Ellie Potts - Out and Proud PGA Professional - in her own words ....

ELLIE POTTS - OUT, PROUD & NEWLY QUALIFIED PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL

in her own words

“no no, you’ll find a golf husband dear”

— Said a female member at my club

VISIBILITY MATTERS

“ As a young person I want to use my influence and power to show that I’m coming to make real changes and set a legacy for other young LGBT+ Professionals out there ”

- ELLIE POTTS - GIGS Brand Ambassador & GIGS Northern Hub co-ordinator

Hi my name is Ellie Potts, PGA Professional at Sandwell Park Golf Club, nr Birmingham and a recent Graduate in Applied Golf Management Studies at the University of Birmingham.

I’m a Level 2 PGA Coach which I obtained alongside my studies. I’ve been able to progress my golf further by playing in WPGA and PGA competitions as a Trainee.  It was an amazing three years at Birmingham Uni, however the course is lacking females as there were only 4 on our course and 20 males.  But my course mates were really good at supporting each other and we had a lot of fun playing competitive golf against each other.

I started playing golf when I was around 10 years old.   I used to caddy for my Dad and then slowly started trying out clubs of my own. I started playing for my County (Shropshire) at Junior level and eventually became the County Captain in 2020.

I’m a lesbian and I came out in 2015 and my parents are very loving and accepting, along with all my friends who are very happy for me. 

In terms of golf I didn’t really have anybody as a role model in the golf industry so now I want my legacy to be influencing and acting as that role model to others so that I could inspire and make changes in the golfing industry as a member of the LGBT+ community.

Golf clubs can be very strange places at times

Golf clubs can be very strange places at times and an uncomfortable place too. I had an experience myself just before starting my University degree. I was speaking to one of the female members at my club and one of them told me “oh you’ll find a nice golf husband on your course” and I said “wait no, I’m a lesbian, I’m into women" and they just sort of laughed it off and continued with “no, no, you’ll find a golf husband.”

Looking back on this sort of ignorance kind of makes me laugh, but on the other hand, it needs to change, because everybody has members at their Golf Club that may no agree with the community or don’t understand the community. I feel it’s important to call them out on it and potentially educate them and say. look we’re in 2024, we’re making changes. You can either accept that or you’re going to be left behind.

I do believe we are on the precipice of a big change in the golf industry. I feel that more women are speaking up to their Golf Club Committees and we are banging on the door for change whether this be gender neutral tees or being able to play in the men’s competitions on a Saturday or even just feeling like we can feel safe as LGBT+ golfers at our respected clubs. As a young person I want to use my influence and power to show that I’m coming to make real changes and set a legacy for other young LGBT+ PGA professionals out there.

It’s nice to see other golfers like me out and proud!

I joined GIGS after a friend of mine referred me to the Instagram page. It was so nice to see other golfers like myself out and proud! I’m keen to get involved and hopefully get to meet many of the GIGSTERs soon.

Future plans: I’ve recently started my first coaching position at Sandwell Park Golf Club in the West Midlands, as a full time Teaching Professional. If you’re in the area - contact me - and let’s get you started.

You can follow my journey on Instagram @elliepotts_golf

Abbey Hill Golf Centre flies the Rainbow Flag to Welcome GIGS

ABBEY HILL GC flies the Rainbow Flag to Welcome the Girls in Golf Society

A fun day was had by all at Abbey Hill Golf Centre, Milton Keynes. Abbey Hill was buzzing with lots of people enjoying the Driving Range, Adventure Golf, Foot Golf and the main 18 which we played. Everyone we encountered were friendly, welcoming, polite and seemed to be enjoying themselves. The General Manager, Russell Heady came and introduced himself to our group and informed us that the ENGLAND GOLF RAINBOW FLAGs had been put out on both the 10th and 18th Greens to welcome GIGS. It was a fantastic gesture by a progressive and welcoming club and The GIGSTERS really appreciated it. The food was very tasty and the clubhouse was vibrant. The course was a good track, with a nice mixture of challenging holes with some fab views. The GM said he would put the Rainbow Flags out every 3-4 weeks to demonstrate that the club is a welcoming space for all. THAT’S PROGRESS !!

“We will continue to fly the Rainbow Flag every 3 or 4 weeks, to demonstrate that Abbey Hill Golf Centre is a welcoming space for all”

— Russell Heady - General Manager

VISIBILITY MATTERS

“ You just don't know who sees it (the flag) living in the area and takes heart and might be encouraged to choose golf as a sport to take up”

- GIGS Member Anna

Visibility in golf really does matter to our community, so well done to England Golf for the initiative and to the clubs who participated last year. Hopefully the 2022 campaign will enjoy continued support and growth.

GIGS has actively been contacting many of the clubs who participated in the England Golf / Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign at the end of last year and will try to support as many of those clubs as possible by booking our monthly meet-ups at these progressive and inclusive golf facilities. It is important to acknowledge their efforts and demonstrate our appreciation by hosting our golf events with them over the coming months. GIGS will also encourage other clubs to participate in the initiative and some have already said they too would love to fly the flag and are keen to get involved and be more visibly inclusive.

NOTE TO GIGS MEMBERS - LOG IN TO READ RESULTS & SEE MORE PICS !!

If you are a Club, or Member of a Club who would like to add a Rainbow Flag to their course - you can read more below and get in touch with Jamie Blair at England Golf.

Girls In Golf Society featured at World of Golf Museum 17th Aug 2021

Iconic day, Iconic bridge, Iconic Clubhouse - photo credit Mya Hodge

We had a fantastic first full day in Scotland visiting St Andrews yesterday! We were greeted by the wonderful staff at the World of Golf Museum who gave us an informative tour of the museum. The museum is packed with something for everyone. It has gone above and beyond to include EVERYONE and we were emotional about GIGS being featured in it, please do check out the images we have posted, we can’t quite believe it!

HUGE THANK to Rebecca Prentice and the TEAM at World Golf Museum - please go visit if you are in St Andrews.

We next stopped at The Himalayas putting green, which was tons of fun! Of course it turned into a very heated competition with Caron taking home the win! Special shoutout to Jade however, who scored 0 points on the Front 9, but pulled off second place by the 18th! We definitely gave everyone on the green a chuckle with our friendly, fun and competitive spirit!

Swilcan Bridge such an iconic picture moment and we of course could not miss the oppurtunity to get the Pride Flag out and have our photo moment! Iconic moment for Pride in Golf and our Society.

We have had the perfect weather the last couple of days and cannot wait to head over to Carnoustie tomorrow for the start of the AIG Women’s Open Championship.

#WhyIGolf - Women and Girls in Golf Week - featuring GIGS Members

Today is the launch of the England Golf Women & Girls Golf Week 2021. We are pleased to be working alongside England Golf with this campaign, highlighting our fantastic members and why they love golf.

Check out our first video featuring GIGS member Cheryl #EnglandGolf #WhyIGolf
Check our social media to see more of our members during the week.

GIGS featured by Women and Golf

Let’s make golf more inclusive!

Big thank you to Emma from WOMEN & GOLF for featuring GIGS and helping to spread the word.

We’re on a mission to make golf a much more inclusive and accessible sport for all and particularly to LGBT+ Women who play or would like to give golf a try.

- have a read, then better still, JOIN US.

Sarah Stirk - Sky Sports Golf - “I want to have a voice in our Community.” via Attitude Magazine

Pride Month, The R&A and Sarah Stirk

June, the month of Pride celebrations and where many businnesses and corporations support and encourage LGBT+ Inclusion & Diversity and fly the rainbow flag. From many it feels genuine support, but from others, it so often feels like an opportunity to just pay lip service to appease our community - Rainbow-Washing as it’s called. The jury is still out on that one.

Earlier in the year, as part of GIGS mission to encourage golf to become a more inclusive & diverse sport, we approached the R&A (The Royal and Ancient) with the suggestion to have an Official LGBT+ Meet Up Point at the forthcoming AIG Women’s Open Championship at Carnoustie this year. They welcomed the suggestion and said they wish to continue the dialogue with us, although unlikely that anything would happen anytime soon! At the very least, we hope that they will fly the Rainbow Flag to encourage & welcome our community who attend the Tournament. We live in hope.

- Watch this space !! -

TV Presenter for Sky Sports Golf, Sarah Stirk, has given an interview (link below) for Attitude Magazine’s Pride issue commenting ‘I’m proud of who I am’ and says ‘I want to have a voice in our community’ and our favourite ‘I don’t give a sh*t anymore’. Her decision to share could not have been an easy one, but we’re delighted she has chosen to do so and it will be wonderful to have such a huge voice in golf as part of our community.

Well done Sarah and Welcome

A GIGS Beanie finds its way to all sorts of good people - pictured with Presenter Sarah Stirk - we know she will wear it with Pride.

Aloha - Lydia Ko back in the Winners Circle where she belongs

It’s been a while, but all the hard work that Lydia Ko and her Team have put in over the last few years, produced an almost flawless display of golf in Hawaii. Lydia took the Lotte Championship in spectacular style with a Tournament record 28 under Par and 7 shots clear of the field. Ko has had a super start to the season and looks completely dialed in, in that Lydia Ko way, where she makes golf look so effortless and fun, never taking herself too seriously and always treating her fellow competitors and those working to deliver these tournaments, with the utmost respect.

Golf might never get a better role model than Lydia Ko, still only 23, with years ahead to win more tournaments and major championships. Golf is better because she plays.

We await to see where the rest of 2021 takes her, but from her recent form, we think she’s just getting going.

#GOKO

Rookie Win's the 1st Major of the Year

The ANA Inspiration never disappoints and this year was no exception. LPGA Rookie, PATTY TAVATANAKIT became the 1st Major Champion of 2021 which gave her the honour, at this iconic tournament, of making the famous leap into Poppies Pond. But the glory was not all hers, as history unfolded before our very eyes. Former World No 1 and 2016 ANA Champion Lydia Ko, leapt up the leaderboard as she took just 29 strokes to complete the front 9. Her score is the lowest recorded 9 holes in ANA history. It was a joy to watch and Lydia went on to shoot 62, the lowest final round in LPGA Major history. Extraordinary golf, from an extraordinary golfer. LPGA 2021 is going to be a ride!

If you missed the ANA, you can catch up via the Sky Sports Golf YouTube Channel - it’s well worth your time.

Read more about the tournament below via Emma Ballard, new Editor of the Women and Golf Magazine. Congratulations Patty, Lydia & Emma!

Caron Morton appears on the BBC Sounds LGBT Sport Podcast

Caron Morton appears on the BBC Sounds LGBT Sport Podcast talking about Girls in Golf Society

The One with Caron Morton and Peter Heather

England Golf and the Rainbow Laces campaign - plus Pride Sports Club Finder and The BBC LGBT Sport Podcast

STONEWALL

In 2013, Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign was launched and has been a successful and popular campaign, particularly in football.  We are very excited that England Golf are now recognising the LGBTQ+ community in golf and are fully behind the campaign.  As a golfer for most of her life, GIGS Founder, Caron commented

 “The golf industry and governing bodies have virtually ignored the LGBTQ+ community, so the fact that England Golf are now acknowledging our existence as golfers, is a huge step in the right direction.” 

ENGLAND GOLF LGBTQ+ SURVEY

England Golf LGBTQ+ Survey

For far too long golf has been a predominantly, straight, white male sport, with zero ambition of attempting to reach out to any wider community, let alone the LGBTQ+ community.  This is finally changing. 

England Golf is committed to modernising and welcoming everyone into the game and are currently carrying out a survey to understand how they can better support the LGBTQ+ community with regards to their experiences with golf.  So whether you’re a regular player, beginner, love Adventure Golf or are just thinking about how to start but don’t quite know how to, please click the link below and complete their survey.   They want to hear your voice: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SYFFJ2M

Girls In Golf Society (GIGS) came into existence as a way of bringing gay women together to enjoy golf in a fun and safe space, where like-minded women can be themselves, feel included and most importantly, have fun with friends and allies.

We would like to give a BIG GIGS SHOUT OUT to Jamie Blair – Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager at England Golf, who reached out to GIGS and invited our members to participate in the survey and supplied some Rainbow Laces for us.  We look forward to the ongoing conversation and thank Jamie for our inclusion within their Rainbow Laces campaign, which will undoubtedly give GIGS a platform to elevate our voices and let the world know what GIGS is all about!

READ THE ENGLAND GOLF INTERVIEW WITH CARON HERE - Thank you England Golf !

BBC SOUNDS - THE LGBT SPORT PODCAST

You will also be able to listen to Caron’s recent interview on the BBC SOUNDS - The LBGT Sport Podcast - hosted by the fantastic Jack Murley, talking all things LGBT golf and GIGS - LISTEN HERE - Thank you Jack !

PRIDE SPORTS LGBTIQ+ SPORTS INCLUSION

Pride Sports works solely to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in sport and improve access to sport for LGBTQI+ people.  You can now find GIGS via their LGBT+ Sports Club Finder and we are delighted to be included in their Rainbow Laces campaign featuring many of these grassroots clubs.

Check out Caron and Jade on the Pride Sports GIGS video.  They talk about why GIGS is important to them and why a society like GIGS is needed.  ANOTHER BIG GIGS SHOUT OUT to Steve Stiller and his Team at East Brighton Golf Club for allowing us to film at the Club. See the Video HERE.   

Stonewall - https://www.stonewall.org.uk
England Golf - https://www.englandgolf.org/rainbow-laces-day-girls-in-golf-society-enjoys-a-lockdown-revival/
BBC LGBT Sport Podcast - BBC LGBT Sport Podcast
Pride Sports – https://pridesports.org.uk/lgbt-club-finder/
Jamie Blair - https://twitter.com/EngGolfDis
East Brighton Golf Club -  https://www.ebgc.co.uk

 WE HOPE YOU WEAR YOUR RAINBOW LACES WITH PRIDE
MANY THANKS FROM TEAM GIGS

Annika Sorenstam elected new president of the International Golf Federation

Arguably the greatest female golfer of them all, Annika Sorenstam will commence the next phase of her outstanding golfing career as the president of the International Golf Federation. Read all about her appointment below via Women & Golf Magazine.

Annika Sorenstam

Mel Reid - Wins the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Ellesse style

So pleased for Mel Reid - here’s a recent fab Q & A she did with Harriet Shephard for Women & Golf Mag.

Mel Reid wins the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Ellesse style

Why women’s golf is ready to seize its chance to shine

Interesting article in the Telegraph by Kate Rowan, talking about why women’s golf is ready to shine.

Read the full article here.

Golf Games – A Guide to Games and Scoring - John Vanner

During the summer of 1989, my step-father John Vanner, had this crazy idea to write a book about the games that can be played in golf and how to mark a scorecard.  He asked for my help and together we sat down and put Golf Games together.  John did tons of research and found all the different formats to play this wonderful game.  He had golfers from all over the country sending in new games to be included in the book.  We ended up with a comprehensive guide to correct scorecard marking for all the various popular games played in golf, with the addition of numerous fun and entertaining games to try.

Over 20K Copies Sold

We had a lot of fun compiling Golf Games that summer and eventually launched the book during The Ryder Cup at The Belfry.  Over the Years we sold over 20,000 copies, many to golf club secretaries and PGA Pro’s all over the country.   John sadly passed away in 2019, but Golf Games lives on, with the last few remaining copies of this vintage little book now on sale.  Designed to keep in your golf bag, grab your copy today and Don’t Tee Off without It!

Golf Games
Copyright
Published in Great Britain
First Published 1989
Revised Edition 1990
Second Revision 2008

“I have finally found a hobby I will enjoy for the rest of my life”

About 12 years ago I became a member at East Brighton Golf Club and I suppose at the time I was young, juggling college, work and never really made time to play consistently. I always enjoyed playing and in the back of my mind knew that if I committed to it I could improve and have a great handicap.

So here we are 12 years later and if it wasn’t for being furloughed and having time to play so often, maybe I would never have known how much I missed playing it and how I have finally found a hobby that I can say I will enjoy for the rest of my life!

It has done wonders for my mental health, being active and being more sociable. My friend and I have been able to connect over something different! What course are we going to play and sharing our latest purchases! And yes, I have spent more money in lockdown than I should have...but I am seeing it as an investment ;). Currently I have been playing at Burgess Hill Golf Centre which is a 9 hole, par 3 course, they also have a great driving range and putting facility, perfect for beginners.

My focus for the next 5 months is to work on my swing with the help of some lessons and to finally obtain a handicap! I am also looking forward to helping out with GIGS and connecting with other women who are passionate about golf and hopefully getting in a few rounds before the weather turns bleak! 

If you would like to follow my golf journey, feel free to follow my Instagram account @golfingwithjade

Lydia Ko: Letter to My 15-Year-Old Self

Lydia Ko is a two-time major champion and the youngest golfer in history to reach No.1 in any world ranking.

This is the letter ‘to my 15 year old self’ that she has written and appears on the LPGA Womens Network, an inspiring post about change, tough choices and just being yourself.

Justin Rose and his wife Kate take a bow!

They have funded 7 one day tournaments in the UK for LET professionals to compete in. Each event to be televised by Sky Sports TV. 

In these stressful times this is not only vital for our super talented women professional golfers, but it also lifts everyone involved in golf. Avid fans also get to watch golf on the TV and it’s the girls turn this time! 

Heartwarming to see a true great is thinking of others and wants to help.  As an ex tour pro I do appreciate how the girls will feel about this amazing initiative.

Golf prescribed by the NHS, after pilot studies find it boosts happiness, fitness and strength

Who saw this news over the weekend? 

We think it's great that both the physical and mental benefits of golf are being promoted.

Let us know your thoughts.

LPGA Golfer Mel Reid Comes Out: ‘Be Proud of Who You Are’

A very good read indeed - English Golfer, Mel Reid comes out, its about time that golf well and truly came out of the closet - well done Mel !