Special Girls' GolfSixes league event in Fife

Young golfers from across the country gathered in Fife last weekend on the final day of the 2024 AIG Women's Open for a special girls-only GolfSixes League event hosted at Anstruther Golf Club, organised by Scottish Golf.

Supporting the retention of junior golfers within clubs at a key stage in their development, GolfSixes League provides juniors with the opportunity to represent their club at beginner level as they gain experience playing together as part of a team.

35 girls attended this special, girls-only event, with juniors representing: Anstruther Golf Club, Ballochmyle Golf Club, Bearsden Golf Club, Castle Douglas Golf Club, Moray Golf Club, Muckhart Golf Club and Saline Golf Club.

Following the friendly GolfSixes League event, the girls were then offered the opportunity to head up to St Andrews to watch the Pro golfers on the final day of the AIG Women's Open.

Scottish Golf Participation Manager, Fraser Crawford said:

"With over 1000 juniors participating in GolfSixes League every year, the programme continues to go from strength to strength. Female participation in golf clubs in Scotland is currently at 12%, which we recognise needs to change. However, it presents us with a huge opportunity to grow and diversify the game, and grassroots golf initiatives, through programmes like GolfSixes League, and events like this today at Anstruther Golf Club, play an important part in growing girls' golf."

One of the many clubs looking to increase girls' participation was today's host venue, Anstruther who, in 2024 have aimed to field GolfSixes League teams which are gender balanced, and are made up of nearly 50% girls and boys equally.

Speaking with Scottish Golf during the event, Gordon Wilson, who has been Junior Convenor for the past five years at Anstruther Golf Club, said:

"In the last two years our girls’ participation has been really good and is currently between 20 and 25%. You can see today the kids are buzzing for an event like this… it's great to see."

Kerry Trainer, mother of Olivia Trainer (Bearsden Golf Club) who has been playing golf for 3-4 years and is participating in GolfSixes League for the first time this year, said her daughter:

"Loves the freedom of hitting the ball… being part of a team, being part of a community. Bearsden Golf Club is a real community looking after the children and the future of golf… she absolutely loves it [GolfSixes League]. She’s had a fantastic weekend, she’s had a great time with the family over at the [AIG Women’s] Open as well, yesterday… and looking forward to this [event] this morning… having the opportunity to be part of this [event] is amazing."

Fellow Bearsden junior member Niamh Paton, who has only recently taken up golf and has been playing for 3-4 months said to Scottish Golf she was looking forward to heading to the AIG Women's Open in the afternoon:

"I'm really excited because I've never seen golf in person. I've just seen it on the telly."

Castle Douglas juniors Kaidi McCornick and Scarlett McArthur echoed this sentiment, with Kaidi saying:

"I'm just looking forward to getting to see golf played on a professional level, like in real life, instead of on screen."

With the girls especially excited to see the Pro female golfers in action, Scarlett said:

"I feel like it's really important [to see the female pros]. Because if we want to take golf to that level then it's really inspiring."

When asked what they would say to other young girls who are thinking about taking golf up Scarlett said:

"I think they should try it because, like, when you actually play, it's a lot funner than you'd expect. When I started playing, I didn't know how good I would be and how much I've improved over the years. It's just a good opportunity and it's a really fun activity."

Kaidi added:

"It's good getting into it cos at the start you feel really down cos you're not as good as everyone around you. But then you work more up to that level and you get better."

Find out more about Scottish Golf's GolfSixes league here.