Community Corner
Greenwich Teen To Hold Golf Club Drive To Benefit Those In Need
GirlGolf, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to expand access to golf, will accept donations of new and gently used golf club sets.
GREENWICH, CT — A Greenwich teenager is on a mission to encourage girls, particularly those from underrepresented communities, to try golf.
As a result, Claire Yu, a junior at Rye Country Day School, has founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — GirlGolf — to give middle school girls the chance to experience the game and provide them with a pathway to continuing in the sport if they so choose.
GirlGolf will be hosting its first "gateway" event in May at the E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course in Stamford, which will include instruction, food, drinks and prizes for participants. The event is free.
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To help gather equipment and raise awareness for the event, Yu and GirlGolf will be hosting a golf club drive on Saturday, March 30, at the Cos Cob library from 10 a,m. to 4 p.m. to collect donations of new and gently used golf club sets.
Those interested in donating but unable to stop by on March 30 can text 917-370-2812 for free pickup at their home.
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Yu, an accomplished golfer, won the Greenwich WOmen's Town Championship in 2022 at the age of 16. She always felt a need to have more girls involved in the sport she loves.
"I love the game and believe that it teaches important values like honesty, self-reliance, and humility. But golf has traditionally been a male-dominated sport, and it bothered me that so few girls play," Yu said in a news release, noting that at her school, it's been difficult to form a girls golf team. At my school, some years we barely have enough girls to field a team.
"Another barrier is cost; golf has a reputation as a pricey sport, though great golfers like Nancy Lopez came from modest backgrounds and grew up playing public courses. It disheartened me to think that so many girls never even tried golf, either for cultural or financial reasons. That’s why I founded GirlGolf. I wanted to introduce girls to golf in a fun and unintimidating environment," Yu added.
For more information on the golf club drive and the May event, click here.
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