Plaintiffs drop civil rights lawsuit against Encinitas golf instructor

ENCINITAS — A local golf instructor has overcome a lawsuit filed by former members of a national men’s rights group who alleged civil rights violations after being denied entry to her women-only golf clinics.

The lawsuit, filed by Stephen “Steve” Frye and George St. George, represented by longtime San Diego attorney Alfred Rava, alleged that PGA-certified golf instructor Heidi Richardson had refused to allow them to participate in a women’s group lesson last spring at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course.

The plaintiffs, known for filing similar lawsuits targeting women-only events and promotions under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, sought $4,000 each, plus attorney fees. However, during an initial hearing on May 23, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.

“We are thrilled that this case was dismissed and are now even more inspired and committed to being an advocate for women’s golf,” Richardson said. “As a female in the male-dominated industry and sport of golf, I have spent my entire life and career as a PGA member and instructor welcoming and encouraging more girls and women to feel welcome and to become golfers.”

The dismissal came before a motion for summary judgment by Richardson’s pro bono attorney, Paul Fraidenburgh of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman law firm, who planned to argue that the plaintiffs lacked standing and that promoting women’s participation in golf serves a valid societal interest.

Rava told The Coast News that the case was dismissed because the golf course stopped offering women-only golf clinics.

“Soon after the plaintiffs George St. George and Steve Frye filed their sex discrimination lawsuit against defendants Heidi Richardson Golf, JC Resorts, and others, which alleged the defendants denied nonbinary persons, Men of Color, and all other men equal treatment by not allowing nonbinaries and men from attending women-only golf clinics at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course based solely on their sex, the defendants ended their sex-based golf clinics at the course,” Rava said in a statement. “Because the plaintiffs’ achieved their continuous goal of supporting California’s strong public policy to eradicate sex discrimination, the plaintiffs dismissed their lawsuit.”

The lawsuit isn’t the first time Frye and Rava, both former members of the San Diego-based activist group National Coalition for Men, have tried to sue local business owners over alleged gender discrimination.

According to court records, Frye and Rava, along with NFCM members Allan Candelore and Rich Allison, are frequent litigants who, combined, have initiated dozens, if not hundreds, of lawsuits on the grounds of sexual discrimination against men.

In San Diego County alone, Frye has filed at least 36 civil rights lawsuits against golf courses, small businesses, bars and nightclubs, sporting goods stores and nonprofit organizations, including Babes Golf and Fore the Ladies. In many cases, the lawsuits, often represented by Rava, are settled out of court. 

In 2017, Frye and Rava sued Escondido entrepreneur Mandy Rodriguez, known by her stage name “DJ Mandy Mixes,” after he was reportedly denied entry to her event, “A Girls’ Night Out Dance Party,” at the SpringHill Suites in Oceanside. Rodriguez settled the case for an undisclosed sum.

Rather than settling, Richardson, a longtime advocate for women in golf, told The Coast News that she decided to fight the case to stop what she and her legal team saw as serial litigation unfairly targeting women’s programs.

“Paul (Fraidenburgh) and his litigation team offered to defend me for free so that they could help me stand up for women’s rights and prevent the Unruh Act from being used to target women in our community,” Richardson said. “Now that the lawsuit has been dismissed, we are going to use this experience to create positive change. My goals are to create greater regional, state, and even national awareness and to use this experience to present my case to the community and, eventually, the California Legislature to prevent anyone from denigrating the purpose of the Unruh Act.

“In my view, it is an important law that should not be used to target women’s groups or to prevent women from gathering for golf clinics or any other event,” Richardson continued. “I hope to have the law changed and clarified to prevent future lawsuits like the one that was filed against me.”

UPDATE: This article has been updated to include a statement from the plaintiffs’ attorney, Alfred Rava.