Well, I jinxed last week’s Chip and Chat in the best possible way! There I was, warning you about the weather turning and urging everyone to keep their swings going, only for us to get a few days of glorious sunshine - a classic commentator’s curse. I hope you made the most of it… and don’t worry, as soon as the temperature properly drops, I’ll be right back on your case to get out there!
An Unexpected Barrier on the Driving Range
One demographic you’re unlikely to see out there, though, is babies. You might wonder why on earth I’m bringing this up, but it caught my eye in a recent post on the US Facebook group, Women Who Golf.
When a mum turned up at her local driving range with her baby in tow, management told her to leave. The reason? It was "Men’s League Day," meaning women weren't allowed to book tee times, play the course, or even use the range. When she posted about the experience, she naturally expected people to talk about gender equality, but what really surprised her was the amount of criticism she received just wanting to take her baby to a driving range in the first place.
Safety, Sensible Parents, and Mental Health
Now, I haven’t got kids, so to be honest, I probably haven’t given the issue a lot of thought, or whether babies and toddlers should be at a golf club or not. Golf carries obvious hazards for anyone - adults, children and dogs!
But as PGA Professional and mum, Katie Dawkins pointed out when she picked up the story in this article for Golf Monthly, we’re talking about sensible parents here. These are mums (and dads) who purposefully pick quiet times at the range or course, keeping their baby safely parked in a pram or buggy well out of harm's way.
It’s such a shame when women who loved playing golf suddenly see their game come to a complete standstill the moment they have a baby. As Katie recognises, heading out with a buggy gives parents the mental breather and headspace they so desperately need. Rather than treating it with scepticism or hostility, if responsible parents want to bring their little ones along safely, welcoming them ought to become the norm across the sport.
Challenging Golf's Double Standards
A substantial part of the problem no doubt comes down to outdated attitudes still lingering in traditional clubhouses or driving range facilities, where that generational mindset is still so entrenched, making it hard for modern parents to feel comfortable. Katie has some great suggestions for how clubs can step up to welcome new golfing mums.
I mentioned dogs above because there's a double standard here. Many clubs have happily rewritten their rules to become dog-friendly just because members asked for it. So, if golf can open its arms to wet dogs that bark, pull on leads, and bounce around the fairways, how can we can justify turning away quiet prams carrying the very future of our sport?
I’ll leave you with this food for thought... so until next week, enjoy any sunshine while it lasts and keep your prams out of the rough
