As an avid golfer, I have spent countless hours at golf courses over the past 15 years. One thing I have recently noticed is more and more women picking up the game - which is fantastic.

“According to the National Golf Foundation, the percentage of women on the course rose to 25% in 2021, up from 19% a decade ago. An even bigger jump is among junior golfers, where more than 35%, or 1.1 million, are girls, compared to 15% in 2000. That group is becoming more diverse, too: More than a quarter are non-Caucasian—a number that was just 6% 20 years ago.

Those figures go up further when you count entertainment venues such as TopGolf, where the focus is more on fun instead of score or swing mechanics. Women now account for 45% of all off-course golfers.”

-Michael Croley for Bloomberg

Nelly Korda is an American Golfer and is the #2 player worldwide in the women’s game.

While golf has long been known as a boys’ club, the dynamics are shifting - and this is good news for the game of golf.

Moving on, if you have not played golf before, I’d like to share a few of the benefits with you:

• Good Exercise: If you choose to walk when you play, the average course will clock north of four miles on your step count.

• Spending Time Outside: We all know that spending time outside is good for our health, and golf is a great way to do this! Spending time outside can lessen anxiety and depression and lower our blood pressure.

• Making New Friends: If you are looking to meet new people, don’t be afraid to call up a golf course and ask to be paired with another group. You never know where a new connection can lead - whether we are talking about growing personally or professionally.

• Challenging Yourself: When you are first learning, golf can be challenging. But there are few things as satisfying as hitting a perfect golf shot in the middle of the club face, also known as “flushing it.” If you are new to the game, patience is key and will pay off in the long run as you begin to improve and shoot lower scores.

• Relaxation: There are few things I enjoy more than playing golf as the sun sets at the end of the day, either with friends or by myself. It is easy to put any problems aside for a few hours. I find golf to be extremely relaxing. There is no doubt that it helps my mental health - and it can help yours too!

Now that I’ve shared a bit about golf’s growth, thanks to women, and the benefits of golf, I’d like to share a bit about my own experiences on the golf course. Without question, some of my fondest memories in life have come from golf, and the game runs in my family. Both my mom, Diane, and her brother, Tommy, played golf in college on the west coast of California. I have them both to thank for introducing me to the game and helping me improve over time.

I competed on the Club Golf Team at Clemson University during undergrad, and I still compete in tournaments on a regular basis around the state of Virginia. My brother Andrew and I play a lot of golf together, and this has strengthened our relationship over the past few years. Additionally, my first client as a financial advisor came from a round of golf.

Andrew, Diane, and I recently had the chance to play a round of golf at Baltusrol Golf Club with a family friend, where the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be held. Baltusrol has hosted many national golf events in the past and is a truly impressive property. This was a special day that we will never forget.

If you have never played golf before, I would highly encourage you to give it a try. Or, if you are already playing and you are looking for a fourth person to round out your group in the future, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’d love to meet you and tee it up together.

As a final note, business-wise, the stock market has been very rocky lately. If you are feeling uneasy at all about your financial future or your investments, my firm and I are here to help. If you have questions, feel free to shoot me an email at johnny@harveygroupwm.com or give me a call at 703-380-4909.

Sources: Harbor Hills Club, Bloomberg, Sports Illustrated