Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Boecker.
Hi Mary, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Queen City Links Ladies was created for women to find, play and enjoy golf in the Cincinnati area. The kickoff event was held August 9, 2022. We met at a driving range and enjoyed drinks and snacks while we took turns hitting golf balls on the mats while getting some instruction from a golf professional. I started the organization after my own uncomfortable experiences trying to learn to play golf as an adult woman in 2020; I wanted to learn golf since it met a lot of my needs at the time, giving me physical activity in a safe and social environment. I realized there weren’t a lot of women who played golf regularly. As a result, I had very few women who wanted to learn to play golf with me. I found myself surrounded by men at the range and at the golf course, which was not bad, but it was lonely. The guys all had their buddies, and I was the odd woman out. Socially, it was just awkward.
As I began to invite more women to play golf with me, I got so many negative responses… her husband or father tried to teach her once resulting in everyone being frustrated and mad and she doesn’t want to try it again …. the golf widow who is always left alone by her husband so she hates golf because it is what makes her lonely… the person who thinks golf is an exclusive club and they wouldn’t fit in… etc.
I did get some positive responses, though, and with that, I was able to build a community of women golfers. I realized I wanted there to be a safe and inclusive space for women to learn to play golf as an adult – so I created it! Now I coordinate events around the greater Cincinnati area for women to get together to play golf. It’s not all about the golf though – it’s about the friendships built, the laughter and smiles out on the course. Golf is the only sport you can play your whole life. Women can and should enjoy all the benefits that golf brings with it, and I’m here to introduce them to this awesome sport and create a space for them to enjoy it and connect with others through it.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Since August 2022, Queen City Links Ladies has had a pretty smooth road, but we are small, and we are growing slowly. The biggest issue for me is that I’d like to plan more events more frequently – but I started the business as a side hustle, so I’m planning events in the spaces around my full-time job and caring for my kids. It’s a huge passion project for me. Every event I am more inspired by the energy of the women that attend and seeing the giddy smiles they have at finally being able to strike the ball squarely and see it fly. I get so many ideas around what I can do next. I am making a growth plan for the business, and I’m learning as I go!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Queen City Links Ladies?
Queen City Links Ladies creates events for women to find, play and enjoy golf in the Cincinnati area. Women attend our events with little or no experience with golf. They learn the game and make new connections at our events. We provide golf clubs for women who need them. We are trying to address the social and economical barriers for women so that they can learn and appreciate all the benefits that golf brings. We have driving range meetups where women can book short one-on-one sessions with a golf instructor. Whereas thirty or sixty-minute golf lessons with a pro are typically very expensive, the short bursts of instruction that women can get at our events are just enough to help them hit the ball squarely and enjoy seeing the flight of the ball. Our mission is to help more women enjoy golf by hosting events and creating this community where women can build their network and learn to play golf.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important and surprising thing is that it’s not about the golf. Really, it’s about empowering women. Women represent about 20% of regular golfers. That number is growing, and Queen City Links Ladies’ mission is to be a catalyst for that growth. By helping women feel comfortable on the golf course and at the driving range, we are empowering them to be themselves and to be represented in those arenas as well as the markets and social circles that surround them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://queencitylinksladies.company.site/
- Instagram: @queencitylinksladies
- Facebook: @queencitylinksladies
- Linkedin: @queencitylinksladies
- Tiktok: @queencitylinksladies
