This week really is all about women’s golf. The US Open, the second Major of the year, kicks off tomorrow, it’s Women’s Golf Day (celebrating 10 years and now stretched into a whole week), and I’ve been busy pulling together content for Golf Monthly’s Ultimate Guide to Women’s Golf. All of this is a great reminder of just how much the women’s game has grown and evolved, especially in recent years.

Sure, there’s still a long way to go in some areas, but at least now we’re more visible, and most of the time, it actually feels like we belong in the game! I recently interviewed Henni Zuel and Iona Stephen, who many of you will know from Sky Sports, and they’re a perfect example of how women’s sports, in general, are welcoming more and more female broadcasters - something that was almost unheard-of years ago.

 When I chatted with Iona, we talked about where the women’s game is right now. Yes, it’s definitely moving in the right direction, social media has sparked interest from a younger audience who probably never even thought about picking up a golf club before. But if we really want to close the gap between recreational golfers and the professional game, we need more exposure and, most importantly, better storytelling.

 I’ve said this before, but a big part of the problem is we just don’t know many of the leading female players. If you glance at any major tournament leaderboard, you’ll usually see a strong Asian presence, which is a real testament to how much the women’s game has grown in the East, but for many of us, these players are unfamiliar. I work in the industry and even I struggle to keep up with who’s who!

 We need to know who these players are - their backgrounds, their struggles, their wins, what makes them tick off the course. As Iona said, a Full Swing-style Netflix series for women, something that goes behind the scenes and brings their stories to life, would be such a good start and I’m 100% with her. I like to think that any kind of storytelling like that would help more women connect with the LPGA and LET, and create a ripple effect where more exposure leads to more interest, and ultimately helps grow women’s golf all round.

 I know it’s going to take more than just a Netflix series to boost interest in women’s golf. And honestly, once women get into the game, they tend to shape it into what they want, which is often a different vibe from the men’s game.

 For a lot of women, it’s more about community, travel, and lifestyle. That hit me last week in Portugal when I saw a group of 32 women from the US on a golf holiday. They were there for the camaraderie, the fresh air, and the fun of it all, probably not because they’d been following every LPGA or LET leaderboard!

Enjoy women’s golf week!

Alison Root 

Women's Editor Golf Monthly