Golf, The Guy's Girl & The Enduring Issue of the Grass Ceiling

For what's basically a recreational activity, the game of golf has an odd knack for inciting controversy and contentiousness.

Do a search for the phrase "golf has a reputation", and you'll see this kind of thing:

"...for being anachronistic in its social attitudes and etiquette."

"...for being a very white sport..."

 "...for being elitist and traditionalist and ladies, in particular, can find it difficult getting involved in the sport."

"...of causing problems in marriages rather than assisting in reconciliation."

"...as a rather snooty sport enjoyed primarily by the upper-class."

"...for being slow, boring, uptight, and for senior citizens or tightly-wound people trying to do deals."

And those are some of the nicer ones.  Golf is a wonderful sport that celebrates nature and unites all kinds of people, but the fact is, the game gets a lot of guff, some of it... admittedly... deserved. 

The controversial, lightning rod side of golf was featured in an Forbes.com post by Meghan Casserly yesterday that suggests women are feeling increased pressure to learn and play golf in order to be more like "one of the guys" ...and have a chance of acceding to upper echelons of the corporate world.  It's an interesting read and one that had lots of people talking tweeting this morning.

Introducing a Very Engaging Blog About... Golf Litigation?

If you're not a hardened golf geek... or an obsessed trial junkie... the subject may first glance seem extremely boring somewhat platitudinous; worthy of an occasional post perhaps, but not nearly enough to constitute an ongoing daily blog.

As it turns out, however, golf generates a prodigious amount of legal wrangling. More than any other amateur sport according Thomas H. Sawyer, author of Golf and the Law.  And it goes way beyond the errant balls and reckless swings that might first come to mind.

This is where Rob Harris comes in.  He's a Connecticut lawyer who advises business clients on ways to avoid or minimize the risks associated with litigation.  He's also a passionate golfer, and his new blog, Golf Dispute Resolution, features regular posts on interesting legal disputes that have a golf connection.  Categories like Injuries, Celebrities, Golf Equipment and Quirky & Unusual to name a few, reflect the remarkable variety of cases he covers. Stories are also search-able by state/country... so you can find out what kind of litigation is taking place on and around your local course.

Harris is an engaging story-teller who turns legalese into something lyrical... in short succinct posts.  In addition to his blog he animates lively discussions golf and the law on Linked In at the Golf Dispute Resolution Group, which is were I met him yesterday.

I'm quite sure that 2012 will bring many interesting stories on the intersection of golf and law, and Rob Harris is the perfect person to tell them.