Brickhampton Court Golf Club is understandably proud that they have well over 100 lady members on their books.

And that number looks sure to increase over the weeks, months and years ahead because the club – which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next August – is actively encouraging more women to take up the great game that is golf.

It’s something about which Christine Dooley, one of the founder members of the club along with her husband Chris, is a passionate supporter.

“Golf is a really great sport,” she said. “It helps ladies keep active and there is an incredible social side to it – especially at Brickhampton. It’s very good exercise and also very good for ladies who are on their own.

“There’s no age limit, I know ladies who are playing in their 80s.

“If you’re a member of a golf club, you’re a member of a community, you’re part of a golf family.”

And Dooley, who was lady captain at Brickhampton Court last year, is more than happy to back up her words with deeds because she is one of the driving forces behind a Women on Par event which is taking place at Brickhampton on Tuesday 23rd July.

Described as a ‘fun, sociable way to grow your confidence on the golf course with other women beginners’, the event, which starts with registration at 4pm and has a tee-off time of 5pm, is part of an England Golf initiative aiming at driving up the number of women taking up golf.

“It will be a fun event aimed at introducing women to golf on our par 3 Glevum course,” explained Dooley.

“Ladies who have had a few lessons and feel ready to play with others of similar ability are all welcome. There will be lady members to help them with the basic rules and etiquette of the game but we are not coaches, we are there to help them develop and of course have fun.”

Dooley has been playing golf for 25 years – she plays off 19 – and says one of the reasons that she was attracted to Brickhampton, which now has around 800 members, is that it is a truly inclusive club, where everyone can play in the same competitions if they wish to.

“There used to be a saying that GOLF stood for ‘Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden,” she said. “That’s so old-fashioned but even in my golfing experience there were some clubs where women weren’t allowed in specific clubhouse bars. This has never been the case at Brickhampton.”

Times have thankfully moved on at a great pace since those days, of course, with England’s performances in the recent Women’s Football World Club the latest chapter in a very long success story that is women’s sport.

Events such as Women on Par will only help to encourage more women to get involved in sport – in this case golf – and that’s something that Dooley has been trying to do for well over a decade.

Every summer since 2008 from May to September she has been running sessions for beginner ladies on Tuesday evenings supported by other lady members at Brickhampton.

“We try to give them confidence and support to improve their game, in addition to making new golf friends,” said Dooley.

Anyone wanting further information about the Women on Par event should contact bcgcglevum@gmail.com