A false and ironic etymology attributes the origin of the term "golf" to the acronym "Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden", or "For Gentlemen Only, Forbidden to Women"; understanding the practice of golf as an activity precluded to the female sex, a prohibition that has remained unchanged for a long time: just think that only in 2014 the historic Royal and Ancient Club of Saint Andrews - considered for centuries the "capital of golf" - opened the doors of membership to the players, who from then on can become full members: an honor denied to the female sex for over 260 years.
In reality, well before this date, many players - endowed with determination and passion that have nothing to envy of those of their colleagues - have stepped on the green, thus demonstrating the inclusive and transversal character of golf, which is characterized as a practicable sport by anyone, without any age, social or gender distinction.
In fact, although the numbers and statistics still lean towards a male predominance on the field, it is undeniable that since the origins of modern golf there have also been numerous female presences playing; just think that both the birth of the Ladies Golf Union (between amateur players from Ireland and Great Britain) and the first Ladies' British Amateur Championship, which was played at Royal Lytham & St. Anne's, date back to 1893.
Another historical date regarding the relationship between golf and women is 1950 when the Ladies PGA of America was established, made up of American professional players and emblem of women's success in the golf sports panorama. In Europe, however, professional women's golf has established itself more recently, when - towards the end of the 70s - the first organization of "pro" players was established in Great Britain, which shortly thereafter led to the creation of a European version and a real own racing circuit (called “Ladies European Tour” since 2000).
Even in the women's golf circuit there are Majors, the most anticipated and prestigious tournaments: the US Open since 1950, the US PGA Championship since 1955, the British Open since 1979, followed by the one created in 1983 and the Evian Masters since 2013 .
The success in terms of interest obtained by the women's competitions has had as a positive consequence a general openness towards pink golf on the part of various control bodies and associations. The inclusive nature of golf and its reflection on the female world also has a positive impact on the younger target: a recent research carried out demonstrates in fact how the increase in female participation on the green consequently favors the approach to golf by women younger groups. In particular, compared to their male "colleagues", women are willing to bring their children into the field with them in 38% more cases than men. It follows the need to encourage female involvement to broaden the target of potential players.
It is therefore to be hoped that in the near future the associations, sponsors and funding will decide to place ever greater trust in the world of women's golf and will allow us to overcome the ancient prejudices which currently appear anachronistic and completely unmotivated.
They participated in the investigation
Gabriela Cotti Musio (GCM), Vice President of Golf Club Lugano;
Elisabeth Borella (EB), Honorary Consul of Sweden;
Alessandra Alberti (AA), Chocolat Stella SA;
Carla Del Ponte (CDP), Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Starting from your personal experience, how did you approach the practice of golf and what difficulties did you have to face in establishing yourself in this sport?
GCM: «For years I have organized golf competitions in Switzerland and abroad. Seen from the outside it seemed to me to be an uninteresting sport and practiced mainly by people who were no longer very young. I then realized that by organizing the competitions during the week obviously young people as a rule could not participate. At a certain point a golf instructor invited me to try this sport and so I realized that it was not at all obvious to be able to hit the ball, but when I succeeded I felt great satisfaction and the desire to throw it further and further. Since then I have never stopped playing golf, a sport that requires commitment, consistency and patience to continue improving your game."
EB: «I got into golf thanks to an invitation from a friend. At that time I was looking for a sporting activity to attend, possibly in the open air and which could be undertaken even at the age of 50. Being a woman new to golf may seem difficult in a sport seen for many years as being for men only. Personally I felt at ease right from the start, once I had access to the course, obtaining the so-called "green cards" first and then the handicap, I was able to play with other members who were always willing to help me, teaching me on the course the rules of golf and the "tricks" of the trade. Finally, despite having started relatively late, I must admit that I have reached a good level of play, achieving good results. This sport turned into a true passion that I passed on to my husband, my daughter, my son-in-law and several of my friends. Being able to all play together despite differences in age, gender and level is truly beautiful."
AA: «I became interested in golf as a hobby at the age of 40. With my father and sister, we started on the Locarno driving range before moving on to the Losone golf course, so as to practice an outdoor activity together. It was very nice to start all together.
I immediately understood that playing golf was technical and quite demanding, but very interesting as it is a good challenge against oneself. Since then, more than 15 years have passed and the practice of golf has always remained a hobby to 'recharge the batteries' and to be outdoors, walking and enjoying beautiful hours with family and friends."
CDP: «I started playing golf very late, I was a Prosecutor at the International Tribunal of Rwanda in Arusha-Tanzania and the President told me that to spend Sunday there was only the possibility of playing golf, 9 holes in front of our inn. The difficulties are those of all those who start with the disadvantage of advanced age, in particular for rotation. It's not a question of establishing oneself, but of being able to play well enough to be able to have fun and participate in competitions and the HD system helps a lot."
What are the physical and postural benefits of playing golf for women?
GCM: «The great advantage of golf is that it is played outdoors and usually in splendid places. This already brings significant benefits for general well-being. Playing 18 holes involves walking about eight to ten kilometres, much more than the recommended 10 steps per day. It is therefore an ideal sport for the cardiovascular system, keeps the joints trained and shows benefits for mobility, coordination and balance. Research has revealed that more calories are burned during a round of golf than during a match of tennis. Furthermore, a study of 000 Scandinavian participants surprisingly revealed that golfers have a life expectancy of five years longer than non-golfers."
EB: «In my opinion, playing golf is good for body and spirit for both men and women. It is a sport that allows you not only to do movement, but to do it in the open air, surrounded by greenery, in company, engaging elements such as concentration and technique. Usually when I walk an 18-hole course I walk for 4 hours, for over 10 steps (000 km), burning up to 8 calories, without forgetting that along the entire route you also have to push the trolley with your bag which weighs around 1000 kg. To perform the swing (from the largest to the smallest), in addition to good coordination, a characteristic perhaps facilitated in women, various muscles are used, such as the abdominals (especially the obliques) and the back muscles. All muscles that I assure you that at the end of the journey you will feel you have used. Furthermore, I can say that there is also a bit of yoga in golf, if you consider the balance, the rotations and twists of the torso and the general meditative aspect of being on the course. All aspects that have in fact helped my body a lot, often even indirectly. When golf starts again, after the short winter break, I actually feel weaker and then during the season I regain my strength."
AA: «The benefits of golf are both physical and psychophysical. Evidently these benefits depend on commitment and frequency and when you work it is not always easy to find the time necessary to practice this fascinating sport. But every time you play, you realize how beautiful and regenerating this activity is even if every now and then you get a little angry with yourself for a bad shot or an unrewarding game, but this is also the beauty of golf . Practicing golf regularly is essential to seeing improvements on a physical level, as in any other sport. Golf requires good flexibility to make smooth movements during the swing. It is a technical movement that must be learned and practiced and to improve it also requires the support of the masters, as every slight change in the movement can have great consequences on the quality of the game and this is an interesting continuous challenge.
When you play 18 holes you walk for about 4 hours and travel 8-10 km and this is certainly positive for your physical well-being. Golf involves a series of movements that require the use of different muscle groups in the arms, shoulders, chest, core and legs. By repeating these movements during a game, you can improve muscle strength and tone. Golf also requires and improves coordination. During golf, you must maintain good posture and stable balance to correctly execute the swing movements. It's a really nice activity!"
CDP: «In my opinion, there are no benefits for women alone determined by the practice of golf, but for all players, walking for hours in the open air in wonderful parks playing without forgetting the positive experience of connecting with many other people. Let's leave aside the benefits from a postural point of view, because the movement of hitting the ball is not exactly the best exercise for the back...".
On a psychological and mental level, what kind of benefits can be drawn from it and what do you think should be the most correct approach to achieve the best results?
GCM: «The pandemic has well demonstrated the benefits of playing golf also for mental health. In fact, practicing sports immersed in nature, in the presence of lots of vegetation, water, animals, biodiversity and natural light, helps to increase vitamin D and reduce stress. It should not be forgotten that golf also encourages social interaction, both because it is usually played in groups of 3-4 people, and because at the end of the match it is customary to meet in a restaurant to have a drink together. As for training, as in any sport, it is essential to warm up the muscles before starting practice to avoid the risk of injury. Furthermore, specific muscle training, correct nutrition - before, during and after the race - as well as the development of the right mental approach are recommended for those who want to achieve sporting results in competitions. Let's not forget that the match lasts four to five hours and it is not a given to be able to maintain high concentration on every shot played for such a long period of time."
EB: «They say that golf is one of the most mentally demanding sports in the world. I have to admit that being able to stay calm and focused under pressure for the entire journey isn't always easy. Especially on “bad days,” learning to control your mindset is important. I believe that golf forces you to fight with yourself, teaching resistance and giving yourself confidence. The help of playing partners is also fundamental, since golf in my opinion is not just an individual sport. I find it important to support each other, complimenting each other on good shots and trying to motivate each other to improve on the bad ones. Finally, golf also requires creativity and strategy to get to the hole with the best solution, therefore a bit of imagination is also needed to obtain results. Without forgetting that sometimes even a little luck doesn't hurt."
AA: «Golf provides a series of psychological and mental benefits for all people in general. First of all, the fact of walking in the greenery for kilometers and practicing the activity with others, given that as a rule we play in groups of four people even if everyone plays their own game (and can sign up for the game individually), helps to reduce stress, to relax and 'recharge your batteries'. Golf requires a certain concentration to plan the game, the shots, to calculate the distance and to establish the strategy to follow. This can promote the ability to concentrate and the ability to make decisions regularly. Golf is also an interesting social sport, where you meet and get to know people from all over.
Evidently it is not easy to maintain concentration when the game is not satisfying and this represents a good challenge against oneself. Golf requires the ability to manage emotions. Learning to stay calm and manage frustrations while playing is important and this can also be useful in everyday life.
As well as providing physical well-being, golf also provides pleasant mental well-being! Golf requires patience, commitment and perseverance! It is a fascinating and engaging activity. When you try it, you are fascinated. The important thing is not to throw in the towel when faced with the first difficulties."
CDP: «Playing golf you find yourself in a long moment away from any thought that is not directly connected to the game and therefore free of any worries, so the best approach is to be able to concentrate only on the game, stay calm and then the results they arrive".
What interventions in your opinion should be promoted by golf clubs to encourage the spread of this sport among women?
GCM: «In most clubs there is already a good representation of women, which can of course be further increased. There are two opportunities to seize in this area: first of all in youth when learning the correct movement is easier and therefore appropriate promotion among children proves successful. And then in the phase of life in which commitments decrease, both at a family level with grown-up children, and in working life from the moment in which the work load is reduced and one has more time to dedicate to one's passions."
EB: «My club (Golf Club Lugano) already has a Ladies section to which I am actively involved. We normally meet once a week to play together and the section, led by the excellent President Marie-Louise Jelmoni, often organizes various excellent activities, competitions and trips. It's a moment I look forward to in my week with great pleasure. However, finding sponsors is increasingly difficult, especially for races. More active advertising in this sense, as well as promotional activities putting the female figure at the center of attention, would be desirable."
AA: «I think that various activities are already carried out by the various clubs, which are committed on multiple fronts to always be innovative. As in all areas, we can always do more and do better. The challenges are to attract young people to this sport, involve local people and certainly women, as well as the precious tourists who spend their holidays in our beautiful Canton.
Hospitality is important for everyone and is appreciated by all. Therefore welcoming women with pleasure certainly represents an important aspect. Furthermore, it could be important to involve even more women by providing information meetings, courses dedicated to them, events in which they can actively participate, as well as organizing tournaments of various levels as has been done for some time.
It is also very nice to organize collateral activities that can also be appreciated by women. Golf Losone also organizes yoga courses at the golf course, among many other things. I find these ideas very interesting to offer the possibility of getting to know each other better and practicing activities that are good for you and also help you practice golf. In Ticino we have three magnificent 18-hole courses and one nine-hole course. Don't wait, discover this fascinating activity."
CDP: «My golf course is the Golf Patriziale of Ascona. Here there are numerous women and the Management satisfies the requests of the Ladies Section as soon as possible for the organization of the various women's competitions. It was thus possible to also introduce the Nine and Dine competition which women like because only nine holes are played and it also allows you to improve HD».
