| The new millennium has brought along with it a sharp | | | | in general, as she has sought to use her remarkable |
| increase in the popularity of womens golf, with a | | | | golf abilities to challenge male golfers directly. Like |
| significant rise in the number of female golfers in both | | | | Woods, maybe her efforts will help remove the last |
| the professional and casual arenas. That means the | | | | barriers standing in the way of women golfers, |
| face of golf is being changed in dramatic fashion, as | | | | including those handful of remaining clubs that still |
| golf is rapidly losing its reputation as an "old boys' | | | | discriminate toward female golfers. |
| game." | | | | Regardless of Wie's actual level of success in her |
| Although it may come as a surprise, women have | | | | quest to play with the men, in the past five years, |
| been playing golf professionally since the 1800s. But | | | | women's golf has seen a vast rise in popularity partly |
| traditionally, golf has been a hugely male-dominated | | | | thanks to her efforts as well as the inspired play of |
| sport, with many golf establishments not even | | | | many other great women golfers such as Annika |
| permitting female players to set foot on their greens. | | | | Sorenstam. And that popularity is predicted to |
| The journey to playing golf has not been a painless | | | | increase. Women are now entering the game at an |
| road for aspiring women. | | | | unprecedented pace, with the fastest growing |
| Typically, it takes some kind of spark to ignite an | | | | demographic being women younger than 30. |
| explosive increase in popularity for a particular sport. | | | | However, it is interesting to note that there is a slight |
| For men's golf, that spark was Tiger Woods, whose | | | | difference in the way men and women approach the |
| unbelievable play over the last decade or so spurred | | | | sport. Women tend to view golf primarily as a social |
| the popularity of golf to unprecedented levels. It is | | | | activity with competitive undertones, while men see |
| quite noteworthy to consider that, as a child, Woods | | | | golf primarily as a competitive activity with social |
| was denied entrance to a golfing club simply because | | | | undertones. So, while male golfers are obsessing |
| of the color of his skin, a club which now welcomes | | | | about their score, women are just trying to have a |
| the golf champion with open arms. | | | | good time. |
| In the world of women's golf, teenage sensation | | | | Nevertheless, despite the ultimate reasons, women |
| Michelle Wie has undoubtedly been a catalyst in | | | | have irrefutably embraced golf in the new millennium, |
| bringing great attention to the sport of women's golf | | | | and the result has been a great boon for the sport. |