Women’s Golf Is Growing Like Never Before… Meet The Communities Driving Its Rapid Rise

Golf has a certain predisposition; anyone who doesn’t play assumes that the game hasn’t advanced - you play when you’ve retired, it’s expensive etc.

Going back even 5 years, I remember an occasion while working at Boundary Lakes golf course in Southampton. During a pop-up participation exercise in association with the Golf Foundation at a one-day international cricket match at the Ageas Bowl, I asked a question to almost every woman that walked past. “Fancy coming to have a go at golf?” I won’t lie, the answers were abrupt at best.

“‘No thanks, my grandad plays, it’s not for me,” “Not in a million years,” No way, never.” These were the general answers. When they were told it was only 6 holes including lunch and an afternoon tea in the spa, they soon changed their tune. It’s fair to say that times have changed considerably, and it is incredible that women in the UK & Ireland count for over 45% of participants in golf off the course.

This is largely due to a surge in more women and men playing golf during lockdown, but on top of this, we’ve seen the formation of several women’s golf communities. These communities have attracted women who hadn’t necessarily ventured anywhere near a golf course before and this has massively encouraged participation.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN’S COMMUNITIES

Forming communities is absolutely vital for groups of golfing women (especially those under 50) to grow and be nurtured. That support and encouragement that women get from each other is almost a magic ingredient and something that in the past has been lacking. Why? Women who work were often restricted at weekends on tee times, and if they had families this also restricted the time that they could invest in their sport. Someone new to golf would have previously found it hard to see the pathway beyond lessons thanks to rules and regulations and the incessant need to have to play 18 holes and get a handicap. There are now a vast number of different golf formats that make you a golfer  - pitch and putt, TopGolf facilities, golf ranges, or simulator venues.

With a professional background in retail buying and a passion for golf, London-based Caroline Shukla left the fashion industry and founded Skratch Women in 2021. Her goal was to inspire, encourage and support inner-city women to enjoy the skill of golf. New to golf herself, she was struggling to find other women her age to play with in the London area, so she set off on a mission to do so.

Skratch Women has exceeded Caroline’s expectations. Groups meet regularly to hit balls at one of many city-based locations, such as Pitch in London. There’s ‘Wine and 9’ options that encourage women onto the course, they also play in pro-ams and travel the globe on golf trips, which also present an opportunity to network.

Skratch Events, an arm that has emerged from Caroline's initial business, organises events for private groups or for London-based companies. Women that have taken part in Skratch events reveal how they encourage them to keep coming back for more, and many are seeing their games go from strength to strength, especially thanks to the coaching elements attached to many of the sessions. 

Caroline says, “As a result of forming Skratch, I now play 95% of my golf with other women. We just feel stronger together. I’ve witnessed women during a Skratch session at Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range who left without hitting the last few balls left in their basket when a group of long-hitting men joined the range and started their drives. This intimidation still remains in golf and I’m just so thrilled to have created something where women feel confident and can further their games as well as their friendships.”

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

Not all communities have to be physical meet-ups. Some start as a simple online chat group that snowballs into a much larger group of women. Jazzy Golfer succeeded in creating something magical back in 2021 when she launched the UK Women’s Golf Community. A hub of women and girls with one goal, to hit balls and support each other in an environment that was friendly and fun. This has developed and now boasts over 15 hubs from Coventry to Salisbury that run regular meetups at both ranges and on the course. Jazzy and TopTracer managed to bring together 130 women at Bracknell's GolfPlex earlier this year. Now that's what I call strength in numbers.

My absolute favourite Facebook community is Yvonne Brooke’s Ladies Golf Lounge. Established in May 2020, it now has 11,000 members worldwide. These female golfers compare outfits, recommend equipment, as well as offering each other support if an awkward situation arises at their home golf club. The ability to ask, “What would you do?” without feeling that you’ll be judged or told off is magical. The rules are set out by Yvonne and are clear, it’s a  friendly place where anyone can ask anything and everyone is welcome. 

MIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE

Women’s business networking has long been a passion of mine. Seeing women compete in corporate days rather than driving the drinks buggy is a big goal for me. Fellow PGA Professional Nicky Lawrenson spotted a gap and formed Women In Golf & Business, a platform where women can get into golf and progress in the workplace as a result. I've loved delivering some sessions with her at Hamptworth Golf Club this year. Seeing the parallel in golf and business is clear. You learn skills of self control, compartmentalisation, as well as learning to admit defeat. 

Golf gives you an opportunity to play with a CEO of a company and spend 4 hours of quality time with that person on a level playing field. This golden time can often help form relationships with co-workers and managerial figures as well as talk about points that are often hard to raise during busy meetings and an office environment. The golf course is a place to be heard and a place to make leaps in your career. No longer are women just driving the drink buggies, they’re now pounding the fairways with epic drives and showing the men how business is taken care of on the greens. 

Women truly are better together when it comes to the game of golf. The more communities and groups that are formed, perhaps in places we wouldn’t expect them to pop up, the better. Growing this game should be a team effort and one that will see women’s confidence rise along with their participation.