However, that’s changing, and in recent years a number of clubs including the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the Royal Troon, Royal Aberdeen and Royal St George’s have dropped their men-only membership policies.
Equally, there are now drives to actively encourage more girls and women to play golf. Female-only golf courses and coaching sessions have been introduced by some British clubs, while there have also been efforts to hire more women to coach players.
There is also increasing excitement around the women’s professional game, which incorporates eagerly anticipated events such as the US Women’s Open, which is being held in California in June, while the KPMG PGA Championship takes place in New Jersey later the same month. And many of us are looking forward to the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath, Surrey, in mid-August.
This girl rocks!
Additionally, there have been major initiatives to encourage greater female take-up of the game. These include Girls Golf Rocks from England Golf, the governing body for (male and female) amateur golf across England. This aims to get girls aged five to 18 engaged in the sport, in a friendly, fun way.
The scheme runs across England, with almost 200 host clubs or similar facilities participating. The idea is to create a comfortable environment which gives young girls the confidence to join in beginner sessions, before offering them a clear pathway to continue playing.
Taster sessions are being offered free of charge, and these typically last an hour. There is then the option to sign up for a six-week coaching course. Ambassadors from the scheme will be around at the clubs to encourage new players during the sessions, which are female-only.
For those young players wishing to continue, there are a couple of options for further coaching, but all comprise six hours of training, with the final session involving time out on the course.
All sessions are aimed at being fun and sociable, and offer a variety of golf-related activities as well as team or group pursuits.
So, of course, there is no reason why girls should not get into golf just as much as boys, or why they should not enjoy it or feel all the benefits of participation in the same way their male counterparts do.
Come on a junior golf camp
If the young ‘lady golfer’ in your life is keen to take her interest in the sport further, our junior golf camps are aimed at girls just as much as boys. We offer a fully co-ed training experience for all junior golfers aged nine to 17.
Take a closer look at this season’s golf camps here – and do be in touch if you have any queries. We look forward to welcoming your daughter, grand-daughter or niece to one of our golf camps this summer.
