While the game of golf may take some people years to perfect, the impact can be felt instantly. Golf is one of the few sports that can be played until you are old and gray. As time has progressed, the green board room has extended its welcome to those from all walks of life.
LaJean Gould, Founder, and President of Women in Golf Foundation Inc., has been working within the organization for around thirty years to ensure women of all different walks of life can embrace themselves in the game of golf.
“I was learning to play golf myself, and as I went to get a lesson one day, I ran across some young girls at a golf course and inquired about them. I found out that they were college girls from HBCUs, and after further conversation with them, I found out that their coaches dropped them off at one golf course, and the coaches had all gone to another golf course with the boys. The girls were left there to do what they do on their own, and that really bothered me,” Gould said.
From that moment, Gould knew she had to make a difference for those young women and those who came in the future. Since founding the Women in Golf Foundation, Inc., Ms. Gould and her team have worked countless hours to ensure that the game of golf is accessible to women of all races and ages.
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They started with small clinics and humble beginnings and have grown since then. The Foundation provides women with different programs to participate in, such as The National Women’s Collegiate Golf Championship, Executive Women’s Program, Atlanta Girl’s Club, and their Youth Program.
As the Foundation’s programs and members grow, so does the funding. Ms. Gould and her organization are grateful to be consistent recipients of the Grassroots Grants and Program through Make Golf Your Thing.
That grant is significant; I am just a proponent of the support and the benefit of the support we get from the Make Golf Your Thing grant. One of the key pieces for me is that it helps with sustainability. We are a grassroots organization; without this support, it can be difficult to grow your program. The funds I have received from this program help me do things to elevate my program and improve its visibility; it’s had a huge impact on us,” Gould said.
Golf is a game that has been around before us and will continue to flourish after we depart. Golf is an investment in yourself, your career, and your social advancement. Learning to play the game of golf is not just for physical gain, but the lessons you learn throughout those eighteen holes will help you better navigate life.
“Golf gives you what you put into it,” Gould said.
As the game of golf progresses, Ms. Gould has promised to continue to expose women to the benefits of the game of golf and challenges you all to meet her on the golf course!
To learn more about how they t the Women in Golf Foundation, Inc., you can visit their website at: www.womeningolffoundation.org.
