Women’s Golf Month is celebrated in June and it promotes golf among women with the help of fun affordable events. These events are designed to provide a friendlier environment for women golfers. Women’s Golf Month is a way to help both casual and avid women golfers to get in the game, get to know each other, and contribute to the growth of women’s participation in golf.
History of Women’s Golf Month
Mary, Queen of Scots, who ruled Scotland from 1542 to 1567, is considered to have been the first woman to play golf. It was during her reign that the famous St. Andrews Links golf course was built. However, the first women’s golf club was formed much later in 1867 — the St. Andrews Ladies’ Golf Club. It later came to be known as the St. Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club.
In 1893, Issette Miller, one of the leading women golfers of the time, invented the first golf handicapping system. This helped even the less experienced women golfers to have a competitive chance.
In 1917, the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.) formed its Women’s Tournament Committee. It later became the Women’s Committee of the U.S.G.A. in 1934.
Women’s Golf Month was launched in 2005. As a PGA industry initiative, it is organized by PGA of America, the LPGA, the LPGA Amateur Golf Association, and the National Golf Course Owners Association. Since its launch, the Women’s Golf Month campaign has brought in and reintroduced more than 135,000 American women to golf.
Only 15 years ago, less than 20% of young golfers were female. Today, that number stands at 36%. This is proof that Women’s Golf Month has contributed a lot towards the growth of the sport among women and more such campaigns need to be launched to further spread the popularity of the sport. Women’s golf in America still has a long way to go as it has the least female participation and falls behind Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, and Korea.
Women’s Golf Month timeline
The first recorded golf tournament for women takes place in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, on January 9, for the wives of the local fishermen.
The first golf tournament for women in the U.S. takes place on the seven-hole course in Morristown, New Jersey.
Mildred Ella ‘Babe’ Didrikson Zaharias becomes the first American woman to win the British Ladies Amateur title.
The U.S. Women’s Open becomes the first women's event, not just in golf, to be televised across the country.
Women’s Golf Month FAQs
Is there a women's golf magazine?
“Women’s Golf Journal,” launched in 2015, is America’s only dedicated national magazine that showcases the lifestyle of women golfers.
Who's the best female golfer of all time?
While no one woman is better than the rest, Kathy Whitworth is perhaps the most well-known of them all and is believed by many to be the best female golfer ever.
Who is the number one women's golfer?
As of May 2021, Ko Jin-Young from Korea ranks #1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings with total points of 472.28.
How To Celebrate Women’s Golf Month
Play golf
If you can play golf, do just that. You don’t necessarily need to be a professional. Just get yourself a club and some golf balls, and go to the closest golf course. If there is a participating location near you, visit it and whack some balls.
Get motivated
There are lots of inspiring videos and interviews about some of the most notable women golfers like Michelle Wie West, Renee Powell, Amanda Balionis, and more. Watch them and be inspired.
Engage
Throughout Women’s Golf Month in June, there are lots of events that take place around the world. Join the movement on social media by looking up #WomensGolfMonth on social media.
5 Facts About Women’s Golf That You Didn’t Know
The youngest victor
Lydia Ko was the youngest player to win a professional golf tour event, the New South Wales Open, in 2012, when she was just 14 years old.
The million-dollar baby
Karrie Webb of Australia was the first female LPGA golfer to earn over $1 million in a single season.
The woman with three of three
Former Olympian Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first and only woman to compete in three PGA Tours and make the initial cut in all three, in 1945.
Younger golfer
Michelle Wie, who played in the 2004 Sony Open at age 14, was the youngest person ever to play in a Professional Golf Association tour event.
Caddie
The term ‘caddie’ (the person who carries the golfer's bag and clubs) was coined by Mary, Queen of Scots, as it comes from the French alternative for ‘student’— ‘cadet.’
Why Women’s Golf Month is Important
It encourages women
Women’s Golf Month encourages women to explore the golf options in their community. There are local facilities, lessons, and leagues available that will help them get involved in golf.
It introduces new players
Women’s Golf Month introduces new female golfers as well as celebrates the existing players. It brings them together irrespective of religion, race, ethnicity, language, or location.
It empowers budding women golfers
Women’s Golf Month empowers budding female golfers. It helps them take more interest in the sport, grow, and feel proud about it.
Women’s Golf Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | June 1 | Saturday |
| 2025 | June 1 | Sunday |
| 2026 | June 1 | Monday |
| 2027 | June 1 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | June 1 | Thursday |
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