Not long ago it was rare to see a young girl stood confidently on a tee box. Surrounded by boys and the strong traditional values of golf, it can be a daunting thing to feel you have to try and prove yourself as a young girl golfer. Luckily, the support and promotion that girls are now receiving from initiatives like England Golf’s “Girls Golf Rocks” encourages them to pick up their clubs and make their way onto the course. This has resulted a rise in participation for girls in golf, and the numbers are always increasing.
However, the journey to a more gender-inclusive game has not been easy: since the emergence of golf, the sport has been seen as a ‘gentlemen’s game’, and this out-dated stereotype has even crept its way into junior golf. As of 2024, only 11% of junior golfers who are members of golf clubs in England are girls. This is a clear reminder that progress is still needed, and that the game still has barriers that need to be overcome to create a more inclusive and inspiring environment. Aligning with the key values of Young Ambassadors, who work to promote Inspiration, Innovation, and Inclusivity in golf, there are clear examples of clubs across England working to make golf more accessible for young girls, and helping them by facing the challenge of barriers in golf, but more importantly, the challenge of confidently playing the course itself!
In recent years, England Golf’s programme “Girls Golf Rocks” has become increasingly popular among golf clubs that are pushing for inclusivity in golf and being able to play for the love of it, no matter your age, gender or golfing ability. Girls Golf Rocks is a national programme that invites girls ages 5-18 to take part in sessions learning the key skills of golf, and is mainly aimed at beginners. Through Girls Golf Rocks, England Golf are eager to introduce girls to golf in a way that is fun, sociable, relaxed, and allows them to make new connections with people who have similar interests, growing the community of golf for girls and making them feel more welcome. It lets girls try something new, even if it is something that they, or people around them, may perceive to be a male dominated sport; Girls Golf Rocks proves to girls that they can try anything they want to, without fear of being judged, and allows them to overcome than initial hesitation which normally stems from other people’s opinions. Having the friendly group environment can be really rewarding for girls trying out golf for the first time, because the support given and the friendships made in these sessions can really encourage girls to take their golf game a step further. This can be majorly beneficial for not just the competitive side of golf, but also the social benefits such as meeting new people, mental health benefits of being outside and exercising whilst reaching personal goals, and communication skills as you never know who you will meet out on the golf course!
While progress for the participation of girls in golf may be slow, we can confidently say that it is definitely there. Through Girls Golf Rocks, so many girls are getting to experience the wonderful game of golf, and are being inspired to learn and grow their skills and reach new goals in their game, no matter their background, age, and especially gender.
Golf clubs can still sign up and get involved this season and booking for participants is now open! Find out more about Girls Golf Rocks and Get into Golf Rookies on the England Golf website: www.englandgolf.org/rocks-and-rookies
