were profiled on the page facing the edi-
tor’s letter. They included one female golfer, a collection of male golf writers from

various newspapers, non–golf specialists in sport, health and fitness and a fashion
photographer. The biographical detail was written in a joking, tongue-in-cheek style,
as if sharing a joke. For example, the magazine’s New York–based fashion photog-
rapher was considered to ‘still be having the full New York experience’ despite not
possessing a cat, a little dog or a bathtub in her kitchen. The tone indicated an attempt
to express a shared cultural understanding which included, but also went beyond, the
golf world.

Golf, Consumption and Femininity

An attempt to construct a broad address to women interested in playing golf and the
lifestyle associated with golf continued throughout the features. The magazine’s use
of banter sometimes countered the seriousness of sport. For example, an overview
of different types of grass to be found on a golf course was presented in a humorous
manner, mixing technical information with jokes about losing the ball or blaming
the grass for a bad putt. The profiles of golfers within the magazine covered a range

of different ages and levels of experience from amateur to professional, including
Michelle Wie, Annika Sorenstam, Kathy Choi-Rogers, Hilary Lunkes, Betsy King
and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc. More explicit lifestyle-focused articles included one

profiling different golf shoes, one on a disc Frisbee vacation package, another on
golf dating on the Internet and one titled ‘Summer Stuff’, which highlighted the lat-
est golfing gear, including sunglasses, gloves and clubs, golf carts, covers, clothing

and golf bags. Golf’s associations with wealth and luxury underpinned these articles.
For example, an article called ‘Teefany’s’ focused on designer golf-themed items
available at Tiffany’s. The reader is thus addressed as belonging to an upper income
band. So, while there are references to more modest lifestyles (e.g. an item on ‘cross