Girl Golfing Wonder

Congratulations to 12-year-old golfer Alexis Thompson! Alexis became the youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open this week.

Golf, which used to be seen as a sport for men, has been growing in popularity for girls in leaps and bounds. According to an article by Ellen Crowley Fullerton of the Columbia News Service:

There are approximately 775,000 girls age 12 to 17 playing golf today, compared with 328,000 in 1998, according to the National Golf Foundation. Of these, approximately 165,000 are considered “core” golfers who play more than eight rounds of golf a year. While girls make up only 17 percent of all core junior golfers, the numbers keep rising each year.

There has also been a notable increase in the number of girls playing at the elite level. According to the American Junior Golf Association, 966 girls age 12 to 18 qualified to play in its national tournaments in 2005, compared with 691 girls in 1996. Nearly every year, the number of girls participating in the tournaments has increased, and at a faster pace than for boys.

Since smart girls know that playing sports has incredible benefits, including increased self-esteem and self-confidence, better grades, and more positive body images, this influx of girls playing golf can only be a good thing!

The U.S. Women’s Open will be held on June 28-July 1 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. Good luck, Alexis!

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Are you a girl golfer or are interested in being one? Check out new mag Golfer Girl Magazine – it’s full of features, news and even fashion tips for the golfer in you.

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I interviewed former pro golfer and now LPGA Ginn Open Tournament Director Linda Chen for my book In Their Shoes. Linda shared what it’s really lke to be a hectic golf tournament director, and talked about how her background in professional golf applies to her every day life.