Women’s Golf Australia Summer 2022

THE more I talk to athletes from all sporting codes about their love of golf, the more I realise how much influence their parents had in introducing them to the game. But not just that, giving a kid a club and taking a shot (is there a metaphor for life somewhere there?) is the easy part and it’s obvious to me that precious family bonding time outranks the pure golfing aspect. Cherished memories are made and, though family traditions may ebb and flow throughout a lifetime, one thing remains the same. Kids value one-on-one time with their parents and doing this in an outdoor setting, aka a golf course, is all the more pleasant. Cover star, Hannah Green, shared with us that her parents were supportive but not pushy when…

I am so very proud and fortunate to have such a passionate and amazing team at WGM. When I first took on the challenge to produce a women’s golf magazine it was purely out of passion, my motivation to ‘grow the game’ and to focus on the incredible community of women in the industry. My core role is to find and highlight women within the golfing community, not just the fantastic players. It has been a formula that I believe unites and paves the way for future generations of women golfers, regardless of age. I was so humbled to be asked to speak at the recent PGA Golf Learning Hub Open Day – Women in Golf Careers Showcase. I forget that even I am a ‘woman in golf ’. It…

IANTHA YU – FASHION EDITOR Iantha Yu is a freelance journalist with over ten years of experience in the publishing industry. Previously, she was the Acting Beauty Director of Marie Claire Australia. Iantha has also written for Broadsheet, The Iconic, Women’s Health, BEAUTYcrew and Virgin Australia Voyeur. RICK WOELFEL – WOMEN’S GOLF CORRESPONDENT Rick has covered golf and other sports for print, broadcast, and digital outlets for over 3 decades. Much of his focus has been on the LPGA Tour; he covered his first LPGA event in 1986 and has observed the evolution and growth of the organization ever since. In addition to tournament coverage, Rick regularly profiles WPGA players and skilfully interviews club professionals (recognizing their contributions to the industry). Rick enjoys writing about golf history and is the…

HANNAH GREEN BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN IN THE WORLD TO WIN A PROFESSIONAL, FULL-LENGTH MIXED-GENDER TOURNAMENT AT TPS MURRAY RIVER, AND THE WORLD’S EYES ARE ONCE AGAIN ON WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWN HERE IN AUSTRALIA. LAST summer, tournament golf returned with an emphasis on men and women playing on the same course at the same time, and in the case of The Webex Players Series, together for the one trophy. The groundbreaking format attracted global headlines when major champion Hannah Green became the first woman in the world to win a professional, full-length mixed-gender tournament at TPS Murray River, and the world’s eyes are once again on what’s happening down here in Australia. The ISPS HANDA Australian Open returns to the schedule for the first time since 2019 and alongside the…

Congratulations on your new role as chair of the Australian Golf Industry Council. What’s your vision for golf in 2023? Thank you. From my point of view, and this is also something that Gavin Kirkman (former chair of the AGIC and CEO at PGA of Australia) feels strongly about, it’s not just encouraging more people to play golf, we need to get more women in the industry as a whole. So that’s more women PGA Professionals, golf club managers, clubhouse staff, golf course architects, superintendents, greens staff, etc. I’m aiming to work closely with all the industries that are represented on the AGIC to get more women into their organisations. Ensuring the delivery and success of the national strategy for Australian Golf is also a top priority. (See sidebar?) What…

THE LPGA Tour is expanding its footprint in the New York market, while at the same time expanding its commitment to girls’ golf. The inaugural Mizuho Americas Open is coming to Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ next year, from May 29-June 4. The host club is located within sight of the Statue of Liberty, roughly nine kilometres from midtown Manhattan. It will be one of three LPGA tournaments scheduled to be played in the New York City metropolitan area next year. The Cognizant Founders Cup is slated to return to Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, NJ and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be played at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ. The field for the Mizuho Americas Open will include 120 professionals who will compete…