The season of the golf girl is in full swing

Are you prepped to take on the course?

There's a reason Gen Z can't get enough of the golf renaissance. Image: Getty

In a trend we certainly never saw coming, golf girls are taking over the internet. Here’s why there’s more to the sport’s renaissance than preppy outfits.

If you’re like me, you might have noticed a perplexing rise in the popularity of golf– and I’m not talking about semi-retired banking moguls dusting off their club memberships. Instead, I’m referring to the TikTok-posting Gen Z girlies who can’t seem to get enough of the club-and-ball sport. 

Hashtags like #golftok and #golfgirl are trending across Instagram and TikTok, and the deeper I dive into the ocean of content, the more I realise this new wave of golf interest isn’t quite as niche as I previously thought. 

You see, prior to recent weeks, my knowledge of golf was limited. I associated three things with the sport: Tiger Woods' infamous cheating scandal, Troy Bolton’s emotional ballad on the country club’s course, and middle-aged dads seeking respite from their screaming kids on a Sunday. Aside from Troy, none of those things really scream Gen Z girl power.

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Not only has golf long been a predominantly male-dominated sport, but it’s historically been played and preserved by cashed-up elitists. So what’s changed so drastically? The answer isn’t so straightforward.  

When you google golf girls, the most recommended question to pop up is ‘Do guys like girls who play golf?’, and boy, is it a bitter pill to swallow, as though a woman’s passion for golf could be so simply written off as an extravagant method of flirting.

Reaching out to my friend who recently bought a one-way ticket to the world of golf, I’m immediately shown a variety of male and female influencers perfectly personifying the golfcore aesthetic. And while women are certainly leaving a few pitch marks on the course, it’s evident the number of female golfers and fans still pales in comparison to the well-established boys’ club.

“These guys pretty much started the sexy boy golf era,” my club-bearing friend informs me of the viral golf group, Good Good. Likening the impact the group in question has made to the moment Magic Mike hit our screens, it’s easy to imagine a woman perhaps dabbling in the sport to impress a crush (we’ve all done crazier things than that). 

But even so, the rise of girl golf goes far beyond any desire to impress men. During my deep dive into the world of #GolfTok, #GolfGirls and #GolfCore, I’ve come to realise the motivations behind girl golf often have nothing to do with men at all (shock).

It goes without saying we’re living in an age where women well and truly can do whatever a man does, and with driving ranges and indoor golfing facilities popping up everywhere, the sport has never been more accessible.

The golf girl aesthetic. Image: Instagram/@haleybookholdt

It's all about the look

While an increase in accessibility and interest in fitness will always encourage people to take up a new sport, the steep rise in girl golfers seems to be less about the physical benefits, and more about the look. Golf fashion is essentially an extension of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, It’s practical, minimalist elegance at its finest.

Influencers like Haley Bookholdt, who boasts nearly half a million Tiktok followers, have made an online career out of golf GRWM videos, course vlogs and sponsored outfit reviews. And while many individuals like Bookholdt come from a competitive golf background, not every #golfgirl is fuelled by a passion for the sport. 

In fact, a lot of the videos floating around focus solely on ‘choosing the perfect outfit, followed by the perfect backdrop, lighting and angles to snap an insta-worthy pic. It’s not uncommon for the viral golf girls to take their perfect outfit on an errand run, rather than out for 18 holes.

Responding to the trend, even major activewear and athleisure brands are jumping on board, releasing golf capsules and accessories. And unlike the bright and tight sets so loved by the pilates and gym ladies, the golf girl look is all about embracing a dressier, more put-together version of your active self, with collared shirts, tailored dresses, neutral tones and vests. 

Regardless of whether you're drawn to the fashion or the idea of perfecting your swing, golf requires dedication, consistency, and at least a hint of passion. Perhaps one of the original #golfgirls, my own grandma’s attendance at her course is as devout as her attendance at church. In other words, it would take a serious emergency to get her to miss her weekly round. 

And maybe I’m just a product of a High School Musical-fuelled childhood, but cute outfits aside, part of me does still think Troy’s emotional ballad had something to do with the golf renaissance

Originally published as The season of the golf girl is in full swing