Golf
wasn’t love at first sight for me. It was more like a slow burn. The better I
got, the more I wanted to play.
I
think that had something to do with the fact that my confidence was building,
but I never felt completely confident until I had a level of proficiency that I
felt was respectable. I realized the people I felt the most uncomfortable
around were White men. I assumed everyone playing golf was so much better than
me.
I
was surprised to learn that most recreational golfers never break 100. This was
a fact that helped reset my expectations as a golfer. But even with a pretty
impressive tee shot that can cut a par-5 in half for the men on my scramble
team, I was still uncomfortable in most golf settings. I’m sure I was
uncomfortable because most of the time, there was no one there who looked like
me.
Often,
I noticed being noticed.
To
understand my discomfort, first you should know how I got into golf. I invited
myself. You may be asking, who goes to a party uninvited? No one usually, but I
wanted to be part of the game that seemed to be leveling the playing field in
Corporate America and helping people cultivate relationships. For years, I
watched my White, male colleagues build an informal network amongst themselves,
never inviting anyone else to reap the benefits of this closed circle of
influence. So, I invited myself.
I
bought my first set of golf clubs from Kmart, took a Get Golf Ready Class, and
infiltrated what I considered the good ol’ boys club. I was in for a rude
awakening. Although I had taken the Get Golf Ready classes, I wasn’t ready for
the course. I didn’t know the rules, the etiquette, or how to prepare for a
round. I had never even driven a golf cart before. I didn’t know how to check
in and pay or how to strap my bag to the back of the cart.
Needless to say, my first experience playing a round of
golf was a disaster. I was intimidated and embarrassed by the entire
experience. I was a fish out of water, but I wanted to learn. So, I focused on
getting better.
Fast
forward to 2013. I was feeling more confident about my game, but still I wasn’t
enjoying golf. Mostly because I wasn’t getting invited to play until they
needed a woman on their tournament team. So, I created what I needed: Black
Girls Golf, a community of women with whom I could learn, practice, and play.
Little did I know, I also was creating the momentum for a movement that would
ultimately help the golf industry invite a new generation of golfers into the
game.
After
founding Black Girls Golf, I was on a mission to involve the larger golf
community in helping me build this ecosystem of new golfers.
The
Texas Golf Association answered the call.
Having
a partner like the TGA was important because some of my most active members
learn, practice, and play in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I can attribute the
growth of the DFW chapter to something so simple: an invitation. Ninety percent
of Black Girls Golf members are new to the game, and it all started with the
invitation from a golfer.
The
ladies in Dallas are doing everything from taking lessons to planning small
group outings together. Over the past few years, I’ve watched their confidence
grow. They’re now playing in tournaments and traveling to enjoy courses across
the state.
Among
others, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned through my work with
Black Girls Golf is the power of an invitation. Extending your hand to help
someone else experience the joy you have for the game is priceless. Again, it
all starts with an invitation. It can be as simple as inviting someone to the
golf course for lunch and sharing what golf has done for you and explaining to
them why you enjoy the game.
Of course, the game is available to everyone, but what if
people around you are just waiting for an invitation from you? Let’s work
together to share this game we all love.
You
can visit Black Girls Golf and subscribe to our
email list for additional details, including a calendar of local and national
events.
Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker
who bootstrapped her way to becoming an industry influencer working with brands
like: Topgolf, AT&T, Adidas, BMW, and GolfTec. She has been featured
on the Golf Channel, Women’s Golf Journal, Ebony Magazine, Essence.com, Black
Enterprise, African American Golfer’s Digest, and more. Tiffany is a
native of Oakland, CA; an alumna of Grambling State University; the mother of
three children; and currently resides in Atlanta.