Stories from the frontlines of the boom in Australian women’s golf.
Participation is booming, the fashion rules are evolving and Australian women are stepping into leadership roles both on and off
the course.
Dressing for the fairways
When former AFLW player Kate McCarthy picked up golf after retiring from football, she was ready for sore muscles and a steep learning curve, but the dress code caught her completely off guard. Like many women new to the game, she found the unwritten rules around what to wear more intimidating than the sport itself. As golf works hard to grow its female membership, the question of what’s acceptable on the course is increasingly under the spotlight. The looks worn by the world’s best, like Nelly Korda’s singlet at a major, don’t always fly at your local club. PGA professional and WPGA Tour regular Danni Vasquez-Boyd knows the tension well, having eased into her own bold, colourful style, one funky skort at a time. The good news? Attitudes are shifting, courses are loosening up and a new wave of women is finding that golf can be a place to express themselves. Black socks debate aside.
New voice in the boardroom
While women are rewriting the rules on the course, change is also happening in the boardroom. Golf Australia has appointed Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds as its new vice-chair, strengthening the organisation’s leadership at a pivotal time for the sport. Reynolds joined the Golf Australia board in 2023 and brings serious governance credentials. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Masters in Commercial Law and has held senior roles across racing, education, local government and superannuation. A founding member of the Australian Golf Leaders Network and former four-year president of the Grange Golf Club in South Australia, she is as connected to the game as she is to the boardroom. “I’m passionate about ensuring we continue to build a game that is welcoming, inclusive and sustainable,” Reynolds said. Her appointment lands as Golf Australia rolls out its Big Swings 2026-2030 strategy, focused on participation growth, modernising the game and building a more inclusive future for clubs and golfers across the country.
Grace Kim and the next generation
That spirit of inclusion is also being felt at the junior level, where one of Australia’s brightest stars is making sure the next generation of girls feels welcome. Evian Championship winner Grace Kim is turning her energy towards the grass roots, the 25-year-old Sydneysider named the sole female ambassador for MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC, Golf Australia’s junior program for kids aged 5 to 12. It’s a timely appointment. Women and girls are now the primary driver of golf’s participation boom in Australia, with girls’ enrolment in MyGolf up 27 percent year on year, growing at twice the rate of boys. Kim joins Cam Smith and others in the ambassador line-up, but as the program’s only female face, her role carries particular weight. “Golf has given me so much and I’m passionate about showing young girls and boys just how fun and rewarding the game can be,” Kim said. For the next generation of Australian girls watching her compete on the world stage, that message could not come at a better time.
Photograph by getty images/michael reaves
