For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been getting back into golf. This was a sport I started about ten years ago and it was introduced to me by my husband Andrew, who’s a mad keen on the sport. Through his help, he bought me a set of left handed clubs (even though I am right handed with everything, for any bat and club sports, I prefer to use my left) and encouraged me to get into the sport.

I joined a Womens Golf Network back then that had introduced me to various golf courses and the etiquette of the game. The network put on clinics and a mix of 9 hole and 18 hole games around the courses in Melbourne and its regions. As we also live in the sandbelt region of Melbourne, we have at our doorstep, many excellent quality courses – both public and private.

What I loved about the Womens Golf Network was that they organised everything. Every week, I would look at the schedule and decide what course I wanted to play and drive there. It was a chance to meet and play with other ladies and afterwards, there was also socialising. However, as is always with these things, the networks are determined by the motivation of the people who run them and over the years, they had changed the group to more 18 hole games and most region based. They reduced the weekend aways and didn’t seem worth membership to it anymore.

A small group of breakaway ladies created our own social golf group where we would play 9 or 18 holes at public golf courses however, that too, started to peter out to the point where I wasn’t playing anymore and years had passed.

This year, my friend let me know of the Women’s Introductory Program at Woodlands Golf Club, a private club in Mordialloc and I decided to join.

The club is trying to get more female members to join and they offered a ‘temporary’ membership for $495 that includes clinic and on course clinic sessions, private lessons plus all access to the golf club and course for the half year. It is in an effort to help women learn about the game and participate in club activities and maybe, once the program is complete, they can sign up as full paying members.

Here’s our schedule

• Week 1: Learn to Swing (Putting)
• Week 2: Learn to Swing (Pitching/Chipping)
• Week 3: Learn to Swing (Irons)
• Week 4: Learn to Swing (Woods)
• Week 5: Learn to Swing (Bunkers) and Make Up Clinics
• Week 6: On Course – Learn to Play (Rules & Etiquette)
• Week 7: On Course – Learn to Play
• Week 8: Learn to Score

We have individual lessons through May.

Throughout the entire time, we can access the golf course to be able to play some rounds if we like, invite guests to the club house (or to play for a fee) and we have access to the range.

My friend and I go every Saturday afternoon, earlier than our clinic time to have a bit of a putt or hit on the range. My intention this week from now on is to jump into my car and head out there for a bit of a hit after work.

It goes without saying that we’ve already discovered the pleasures of the club house spending more time after the clinic there drinking and catching up with our news.

I’m not entirely sure if I’m ready to join a club just yet as I love the idea of social golf. Also, I believe that if I stuck with this game over all this time, I know it would have improved. I’m not entirely a clutz on the golf course as I am with other sports (I’m NOT sporty by any stretch of the imagination but I always give sports a go) but what I like about golf is that you’re playing against yourself – not in a team.

Also you’re outside, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine and there’s always a cool drink afterwards with the ladies. So the social element for me is as important as the sport itself.