Wives & Their Drives

Is the game up for men who dump their ladies off at the spa, while enjoying a day out on the course? Sharon McKinley heads to Scotland to tee off with the women hitting back

Mention women golfers in any golf club in Scotland and you’re likely to be met with a joke involving a play on birds and birdies. “The golf course is no place for a woman,” says Robin Crosthwaite, an avid player from southwest Scotland. “That’s why golf resorts have spas – to keep the women off the courses.”

Robin’s wife Susan doesn’t agree. She, like thousands of other so-called “golf widows”, has decided she’s seen enough fluffy white robes to last her a lifetime, so she’s got herself a set of clubs instead.

At the Westin Turnberry Resort and Spa on the west coast of Scotland, the pros have seen such a rise in the demand for ladies’ lessons that they recently introduced a package aimed specifically at the market. “The Bluffer’s Guide to Golf” is one of the most effective ways for women to get started in the sport, and it was Turnberry senior teaching professional Matthew Naylor who had the unenviable task of tackling my own incompetence with a club for two days.

“Women are much more susceptible to teaching, which is why in this package we start with small clubs and short distances, and work our way up,” he says. Men, it seems, would rather go straight for the driver. Size doesn’t matter so much to women, it’s getting it right that counts.

And in the spirit of getting it right, I find my fellow female golfers knee deep in bargains at the golf shop sale 10 minutes after arriving. Nothing excites a woman more than a hobby that requires a whole new wardrobe. Fully equipped with golf shoes, pressed trousers and windbreakers, we emerge onto Turnberry’s perfectly manicured putting green. Here we are taught how to grip the putter, align the ball correctly and use our shoulders to achieve optimum swing speed. We later tackle chipping and pitching with a change of grip, stance and speed, and a huge amount of patience from our tutor, Matthew.

On day two, we take to the driving range to fully develop our swings, before finally being let loose on the golf course – a sight that would have most male golfers diving for cover in the nearest bunker. Except that’s where most of our golf balls are headed. Golf is without doubt the best sport in the world to be truly terrible at. It’s also the best sport in the world to lose your inhibitions with, if you’re going to play badly, really badly. For that, it will always be the sport of choice for the hopeless and the incompetent, regardless of gender. In the words of one of the world’s first celebrity female golfers, Babe Zaharias: “It’s not enough just to swing at the ball. You’ve got to loosen your girdle and let ’er fly.”

Susan is also the proprietor of a small luxury hotel in southwest Scotland. She took up golf last year and, despite the protests from Robin, is determined to continue learning to play. “Robin likes to be controversial in his views, but I have as much right as he does to be out on the golf course. It’s such a great sport and, given the option of lounging around on a spa break or getting out on the fairways, there’s no contest,” she says.

“Traditionally, I would have an annual girls’ skiing holiday, and Robin would have his golfing trips. But these days we ladies are just as proficient with a set of clubs as we are on the slopes. The men tend to be much more competitive, so we generally play same sex rounds to avoid any friction – we don’t want to show the men up, especially not when they consider the golf course to be their domain.”

Robyn Glynne-Percy is managing director of Profile Plus, an Edinburgh PR agency that specialises in the leisure and lifestyle industry. She took up golf last summer in a bid to join her husband, Colin, and their two teenage sons on the fairways. “I’m not one to sit on the sidelines in any sport and golf is no exception,” she says. “The boys have been taking lessons for years and my husband is also a keen golfer. I was determined not to end up as the family caddie.

“My husband has never taken lessons, which is where we differ in our approach. He hits the ball hard but doesn’t tend to keep it in play so much. I take a more softly, softly approach to the game, having had the benefit of swing analysis and tuition. I don’t hit the ball hard, but do hit it in the right direction.”

So, who’s the better golfer then? “Well, Colin’s been playing longer than I have so is naturally more experienced. But I’m pretty competitive, so I hope to be able to give him a run for his money some of these days.”

Robyn also finds that, as a businesswoman, her golfing skills often come into play for meetings and networking opportunities. “I am often asked by business associates if I play golf, and found that I was at a disadvantage when I didn’t. So many women these days are on a par with men in the business environment, and golf is a huge part of that. I was determined not to be off searching for my golf ball while important business was being done on the green.”

FOR MORE DETAILS, VISIT WWW.WESTIN.COM/TURNBERRY

Girl-friendly golf courses

MONCHIQUE SPA RESORT, PORTUGAL
Tuition packages can be tailored to your requirements, and the resort is set amid the picturesque Monchique Hills in the Algarve. There’s a host of restored 16th-century buildings, as well as a thermal spa and outdoor pool. Plus, if you’re looking for more sand than a bunker, some of the area’s finest beaches are just a short drive away.
TEL: +351 282 910 910, WWW.MONCHIQUETERMAS.COM

DESERT SPRINGS ALMERIA, SPAIN
Offering an alternative golfing experience, Europe’s first desert course is a spectacular sight. It’s an ideal course for beginners and pros alike, and the Desert Springs Golf Academy has schooling packages for all levels of play.
TEL: +34 950 467 104

EVIAN ROYAL RESORT, FRANCE
The Evian Masters Golf Course is one of the most beautiful mature courses in Europe, and the resort is a firm favourite with celebrities such as Kylie and Jane Fonda. Set between the Alps and Lake Léman, it’s a breathtaking venue offering golf tuition alongside spa packages, adrenalin and water sports and world-class skiing. It also has a four-hole course for practice.
TEL: +33 (0)4 5026 8500, WWW.EVIANROYALRESORT.COM

STOCKHOLMS GOLFKLUBB, SWEDEN
A little taste of history, Stockholms Golfklubb was established in 1904 and is Sweden’s oldest golf club. The course is close to the heart of Stockholm, making it the perfect way to include a round as part of a city break. A handicap of 30 is required for women players.
TEL: +46 854 490 710, WWW.SGK.NU