For Girls Who Wish to Play Competitive Golf

In the spring of 2012, Women Golfers Give Back launched a new program called the Players’ Program. The purpose of our new program was to go beyond basic skills and reach out to those girls who wish to play competitive golf. This unique coaching program included not just skill development, but also instruction
in course play, game management, fitness, golf etiquette, and nutrition. Individual and team coaching is provided to the girls with the hope that many of those players will participate in tournaments, in both high school and college teams.

Here’s one story of how a WGGB’s Players’ Program helped jumpstart a successful career.

After receiving the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship as a caddie at St. Davids Golf Club, Jaclyn D’Angelo went on to play golf at Eastern University and is now employed by SEI as a software developer. What jumpstarted her successful playing career? The Players’ Program offered by Women Golfers Give Back. Getting her start in golf at the age of 12, Jaclyn was accustomed to only seeing males on the course. “I was only ever playing with boys,” she recalls. “When I got involved with WGGB, I saw just how many young girls were there and realized how many women are actually playing the sport of golf. For the first time, I saw that it wasn’t just for boys.”

Now building a career in data science, golf prepared Jaclyn for the challenges she would face in a male-dominated industry. “I was often the only female on the property on some days,” she says. “There is a stereotype that women shouldn’t play golf or caddie because they don’t know as much about the game as men, or the golf bags are too heavy for them, or they don’t hit the ball as far. I think that women, especially in the golf world, must try harder, but at the end of the day, that makes you stronger.”

This past June, she returned to her roots to share some encouraging words and discuss her caddying experience with our WGGB grantees at the annual clinic and tournament. “Through [caddying], I have developed good work habits, improved my communication skills, and gained confidence on and off the course,” she shared. “I learned the value of hard work and the difference  between making and earning money.”

When Jaclyn became a caddie at St. Davids, she was one of few female caddies employed by the club. Today, the program has grown to include around 40 girls. As both a player and a caddie, Jaclyn learned to “never be intimidated and never back down.” She described the many life lessons the game has taught her, urging our grantees to be confident in their skills and abilities and work hard to achieve their goals. Thank you, Jaclyn, for sharing your inspiring story with us!