It’s one thing to talk about growing the game, and another thing altogether to pioneer a movement with the potential to inspire a new wave of women and girls into the sport.
It’s one thing to talk about growing the game, and another thing altogether to pioneer a movement with the potential to inspire a new wave of women and girls into the sport from across the globe.
Yet that is exactly what Elisa Gaudet has again managed to achieve with Women’s Golf Day, the global celebration of the game which for the third year in succession has inspired women from as far afield as Uganda, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong to give golf a go.
BBC Sport presenter Eilidh Barbour, Golf Channel Presenter Lauren Thompson and DJ Diane Knox were among thousands of women from all four corners of the globe who joined in the annual event, which was launched with the intention of demonstrating just how fun and welcoming the game can be.
Barbour was quick to show her support for the growing movement, tweeting about the inspiration behind her love of her game and the family moments that ensure that golf has a special place in her heart.
"My amazing mum took up golf in her 40’s. She inspired me to try. Now we golf together as much as we can. We catch up, we laugh, sometimes we sing and we ALWAYS have fun. Even in the rain. It’s more than just a sport. Try it #WomensGolfDay’’
We joined in the celebrations at Frilford Heath, in Oxfordshire, one of many venues across the UK who opened up their doors to demonstrate that golf's stuffy and unwelcoming image is often far removed from the reality.
Fresh from hosting the country’s most prestigious amateur men’s tournament, the Brabazon Trophy, the club’s first annual celebration of women’s golf saw beginners and lapsed players of all ages take their fledging steps in the game and provided a brilliant example of how the social aspect of the sport is just, if not more, important as getting out onto the course itself.
The twenty ladies enjoyed coaching session, a fun round at Frilford's recently opened six-hole short course, before enjoying some bubbly and nibbles in the club's indoor simulator complete with plenty of laughs.
"I’ve recently moved to the area and am keen to get back into golf but wasn’t quite sure where to start," Kate, Women's Golf Day participant at Frilford Heath.
"This is a great opportunity to meet new people and is a reminder of just what I’ve been missing," said Kate, a marketing professional who was one of several millennials who headed to the venue to join in the celebrations.
Meanwhile at Golf at Goodwood, the most recent recipient of England Golf’s Most Welcoming Club award, over 105 women participated in an International Women’s Golf Day event, supporting Breast Cancer Awareness.
It was perhaps little surprise that Goodwood was at the forefront of the movement, given the venue’s forward-thinking approach to club membership.
Goodwood currently has over 300 female members and is a shining example of how clubs that are willing to adapt to meet the needs of golfers in the twenty first century not only have the potential to reverse the current decline in membership but also to thrive.
With the R&A stating its intention to help readdress the game’s current inequalities with the announcement of a new Women's Golf Charter, the global celebration on 5 June again gave plenty of reason to be excited about what the future has in store.
Elisa Gaudet, founder of Women’s Golf Day was astounded by the impact of the day and the support shown across the world,
"I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved with Women’s Golf Day".
"The positivity and enthusiasm shown by the golfing community across the world just blew me away. The game of golf has transcended national borders and the incredible women involved in the game across the globe showed the world how much we all have in common."
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