Muslim women 'break barriers' by experiencing golf in East Kilbride for the first time

Over 30 women attended a taster experience at East Kilbride Golf Club on Sunday.

Events, hosted by Muslim Golf Association (MGA) and love.golf, have proved a hit with more than 1000 women signing up.

Participants were welcomed and soon taken onto the picturesque golf course to try their hand at a new skill, with refreshments and the opportunity to socialise afterwards.

The ladies learned how to play golf

Sumra, a participant from Whitecraigs, said: “I felt a bit nervous coming into the car park but there was a really nice reception when I walked through.

“It was better than what I thought. I didn’t realise it was going to be so hands-on.”

“It looked like an interesting opportunity and I’ve never tried golf before,” said Fatimah from Pollokshields.

“Lots of Muslim women have come together here and are breaking barriers by playing golf.”

The MGA was founded in 2020 by Amir Malik, and is the world’s first dedicated golfing platform that caters for the modern, professional, Muslim male and female golfer.

Love.golf, supported by Syngenta Golf, is an empowering group coaching experience for women which replaces traditional golf instruction with the freedom to explore, discover untapped potential and bond within a supportive, like-minded group.

Amir Malik, who attended the event, commented: “We did sense some nerves to begin with but all the women soon threw themselves into it and were laughing and cheering each other on.

“This series is about making the game safe and accessible to Muslim women. All they need to bring is a smile and a pair of trainers.”

Advanced PGA Professional at host venue East Kilbride GC, Karyn Burns, and West Kilbride GC PGA Professional Linzi Dye were on hand to lead and support the women.

The women had a blast

“It was a great day, we had lots of brand-new golfers turning up who didn’t know what to expect," said Karyn.

“They were so keen just to have a go, they almost wanted us to not say anything so they could just hit the ball."

Linzi added: “We’ve got to include everyone in golf. For such a long time it’s been a really male-dominated sport, and as female coaches we know how tough it is to break into that.”

Alastair Spink, founder and head coach of love.golf, said: “Muslim women in Scotland, just like in other parts of the UK, immediately embraced the love.golf philosophy of getting out on the golf course and discovering what they are capable of.

“They have truly caught the golf bug and we look forward to seeing how they progress in the coming weeks and months.”