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Growing up, golf was never a sport that piqued my interest. With no female-family members or friends who played, it wasn’t something that had ever crossed my radar as a potential hobby – until I met my boyfriend.
My partner is a training PGA Professional, and after beating him at mini-golf several times and pulling out a surprisingly good performance at TopGolf, I felt drawn to giving it a go. I joined Foxhills Country Club earlier this year, setting a goal to play the par-3 course by the end of June, and I hope to conquer the full course this summer.
If I’m honest, I had always perceived golf as a male-dominated sport. This perception only changed when I witnessed my boyfriend’s mother and aunt passionately playing golf while on holiday. Prior to that, the only people I had seen playing golf were men, which made the sport feel inaccessible to me.
Reflecting on my fearlessness in trying male-dominated sports such as football and rugby, I realise that had the opportunity presented itself, I would have tried golf at an earlier age.
While there have been improvements in diversifying junior golf and breaking down barriers to access, I’m inclined to say that it’s still a work in progress. As an example, my boyfriend organises junior golf camps and rarely has more than a couple of girls within a group of thirty children.
Golf is a highly technical sport, and young females are missing out on a crucial window of opportunity to harness and develop their skills. The industry could open itself up to more talent if golf felt more accessible to young female golfers from an early age.
(Image credit: Golf Monthly)
My journey into golf was also prompted by some health complications that forced me to take a break from high-intensity, competitive sports. While I’ve come to enjoy lower-intensity exercise like swimming and yoga, I craved a sport that would teach me discipline and patience, while also allowing me to connect with others and eventually play competitively.
I hate to admit it, but this is where my boyfriend was a real source of inspiration as he recognised that golf could fill a void and provide me with a sense of joy that I hadn’t found with other sports. His passion for golf and the way he lights up when talking about the intricacies of the game has always resonated with me. He encouraged me to join him at the driving range so that we could start practising together.
During the first two months, I lacked the confidence to practise alone at the range. I was…
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