See it, be it, and then tee it up: Black Women Golfers group opens new space in golf

The first time I ever played golf, it was at when my colleague and friend, Anastasia Bucsis, and her wife, Diana Matheson, organized an afternoon of connecting with really cool women in the sports space in Toronto.

Golfing was really hard. I remember thinking I have to swing accurately, look, and not move my body too wildly even though I need momentum. Despite having the bragging rights on family mini-putt tournaments, it was far more difficult than I expected. I was terrible. I ended up enjoying the golf cart with my friend who was as bad as me so we had fun driving around the course. 

Golf was not necessarily a vibe I connected with. People playing golf always look so pristine. And I had never seen a South Asian woman on the greens. But an event this past weekend has me thinking about community, growth of sport, and about picking up a club again. 

I first met Amaya Athill, who founded Black Women Golf in 2022, through a mutual friend. They told me Athill worked in golf. "Really?" I said, not masking my surprise. Athill is Black and I hadn't known any Black women in golf and I know a lot of women in sport. 

She smiled and laughed at my reply. "Yes! You should come out one day," she said graciously. I finally made it out to an event with the group Black Women Golfers. It was an introductory session for racialized women who want to learn golf and sharpen their game. 

Athill started playing golf at the age of five in Antigua, where she was born. She was introduced to it through her father. The sport was played by everyone who looked like her. 

"In Antigua, a lot of the administrators, the leaders, the players, looked like me," Athill said. "They came from my community. They were folks of colour. I felt there was no