AusLeisure

With golf sometimes viewed as an intimidating game for first-time players, Golf Australia’s Swing Fit is introducing women to the basics of golf in an interactive way, as well as providing simple conditioning and movement exercises.

One Swing Fit program being run in Sydney’s southern and eastern suburbs has seen more than 220 graduate and take up the game socially, while nearly 10% have gone on to join local golf clubs.

Community golf instructor Andrea McGann started with the Swing Fit program in September 2016, introducing women to the game at Randwick, Woollahra, Bardwell Valley and East Lakes golf clubs. There are currently 55 women enrolled in the weekly sessions.

She explains “this program eliminates the intimidation factor for women.

“For women to start from scratch learning about golf they need to be nurtured.

“In my program we do a six-week beginner program, following on from that I take them through a six-week intermediate program were they go out onto the golf course and learn about etiquette and pace of play. By the end of that they are ready to go and play with their friends or join a golf club.

“I also take them to a golf shop where they have fitting sessions, try the clubs and see what works for them. So it’s a matter of holding their hand right through a three-month period and then they are raring to go.”

McGann said without this program women would be thrown into the golfing deep end and told to swim and that “simply doesn’t work”.

She adds “can you imagine deciding to take on a new activity in life, and most of the ladies are 40 plus, and being told there is the 1st tee, there are your clubs … there you go. It’s too intimidating for them because it is a male dominated sport.”

Swing Fit graduate Carolyn Weller said she had previously restricted her golf to the occasional visit to the driving range but the program had given her the confidence to play on a course and, ultimately, join a golf club.

Weller advised “I did the beginners six-week course and really enjoyed it. I bought some clubs did the intermediate course and from there a group of us joined Randwick Golf Club.

“We were then encouraged to play in the competitions and I have since won my division twice and my handicap is down to 36. And I only started doing to Swing Fit program last August.

“I now have the confidence to play with good players, which I would never have been able to do before.”

Swing Fit can also help participants increase their range of movement and flexibility, improve upper, mid and lower body conditioning and even your cardiovascular health.

For further information on Swing Fit visit swingfit.com.au.

Image: Andrea McGann (left) has helped more than 220 women graduate the Swingfit program. Courtesy of Brendan James.

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