Utah’s most exclusive gated community ordered ex-Ford CEO’s wife and female friends off golf course so the men could play, lawsuit alleges, then offered women hat-making class instead
Jane Fields, wife of former Ford chief executive Mark Fields, alleges that an exclusive Utah club made her and another woman leave a golf contest early so male members could play. The couple are suing Wasatch Peaks Ranch, saying the incident was discriminatory and that their subsequent expulsion has deprived them of facilities they paid to access.
Fields says the women had each paid $900 to enter and were offered a hat-making class after leaving the course, while the men’s tournament winner received a Rolex and the women received participation trophies. The ranch denies the allegations; the lawsuit says the couple were expelled four days after Fields complained, and seeks $30 million in damages. They are also trying to sell their home at the club.
In short
- Jane Fields alleges women were removed from a golf contest for male players.
- Wasatch Peaks Ranch denies the allegations.
- The Fields are seeking $30 million and trying to sell their home.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
If the allegations are accurate, asking women who paid to compete to leave so men could use the course, then offering a craft class in place of comparable sporting access, would suggest unequal treatment. The alleged timing of the couple’s expulsion after a complaint could also support their claim that they were penalised for raising a concern, while depriving them of facilities they had paid to access.
The case against
The ranch denies the allegations, and the account presented here does not establish what happened or why the women were asked to leave or the couple later expelled. The club may argue that course scheduling, competition rules or other circumstances explain the decisions, and that the lawsuit’s account does not give the full context; those questions should be assessed on evidence rather than inferred from the reported sequence.
Explained simply
Wasatch Peaks Ranch is a private, gated club in Utah, where members pay for access to facilities including a golf course. Jane Fields is married to Mark Fields, who previously led Ford Motor Company as chief executive.
The dispute centres on how women members were treated during a golf contest and what happened after Jane Fields complained. The club denies the allegations, and the lawsuit is a claim that has yet to be resolved.
The case raises questions about members’ rights and how private clubs handle complaints about discrimination. Its outcome could affect the Fields’ access to the club and their efforts to sell their home there.
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