American Fox Sports reporter Holly Sonders - Photo: DR

Avant-garde and fervent "practitioner" of the little white ball, Mary Stuart (1542-1587), Queen of Scots, was accused of playing in Musselburg in 1567, just after ... the death of her husband, Lord Darnley! However, like male professionals, women did not have access to clubs in the British Isles and it was not until 1867 that the "Ladies Putting Green of St Andrews" was established in Scotland. This is the “Himalayas” putting green near the clubhouse, initially designed to “distract” them while the men roamed the fairways… A few years later, in 1893, the first association of golfers in Grande was founded. -Brittany and Ireland, the LGU (Ladies Golf Union).

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and fervent “practitioner” - Photo: DR

In the United States, Shinnecock Hills in New Jersey, site of the men's US Open last summer, was one of the five founding clubs of the American Golf Association (USGA) which from its inception in 1891, opened its doors to women. As for the Morris County Golf Club, in 1894 it was the first strictly female American club.

The "Himalayas" putting green located near the St Andrews clubhouse - Photo: DR

However, it was not until more than a century and the year 2012 to be precise, to witness a decisive turning point for Augusta National Golf Club, in the state of Georgia, host of the Masters in April and first Major of the season. Under the aegis of the American Billy Payne, President for 11 years (2006-2017), a few handpicked women were able for the first time in history to tread this exceptional journey: Condoleeza Rice (former Secretary of US State), Darla Moore (bank tycoon), Ginni Rometty (CEO of IBM) and Diana Murphy (former President of the USGA).

This decision led two years later, one of the governing bodies of golf, the R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews) to follow the same trajectory to admit seven illustrious women in its midst: the English, Princess Anne (daughter of Queen Elisabeth II) and Dame Laura Davies (85 victories including 4 Majors), the Scottish, Belle Robertson (winner of the British amateur in 1981), the Americans, Renee Powell (second African-American woman to play on the circuit of the LPGA) and Louise Suggs (1923-2015, one of the founders of the LPGA), the Swedish Annika Sörenstam (90 victories including 10 Majors) and the unforgettable French champion Lally Segard (1921-2018, President of the Women's World Committee Amateur Golf Council from 1964 to 1994).

From then on, prestigious Open rota golf courses (the “lucky ones”, hosts of the British Open when it does not take place in St Andrews) such as Muirfield, the oldest in the world (1744), and Royal Troon, found themselves two years later, in 2016, forced to also accept members of the "fair sex".

The following year, 2017, the R&A undertook to merge with the LGU in order to join forces.

Buoyed by this "dynamic", the Olympic Committee suggested in 2017 at the Kasumigaseki golf course to follow the same path as these aforementioned clubs, to claim to welcome the best players on the planet during the 2020 Olympics ...

Former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice elegantly wears the “green jacket” - Photo: DR

Within the federal authorities, this new wind carried Diana Murphy to the presidency of the USGA from 2016 to 2018, 20 years after the famous Judy Bell.

In Europe, thanks to her presidency of the women's committee of the World Amateur Golf Council, Lally Segard, Countess of Saint-Sauveur, was one of the instigators of the first women's world championships in 1964, which France won under her captaincy with Catherine Lacoste, Claudine Cros and Brigitte Varangot. Emblematic presidents such as Emma Villacieros de Garcia Ogara for the Spanish federation or Marion Tannhauser for the EGA (European Golf Association) played a decisive role in the accession of women to key positions in this sport. Today, 26% of the leaders of large international federations are women. Among professionals, the American Suzy Whaley was appointed in November 2018, the first woman president of the Association of American Professors (PGA of America).

Undoubtedly, women now shine in all sectors related to this sport; from club directors, teachers, TV commentators to architects. The champion and famous wife of the American architect, Pete Dye, Alice who has just died, is also credited with hole number 17 on the island of TPC Sawgrass in Florida, course which receives the “5th” major next month. According to one of the best current architects, the American Tom Doak "Pete is very lucky to have Alice by his side to confirm or deny his choices and make sure he never pushes the line" (The Little Red Book 2017 ).

TPC Sawgrass famous hole number 17; an idea from Alice Dye - Photo: DR

In terms of play and much like men, women as a whole have improved dramatically over the decades: technically, physically and mentally. Having become real athletes, they are proving to be younger and younger, like the American Lucy Li who managed to qualify for the US Open in 2014 at the age of 11. Of course, having less muscle mass, they cannot generate as much club speed and therefore as much distance and backspin. The statistics after the 2014 US Open in Pinehurst, South Carolina were telling. On a level course but with almost 1,000 more to face, the men averaged 2,5 points less, hit more greens in regulation, scoring more birdies and eagles (golfchannel.com, June 20, 2014). Women can therefore never claim to equal the game of men; the subject is not there besides! If exceptional champions like Annika Sörenstam wanted to participate in a men's tournament, in 2003 during the “Colonial” in Fort Worth, Texas, 58 years after the “phenomenon” Babe Zaharias during the Los Angeles Open, they did. done in order to challenge themselves and continue to set ever higher goals. No offense at the time to the Fijian Vijay Singh who did not want her to participate: "she takes the place of a man" (ESPN.com, May 14, 2003), Annika said in the press: "I want testing myself under extreme pressure conditions keeps me motivated ”(CNN, Living Golf October 09, 2017). This constant desire to challenge each other is the very essence of the best. Numerous champions, such as Czech tennis player Ivan Lendlt, the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan or more recently former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, have all sought to challenge this game.

Obviously, there is room for improvement both for professionals and amateurs. Among the former, there remains a glaring disparity between the endowments of the male and female circuits throughout the world. To which is added a dying European Tour (LET) and a dashing American circuit masterfully led for nine years by its director, Michael Whan (33 tournaments around the world broadcast in 165 countries and an endowment of more than 70 million dollars) against 18 tournaments and around 12 million euros in LET winnings. Raising some tournaments such as the WEC LPGA Finals to $ 5 million is definitely a step forward. Or the creation of the Vic Open last week at Barwon Heads in Australia, a unique opportunity for proets and pros to compete for similar prizes.

Annika Sörenstam facing "herself" during the men's tournament, the "Colonial" in 2003 - Photo: DR

As for the amateurs, too often intimidated, they need to join groups in order to gain confidence in their ability (Forbes, May 23, 2018). However, endowed with the strongest growth, they “take on” the rest of the family with them. Thus in recent years, many initiatives have emerged such as the “18 birdies”, a marketing platform created by the LPGA to connect women to each other. Girls Golf was co-founded by the LPGA and USGA to encourage young girls to take up the sport. The Swedish Annika Sörenstam and the American Nancy Lopez have sponsored the “Women's Golf Days” in 52 countries since 2016 ...

However, the AN Amateur Women's Tournament next April, in Augusta National, Georgia, should be the biggest sounding board to come. An amateur tournament on 54 holes with a restricted field of 72 players whose training course and the last round will take place on this mythical course. The last day of this competition will notably be broadcast for three hours on NBC Sports; considerable reach for women's golf! According to Fred Ridley, the current President of Augusta: “Our Club must have a real impact on the women's game. We want to see role models emerge ”(Golf Digest, September 12, 2018).

Once again, Augusta National will live up to its pioneering role and its impact promises to prove beyond measure. However, only an aggregate of factors will offer a bright future for women such as actions targeted towards amateurs around the world, professional endowments identical to those of men as has been the case in tennis since 1973! More mixed tournaments in order to highlight the quality of women's play, without forgetting a world champion with undeniable charisma, are essential. The young American of 24 spring, Lexi Thompson, could take on this role by reaching her true potential of world number one and this over several years to have an impact in the long term ... Anyway, charm, elegance and availability make inherent part of women, let's not dissuade them, but let's open the way for them!

Kristel Mourgue d'Algue (KMA) is a former European Circuit player, co-editor of the Rolex Guide to the “1000 Best Golf Courses in the World” and co-owner of the Grand Saint Emilionnais Golf Club