Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Women in Golf Awards at Foxhills Golf Club in Surrey. It was a fantastic evening celebrating the achievements of women in the golf industry and showcasing their work across all areas of the game.

When I first started working in golf over two decades ago, the number of women in the industry was tiny. What struck me most about this event was how good it was to see women dominating a room in this sport. It was inspiring to see the growing variety of roles and exciting opportunities now available to women in golf.

There were 10 award categories, and I was privileged to be a judge for the Unsung Hero Award. This year’s winner, Di Stock, is a shining example of dedication. Totally committed to Hampshire women’s golf, she’s held various county roles and, for over 27 years, has selflessly volunteered her time to referee at county and national amateur events.

There are so many women like Di across the country - women who quietly go about their business, working tirelessly for the love of the game, and it’s great that these awards provide a much-needed platform to shine a light on their incredible contributions.

Barbara Tucker from Bishops Stortford Golf Club is another brilliant example and she collected the Women’s Initiative award. Back in 2014, during her year as Lady Captain, she grew frustrated at the lack of a clear pathway into the club for female beginners. Women would come for lessons, only to be told to come back when they were ‘good enough’ to join. Determined to change that, Barbara introduced the Blue Course, featuring shorter tees, and a new subscription model that made golf more accessible and created a welcoming, unintimidating environment for women.

Many golf Clubs that are crying out for new members, so they might want to consider Barbara’s approach because over the last decade she’s brought in over 60 new female members. The current ladies section Treasurer, Secretary, Competition Secretary and Lady Captain are all Blue Course alumni – now that’s impressive! And it’s not just the women’s section that is thriving because the club now boasts 100 junior members, including 20 girls, which is fantastic to see.

Trailblazers Fiona Womack and Sharon Eales picked up a special award for their groundbreaking scientific model aimed at reshaping golf course design so women can enjoy the same experience on the course as men. I actually mentioned a Golf Monthly article a few weeks ago, highlighting their model and how, for many women (and even some men), the shortest tees are still too long.

Interestingly, Fiona is a member at Bishops Stortford Golf Club and a former Blue Course graduate. She couldn’t stress enough how vital Barbara’s initiative has been, saying it’s the reason she’s playing golf today. It’s amazing to see how one person’s vision can have such a ripple effect!

To me, all the finalists are winners, but the biggest winner of all is women’s golf. Events like this shine a spotlight on the game and give it the recognition it deserves.

Alison Root 

Women' Editor Golf Monthly