Scot, a trailblazer, said that more can be done to convince young women that golf is fun in an exclusive interview.
Booth was just 11 years old when Dunblane New became Britain’s youngest ladies champion. She had joined her older brother Wallace in being bitten with the golf bug.
She was also the youngest Scot who qualified for the Ladies European Tour. The 29-year old has won three times but had to overcome bitterness.
Booth said that she grew up playing with older women who were not very accommodating. Booth was speaking in her role of ambassador for International Leisure Group (ILG), which includes golf retailer and leisure brands American Golf. The Scotsman. I don’t think I knew the difference back then, but I know now.
Everyone is more supportive. They want to see a change in quality and give girls more opportunities to take up the sport.
This is what we, as pros, have been trying to do. To make golf more accessible and feminine for women to play the game.
The R&A published December figures showing that the global golfer population has increased by 5.6 Million in the past five years.
The 2020 Great Britain Golf Participation Report revealed that 25% of female golfers were new to the sport, and had only tried it once before due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, female golf growth in England as well as Scotland is slower than that in Austria, Germany, and Latvia.
Since I was a child, I have played golf and witnessed the efforts to promote and improve the game and find equality. As people invest in the women’s game, we have also seen a shift in apparel.
Although it’s still a continuous process, I feel that there has been some improvement, especially since I became a professional.
Young girls are a key part of what we are trying to do. My circumstances were very fortunate, having an older brother who played and growing up on a farm that had a golf course.
It’s all about getting them involved and making sure they know that this is a great sport. It could be as simple as schools, grass roots, or junior academies where we can still make progress.
Booth, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury that allowed her to be granted a medical exemption for the LET, talks about golf with passion.
It’s something that makes my heart happy. It makes me sad when I don’t play well, added the Comrie woman. It has given me so many opportunities. It has brought me so many wonderful people and I have travelled the globe.
I feel blessed to have been able to participate in this sport, and to help make it better, especially in the women’s division.
Watch the complete interview with Martin Dempster about Carly Booth International Womens Day on scotsman.com