Women in Coaching 2026 is a new development programme created to support and advance women golf coaches through leadership growth, mentorship, and practical application.

The programme is delivered by COACH+, in collaboration with the PGA of Holland, and supported by the CPG as part of its wider commitment to inclusive development and leadership within the global golf workforce.

Designed for women working across coaching, development, and performance environments, the programme brings together an international cohort of coaches for a structured learning journey that builds confidence, strengthens impact, and supports long-term career progression.

Click here to Download the Information Sheet

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WHY TAKE PART??

Women in Coaching 2026 is designed for women coaches who want to:

• Develop greater confidence and clarity in their leadership approach
• Strengthen their coaching impact on and off the course
• Learn through mentorship, collaboration, and real-world application
• Build an international peer network supported by leading golf organisations

By investing in their own development, participants also contribute to strengthening coaching capacity and leadership pathways within the wider golf ecosystem.

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📍 HOW THE PROGRAMME WORKS

The Women in Coaching programme runs from March to January, with a blend of virtual and in-person sessions designed to provide meaningful support without adding strain to coaches’ existing work and coaching commitments.

• Virtual sessions
• In-person 3-day gathering in the Netherlands
• Mentorship
• Live learning at the Solheim Cup
• Ongoing communication and support

Expect an average of 4–6 hours/month, with additional time during in-person events. Coaches are encouraged to apply what they’re learning in real contexts between sessions

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👩‍🏫 EXPERT MENTORSHIP TEAM

• Megan Cundari – COACH+ Educator and Women in Coaching leader
• Glenn Cundari – Founder of COACH+, with international experience in 27 countries across 19 sports
• Beth Barz – Award-winning global leader in Women’s Coach Development
• Jim van Heuven van Staereling – Head of Education for the PGA of Holland & CPG Lead Tutor

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SECURE YOUR PLACE

What’s Included:

• Participation in all virtual and in-person sessions
• 1-on-1 mentorship
• Ongoing support and resources from COACH+ and partner organizations
• Access to a pan-European network of women coaches and leaders
• Programme materials, facilitation, and group coaching
• Meals
• Note: Accommodation during in-person sessions is not included. Travel subsidies may be available based on funding

Total Cost: € 3500.

📩 For more information, please contact glenn@improveyourcoaching.ca

Click here to Download the Information Sheet

Click Here to Express Your Interest and Find Out more

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For more information the CPG Learning Institute, visit cpg.golf/cpg-learning-institute or get in touch via info@cpg.golf.

Since joining Viya Golf in 2023, she has helped lead the group’s creative strategy, driving campaigns that not only showcase world-class golf facilities but also celebrate Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a global golf destination.

Originally from Scotland, Heather brings a fresh perspective and a creative energy to her role — combining her background in marketing, business development, and brand growth with a deep passion for storytelling. Whether coordinating international campaigns, supporting flagship events such as the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, or building the region’s growing community of women golfers, she is helping to shape the next chapter of golf’s evolution in the UAE.

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Q: You play a key role in supporting the team across three of the UAE’s leading courses: Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach and Yas Acres. How does it feel to be part of such a high-profile portfolio, and what aspects of your work give you the most satisfaction?

Heather: It’s really special to work for these clubs in Abu Dhabi, especially as they continue to grow and have such an impact on the golf scene in the UAE. Of course, being part of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship hosted at Yas Links Abu Dhabi is a huge highlight of the job, seeing the club on a global stage and the best players in the world walking our fairways.

However, for me, seeing our campaigns come to life is always the most satisfying aspect of the job. We spend weeks and months planning content, everything from concept development right through to publishing it across all of our channels, and seeing it go from a storyboard to stunning visuals and storytelling is amazing!

Q: Your role touches on many different areas of marketing and communications. What does a typical day look like for you, and how do you balance working across multiple clubs and projects at once?

Heather: I think most people who work in MarComms would say that there is no such thing as a typical day – which people either love or hate! I like the fact there is always a new campaign to work on, or an announcement from the clubs that we have to communicate.

Due to the seasonal nature of golf, I can plan ahead and know what projects or campaigns need to be running at certain stages of the year, so I can work on the bigger projects in advance and make sure we’re on track for launching them, then that means when new tasks, or photoshoots, or projects with our stakeholders pop up, I can focus on them knowing our core campaigns are organised. I’ve found this the best way to stay on top of things!

Q: Moving from Scotland to the UAE is a big step, both in life and career. What motivated you to take on this challenge, and what have been the biggest highlights of your experience so far?

Heather: It was a huge change, especially the climate!! But I’ve loved every second so far in the UAE, and especially Abu Dhabi. It surprised me how quickly I settled into life here. Working in golf in the UAE is a fantastic way to meet people and such a fun industry to be part of, so I’m glad I made the move.

There are endless highlights of my time here so far, but one thing I really appreciate, and think is unique to working in this part of the world, is how fast-paced everything is. It’s a completely different work environment. People are so passionate and continuously want to do better and be better, and just surrounding myself with this environment pushes me to do the same. Especially at a relatively early stage of my career, I couldn’t be in a better place to learn and grow, on an international scale.

Q: Golf is often seen as male-dominated industry, yet you’ve already made a strong impression early in your career. How have you found this environment, and what advice would you give to other women looking to grow in the industry?

Heather: The golf industry has historically been male-dominated, but I’m encouraged to see real progress in recent years, with more women building successful careers across the sector.

The Viya Golf clubs also have a strong ladies membership and have grown the ladies development programmes at the academy massively over the last few years. This has been a key goal as part of my role, to work on building the women’s golf community through the events at our clubs, and something I’m really proud of.

My advice to women looking to enter or progress in this industry is the same advice I’d give for any career: believe in your skills, trust your knowledge, and don’t hesitate to speak up and contribute your ideas. I’ve often been the only woman in the room, but rather than seeing that as a disadvantage, I’ve found it to be an empowering opportunity to stand out and make an impact.

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To find out more about the facilities at Yas Links, including the new Golf Academy, the 18-hole championship course and the par-3 course, visit: viyagolf.com/yaslinks

The PGA of Holland, in collaboration with the Dutch Golf Federation and delivered by Coach+, is proud to launch a groundbreaking Women in Coaching | Strategic Coach Education Program — a unique, multi-phase initiative designed to accelerate the growth, leadership, and impact of women coaches in golf.

Inspired by the success of the Canadian Women in Coaching program, this is a rare opportunity to engage in a structured development journey that combines leadership training, mentorship, and strategic dialogue with national and international experts.

WHY JOIN?

This program is designed for ambitious women coaches who want to:

• Strengthen their leadership skills and coaching identity
• Gain access to world-class mentorship and learning resources
• Build a supportive international network of peers and role models
• Be part of a programme aligned with the prestige of the 2025 & 2026 Solheim Cup

By investing in yourself through this program, you will not only elevate your own career but also help strengthen national coaching capacity and support the long-term growth of women in golf.

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📍 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Phase 1: In-Person Education (Papendal, Netherlands | Dec 5-7, 2025)

• Establish trust and shared vision
• Define personal coaching philosophies
• Explore leadership aspirations
• Strategic dialogue with PGA & Federation leaders

Phase 2: Virtual Learning (Dec 2025 – Summer 2026)

• Monthly mentorship and targeted learning sessions
• Peer reflection and practical tools
• Topics: Coaching culture, feedback strategies, leadership identity

Phase 3: Solheim Cup Activation (Spain | Sept 4 – 6, 2026)

• On-site leadership workshop at the Solheim Cup
• Showcase of participant impact
• Strategic discussions on equity and retention in coaching

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👩‍🏫 EXPERT MENTORSHIP TEAM

• Megan Cundari – COACH+ Educator and Women in Coaching leader
• Glenn Cundari – Founder of COACH+, with international experience in 27 countries across 19 sports
• Beth Barz – Award-winning global leader in Women’s Coach Development

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💰 INVESTMENT

• €3500 (excluding accommodation), including:
  • 6 in-person training days
  • Course materials, lunches & dinners during sessions
  • 10 months of structured virtual mentorship and support

Accommodation: €130/night at Papendal (optional)

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SECURE YOUR PLACE

To run the program, a minimum of 11 participants is required. A final decision will be made on October 13th.

📩 For more information, please contact PGA Holland at jh@pgaholland.nl

Click Here to Register Now

Image used courtesy of Yas Links Abu Dhabi

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For more information the CPG Learning Institute, visit cpg.golf/cpg-learning-institute or get in touch via info@cpg.golf.

From inspiring women and juniors to harnessing cutting-edge technology at the Yas Links Academy at CPG Collection Member Venue, Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Amy is helping shape a new chapter of inclusive coaching in the region.

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Q: As the only female PGA professional in Abu Dhabi, how do you see your role in encouraging more women and juniors to take up the game of golf in the UAE?

Amy: Being the only female PGA professional in Abu Dhabi is both a privilege and a responsibility. I see my role as not just a coach, but also as a visible role model for women and juniors who may be curious about golf but don’t yet see themselves in the game. Representation matters.

I try to create a welcoming, inclusive and relaxed environment, where new players—especially women and children – feel comfortable taking those first steps onto the golf course. My aim is to completely remove the intimidation factor and show that golf can be fun, social, and accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background, or ability.

Q: Your coaching philosophy focuses on making lessons fun and accessible. Can you share an example of how you simplify complex techniques for your students?

Amy: Golf can be overwhelming if you dive straight into technical jargon. I like to break things down into simple, relatable concepts.

For example, instead of overloading a beginner with swing mechanics, I might compare the golf swing to drawing a specific letter of the alphabet, like a “Y” or an “L.” This gives the player a clear visual and feel without having to overthink the movement.

I also use CoachNow, which allows players to see video feedback of their swing. Often, what a player feels they’re doing and what they’re actually doing can be quite different- having that visual comparison really bridges the gap and speeds up the learning process.

By combining simple analogies, fun games, and technology, students stay engaged, learn faster, and most importantly, enjoy the process.

Q: You’ve worked with both beginners and elite players, including Irish internationals. How do you adapt your coaching style to meet the needs of such a wide range of golfers?

Amy: The key is flexibility and understanding what each golfer needs at their stage of development. Beginners often need confidence-building, encouragement, and simple fundamentals, while elite players benefit from more detailed feedback, data-driven insights, and marginal gains.

With juniors, it’s about keeping things playful and enjoyable, whereas with high-level players, it’s about structured practice and performance under pressure.

At Yas Links Abu Dhabi, we’re fortunate to have incredible technology at our disposal, such as TrackMan analysis and Swing Catalyst. TrackMan allows players to see precise data on ball flight, club delivery, and gapping, while Swing Catalyst gives valuable insights into movement patterns, balance, and ground force use.

For elite players, this technology helps take their game to the next level by providing clear visuals and feedback that support further learning and fine-tuning.

Q: Having coached in Dublin before moving to Yas Links, what differences have you noticed between the golf culture in Ireland and the UAE, particularly in terms of female participation?

Amy: In Ireland, golf has such a deep-rooted tradition and community presence—you often see families passing the game down through generations, and club competitions are a huge part of social life. In the UAE, the game is still growing, especially among women. What’s exciting here is the sense of opportunity—female participation is on the rise, and there’s a real appetite to learn.

At Yas Links, we’ve been building that community from the ground up with programs designed to support women’s development in the game. Last year, I introduced a monthly Par 3 event, which turned out to be extremely successful. It’s a non-competitive, fun, and exciting way for the ladies to take what we’ve worked on in class and apply it on the course.

The enthusiasm and diversity among the women and juniors here is incredible, and it feels like we’re part of shaping the future of golf in the region.

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With a blend of passion, creativity, and a focus on accessibility, Amy Condon continues to redefine what golf coaching looks like in the UAE. Her work at Yas Links is not only supporting players of all levels, but also building a stronger pathway for women and juniors to feel part of the game.

To find out more about the facilities at Yas Links, including the new Golf Academy, the 18-hole championship course and the par-3 course, visit: viyagolf.com/yaslinks

Christiane spoke to the CPG direct from Paris during the Olympic Golf women’s competition about her experiences as a Rules Official during the week, the electric atmosphere at Le Golf National, and her valuable advice for PGA Members early on in their careers looking to develop themselves.

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The Olympics so far have been amazing, and, knowing that I would come here, I’ve watched a lot on TV. Obviously the crowds were amazing for the men, but I have to say that it’s as good for the women. Especially the French girls have been supported massively, but so have the entire field – the fans have been amazing.

We could hardly move anywhere with buggies, which is always a good sign because it means that a lot of people are there to watch.

The atmosphere is amazing and it does feel different than a normal tournament because you just have far more people involved. People are really cheering each other along and they’re playing for their country rather than for prize money, which does give a bit of a different atmosphere.

Especially on the first tee when the players tee off – there are so many people cheering for every player and it is absolutely amazing.

My role this week has been as a rules official, but we do change the official assignments every day. Some days I’m assigned to a specific zone where I am responsible for any rulings popping up in that area. But on other days I’m assigned to be a rover, in charge of managing pace of play, and I could be either on the front nine or back nine, or as general rules, or keeping an overall picture.

To be part of the Olympics as a rules official is just amazing to be honest. It is always nice to be part of a big team, and we only get to meet the officials from the other tours where we do majors usually. So when we share tournaments it is always nice to meet up and collaborate. We have our colleagues from the LPGA but also we have people here from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, The R&A, and USGA so it’s always really nice to be involved together and see what happens on the different tours and exchanging things.

The core setup this week is a little different to what we do on normal weeks on the LET, and much closer to what we do in major weeks. It is a bit tougher than the average LET tournament – the main differences are the course is playing slightly longer and green speed a bit faster. Plus we have an entire agronomy team here besides the local greenkeeping team and supervisor.

So there’s just more resources involved than what we normally have, but otherwise the standards are similar.

If I talk from a rules perspective, then if I’m just a rules official at one of our tournaments, then it is absolutely similar to what we do here. The only difference being that we have more referees out there than what we normally have. Normally we have around 6 – 8 rules officials out there – this week we are fortunate enough to have one rules official covering two or three holes, so we just have more staff on the ground.

My best piece of advice for a PGA member early in their career…? I started off with teaching and I really enjoyed my time doing that, but I think it is all about exploring what prospective options you actually have. Most people think it is purely teaching or maybe being a club manager, but there are so many options around what you can do as a PGA Member. Explore your options, try different things, and then try to find something that will inspire you to do it for the rest of your career. There is nothing wrong with doing one thing throughout your career at all but I am sure many would like to try different things along the way too.

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For more on the 2024 Olympic Golf  visit igfgolf.org/olympic-games/2024/paris.

Featuring the top professional and amateurs in the country, the event is the final tournament in the She Plays Golf series, which also serves as a qualifying circuit for this year’s CPKC Women’s Open.

As part of its commitment to support women’s golf, PING has partnered with the PGA of Canada to continue offering a separate purse for PGA of Canada Club Professionals at the prestigious event.

“Coming on board as a partner of the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship reflects PING’s dedication to fostering growth and development within the women’s game and providing greater opportunities for athletes to showcase their talent on the national stage,” said Dave Wilson, General Manager of PING Canada. “We believe in the power of golf to inspire and empower individuals and we are thrilled to extend our support of PGA Professionals in this country.”

The full field of the event will be comprised of 60 players, including PGA of Canada members and touring professionals, along with top amateurs and juniors. The field will be cut to the top 30 players plus ties following the second round.

The 54-hole event is set to be played on the links-inspired Heathlands course, which has hosted several notable events over the past few years, including the PGA TOUR America’s Osprey Valley Open.

“We are so grateful to PING for their generous support of women’s golf and the PGA of Canada,” said PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle. “We are proud to welcome both amateur and professionals into this national championship, but it is always nice to do something a little extra for our PGA members thanks to PING.”

For more information about the 2024 ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, click here.

New innovative technology drives this expansive range of clothing, in addition to three new print stories that encompass timeless elegance: with comfort, playability and style at the core. The breadth of choice within the collection allows golfers to express their individuality by layering up in coordinated printed patterns or simply keep their style sleek in the new sporty silhouettes, all available in this season’s colours and textures.

Terrazo, the first of three print stories, is a textured print that incorporates a natural, warm autumnal palette for a selection of on-trend outfits. The Monogram print exudes classic luxury, with a unique and symbolic combination of the women’s PING logo for a repeated premium print. Finally, the Diffused Florals print includes an abstract design for a floral camo effect; a bolder option for those seeking a sophisticated, sporty look.

Milli, a new high-end waterproof, features a monogram embossed pattern on the front panels, back vent and lower sleeves and is constructed in a two-layer breathable fabric, designed in a flattering silhouette, to keep you dry and stylish out on the course. The jacket also has a useful adjustable hood which packs into the collar, for ultimate protection during wet weather and the cosy brushed tricot lined areas provide warmth and cosiness on colder days.

An exciting new stand out style is the Gem, a lightweight hybrid hooded jacket with wind and water resistance. The insulation in the front and back panels utilises PING’s SensorWarm® technology for core warmth, while the stretch fabric throughout creates a complimentary fit. This incredibly versatile jacket is a must for golfers, as it is the perfect solution for an on-course thermal, or an off-course winter warmer.

Layering garments in this season’s range couldn’t be simpler, making it easier than ever to create fresh and modern outfits. The insulated Flo vest, with its chic collarless design, makes layering a seamless process by slipping it under outerwear or over mid-layers; with the added benefits of the lightweight and breathable Sorona® Aura insulation and windproof stretch side panels, the Flo will give you a thermal boost and great look.

The Lolette, a printed long sleeve top engineered for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions, comes in three stylish colourways with a peached fabric for enhanced softness – an ideal garment to wear underneath an outerwear option, like the Bryony insulated reversible vest, for full freedom of movement.

The Autumn Winter season means sweater weather is in full swing. Step onto the course in one of PING’s new knitwear styles; the Jeanie roll neck has been designed to effortlessly complement the new insulated vests in the collection and with highlight colour details, it makes it super easy to style for the season. Crafted from a merino blend, this style provides next to the skin warmth and comfort, perfect for layering.

A lined sweater never goes out of style and this season PING has two to choose from; the Elspeth is a hybrid knit, which combines merino blend knitted details with an insulted quilted front body, making it a versatile must have, offering maximum comfort and style on the course. The Kaylah is a timeless fully lined sweater featuring a seamless deep neckline with direction ribs giving this a modern update for the season.

PING also continues its support for the Solheim Cup in 2024, as the official apparel supplier for the European team. Details of the replica kit will be available nearer the time.

Find Out More at PINGEurope.COM

The Taran 3L Jacket leads the range as the ultimate in waterproof protection and is engineered for optimal playability in wet weather. Constructed in a three-layer stretch woven fabric, to provide superior waterproof (20,000mm) and breathability (20,000 g/m2), it embodies what a waterproof jacket should be: protective, breathable and built with the golfer in mind. Crafted from a single panel, the new innovative seam-free construction to the under arm allows greater overarm lift for enhanced playability, allowing golfers optimum freedom of movement during the swing. The inner layer features an exclusive PING print that creates a feeling of comfort next to the skin, whilst this waterproof also comes with a limited five-year warranty.

Joining the range and representing an expansion of the Graphene technology already explored in PING’s previous AW ranges, is the Levan Graphene Jacket. The Graphene technology provides heat retention properties for enhanced thermoregulation in cold weather, with long-lasting comfort regardless of changing conditions. It’s designed with timeless appeal and packed with technical features for peak performance on the golf course. Constructed using a Graphene yarn, knitted into a honeycomb pattern, to provide a soft lining for enhanced comfort, this high-performance fabric provides superior water and wind resistance, offering golfers the perfect non-padded alternative to their choice of outerwear.

PING continues to redefine the future of insulated outerwear through their renowned Norse Series – a new line up of impressive garments all engineered with market leading PrimaLoft® insulation that are perfectly suited to excel in winter conditions. Designed for the coldest days, the Norse S6 Jacket sees a notable reduction in the sleeve bulk to ensure golfers can swing freely and confidently on the course, whilst the stitch-free quilted ThermoPlume® technology to the front body helps eliminate the exposure to wind, adding next-level warmth to this performance golf jacket.

The Norse S6 Hooded Jacket is engineered for core warmth and wind resistance, thanks to stitch-free quilted PrimaLoft® ThermoPlume® to the front and back body. Its contemporary design also features an improved hood, for a modern fit and silhouette. With its multi-purpose protection and core insulation, this is the perfect trans-seasonal jacket to protect golfers throughout the seasons and varying on-course conditions.

The new collection from PING embraces the need for more options and layers of warmth, showcased by the extensive breadth of outerwear and mid-layers available to golfers. Ranging from traditional blue and navy tones to fresh on-season colours like Mushroom and Russet, the options for a sleek, engineered to play outfit are endless.

New for this year, the Firth joins the choice of outerwear, designed with a sporty and contemporary aesthetic for superior playability on the course. The Astle, featuring a mini textured pattern to the fleece sleeves and sleek rubber trims designed with clean, seamless detailing, provides a contemporary look for those looking to add a modern touch to their outfit. With the addition of a water-resistant finish to this cosy brushed back stretch fleece, it’s the perfect mid-layer for winter golf.

Finally, the range of knitwear continues to broaden with the addition of the Cranford hybrid knit sweater and Murphy, a fully lined zip sweater. Both sweaters are crafted from Merino Wool, engineered for complete warmth and comfort. The Cranford features smart contrast woven panelling, whilst the Murphy provides directional rib detailing to elevate their style, seamlessly transitioning from on to off-course appeal.

Find Out More at PINGEurope.COM

Ladies European Tour [LET] Chair, PGA of Spain Member and President of the WPGA of Spain, Marta Figueras-Dotti, has been named the latest recipient of the CPG’s Christer Lindberg Bowl at the CPG Annual Awards Supported By Rolex for her services to the sport.

Joining a prestigious group including names such as Annika Sörenstam, John Paramor and Emma Villacieros, Figueras-Dotti is honoured for her work across her career in supporting and developing golf in both Spain and internationally, particularly in women and girls golf, as a coach, a player and a leader in the sport.

“These are the moments that are very special because that gives me the strength and the desire to keep working on the things that I’m doing and keep working on golf in Europe,” said Figueras-Dotti of the award.

“I think there have been some great moments in my career. Obviously some trophies won and things like that – but I have had some great experiences as a coach such as going to the Olympic Games in Rio, and as part of teams such as being involved with Solheim Cup for so many times.

“But I definitely have the ‘baby’ of mine which is bringing the Solheim Cup to Spain, which was a huge, tremendous effort. So, although I’m not planning to quit anytime soon, I would like to be remembered as somebody that has really given back to the game of golf in general, not only in Spain, but in Europe.”

Since 2018, Figueras-Dotti has led the Ladies European Tour and overseen its growth, including the joint venture partnership with the LPGA that is elevating women’s professional golf worldwide with expanded schedules and substantially larger prize funds. She has earned recognition as one of Spain’s Top-100 Women in Sports alongside LET CEO, Alexandra Armas, and a Gold Medal from the Madrid Golf Federation.

Hailing from a golfing family where her father was the President of the Real Federación Española de Golf, Figueras-Dotti became the first Spanish woman to receive a sports scholarship and studied at the University of Southern California.

As an amateur, she achieved team successes and won the 1982 Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, a feat not matched by another amateur since. Later that year she turned professional and then went on to win six events on the LPGA Tour, LET, and Symetra Tour, co-founded the Legends Tour in the USA, and have top-five finishes in two major championships. She has also played vital team roles, including Captain of the Junior Solheim Cup European Team five times and was Vice-Captain for the 2017 Solheim Cup alongside Annika Sörenstam.

Figueras-Dotti’s extensive experience in high-performance golf led her to coaching roles with national teams since the early 2000s. She coached the National Amateur Team and was the Women’s 2016 Olympic Coach for Spain, is the Director of Coaching at the Golf Federation of Morocco, and also founded and directs the Golf Coaching Academy in Madrid.

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For more information on the CPG Annual Congress visit https://cp.golf/2022AnnualCongress.

With thanks to the CPG Annual Awards Partners – Rolex, the Ryder Cup European Development Trust [RCEDT], Aegean Airlines and Costa Navarino.

Images courtesy of Ladies European Tour / Tristan Jones / Marta Figueras-Dotti

CONGRESS HUB PAGE

PING Apparel continue to expand their Spring/Summer range, showcasing their commitment to supporting the women’s game. Building off success from previous years, the new range becomes their largest to date and gives women the opportunity to choose from a variety of garments – with outfit choice and versatility at the forefront.

With four brand new print stories and head-to-toe products across a variety of colours and patterns, the new range offers increased choice to women golfers and supplements the performance driven engineering of all the garments within the range.

The first print collection is the Split Ball Polka Dot – drawing inspiration from the iconic PING two-tone split golf balls. This fun, polka dot print design is kept simple and stylish with a palette of black, white and the on-trend, calming tone, Cool Lilac.

The Laguna Beach collection is made up of a textured print, which is inspired by the underwater world. With a punchy, fresh print that uses impactful colours, the collection combines aqua tones and contrasting hot Flamingo pink. This palette can also be offset with navy and white as a classic base.

The Mono Flower print collection incorporates a timeless floral print, updated with a stencil effect design, using mono tones and a highlight of Cool Lilac for a striking effect. Embodying both a crisp coolness and a soft femininity, the Cool Lilac evokes a sense of serenity and balance – the perfect combination for a flattering look both on and off-course.

Finally, the Op-Art print collection completes the four print stories and is designed to create a statement for those looking for a bolder look, with graphic lines and shapes to bring some psychedelic sophistication to this abstract print collection. The placement of the print detail elegantly emerges from the bottom, allowing the entire print to be appreciated even when tucked into complimentary garments.

This season see’s the introduction of the Carla dress, engineered for comfort and freedom of movement out on the course. With SensorCool® technology, female golfers can be confident they can play their best in this flattering, yet technically impressive garment. With an open ribbed V-neck and mandarin style collar for a feminine feel, as well as detachable undershorts, this dress provides an incredibly modest and graceful look.

Furthermore, the collection has an impressive variety of trousers – with a fit and style to suit all golfers. The Vic is a new addition to the trouser offering, cut in a sophisticated 7/8 length. This style features an elastic waistband detail at the back and is finished with pressed creased fronts to provide a smart, tailored silhouette – the perfect modern golf trouser for the summer season.

This new addition joins an already successful collection of trousers, including the contemporary slim leg Verity trouser, which has a four-way stretch fabric for superior comfort and freedom of movement. The Margo trouser is another popular choice, offering a classic silhouette using SensorCool® cotton for refined performance and stretch.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

The Split Ball capsule draws inspiration from the classic two-tone golf ball design that PING founder, Karsten Solheim, first introduced in 1983. The capsule consists of a range of performance garments that feature colours, patterns and prints that pay tribute to the iconic two-tone golf ball.

The second capsule pays homage to the iconic Mr. PING logo, a widely recognised symbolic figure within the golf industry that was originally crafted in clay by a young John A. Solheim in 1967. The SS23 men’s collection encompasses this quintessential symbol within a curated capsule of technical polos, shorts and coordinating accessories, all featuring this whimsical caricature of a golfer.

In conjunction with these key heritage themes, the collection introduces three new colour stories for the season, all of which offer a refreshed look, with the opportunity for outfit building.

The first colour story is Fusion; the inclusion of fresh spring blues help to create classic head-to-toe looks, which are inspired by the iconic PING split ball colour combinations. A collection of classic blue shades, Danube and Infinity Blue, in addition to a vibrant Poppy, adds energy to this print story.

The second colour story see’s the return to greens; Evergreen. This sophisticated palette includes the new shades, Everglade and Aquarius, that work together, or as individual solid colours. This modern green colour story provides a strong on-course look with a technical edge.

The final colour story is Revival; with pastel colours remaining relevant for the spring season and feature at the core of this fresh palette. Trending shades, Cool Lilac and Violet, create a calming, neutral feel with polos and easy-to-wear shorts offering high summer options for warmer climates.

The choice and depth within the range is expansive, with the trouser offering in particular expanding to suit the needs and taste of every golfer. Three trouser styles now make up the collection, offering more silhouettes and fabrics. New for SS23 is the PING Tour Trouser; a tapered leg performance trouser that is cut to fit loosely around the hips and thighs and tapered to a slim fit from the knee down to the hem, to create a sophisticated and modern look. This new style utilises an innovative four-way stretch knitted fabric, offering golfers ultimate freedom of movement in an on-trend modern silhouette.

New accessories further compliment the range to help build colour coordinating outfits, thanks to a wider range of caps, a new PING Stamp Reversible Belt, which has a sleek gunmetal finish, and additional socks that are engineered from SensorCool® fabric technology and are ergonomically fit.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

PING have announced the introduction of the ChipR, a fully-engineered short-game solution that combines elements of a putter and wedge to help golfer’s improve performance around the greens.

The PING ChipR is available for custom fitting and pre-sell beginning today at authorised PING golf shops around the world.

The investment-cast, 431 stainless steel club is inspired by the PING Chipo, introduced by PING Founder Karsten Solheim in the late 1970s for golfers who lacked confidence with a traditional wedge and frequently struggled around the green.

“Golfers who fear chunking or blading their chip shots are really going to benefit from the new PING ChipR,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “We’ve learned a lot since my grandfather, Karsten Solheim, invented the Chipo, but his insights were spot on as always. Our research indicates 1/3 of golfers who tested the ChipR saw better results compared to a traditional wedge. We’ve engineered a lot of technology into the ChipR to help golfers avoid the poor chip shot and save strokes around the green. It represents another score-lowering option from our engineers for golfers in search of game improvement and more enjoyment on the golf course.”

With the length of a putter (35”) and a loft closer to a 9-iron (38.5°), the ChipR is designed to be used on shots of 40 yards or less around the green with a putting-like stroke, resulting in bump-and-run style shots that ensure the distance control and consistency that leads to shorter putts.

“Applying a putting-style stroke takes a lot of the margin for error out of chip shots and is more comfortable for a lot of golfers,” Solheim said. “Knowing that, we’re building the ChipR at our standard putter length and lie angle to make setting up to the ball easier while providing the right amount of loft to get the ball in the air and eventually rolling closer to the hole. We recommend applying the same amount of force for a putt of the same distance. A lot of golfers will be amazed at how easy it is to use and more importantly, the number of strokes they’ll be saving.”

The ChipR’s compact size and shallow face combine with the cambered sole to optimize performance and provide versatility from the rough and fringe. The precision milled MicroMax grooves deliver consistent and predictable trajectories for improved control.

“We designed the ChipR to fit seamlessly into a golfer’s set,” Solheim said. “Whether they replace an existing wedge or another club in their bag, it’s a tremendous option to save strokes around the green. Just like all our clubs, it’s forgiving and can be custom fit and custom built to match the needs of the player. We’re excited to get it into golfer’s hands so they can share their results with us and their playing partners can ask them how their short game got so good.”

PING ChipR Specifications

Material/Manufacturing Process: Investment-cast 431 stainless steel head; composite cavity badge; tungsten toe/shaft weights; precision-milled MicroMax face and grooves; hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish

STD. LOFT/BOUNCE: 38.50°/8°

STD. LENGTH: 35” (available in custom lengths)

STD. LIE: 70° (avialable in 10 PING Color Codes)

STOCK SHAFTS: Steel: PING Z-Z115 wedge; Graphite: PING Alta CB Slate (R)

STOCK GRIP: 360 Dyla-wedge Lite Grip (3/4” longer than traditional grip)

RRP : £160 (steel), £170 (graphite)

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

“Viktor is a great fit for the PING brand. He’s an elite player and one of the most likeable and engaging personalities on tour. He’s fun to watch, and golf fans have really connected with him,” Solheim said. “When we signed him right out of college, we knew he was a special player. The connection to Norway and our relationship with Oklahoma State over the years made it a no-brainer for us to add him to the PING team. He’s quickly proven himself to be one of the best players in the world in less than three years as a professional. We’re very excited to extend our relationship with Viktor.”

Hovland, 24, has three PGA Tour titles (plus one unofficial win, the Hero World Challenge), and two victories on the DP World Tour. He won in back-to-back appearances last autumn, then won in Dubai in January to give him three victories in five starts. He’s currently 8th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He’s the first Norwegian to win on the PGA and DP World tours, the first to compete in the Ryder Cup, to win the U.S. Amateur, and to play at the Masters.

A native of Oslo, Hovland shares a special connection to PING Founder Karsten Solheim, who was born in Bergen, Norway. The country’s national flag has a place on Hovland’s PING Tour Staff bag

Talking about his new agreement, Hovland expressed his excitement and appreciation for his relationship with the family-owned company.

“Since turning professional and joining PING, I’ve felt very much a part of their golf family,” Hovland said. “The Norwegian connection is really cool and one of the many things that makes our relationship so special. Their team is out there every week on tour, working with me, fine-tuning my clubs but also just listening to me, watching me hit shots and helping determine what I need to elevate my game. I like that it’s a collaboration. We talk through everything, whether that’s at tour events or at the PING Proving Grounds. I’ve always learned a lot from our discussions, which makes me a smarter golfer. The equipment is fantastic and everyone who supports me is really experienced and passionate about what they do, so I look forward to continuing what has been a very rewarding arrangement for me personally and professionally.”

As part of the multi-year agreement, Hovland will play PING clubs, carry a PING staff bag and wear PING-branded headwear (front of hat).

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

GolfSixes League will expand across Europe in 2022 in a continuing drive to encourage young people into playing, enjoying and remaining in the sport.

The expansion is a collaboration between The R&A, the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG], the Ryder Cup European Development Trust (RCEDT), DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour – the leading bodies aligning in support of a development initiative for the first time.

GolfSixes League has seen great success across Great Britain and Ireland where it is administered by the Golf Foundation, England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf.

In 2021, across GB&I, 386 golf venues offered 74 GolfSixes Leagues in which 5252 players participated with 30% of those being girls. Following on from the GolfSixes League there was a 35% increase in junior membership at participating clubs.

GolfSixes League, and its off-course version GolfSixes Mini League, will now expand in 2022 to also run in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.

An estimated 8,000 young people will experience the sport this year thanks to GolfSixes League, which will be played across the ten countries with around 750 golf clubs participating in events this summer.

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “We are very supportive of initiatives that encourage young people into golf and be retained within the sport and GolfSixes League has already shown itself to be a popular and enjoyable short-form activity with both young people and their parents.

“It is important to build on the early momentum gained in Great Britain and Ireland and introduce the initiative to more countries throughout Europe so that more opportunities to enjoy playing golf in this format are offered to young people and they can experience the health and social benefits that we know it can provide to them.”

Ian Randell, Chief Executive of the CPG, said, “This Project between international organisations with local delivery via PGAs and National Federations is a great example of the collaboration that is possible within our sport.

“We have long been advocates of short-form team golf, in both an on-and off-course environment, as a fantastic vehicle to promote both the values and enjoyment of the sport and encourage participation in a quick, fun format, particularly amongst juniors and beginners. We are excited to be able to drive this project forward internationally and demonstrate the success that can be achieved when national and international organisations work together.”

Ben Cowen, DP World Tour Chief Tournament Business Officer, said, “One of the main aims of the GolfSixes League is to bring golf to new and younger audiences, and what better way to engage young people than to get them involved in playing this exciting new short format.

“Using the platform of the DP World Tour with the innovation, inclusivity, and global reach it already has within the game, the expansion of the GolfSixes League to more European countries further highlights the success of the concept and we hope to continue building on this momentum to encourage more junior golfers to enjoy our game.”

Mike Round, Director of Administration at the Ladies European Tour, added, “The development of the GolfSixes Leagues demonstrates how golf is introducing innovative and engaging formats that are reaching new audiences and attracting new participants. The positive impact of GolfSixes Leagues has already been proven and it is particularly encouraging to see how the initiative is being used to bring more girls and young women into the sport.

“As part of our commitment to the growth of GolfSixes Leagues across Europe, we’ll be encouraging our players to promote and support the initiative in their home countries.”

GolfSixes League is a development initiative which introduces young people to golf in a fun and inclusive environment, along with an added competitive element.

In a short time period, it enables young people to move from beginners on driving ranges or practice facilities to playing golf in teams of six, playing over six holes, using the two-person scramble format on courses adapted to their skill levels.

Evidence from GolfSixes League in Great Britain and Ireland has clearly demonstrated that practicing and playing in teams is a successful way to engage young people and their parents with the sport.

A GolfSixes League digital platform has been developed by Golf Genius to easily enable participating golf clubs to implement and manage their League as it is introduced to other countries this year.

For more information on GolfSixes League please visit cp.golf/golfsixesleague

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“Carolina and I have been working together for two and a half years now and we have been to some big championships where she has performed extremely well. She has been a part of the Italian Federation squad and has worked with Enrico Trentin (PGA of Italy) as part of that too.

“Now she has just started college at the University of Arizona and so has been more in the hands of her college coach down there for six months now, but Enrico and I work with her more when she comes back.

“Being able to work with Carolina at an event like the ANWA made me very proud because I know it is a privilege to be at somewhere like Augusta National wearing a coaching badge. Of course the best would be to be a player, but the next after that is definitely as a coach…!

“We prepared for the event by working a lot on distance control – at Champions Retreat and Augusta National it is very difficult to always play for the pin due to the size and shaping of the greens, so I told her to work a lot on distance control and direction because when you cannot go for the flag you need to find the smallest spots on the greens and need to be sure of making that distance.

“I am a type of player that may not be so spectacular but am very consistent having grown up with coaches that were very strict on course strategy and sometimes very conservative – but this means you become a very consistent player and this is what I try to get my players to be. So consistent distance control and direction were our aims and for me you can only use TrackMan to achieve this.

“We do play together a lot when she is in Italy as the challenge between each other is good practice (for me as well!), but a lot of time is spent working on TrackMan – this means I am not guessing at anything, I know exactly what things are – it has been game-changing.

“We have previously worked together a lot on distance as she is not very tall and if you are going to go to college in the United States then you need to be longer and longer. The facilities are great in the US but she is alone and has to deal with things differently and has done very well. It is one of my goals for younger players to be more open-minded and to think on their own so they trust me but do not need to depend on me.

“But we told her if she can get 15-20 meters more then that would help and I have been positively shocked as she is much longer than she was and was even longer than the two girls she played with at the ANWA who were taller than her.

“Just before the event when she was preparing I wanted to remind her that she is at the the ANWA because she is one of the best in the world, because she earned it – she was not invited really, she is in the top 50 and deserves it. We were also there to learn – it was her first time and we wanted her to just enjoy it.

“She played very well on the first day with 15 greens in regulation, but she shot three-over because of some mistakes on the green and after the second day she just missed the cut. In the US then they play with very different conditions to what she is used to in Italy and even as a very experienced player she needs to get more experience over there. And also more experience with people watching – we were surprised by how many people were there even at seven o’clock in the morning! Putting is really where her focus should be in the US – the conditions are so difficult because the greens were so fast – probably 15 on the stimp meter.

“Overall the experience was incredible for the both of us – walking in to Augusta National was amazing and the colours were astonishing – can you ever see anything greener?! Is the grass even real?! The clubhouse was amazing, it is so big, and we even had the privilege of eating in the members’ dining room where the level of service is unbelievable and there are these incredible drawings of the original course. They do a great job of building up the myth of Augusta and everything around it and everyone was so welcoming.

“At Champions Retreat we were walking with Carolina and there was a man following in an Augusta cap and we got talking – then on Saturday we saw him in his green jacket at Augusta National and he came to cheer for Carolina! Some people think they may not be like normal golfers but they are just pure golf enthusiasts and they work hard to keep the traditions of the game going.”

Staying true to PING’s clean and timeless design ethos, the SS22 men’s collection features a key focus on ‘Elevated Geos’. The refined geometrics that feature throughout the range reinvigorate pattern and texture, which feature clean, angular, sharp and precise details. The new, innovative designs are complemented by the state-of-the-art Sensor fabric technology platform from PING, to ensure every item is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and demands whilst on the golf course. As a brand who strive for continuous improvement, PING have also introduced recycled content into a number of styles this season.

For SS22, PING have developed three brand-new energising colour palettes, with each of these boasting a technical edge that showcases PING’s forward-thinking design ethos. The ‘Daybreak’ colour story offers a refined pastel colour palette, while the ‘New Wave’ colour story embodies a more classic range, with Blue Surf and Firebrick red combining for strong looks with heritage appeal. The ‘Supercharged’ palette is a striking new colour story that sees Dragonfly green mix with softer tone, Blue Nile, whilst black and a punch of lime creates a crisp, technical edge.

One of the stand-out pieces in the collection is the 1A Putter polo, inspired by the original PING 1A putter. An innovative design that features the clean, angular shapes of the iconic putter design in a modern and timeless look.

Another signature piece in the SS22 range is the PING Geo polo, a garment that incorporates the ‘Elevated Geos’ theme through the use of a repeat hexagonal pattern and features the PING Eye Mark logo throughout, to offer an eye-catching look for all golfers.

The expanded SS22 collection also features a host of new designs, such as the Focus, Sinclair, Cubic Jacquard, Rae, Halcyon, Portman, Malvern and Alexander polo shirts, which are all engineered with SensorCool® technology to provide moisture-moving comfort in all conditions.

The 1A Putter polo is one of this season’s statement garments. Available in two colours, with a contrast tipped collar, the design takes inspiration from Karsten Solheim’s original idea for the now iconic 1A Putter and features a premium graphic print of this unique sketch. Produced from recycled polyester and constructed in SensorCool® performance fabric, with the added benefit of an antibacterial finish, this polo provides golfers with the perfect all-round garment for the golf course.

The PING Geo polo embodies the company’s brand heritage and logo and features a hexagon design throughout, which has become a recognisable shape that PING has utilised throughout its existence. The geometric repeat print creates a modern look and incorporates the Eye Mark logo within the design. The fabric utilises SensorCool® technology and is made from recycled polyester, to keep the wearer in their comfort zone for the duration of their round.

The brand-new Cubic Jacquard polo is a performance garment that features an eye-catching cubic jacquard fabric throughout and comes in three contrasting colourways: Navy Multi, Black Multi and Blue Surf Multi. Engineered from SensorCool® fabric, it provides comfort in play, with moisture-movement, quick-drying and stretch properties.

Created in a unique scattered camo pattern, the Rae polo provides an on-trend jacquard, executed in a subtle and refined manner. The PING Eye Mark logo on the shoulder contrasts to the camo design and outstanding technical performance comes from the SensorCool® fabric with moisture-movement, quick-drying and stretch properties and is also made from recycled polyester.

Head to www.pingeurope.com, the recently launched e-commerce site, to browse the new season apparel range from the SS22 collection.

The Sensor Platform

The Sensor platform from PING is an innovative, technological system, designed to ensure that every garment worn is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and the demands of the game, whatever the conditions.

SensorCool® – Engineered to be worn next to the skin, SensorCool® technology, featuring moisture-moving properties, draws excess perspiration from the skin. This will keep the golfer dry for the duration of a round and beyond, guaranteeing exceptional comfort levels in all conditions. Each SensorCool® garment is crease resistant and formed from stretch fabrics that are designed to complement the athletic movements made during a golf swing.

SensorWarm® – SensorWarm® technology embodies a thermal layer, designed to trap warm air and maintain a preferable body temperature. This layer also works as a barrier to resist wind chill and the subsequent effect it can have on a swing. SensorWarm® garments are designed to minimise weight and distraction, through the use of breathable and stretch fabrics. Such qualities also enable the garments to work with the golfer’s body for optimum playability.

SensorDry® – This technology provides the ultimate, long-lasting waterproof and windproof protection against all the elements. The garments incorporating SensorDry® are air permeable and, therefore, truly breathable. The outerwear is specifically cut in lightweight and noiseless fabrics, to eradicate distractions often associated with weather protective garments, while the fabrics used hold stretch qualities intended to move with your body throughout the golf swing.

PING, Mr. PING logo, ENGINEERED TO PLAY, SENSORCOOL, SENSORWARM and SENSORDRY are registered trademarks of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

PING has unveiled details of its Spring/Summer 2022 collection. The new range creates an uplifting summer mood, using colour and performance fabrics in a mix of heritage-inspired patterns that have been modernised to soften and update traditional formal looks. The garments showcase a variety of elegant designs in what is their most diverse women’s offering to-date, highlighting PING’s dedication to the women’s game.

For SS22, PING have introduced recycled content into a number of styles and have broadened their women’s offering through three contemporary colour stories. ‘Digital Check’ is steeped in golf heritage and has been engineered with a distorted, optical twist and technical edge to give a sleek looking style for the season. It is a print collection that offers a certain familiarity that will appeal to both traditional and modern tastes.

The second colour story, ‘Distressed Houndstooth’, is a graphic overhaul of a traditional look. The houndstooth patterns have been reworked with exaggerated scales and distorted effects, whilst classic monochrome colours continue, providing a striking timeless look.

The third colour story, ‘Modern Deco’, is inspired by art deco design with patterns that incorporate clean lines, geometric shapes and decorative effects. Within the blue palette in the colour story, PING has created a clean geo print that takes influence from art deco principles to construct a brilliantly chic look.

The collection is highlighted by the Etta and Evie polos, which can be paired perfectly with the Saffi skort and matching Birdie visor for a contemporary head-to-toe look. All are available in any of the three colour stories and feature SensorCool® technology for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions, providing golfers unrivalled comfort and style.

As part of an expanded range, PING have also increased their trouser offering with the addition of the new Verity Printed Crop, Short and Skort to complement the Verity trouser range and offer greater outfit combinations.

The Etta polo has been crafted from SensorCool® stretch and moisture-moving fabric, to ensure comfort on and off the golf course. Available in three colourways, each one utilises the printed fabric in different executions to provide greater variety within the range. All colourways feature a contemporary stripe detail at the back of the garment and are crafted from recycled polyester.

Engineered for warmer weather, the Evie polo features cut-and-sew panels at the armhole. The neckline can be worn open to reveal the printed under placket, or closed over with the feature top button. Its light, minimalistic design, coupled with SensorCool® technology offers golfers a brilliant solution for a hot summer’s day and is produced from recycled polyester.

An all-new polo shirt that encompasses PING’s Distressed Houndstooth pattern in a subtle and refined jacquard fabric. The pattern is further highlighted by the high shine yarn used within the fabric, giving this style added feminine detailing. Available in three strong colour options, this design offers the wearer a modern update on a traditional pattern. Featuring SensorCool® fabric technology, the Faye polo is engineered for moisture-moving comfort in all conditions and is made from recycled polyester.

Available in all three colour stories, the new Saffi Skort provides a coordinated full outfit look when paired with the Etta or Evie Polo. The printed performance skort is engineered with SensorCool® fabric technology, for comfort and freedom of movement and is also made from recycled polyester.

Head to www.pingeurope.com, the recently launched e-commerce site, to browse the new season apparel range from the SS22 collection.

The Sensor Platform

The Sensor platform from PING is an innovative, technological system, designed to ensure that every garment worn is specifically engineered to respond to the body’s requirements and the demands of the game, whatever the conditions.

SensorCool® – Engineered to be worn next to the skin, SensorCool® technology, featuring moisture-moving properties, draws excess perspiration from the skin. This will keep the golfer dry for the duration of a round and beyond, guaranteeing exceptional comfort levels in all conditions. Each SensorCool® garment is crease resistant and formed from stretch fabrics that are designed to complement the athletic movements made during a golf swing.

SensorWarm® – SensorWarm® technology embodies a thermal layer, designed to trap warm air and maintain a preferable body temperature. This layer also works as a barrier to resist wind chill and the subsequent effect it can have on a swing. SensorWarm® garments are designed to minimise weight and distraction, through the use of breathable and stretch fabrics. Such qualities also enable the garments to work with the golfer’s body for optimum playability.

SensorDry® – This technology provides the ultimate, long-lasting waterproof and windproof protection against all the elements. The garments incorporating SensorDry® are air permeable and, therefore, truly breathable. The outerwear is specifically cut in lightweight and noiseless fabrics, to eradicate distractions often associated with weather protective garments, while the fabrics used hold stretch qualities intended to move with your body throughout the golf swing.

PING, Mr. PING logo, ENGINEERED TO PLAY, SENSORCOOL, SENSORWARM and SENSORDRY are registered trademarks of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

FIND OUT MORE AT PINGEUROPE.COM

Words by Phoebe Torrance, Women’s Golf and Development Manager, Metropolitan Golf Club, Australia

Despite historical and well-documented gender imbalances in the sport, golf is booming across all ages, abilities and genders. In 2020, more women and younger people played golf compared to the previous year – a testament to the efforts and initiatives from organisations around the world working hard to further the game of golf.

By creating positive change for all and taking a more collective approach to tackling the persistent, yet decreasing, gender imbalance in the sport, some of golf’s leading organisations are championing the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’.

The R&A

Launched in 2018, the R&A Women in Golf Charter has been a catalyst for improving women’s representation within golf, not only from the perspective of participation but also as a mechanism to encourage more women to pursue a professional career in the sport, across all areas of the industry.

As signatories of the charter, golf clubs and organisations (which includes the Confederation of Professional Golf, the Ladies European Tour, European Tour and many amateur federations) recognise the need for positive change for women in golf, and have pledged their support to induce such change.

Whilst there is a focus on increasing the number of women playing golf at grassroots level, the Women in Golf Charter also places emphasis on organisations to incorporate into their thinking a drive to create further opportunity for women in the workplace as well.

Without greater female representation across the industry, which will provide a greater number of female role models, younger generations will inevitably struggle to see a future career in the golf industry. Furthermore, provoking a change in culture and attitude to inclusivity is significantly more achievable if more women have the opportunity to hold senior, decision-making roles in the industry.

Overall, the charter is a statement of intent that brings accountability to golf clubs and other organisations when driving this change. It will ultimately help to bring a significant number of people together, united by the goal of improving the game for women and girls.

Working alongside the charter, the R&A recently introduced their #FOREveryone campaign as a creative movement to help unite golf clubs through a common goal and encourage them to pledge their support to the Women in Golf Charter.

#FOREveryone provides clubs and facilities with knowledge, resources and a comprehensive toolkit that will help them to take further action and, in time, increase the number of women playing golf.

This movement is gaining significant and exciting momentum, with many golf clubs making their own pledges to the Women in Golf Charter. With further uptake and more golf clubs making substantial internal changes, the campaign has the capacity to change the face of golf and inclusivity in the sport significantly.

PGA of Canada

To ensure the game of golf is both diverse and inclusive, the PGA of Canada (a CPG Member Country) has taken a number of measures to highlight and further encourage diversity across its membership and organisation.

This has included some incredible content and storytelling that promotes women’s golf and female members of the PGA of Canada. On 1 June, the organisation saw Women’s Golf Day as the perfect opportunity to highlight female members across the country and produced a short video featuring 14 female PGA of Canada members, each discussing what golf means to them.

In addition, the CPG member country has taken a number of other measures that highlight and promote inclusion, including the addition of two new awards at their annual prize-giving: ‘The Brooke Henderson Female Player of the Year Award’, given to the top performing female player in national and regional events, and ‘The Lorie Kane Award’, given to the winner of one of the PGA of Canada’s National Championships.

Changes have also been seen at a structural level, with regulatory amendments being made in 2019 to ensure that women can participate in all of the organisation’s national championships (at a yardage of 86-88% the length of male competitors).

The Ladies European Tour

As the leading professional tour across Europe, the Ladies European Tour (LET) plays a crucial role in providing opportunity for elite female golfers to compete and showcase the sport to global audiences. In 2021, this will include a schedule comprising approximately 30 tournaments in multiple countries such as Sweden, Japan, the USA and Italy.

Aside from its main tournament schedule, the LET has also ensured that it provides a strong development journey for its member professionals with the introduction of its Ladies European Tour Access series (LETAS) in 2010.

As the equivalent to the men’s Challenge Tour, LETAS has provided aspiring women golfers aged 18 and above and with a handicap 2 or less with more competitive opportunities and a supported pathway onto mainstream LET events.

More recently, the LET has taken strong action in ensuring sustainability and stability was added to its schedule, announcing a ground-breaking partnership with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

By coming together and collaborating with the LPGA, the two major professional tours have been able to combat reducing season lengths and create a thriving schedule for elite women to compete on a full-time basis.

The organisation’s visual rebrand and new slogan ‘Raise Our Game’, also hopes to inspire young women to achieve their goals and share its desire to continue driving women’s golf forward.

Whilst this strategy aims to inspire women and girls, it also acknowledges the importance of those who surround and support women in golf, including tournament promoters, sponsors, friends, family and the media, all of which play important roles in creating a thriving sport at the elite level.

PING

As an equipment manufacturer, PING have long been advocates and pioneers for encouraging greater inclusivity and the number of women playing and working in golf.

Just last year, PING announced Lisa Lovatt as the new Managing Director for its European division. Having been at the organisation since 1994, Lovatt is now responsible for driving the company forward and becomes one of the leading female figures in the industry.

Another of PING’s most significant contributions has been its relationship with the Solheim Cup – the women’s equivalent to the Ryder Cup, named in honour of Karsten and Louise Solheim, the founders of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING equipment.

The Solheim Cup combines the game’s traditions with passion for one’s country and continent. This biennial, transatlantic team match-play competition features the 12 best European players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the 12 best US players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour.

Since 1990, both teams have come together over three days of competition to provide audiences with a mix of fierce rivalry, shot-making skills and significant exposure for the women’s game.

But the opportunities for women do not stop at senior level. To ensure girls under the age of 18 are provided with the same level of experience and opportunity, the PING Junior Solheim Cup was introduced in 2002. Like the Junior Ryder Cup, this has enabled the event to take full advantage of its position as the most coveted trophy in women’s golf and foster further appetite and desire for girls to enjoy the game.

Changing the Face of Women’s Golf

The impact many leading organisations are having on inclusivity in golf is clear to see.

Historically, golf has come under fire and faced many challenges when it comes to the point of inequality. The sport is in a completely different position now thanks to pioneering organisations such as PING, the Ladies European Tour and the PGA of Canada. As a collective, they are positively showcasing the game to far greater audiences and are bringing about fundamental changes for women to play and enjoy the sport in greater numbers.

As Chief Executive of The R&A, Martin Slumbers said at the launch of the Women in Golf Charter: “We are changing the face of golf across the globe, for the betterment of our sport”.

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It is a hot topic. It is a key talking point. It is a focal point of many. But it has to be more than just talk. Bringing more women and girls into golf and making the sport more inclusive in general must be a fundamental thread of any golf stakeholder’s activity.

Together, the CPG and its Member Country PGAs are fully committed to working in a variety of ways to achieve this and are proud signatories of The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter that aims to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf.

Furthering inclusivity in golf is important for multiple reasons. From a moral standpoint, it fosters better and more equal opportunity for all, removing the barriers to entry that are often faced by women and girls. From a social perspective, it enables more women and girls to benefit physically, mentally and socially whilst playing golf. And from an economic perspective the maths is simple: more women and girls playing golf = more players playing golf = further revenue and growth.

The CPG is an individual signatory of the Charter, whilst a number of PGAs have committed one step even further by creating their own tailored charters, specific to their markets and their activities, that will inform and direct their strategies and activities in the future.

As part of the CPG’s own charter, and acting as core threads within individual member Country PGA charters, there are five key areas of commitment and action.

Benchmarking and increasing numbers of female PGA Professionals

Understanding where we are right now is as important as understanding where we want to get to – Member Countries have been measuring the demographics of their memberships for a long time and the data shows that on average 7.8% of PGAs’ memberships are female.  This is trending up, but until recently has been very slow.

A number of countries are seeing an increase in female membership following conscious efforts to make the profession a more attractive and relevant career path for women and in highlighting the experiences and work of existing female Members.  The PGA of Nigeria recently saw its first ever female Members join; the PGA of Poland previously had four female members for a number of years but currently has six women in training; the PGA of Ukraine also has four members currently but are committed to doubling this by 2024 as part of their strategic plan and regularly showcase their female Members across social media channels and media activity.

Supporting and promoting programmes for female participation

Member Countries are committing to work with the CPG and various other stakeholders on the delivery / activation and promotion of programmes that encourage female participation in golf in general, as well as those that look to increase the number of women in leadership roles in the sport.

The PGA of Poland has an official cooperation with the national Polish Women’s Golf Association to work with them on initiatives; the PGA of Ukraine and Ukrainian Golf Federation work with the National University of Physical Education Kiev (NUPES) which helps in part to expose golf as a career path to women and girls through an academic route; and the PGA of Belgium and PGA of Holland have each requested information and knowledge directly from their memberships to better understand the activities that are taking place across the countries.

Increasing involvement in workforces and governance of organisations

Highlighting the possibilities for women to not just be a part of workforces, but in fact leaders of golf workforces is vital. As tennis legend, Billie Jean King, put it “You have to see it to be it” showing it is hugely important to foster those who have the desire to be in leadership positions and ensure that their examples are shown and promoted to future leaders.

The CPG and its Member Countries are passionate about identifying and shining a light on these individuals whilst ensuring

The PGA of Belgium has had at least one female Board Member since 2012 and PGA Professional, Sophie Leten, was the first ever President of their PGA from 2017-19; The PGA of Holland have always had at least one female Board Member since 1995 and are seeking additional representatives; the PGA of Ukraine aim to have at least one Board Member by 2024 but already have three women on the Board of their sister organisation, the Ukrainian Golf Federation, with 9 women on various committees as well.

Sophie Leten, 2017-2019 PGA of Belgium President

Educational activities sharing good practice and fostering environments

Education is key in encouraging more women and girls to play golf, to create welcoming and enjoyable environments and in ensuring good practice is shared. The CPG and its Member Countries are addressing this in various ways through the addition of related content within education programmes to the creation of specific Continuous Professional Development [CPD] events and activities.

The PGA of Poland have partnered with love.golf for a pilot of the popular programme and proven approach to women’s coaching that is backed by research to help educate their Members and create new opportunities to bring women and girls in to the sport; the PGA of Belgium have already hosted webinars on coaching women and girls and, similar to the PGA of Holland, have made conscious efforts to create communications campaigns around this topic for Members to engage with and learn from.

Enhancing playing opportunities for female Members

For many years PGA events have often had mixed components allowing male and female PGA Professionals to compete against each other on an equal footing.  The CPG’s own events are played with the commonly-agreed standards of a course of 10-14% shorter length for female PGA Professionals to ensure they can compete for the same prize fund as their male counterparts, with most Member Countries following suit.

For example the PGA of Sweden and PGA of Nigeria, like many, operate open golf events allowing male and female Members to compete alongside each other, often with events including amateur golfers as well helping to build their experience; the PGA of Belgium operate both mixed events as well as those specifically for female Members to compete in; the PGA of Holland again allow male and female members to compete together and in the last few years PGA Professional, Marjan de Boer, won the Senior PGA Championship, its first ever female winner.

Whilst these five broad areas show significant efforts and steady progress there is clear understanding and commitment from across the CPG’s network of 42 Member Country PGAs that more should and will be done to create better playing, learning and career opportunities for women and girls.

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The successful CPG Podcast, which has provided listeners with regular insight and conversations around golf, professional golf and the golf industry, has been relaunched into a new and exciting Podcast Show.

Prairie girl Amanda Minchin has always been a master of all tasks. As a youngster she excelled in a variety of sports — hockey, softball, soccer, basketball — and when she started working at Estevan Woodlawn GC in her teens after getting hooked on golf at 12, she didn’t limit herself to one gig. She toiled in the back shop, on the turf crew and in food and beverage. Need a grip changed? Check. A green cut? Check. A burger for lunch? How would you like it cooked?

Now, some three decades after starting in the junior program at the 400-member Saskatchewan club — known as TS&M Woodlawn Club since 2012 when a naming rights agreement was struck with TS&M Supply to fund a renovation after flood damages — Minchin is its general manager. Serendipitously, but also maybe predictably, she’s the boss.

“I guess I had the best education in terms of experience,” laughed Minchin, who was born and raised in Estevan.

But just like her days punching a clock, general manager isn’t Minchin’s sole title. Along with being vice-president of the PGA of Saskatchewan, she is also Woodlawn’s head professional. She’s one of 29 female head professionals in the country and one of a very few to hold both head pro and GM titles. Minchin says she enjoys a bond with other female head professionals in Saskatchewan, and across the country, citing Bobbi Brandon, the head pro at Saskatoon’s Moon Lake G&CC, as a friend and mentor specifically. However, she also says she doesn’t ever think about working in a male-dominated industry.

“It’s never been an issue, if you’re a woman or man,” she said. “To me, I wasn’t raised like that. I was just raised that you do whatever you want. The stuff that you want to do, that’s what you do. Sort of a genderless thing. And that’s how we try to approach things at our golf club.”

A club that recognized and conceded her desire to keep the head pro job when she was named GM. Minchin was adamant about that.

“I got in the golf business because I love being a golf pro, I wanted to be a golf pro,” she stated. “I didn’t want to give up that side of it.”

Not necessarily a club pro, however. After getting into the game just for fun, Minchin improved dramatically around the time she turned 16. It seemed to happen overnight, she explained. It was then that she started to play competitively and discover the places the game could take her. She won multiple Saskatchewan Junior Girls titles and twice finished second in the Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur. She wound up on provincial teams and competed nationally for the first time at the 1998 Canadian Junior Girls at Toronto’s York Downs G&CC. She loved it all — the trips, the courses, the people she met. A U.S. college scholarship emerged as a possibility and she wound up a two-time tournament winner and three-time first team all-conference player at Eastern Illinois University.

Upon graduating Minchin gave tour life a shot, plying her trade on the old Canadian Women’s Tour and teeing it up in mini-tour events whenever and wherever she could. Success — and cash — didn’t come, however, so at 27, having already lent a helping hand in the TS&M Woodlawn junior program from which she graduated, she became a PGA of Canada member and joined the club as assistant professional. She became head professional in 2016 and head professional/GM in 2018. Through the years the accolades have piled up: PGA of Saskatchewan Assistant of the Year in 2012; PGA of Saskatchewan Teacher of the Year in 2015; PGA of Saskatchewan Junior Promoter of the Year in 2013 and ’16; and the PGA of Canada’s Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year in ’16 as well. She was also an assistant coach for Golf Saskatchewan’s 2017 Canada Summer Games team. It’s those junior leader awards of which she is most proud.

“I love teaching kids,” Minchin said. “As a GM/head pro I still get to do our Tiny Linkster junior lessons. I still get to be out there with the five-, six-year-olds on the weekend and teach those lessons. Might be funny to some people but I think it’s cool.”

Of course, a world with COVID-19 has changed some of that. After a long shutdown, Minchin was just getting junior camps at Woodlawn up and running again in early June, having to create regimes for physical distancing, especially at the youngest levels. But she also noted enrollment for camps is up over last year as are junior and adult memberships. The school of thought that golf might benefit from the pandemic with people unable to participate in teams sports has come to fruition at TS&M Woodlawn with members of the public struggling to get tee times as season pass holders gobble them up with the ability to book seven days in advance. That is something Minchin said she has never seen at the club. As for golf being a safe haven in these uncertain times, her sell of the game remains the same.

“I’m going to push junior golf no matter what, COVID or not,” she avowed, noting the club has produced nine juniors who played competitively last summer and had graduates playing collegiately in the U.S. before the shutdown. “I feel bad for kids. I can’t imagine not being able to play sports and do all of their activities. I mean, I grew up loving all sports. So I feel for kids. And adults. I mean, I miss sports. I miss watching hockey and whatnot. If I could say anything, it’s that we of course feel very safe here, it’s a great place for kids to meet other kids. We see it now. Kids are coming here, they are learning how to make tee times on their own, they’re booking online because kids are so good on computers obviously. But it’s not just about hitting golf balls. It’s learning how to talk to adults, play with adults because we have to fill those tee times. The life skills alone, I’ll always preach that, in a COVID world or not a COVID world.

“We want your kids — boys and girls,” she continued. “We just think kids should be introduced to golf. Whether they decide to go play competitively or whatnot, obviously as golf lovers we see the benefits of it as a lifelong game, so we’re going to be really pushing that in the next year.”

And why not? Look what joining the junior program way back when has done for Minchin.

“I’m from the junior program and here I am 30-odd years later as the GM. To me, that’s a cool story.”

Shelley’s newest challenge has been based at the place she thinks of as ‘home’, with the people she considers a ‘big extended family’ – Otago Golf Club. The aim? Getting more women into golf. It’s safe to say, it has gone very well.

Back in 2018, Shelley was at a forum in Christchurch, where the discussion was centred around getting kids out on the course in a ‘team golf’ format. It was then that Shelley had an epiphany – it shouldn’t be any different for the beginner women. With that realisation and a slight change to the format (one ball between two ladies) Otago’s ‘She Loves Golf’ programme was born.

THE FIRST TIME ROUND

Rather than the usual introductory lessons with the basics, this new format meant the women went straight out onto the course and got a taste of ‘real’ golf immediately.

In teams of four, each group were accompanied by a current female member. Shelley says this was not to enforce strict rules, but to assist in where to go and answer any questions the women might have around the course. She believes these club helpers were pivotal to the success of the programme.

At $15 for 6 holes with food in the club house afterwards, naturally, there was some curiosity from the full members around this new 8 week process. Shelley explained the pricing was a ‘lost leader’ and was part of a bigger picture – not just a quick win.

Throughout the process, the numbers have continued to grow. Starting at 20 players, Shelley says the number steadily increased to 80 players turning up on the night! Apparently, there’s no magic secret behind the increase in engagement, in fact, it grew itself. Shelley mentioned a bit of promotion on the radio and Facebook, but outside of these channels, the greatest promoter was the age-old classic; word of mouth.

Women began bringing friends along to the Tuesday evening, 90-minute golfing experience, most of whom already had their own clubs and simply lacked the opportunity to use them.

With numbers growing so rapidly, the team had to work smart and digitise, using Google Docs for their draws. This collaborative and easily accessible approach allowed the ladies to add and withdraw with ease and took the administration out of the process.

Another refreshing difference implemented by Otago, is their introductory 6-month membership. Not only does this provide full access to the course, it also offers 2 bonus lessons for a total of $365. This option helps the women ease in to a full membership and has been taken up by many of them already.

HOW HAS IT HELPED?

With many of the women transitioning through to members, it’s evident that the nights are a success. So far, roughly 20 of the participants have signed on to join as members. Shelley also mentioned there are at least another 10 in the pipeline as future members, too!

Outside of the initial queries, there hasn’t been any other issues. In fact, the full-member women really enjoy helping out with the beginners on the Tuesday evenings, especially when they get to see some of the new women progressing with their golf. To thank them, each volunteer receives a post-round drink from the club.

The clubhouse has also reaped the benefits of this new demographic. Shelley mentions how the women are noticeably more comfortable in this setting after being introduced to the facilities in the way they were. This, in turn, also lead to more money being spent on food and beverages. In fact, on the second week the bar sold out of Gin entirely!

GROWING NUMBERS WHAT’S NEXT?

Shelley had plans for a dinner for the women before COVID-19 hit the country, and hopes to reignite this once things calm down.

Mentioning the obvious effects that COVID-19 has had on the club, she remains very positive and says the club has even seen an increase in memberships during this time and the team have really pulled together.

She says her regular ‘She Loves Golf’ nights are her happy place. There’s not a grumble in sight and the laughter that fills the club is infectious.

Created by a panel of experts in junior golf and golf development, countries around the world will be able to apply for and run the programme tailored to their circumstances.

It is a book, a workshop resource, and an educational programme. It is an attempt to challenge the status quo within golf coaching and the game of golf, and to arrest declining membership and participation numbers across the globe.

Parents in Golf is a response to this worrying trend, through focusing on parents and their children – together forming a crucial interest group for golf.

The programme aims to explain and guide the relationship between the coach, the parent and the child through the game of golf. For the parent, the resources will help them better understand their children and the various ways that golf can aid both their personal development.

Parents in Golf wants to help the golf club and Club Professionals to become leaders in making golf a true “game for all” and enable them to actively promote golf to interested parties, rather than wait for customers to arrive at their doorsteps.

The programme will help in shaping an appropriate welcome, with the necessary skills to ensure that we are increasing our numbers of participants and developing the game. The aim is not just to develop the next star, but to develop the next golfer.

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Parents in Golf was created by a team of: Marie Jeffery (Austria), Justin Walsh (Germany), led by David Kearney (Ireland). It is launching very soon, at an online conference with the Heads of Training of all Member Country PGAs.

For more information on Parents in Golf please contact Martin Westphal (mw@cpg.golf) and Wojciech Waśniewski (ww@cpg.golf).

Two of golf’s leading organizations have committed to support the growth of women’s professional golf through the newly formed LPGA-LET partnership.

The R&A and the men’s European Tour have committed to help the newly formed joint venture between the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the Ladies European Tour (LET) in its efforts to significantly grow playing opportunities, financial incentives and television exposure for women’s professional golf in Europe and around the world.

As well as providing financial support and leveraging other assets they manage, the bodies will each have one seat on the new LPGA-LET Joint Venture Board of Directors.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “Building a strong and sustainable Ladies European Tour is fully consistent with the aims of The R&A Women in Golf Charter. We support the vision of the LPGA-LET joint venture to create significantly more opportunities for women and girls to pursue their dreams in golf here in Europe and to inspire future generations to take up the sport. We look forward to working with the LPGA-LET team as a board member of this important venture.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said, “The European Tour has already had the opportunity to host events involving LET members and we’ve seen their talent and drive first-hand. Looking ahead to our 2020 schedule, we have added another new and exciting co-sanctioned event with the LET in Sweden and are pursuing similar opportunities in other markets. The women professionals bring a different dynamic and fan base to the game – all of which improves our sport – and we look forward to building a strong women’s professional presence through this new collaborative approach.”

While the LPGA might have been the first organization to reach out to the LET in an effort to create an even stronger entity, LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan always knew he could count on the support of others. “It’s exciting to see so many stakeholders in the game give their attention and their support to rebuilding a stronger women’s professional tour in Europe,” said Whan. “This significant commitment by The R&A and the European Tour is an immediate, important endorsement of the vision for the new LPGA-LET partnership.”

“Great businesses typically start with great leadership teams,” said LET Board Chair Marta Figueras-Dotti. “Adding leadership from the LPGA, The R&A and the European Tour to our newly formed board is a recipe for success. I can’t wait to get started!”

The commitment and engagement of The R&A and the European Tour provides more velocity, energy and expertise to help the newly formed LPGA-LET partnership. It’s an exciting time for golf – when top organizations not only look out for their own interests but are also compassionate enough to help support others that are trying to achieve similar results for the women’s game.

VISIT THE R&A

VISIT THE EUROPEAN TOUR

The PGA of Denmark have revealed an exciting new educational seminar programme focused on Junior Development for early 2020, and registration is now open for all interested delegates.

Hosted by the Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, host venue of the European Tour’s Made in Denmark Event, the series of seminars will draw key speakers from across various coaching disciplines including kinesiology, coaching children and elite level golf.

Whilst the first day will be in Danish, the final three days will be provided in English and so interested parties from international PGA’s are encouraged to attend and engage with what will be an insightful and progressive educational event.

Seminar packages are available on a daily basis with a €150 fee per day to allow flexibility to pick and choose which events to attend.

For more information and to register, please use the links below.

DOWNLOAD INFO PACK

VISIT THE PGA OF DENMARK

The love.golf approach, which focuses on learning golf on the course with a group of peers rather than through technical lessons on a driving range, was piloted to a group of eight passionate Canadian coaches at Blue Springs Golf Club, Ontario, ahead of a roll out in 2020.

The pilot took place over two days and included a mix of theoretical and practical education. It was supported by the PGA of Canada and Golf Ontario, and headed up by love.golf Head Coach and Founder, Alastair Spink.

Matt Allen, Chief Innovation Officer for the PGA of Canada, who first explored the possibility of bringing love.golf to the country, commented: “There have been many attempts to grow female participation in Canada which have not worked.

“From the moment we met Alastair we saw real value in what he and love.golf are doing, and the pilot is a vindication of PGA of Canada’s belief in the concept and product. It’s a potential game-changer.”

During the second day, a number of women took part in a love.golf session so that Canadian professionals could see the initiative in practice. Afterwards, these women were invited to share their feedback and reflections with the group.

“This was truly a watershed moment for the coaches in attendance,” reflects Matt. “They have been trained to coach technique for the majority of their respective careers, so this switch to seeing the benefits of emotional and aesthetic learning was a profound one.”

love.golf Head Coach and Founder, Alastair Spink, added: “I have been blown away by the enthusiasm and appetite of the Canadian coaching community.

“Their desire and open-mindedness to try something completely different was palpable during the two days, and I look forward to helping them develop and market love.golf in the coming months.”

A series of love.golf pilots are set to take place across Canada in early 2020 ahead of a nationwide launch, underlining the initiative’s commitments to The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

Click here to find out more about the PGA of Canada

Click here to find out more about love.golf

Gleneagles, in which the 2014 Ryder Cup matches were also held, set the stage for a magnificent event once again. Immaculate, tightly-mown fairways, pure rolling surfaces, a redesigned 18th green and grandstands to match the event’s continued growth in stature that has been seen in recent years. This year’s Solheim cup truly put the female game right into the spotlight.

Befittingly, it went down to the last three groups on the Sunday; a testament to the week as a whole and that holed putt by Norwegian Veteran Suzann Pettersen to seal victory will go down into the history books. Only half an hour earlier the European team seemed dead and buried. Resilience across the board was needed and resilience was shown in spectacular fashion.

Moving forward, transferring this resilience across to the female game in general is now vital to capitalise on the legacy left in Gleneagles. Female golf had slowed over the past decade, as the sport struggled to attract the younger generations to play and remain in the game.

The Women in Golf Charter, initiated by the Royal and Ancient (R&A) was designed to counter that very issue and has already had huge success, with organisations across the globe, including the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG], pledging to its cause.

Another female-driven initiative, Love.golf, led by Alistair Spink, is also having profound effects on changing perceptions and increasing female participation. It therefore seemed befitting for its story to be showcased to the masses in Scotland as well, with a group of 120 volunteers demonstrating why they love the sport and how it can benefit everybody.

It seems that the 2019 Solheim Cup, and this European victory was a huge success, but not just for Catriona Matthews and her team of superstars, but also for showcasing the gathering momentum that is clearly being seen across Women’s golf, both on the course and off it.

A crowd of almost 100,000 people flocked to Perthshire in September for the biennial Europe v USA contest, with eventual winners, Team Europe, captained by Solheim Cup stalwart and Scottish golfing legend, Catriona Matthew.

The Golf and Health Project features leading studies undertaken by University of Edinburgh in partnership with The World Golf Foundation and The R&A. Led by the European Tour Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Murray, the research analysed the health of wellbeing associated with golf, both from a playing and spectating perspective.

Playing regularly was associated with improved physical health, wellbeing and length of life. Studies of golf spectators in Scotland also suggest that fans following the action round Gleneagles for one round may:

• Walk five to six miles on average
• Burn more than 1000 calories
• Take more than 11,500 steps

Based on scientific knowledge of the average steps taken by spectators in Scotland, and an attendance of 100,000, spectators collectively walked the equivalent of 20 times around the 25,000-mile circumference of the Earth.

The research also showed that spectators not only value watching world-class golf at close quarters, but also enjoy the benefits of fresh air, time with friends and family, and health enhancing physical activity which is further enhanced by green space and connection with nature.

Most spectators at the Solheim Cup are expected to walk significantly farther than the recommended 7500 to 10,000 steps and indeed further study showed that when spectators hear about the health benefits of walking with their favourite golfers, it can inspire them to be more active after the event, potentially providing a health legacy. Indeed 40% of spectators reported being more active three months after receiving health promoting messages at a European Tour event.

This could be extremely important as physical inactivity is responsible for more than 3m deaths worldwide – and a lack of activity kills six Scots every day. In recent events, more than 82% attendees met or exceeded their recommended physical activity while spectating; with 60% of those interested in becoming more physically active post-event.

Dr Andrew Murray believes the 2019 Solheim Cup will re-emphasise the unique benefits of spectating.

“The 2019 Solheim Cup is another world-class sporting event to celebrate in Scotland and while the spectators can’t win the trophy they can certainly celebrate their own health and fitness success,” said Dr Murray, who will be on-hand at the event as medical director.

“We know from the 2018 International Consensus on Golf and Health that golfers live longer than non-golfers but the benefits of golf spectating can be significant: following your favourite player or pairing around Gleneagles, even for one day, will exceed many of the government recommendations for physical activity, whether it’s number of steps, miles walked or calories burned.

“There are no comparable sports where the benefits of going along to watch can have such a positive impact – especially to those friends and families who attended for the duration and walked up to five miles per day for every day of competition.

“The message from the spectators who went is simple: enjoying the best of women’s golf makes you healthier, not just physically but the benefits of walking outdoors, getting all that fresh air, is also known to improve people’s mental wellbeing. Try to maintain regular exercise after the event too – 30 minutes of walking five times per week decreases risk of early death by 30% and can help prevent and treat over 40 diseases such as heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and depression.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, echoed Dr Murray’s message that the 2019 Solheim Cup will positively impact the health and wellbeing of everyone who took part in the event.

He said: “I warmly welcome this research from the Golf and Health Project which emphasises the health benefits of attending the 2019 Solheim Cup at iconic Gleneagles. The findings prove that spectating at a golf event is an active pursuit.

“While the primary factor for fans will be seeing up close the best of USA and Europe battle it out for the greatest prize in women’s golf, the supplementary benefits are almost as compelling. The more spectators explore the beautiful golf course, the greater the impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.”

The group, all participants of women’s coaching initiative love.golf, travelled in from all corners of the country to be part of event. For the majority of them, The Solheim Cup represents their first experience of a professional golf tournament.

Among the attendees is Karen Harkins, a love.golfer from West Kilbride. Karen, who is 39 and married with two children, has been part of the programme for over two years. Commenting on her Solheim experience, Karen said: “When I first walked into Gleneagles, I could feel the atmosphere, the excitement building and the energy coming from all the fans.

“I’m fortunate to have attended other golf events too, but none of them are like this. In my mind, this is how golf events should be.”

Also attending was Dawn, part of an avid group of over 50 love.golfers based in Fraserburgh, who said: “Today has been a truly memorable experience. It feels genuinely special to be a part of this love.golf community from all over Scotland.

“Everyone has fully immersed themselves in the Solheim experience and have cheered Team Europe on at every turn.”

Accompanying the group are love.golf coaches from each of the Scottish venues, along with Head Coach and Founder, Alastair Spink, who commented: “The Solheim Cup is a real showcase of the women’s game, full of excitement and drama from start to finish.

“We are fortunate to have recruited an enthusiastic and committed group of love.golfers, particularly in Scotland, and I think this opportunity and experience at Gleneagles will take their enthusiasm to the next level.”

love.golf attendees were supplied tickets to the event by PING, who have also supported the initiative by sending over 80 starter sets to love.golf venues UK-wide for newcomers to the game to use during their sessions.

Host venue of The Solheim Cup, Gleneagles, recently announced its support of love.golf, hosting a launch event in August, and soon to be followed up by a series of continuing sessions.

love.golf is currently inviting new coaches to take on the programme at their club or venue. Interested parties should contact Head Coach Alastair Spink (alastair@love.golf) for more information.

For more information on love.golf visit: www.love.golf

As part of Gleneagles’ ongoing commitment to make its world-class facilities more accessible to everyone, beginner through to aficionado, it invited 20 enthusiastic females, many of whom were first-timers, to be part of an introductory session on the award-winning hotel’s Pitch and Putt Course.

Overseen by Head PGA Golf Professional, Andrew Jowett, and guest love.golf coach from West Kilbride Golf Club, Linzi Dye, participants embraced the engaging approach, which is based on the academic study of award-winning Fellow PGA Professional and love.golf founder, Alastair Spink.

By adding social group coaching to the many routes golfers and enthusiasts can experience the game, Gleneagles continues to lead the industry by offering a range of innovative coaching programmes and events.

This is headlined by The Gleneagles Foundation, in its fourth year, that supports young and aspiring elite players. From six-years-old and upwards, the 850-acre Perthshire estate also stages Wee Eagles Camps in school holiday periods to inspire boys and girls into the game. These initiatives are supported by sell-out Junior and Women’s Open competitions, the latter attracting over 150 participants at each event.

Following the love.golf session, Andrew Jowett, Head PGA Golf Professional at Gleneagles, commented: “While many non-golfers may perceive golf to be difficult to learn, by using the love.golf approach, this introductory session was able to demonstrate how inclusive, informal and engaging golf can be when shared with friends or colleagues.”

Alastair commented: “love.golf is about learning together and getting out onto a golf course as soon as possible, not spending hours hitting golf balls on the range. Research shows that women who participate enjoy a sense of togetherness, a relaxed format, unexpected enjoyment and a boost in confidence.

“We are proud to introduce this concept to Gleneagles at a time when the female game is in the spotlight, and the Perthshire Estate gets set to welcome the biggest women’s golf team event in the world.”

Gleneagles, celebrating 100 years of golf this year, plans to stage a series of love.golf sessions from the Autumn onwards and create a lasting legacy of introducing women to the game following its hosting of The Solheim Cup.

To learn more about love.golf, visit: www.love.golf