Is Mini-Golf Misogynistic? Why We Separate Sports by Gender S3E5

Dr. Andrew Johnstone and Alicia Britt examine the historical beginnings of separating sports by gender. This episode traces the fragility of men playing golf in the Victorian period, the emergence of Muscular Christianity and the impact that funding and perception have on athletic ability. Guests include journalist Janet Eagleson and Dr. Isaac Hoff from the University of Glasgow.

Perilous windmills ahead as we dive in to the hot button issue of the moment whether women's sports are a biological necessity or just a social norm we've created in the last 100 or so years.

Arriving for tee time this week is co-host Alicia Britt and returning guest Dr. Isaac Hoff as well as sports journalist and notable raconteur Janet Eagleson to sort out when exactly women's sports emerged and some other critical questions like:

Are men's sports the default? How much impact does separation of men and women in the field of sports have on individual athletic ability? Were the fishwives of Musselburgh just really yoked from all that cleaning and filleting of fish? And most important of all: Is it wrong to be attracted to the image of Jesus on a crucifix?

Try to get a hole in one for a free game as we give the role of mini-golf in the women's sports debate a whirl on Seemingly Unrelated.

Bibliography:

Conant, Robert Warren. The Manly Christ, a New View. With New York Public Library. Chicago ;, 1904. http://archive.org/details/manlychristnewvi00cona.

Eschner, Kat. “The YMCA First Opened Gyms to Train Stronger Christians.” Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed June 21, 2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ymca-first-opened-gyms-train-stronger-christians-180967665/.

“Five Facts Friday - The Old Course at St. Andrews.” October 23, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141023061114/https:/trugolf.com/news/st-andrews-old-course/.

“Golf in Scotland 1457-1744 - National Library of Scotland.” Accessed June 21, 2026. https://digital.nls.uk/golf-in-scotland/.

Hudson, David L., and David L. Hudson Jr. Women in Golf: The Players, the History, and the Future of the Sport. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007.

Lowerson, John. “Scottish Croquet: The English Golf Boom, 1880-1914.” History Today, April 30, 1983. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/scottish-croquet-english-golf-boom-1880-1914.

R&A. “The Women’s Amateur Championship.” Accessed June 21, 2026. https://www.randa.org/en/championships/the-womens-amateur-championship.

“‘Rational Recreation’ and the Law: The Transformation of Popular Urban Leisure in Victorian England.” McGill Law Journal, n.d. Accessed June 21, 2026. https://lawjournal.mcgill.ca/article/rational-recreation-and-the-law-the-transformation-of-popular-urban-leisure-in-victorian-england/.

Sisters with Drive: Early Women Golf Coaches and Professionals | Playing Pasts. n.d. Accessed June 21, 2026. https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/gender-and-sport/sisters-with-drive-early-women-golf-coaches-and-professionals/.

Stark, James. “Fitness Gurus and ‘Muscular Christianity’: How Victorian Britain Anticipated Today’s Keep Fit Craze.” The Conversation, January 9, 2020. https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.cfx43h9nu.

The Guardian (London, Greater London, England). “Article Clipped from The Guardian.” June 14, 1893.

The New York Times. “MISS BISHOP WINS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP; Defeats Mrs. Sanford in Final Match by 5 Up and 3 to Play. PLAYED ON MERION LINKS Winner Is from the Brooklawn Club of Bridgeport -- Large Gallery Sees Interesting Contest.” Archives. October 16, 1904. https://www.nytimes.com/1904/10/16/archives/miss-bishop-wins-golf-championship-defeats-mrs-sanford-in-final.html.

Thévoz, Seth Alexander. “Petticoat Alley: London’s Forgotten Women’s Clubs.” History Today, May 2, 2024. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/petticoat-alley-londons-forgotten-womens-clubs.

“Title IX and Sex Discrimination | U.S. Department of Education.” Accessed June 21, 2026. http://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/title-ix-and-sex-discrimination.

Wrack, Suzanne. “How the FA Banned Women’s Football in 1921 and Tried to Justify It.” Football. The Guardian, June 13, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/13/how-the-fa-banned-womens-football-in-1921-and-tried-to-justify-it.