A NORTHSIDE golf club will take part in a world event next week to encourage more females to take up the sport.
Balcarrick, based in Donabate, will be one of over 100 golf clubs around the world simultaneously hosting Women’s Golf Day on June 7.
Although being the only Dublin club to take part in the initiative, the golf clubs of Waterville, Galway Bay and Lahinch will also represent Ireland in the worldwide event.
The evening’s fun will commence at 4pm with a 9-hole ‘Scramble’ competitio_n where beginners will be placed in teams with the regular golfers, professional coaches and even touring professionals such as Rebecca Codd.
Representatives from the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union (ILGU) and other lady captains from Northside clubs are expected to attend.
After the 9-hole scramble, a social gathering with refreshments will be held between 7.30pm and 9pm approximately at the clubhouse.
The Greg Norman Academy in Myrtle Beach and the Turtle Dove Country Club in Acapulco are among the other venues that will celebrate Women’s Golf Day.
Vice Lady Captain of Balcarrick Golf Club Louise Stirling said any women thinking of trying golf are welcome to attend.
“Its aim is to celebrate girls and women playing golf and learning the skills that last a lifetime,” Stirling told Northside People.
Tadhg Harrington (brother of three-time major champion Padraig) was the middle man in getting this organised for Balcarrick Golf Club as he had connections with the Founder of Women’s Golf Day, Elisa Gaudet.
Along with Harrington, Stirling said that the men’s side of Balcarrick Golf Club have been nothing short of supportive of the idea.
“Since our founding 25 years ago our women members have had equal access to the course and we play alongside the men at weekends and they have always been fully behind us,” she said.
Even though both men and women share the wonderful estuarial golf course, there is only approximately one female for every nine male golfers at Balcarrick but Stirling feels this event could tackle that figure.
“We are among a number of clubs who have lots of room to cope with more women,” she said. “We are a welcoming and friendly club but women have other commitments so it might be harder for them to get away but we urge them to come out and give it a go.”
Looking towards the future, Stirling believes this event will not just be a once-off.
“This will probably be our first annual event and we would love to carry it on because there is enthusiasm for it and it will flourish I think,” she added.
The Irish event will be covered in the upcoming issue of Golf Digest Ireland. For more information, visit www.womensgolfday.com.
REPORT: Brein McGinn