'Golf Clubs Are Changing Their Attitudes Towards Women' - Carly Booth
Scotland's LET player Carly Booth believes progress is being made but we can do more to get kids, girls in particular, playing golf
![Carly Booth American Golf International Women's Day](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iT3iQm6XaPKQrasHENZRma-415-80.jpg)
To coincide with #BreakTheBias, the campaign theme for International Women’s Day (8 March), we spoke to three-time Ladies European Tour winner Carly Booth who believes that women’s golf has made significant progress in terms of becoming a more gender-neutral sport, but there is still work to be done.
The 29-year old Scottish golfer, who burst onto the amateur scene at the tender age of 11 and played in the Curtis Cup at St Andrews aged 14, said: “When I was growing up, opportunities for young girls were non-existent. I had to play with junior boys or the ladies, and although this helped me to improve more quickly, it wasn’t always what I would have chosen.”
Speaking fresh off the back of a two-day shoot with International Leisure Group (ILG) which incorporates golf retailer and leisure brands American Golf and Online Golf, for which Booth has recently become an ambassador, she enthused about the shoot as an example of how companies are helping to change the face of golf to make the sport more inclusive.
“It was so much fun because there was myself, two male models of varying age, and 8-year-old Maybel Brooks, an up-and-coming golf star who American Golf is supporting in her golf journey. That is what I love to see, the diversity and different generations, showing golf is for everyone.”
This is just one of many small but meaningful changes that Booth, who is currently recovering from shoulder surgery before she kickstarts her LET season at the Madrid Ladies Open in May, has witnessed since turning pro aged 17.
Booth is set to return to LET action in May
“I feel we’ve made so much progress, women are no longer made to feel that it’s a masculine sport. Men are starting to respect us more and many golf clubs are changing their attitudes towards women, and that has been a really big thing. Some people will always be stuck in their ways, but that’s just the way it is.”
There might be more opportunities for girls to get into golf compared to Booth’s junior days, as well as them feeling more comfortable playing a game that was traditionally a male sport, but she strongly believes that there should be more investment at grassroots level if we are to encourage greater participation, referring to girls in particular.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
“As a country we need to invest in providing more opportunities at school to play golf, as generally kids are only encouraged to play traditional sports like hockey, cricket, netball, tennis etc. Why not organise an after-school bus to take kids to a golf course? Golf clubs should be more open-minded about these ideas, then the club pros are more likely to get on board – organise a 3-hole competition, something to get kids interested.”
In a sport that is constantly talking about increasing equality and diversity, she added that mixed golf at all levels is crucial.
“Henrik (Stenson) and Annika (Sorenstam) did a great job in getting the Scandinavian Mixed off the ground to show that we can actually play golf together, but mixed golf should be introduced to juniors too, as this will help to change traditional club culture so it becomes the norm for future generations.”
Alison Root has over 25 years experience working in media and events, predominantly dedicated to golf, in particular the women’s game. Until 2020, for over a decade Alison edited Women & Golf magazine and website, and is now the full-time Women's Editor for Golf Monthly. Alison is a respected and leading voice in the women's game, overseeing content that communicates to active golfers from grassroots through to the professional scene, and developing collaborative relationships to widen Golf Monthly's female audience across all platforms to elevate women's golf to a new level. She is a 16-handicap golfer (should be better) and despite having had the fantastic opportunity to play some of the best golf courses around the world, Kingsbarns in Scotland is her favourite.
-
I've Suffered With The Shanks For A Year And My Golf Game Is In Tatters. Can Anything Help?
It's a shot that can keep golfers awake at night, as Michael Weston has unfortunately discovered in recent times
By Michael Weston Published
-
Dan Grieve 25 Handicap Lesson: Better Bunker Play
Dan Grieve gives a high handicap golfer a lesson in the sand to get the ball out of the bunker consistently every time
By Joel Tadman Published
-
How To Watch The Olympic Golf Events At Paris 2024
Find out how to watch a star-studded men's and women's Olympic Golf event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in both the USA and UK
By Paul Higham Published
-
CPKC Women’s Open Prize Money Payout 2024
Many of the world’s best are competing at the Canada event, including defending champion Megan Khang
By Mike Hall Published
-
Star Wars Fan Ayaka Furue Takes Inspiration From Iconic Quote To Snatch Evian Championship Victory Via Late Burst
The Japanese golfer went five under through her final five holes to snatch the win away from her rivals at Evian Resort - all while thinking about six influential words...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Amundi Evian Championship Prize Money Payout 2024
The penultimate women's Major of the 2024 season offers up its highest-ever prize purse - almost double what it was in 2019
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
7 Big Names To Miss The Cut At The Amundi Evian Championship
The fourth women's Major of 2024 has made it to the halfway stage, with a number of big names set to head home for the weekend
By Matt Cradock Published
-
The 19 Golfers To Have Made The Cut In Every Women's Major So Far This Year
We take a look at the best scores from the 19 players who have made the cut in all three women's Majors so far in 2024
By Paul Higham Published
-
‘The Rules Need To Be Enforced’ - Nelly Korda Reaffirms Stance On Slow Play Ahead Of Evian Championship
The World No.1 once again spoke out about the need for slow play rules to be enforced ahead of the fourth Major of the year
By Joel Kulasingham Published
-
6 Big Names Missing The 2024 Evian Championship
Some of the best women's players in the world will tee off at the fourth Major of the year this week, but who are the big names are missing out?
By Joel Kulasingham Published