It’s fair to say that golf has entered a more forward-thinking, inclusive era. And there’s no doubt that a significant contributing factor to such a rapid and promising development is the increased participation of women in the sport. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of women teeing off increased to an all-time high in 2021, to a respectable and promising 6.2 million people. In fact, the number of women that took to the golf courses in the UK tripled after the COVID-19 outbreak, compared to the before number…and has grown ever since!
Whilst golf is still a male-dominated sport (sorry girls, this is the facts and figures talking!), the change is slowly, but surely, taking place, to make sure that women are making their mark on this popular sport. But when, where and how did this all start for the girls? We’re taking a trip down memory lane, to find out where it all came from…
The history books have Mary Stuart (aka Queen of Scots, with her reign from 1542-1567) down as the first female golfer ever recorded. In fact, St Andrews golfers may recognise this as an important timeframe – the famous St Andrews Links golf course was built during her reign! Whilst Mary Queen of Scots is hailed as the first female golfer, it wasn’t until the year 1811 when the first recorded golf tournament for women occurred. Held in East Lothian, Scotland, the tournament was organised by Musselburgh Golf Club, for the wives of local fishermen. 55 years later, the world’s first women’s golf club came about, known as The Ladies Club St Andrews.
Whilst Mary Queen of Scots was the first woman recorded to pick up a club and tee off, we must thank four women in particular for kickstarting the movement….
By the end of the nineteenth century, there was a growing acceptance of women in golf, and Issette Miller certainly influenced this growth. As a leading golfer in 1893, Miller was a true inspiration, and she went on to invent the first fold handicapping system. This system enabled those with less experience have a competitive chance and aided in evening the playing field. The handicap system is still used in the sport 130 years later, demonstrating that Miller was a true pioneer for women in golf.
Fast forward to the year 1934, and the women’s game has its first professional golfer, Helen Hicks. She was also one of the first women ever to sign a contract with a sporting goods company, and she did so with Wilson-Western. As a professional, Hicks won two tournaments: the 1937 Women Western Open, and the 1940 Titleholders Championship – tournaments that are both now featured on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tour. In fact, she was one of the founders of this tour in the 1950s.
Next up, we have Babe Zaharias. Zaharias is a true legend of the game; in response to being denied amateur status, she went onto compete in the 1938 LA Open – a PGA event. Whilst Zaharias was unable to make the cut after the first two rounds, it doesn’t go unrecognised that she was the first to attempt to play in a men’s professional tournament and would be the only women to do so until 2003. It was a daring move, and whilst some were against such a bold idea, she was applauded for it by the majority. Zaharias went on to be a golfing sensation in the 1940s and 50s; she competed in three more PGA events, won the British Ladies Amateur in 1947 (the first American to do so!), and won a whopping 82 amateur and professional golf tournaments in her career. She was also another founder of the LPGA, which now features 33 tournaments each season. Hats off to you Zaharias!
Now, we can’t possibly write this piece without a mention of, arguably, the greatest female golfer of all time. With 72 wins on the LPGA tour, 10 of these being majors and 24 being international victories, and achieving a career grand slam in 2003, Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam is a shining star for women in golf. She is also the first female golfer ever to shoot a 59 in a competition, which she did so at the 2001 Standard Register Ping in Phoenix. A true inspiration for all golfers indeed.
The potential and opportunities for women in golf is only growing stronger and more apparent. The future is certainly bright, and it’s certainly encouraging to have pioneers of the game for women, as well as an increase in popularity in more recent times. Barriers to entry, such as the perception of golf being a male-dominated sport, and signs of progress such as the increased availability of women’s golf attire and equipment in stores, and emergence of women’s-only golf courses to provide for a friendly, less-daunting environment for beginners, will aid this growth.
Is golf moving to a new era? Watch this space…
Whilst golf is still a male-dominated sport (sorry girls, this is the facts and figures talking!), the change is slowly, but surely, taking place, to make sure that women are making their mark on this popular sport. But when, where and how did this all start for the girls? We’re taking a trip down memory lane, to find out where it all came from…
The history books have Mary Stuart (aka Queen of Scots, with her reign from 1542-1567) down as the first female golfer ever recorded. In fact, St Andrews golfers may recognise this as an important timeframe – the famous St Andrews Links golf course was built during her reign! Whilst Mary Queen of Scots is hailed as the first female golfer, it wasn’t until the year 1811 when the first recorded golf tournament for women occurred. Held in East Lothian, Scotland, the tournament was organised by Musselburgh Golf Club, for the wives of local fishermen. 55 years later, the world’s first women’s golf club came about, known as The Ladies Club St Andrews.
Whilst Mary Queen of Scots was the first woman recorded to pick up a club and tee off, we must thank four women in particular for kickstarting the movement….
By the end of the nineteenth century, there was a growing acceptance of women in golf, and Issette Miller certainly influenced this growth. As a leading golfer in 1893, Miller was a true inspiration, and she went on to invent the first fold handicapping system. This system enabled those with less experience have a competitive chance and aided in evening the playing field. The handicap system is still used in the sport 130 years later, demonstrating that Miller was a true pioneer for women in golf.
Fast forward to the year 1934, and the women’s game has its first professional golfer, Helen Hicks. She was also one of the first women ever to sign a contract with a sporting goods company, and she did so with Wilson-Western. As a professional, Hicks won two tournaments: the 1937 Women Western Open, and the 1940 Titleholders Championship – tournaments that are both now featured on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tour. In fact, she was one of the founders of this tour in the 1950s.
Next up, we have Babe Zaharias. Zaharias is a true legend of the game; in response to being denied amateur status, she went onto compete in the 1938 LA Open – a PGA event. Whilst Zaharias was unable to make the cut after the first two rounds, it doesn’t go unrecognised that she was the first to attempt to play in a men’s professional tournament and would be the only women to do so until 2003. It was a daring move, and whilst some were against such a bold idea, she was applauded for it by the majority. Zaharias went on to be a golfing sensation in the 1940s and 50s; she competed in three more PGA events, won the British Ladies Amateur in 1947 (the first American to do so!), and won a whopping 82 amateur and professional golf tournaments in her career. She was also another founder of the LPGA, which now features 33 tournaments each season. Hats off to you Zaharias!
Now, we can’t possibly write this piece without a mention of, arguably, the greatest female golfer of all time. With 72 wins on the LPGA tour, 10 of these being majors and 24 being international victories, and achieving a career grand slam in 2003, Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam is a shining star for women in golf. She is also the first female golfer ever to shoot a 59 in a competition, which she did so at the 2001 Standard Register Ping in Phoenix. A true inspiration for all golfers indeed.
The potential and opportunities for women in golf is only growing stronger and more apparent. The future is certainly bright, and it’s certainly encouraging to have pioneers of the game for women, as well as an increase in popularity in more recent times. Barriers to entry, such as the perception of golf being a male-dominated sport, and signs of progress such as the increased availability of women’s golf attire and equipment in stores, and emergence of women’s-only golf courses to provide for a friendly, less-daunting environment for beginners, will aid this growth.
Is golf moving to a new era? Watch this space…
