For those of you who don’t know, I recently started playing golf on a whim with my husband. It started by going to the driving range with him during COVID, and all it took was a couple swings - mind you with his clubs, which were hand-me-downs from his dad at the time (!). I started out like most beginner golfers, just trying to make contact, but once I got that down I became more focused on learning about the different clubs, practicing my swing, you know how it goes - the golf snowball effect.
We then got a set of starter clubs for me and I actually really enjoyed going out to “golf”. Who would’ve thought. The more I went to the range with my husband or played a round with friends or his family, all the stereotypes I had once painted in my head of golf started drifting away. Sure, they may still exist, but I’m starting to realize how silly it is to believe them.
So, all that to say, I’m not an ex-collegiate golfer who shoots anywhere near par. But if you’re like me, or slightly interested in the thought of golfing, or even if you’ve been playing for years, I hope you find encouraging, relatable content here and help us grow the game for women!
In order to do so, I wanted to share my top 5 favorite things about golfing for fun as a woman –
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Competition is Back: Although I didn’t play golf growing up, I did play sports throughout college. After graduation, not having a competitive outlet created a gap I didn’t know how to fill (other than trying out rec leagues and the common work kickball league 😂). But now, I can easily say golf became the thing that filled the gap. I was able to be competitive with myself, set goals, work on something I could progressively get better at, and do it with my friends and family.
- Outside for 4 Hours? Sign Me Up: There’s not much I love more than being outside, especially in the sun (hence South Coast Golf). Growing up in Florida, we learned to love the heat and naturally hate the cold, so finding an activity that you can do leisurely outside for 4 hours, I’m in. Of course going out on boats and hanging out on the beach are top tier outside activities, but golf is getting up there for me too.
- Golf Carts, Obviously: I’m more of a shotgun rider than a driver, but who doesn’t love a golf cart ride. Throw on some music, grab some snacks and a drink and you’re off on a 18-hole course for the next 4 hours. Off you go, have fun, and enjoy!
- Now, More Technically: Hitting a Solid Drive: Have you ever? I wonder how many times in my first couple rounds of golf I turned around to look at my husband, shocked at how far I hit the ball (maybe 100 yards at first, but still!) It’s a great feeling to finally do something right. We won’t talk about what comes after (chunking your irons and 3-putting), but it sure is one of my top 5 things. Doing it in front of the men's foursome behind you is an added bonus.
- Last But Not Least: Spending Time With My Husband (awwww): But really. One of the stereotypes about golf being for men is that it’s their time to “get away from the house”. I’m not a clingy let-me-come-with-you wife (says a clingy wife only… just kidding 😅), but it’s an activity we both love doing together. He still goes out with the boys for a round and I still go for wine with the girls, but if we feel like golfing, we golf! We are both competitive people so when we play together in a scramble or individually, we can play off each other and it really is one of my absolute favorite things.
What do you love most about playing golf? If you’ve made it this far, let me know. I’d love to keep sharing what us girls love about golf in some way to encourage others to get involved!