Howdy speedgolf family! You're reading This Week in Speedgolf - Worlds Countdown.
Rest in peace, Patrick Stewart.
Here's what's happening in speedgolf this week.
Senior Women's Power Rankings
There are eight senior women playing in the Speedgolf World Championships this year. Is that a lot?
On one hand, there are 32 senior men playing. That's four times as many.
On the other hand, there were four senior women in Japan two years ago. The division has doubled!
Think about what it takes to get to this point. Golf is hard. Women are the minority on the first tee at almost any course. Then add running. Then add the part where your friends hear "speedgolf" and assume they misheard you. Then add the spotlight that is the World Championships. Each of these women looked at all that and decided to show up anyway.
Here's what jumped out at me while reading about them: so many of them brought somebody else along. Have-a-go sessions for women at a local club. A how-to guide that helped French clubs get started. Friends recruited for a first national championship. This division isn't just a field of competitors. It's a vital part of speedgolf's recruiting department.
#8 - Valérie Texier (France)
Valérie Texier, president of Speedgolf France, found golf through fencing. Her husband's fencing instructor also taught golf. Compared to fencing, speedgolf is a significant wardrobe upgrade (if nothing else).