Why every story in golf reflects a different version of what it means to say yes to the game.
There’s something special about summer golf in Australia. The long days, the golden light, the quiet hum of a course in the evening – it all feels like an open invitation. Whether you’re dusting off your clubs for the first time this year, chasing single digits, or finding your confidence somewhere in between, the message I kept hearing while putting this issue together was simple: golf is ready when you are.
It came up first when I spoke to Hannah and Sam from Birdies Pro Shop in regional Tasmania, two women running a regional golf business that’s rewriting what golf looks like at the grassroots level. They spoke about community, laughter and creating a space where people feel comfortable showing up, no matter their skill level. Their story reminded me that golf doesn’t need to be intimidating. It’s a sport that meets you where you are, even if that’s in sneakers, on the range, or laughing through a shanked shot.
Then, in another conversation thousands of kilometres away, that same idea appeared again. When I spoke with Nadene Gole, a name now synonymous with dominance on the senior amateur circuit, she said something that stuck with me: “When you genuinely love the sport, you’re eventually going to go back to it.” After two decades away from competitive golf, Nadene returned with perspective, patience and power. She’s proof that you don’t need to follow anyone else’s timeline to find your stride. Golf waits for you, always ready to welcome you back.
That’s the beauty of this game, it evolves with you. There’s no expiration date on when you can start, restart or redefine what success looks like. And this issue celebrates that in every way. From the young women finding their place in the sport, to those shaping the industry behind the scenes, to the ones chasing professional dreams like our cover star Grace Kim, who is only at the start of her professional journey. Every story reflects a different version of what it means to say yes to golf.
Summer, after all, is a season of saying yes. Yes to early tee-times. Yes to sunscreen and sweat. Yes to trying new courses, and maybe even a new sport, to that post-round drink with your favourite people. This issue is packed with inspiration for doing just that.
As always, I’m so proud of the women we get to spotlight in these pages – the trailblazers, the dreamers and the quietly determined ones changing golf in ways big and small.
So, whether you’re heading into your first round or your 500th, remember this: the course is waiting. The fairway isn’t going anywhere. Golf is ready when you are.
