If you are a tournament director and are interested in encouraging female participation, you may want to try one or more of the ideas below.
Have a final 9 for the top pro women - this one is not about the money, it's about the honor of showcasing the women in front of a gallery.
Have a showcase wolf match for all participating women. The ADGA did this at the 2000 & 2001 VPO and it went over quite well with all the women as well as the gallery.
Start the women's groups on the first few holes one of the rounds.
Have a skins match that includes both the top men and women. At the 2001 & 2002 Z Boaz Open, Maceman had a skins match where the top woman was matched with the 4th man, 2nd woman with 3rd man, 3rd woman with 2nd man and the 4th woman with the 1st man. The 4 pairs played best shot doubles for skins before the awards.
Add money to the women's purse or prizes to the Am women's purse. (At least equivalent to their respective percentage of the total purse.)
Extra players package item(s) for am women. (Can be as little as a towel or disc the effort goes a very long way.)
Partial compensation for motel expenses - For the last couple of years both Waco and Kansas City have compensated all female participants that stay in the host hotel $10 a night.
Coupon for free diner Saturday night or free lunches Saturday and Sunday
Have a bounty on the Women's Course Records.
Find sponsors for the women that will pay part of their entry fees.