Everyone can use a little golf help

As a female millennial golfer, I'm usually the minority on the course. Over years of being the only golfer in my group of girl friends, I've observed 4 major factors that prevent millennial ladies from flocking to the golf course:

Golf struggles to shed it's perception as a game for the privileged elite. Ask the random person what comes to mind when they think of golf, you're likely to hear "white, exclusive, old, and expensive." Such stereotypes limit the game's growth not only from prospective golfers who decide not to take it up, but also from lawmakers who until recently, were not made aware of the myriad of economic and social benefits golf provides. Enter We Are Golf, an industry coalition geared towards communicating golf's benefits to Congressional leaders with it's pinnacle, National Golf Day, happening next week on May 21st.

Millennials (18-34 year-olds) have a strong desire to associate with genuine brands that have great customer service and reflect their own values. State Traditions--the National Attire Partner of Nextgengolf & NCCGA--epitomizes this modern brand ethos with genuine state-centric logos and company Founders who represent the brand themselves in their daily lives. I had the opportunity to chat with Kimberly Willoughby, a FSU brand ambassador, whose passion for #StateTraditions helped me understand why so many college students chose to associate themselves with this classy, unique, and genuine brand.

Nobody likes keeping the keeping the clubs tucked away during those dreaded winter months. Although we are moving closer to the spring season (my Iowa State club team is ready to go), here are a few things to enjoy in case your favorite course is still closed:

So many of the lessons we learn on the golf course can be applied to our daily lives. It's a game of sadness, hope, glory, comedy, and perseverance; and it is always emotional (well, except for Jason Dufner). It comes as no surprise that some of the best commercials involve golf. We've ranked the top 5 for your viewing pleasure.

It took me a very long time to learn to control my emotions on the course and keep my head where it needs to be to shoot low scores. I am really still learning how to do it; it is something that all golfers struggle with from time to time. Nonetheless, I have picked up some tips that can really help young golfers develop the mentality needed for competitive golf.

Pro-Am’s are unlike any other tournament out there: from the atmosphere, to the audience, to the players. When you’re at a Pro-Am, trust me, you’ll know it’s a Pro-Am. This past week, arguably the most pristine course in the world, Pebble Beach Golf Links, hosted their annual AT&T Pro-Am. For those of you in the working world, here are 3 reasons why you should save up your PTO vacation time for next year’s AT&T Pro-Am:

As golf entrepreneur making my first voyage to the PGA show, I was expecting the show to mirror other technology conventions I used to attend in lacking passion and personality. Part of that reason may have stemmed the intrusive nature of my former line of work in which I would schedule meetings with CEOs of tech companies and try to determine their EBITDA and evaluate their company as an investment in 30-minute meetings. Fortunately the vibe both on the show floor and in Lobby Bar at the Peabody--now Hyatt--hotel throughout the week oozed of innovation, technology, and cautious optimism with a new-found focus on Millennial golfers.

Throughout years in the game, the most dreaded part of golf has proven to be the first few holes. Many see golf as a way to relax, or a way to remain connected to sports in a way that is not as physically demanding as most other games. What some don’t realize is that golf is not as innocent as it may seem. Year after year, professional golfers are being injured by overworking muscles and ligaments in their body. The best way to keep yourself from being injured and to achieve the most out of your game is to perform a quick stretch routine before your round.

Like many of you young adult golfers, I too have and continue to get hammered by the winter storm cell that has made its way through the east coast. Shoot, there are rumors of snow and ice in Texas...IN TEXAS, PEOPLE! It makes me wonder if NCCGA VP, Matt Brugner, has ever seen snow!

According to Merriam-Webster, swagger means "to walk around in a very confident way." With a little tweaking of this word and definition, I came up with my own form that pertains to the golf world: golf swag (verb) - to look "fresh" and confident on the golf course: to be able to perform as good as you look.

Par 3's on Tour can vastly differ in length and difficulty and often serve as the "signature hole" that we naturally associate any particular course with. What can appear to be a dinky hole can easily become an eye sore on your scorecard (where someone just deposited $12.50 in the form of 3 brand new Srixon golf balls) or become that coveted "ace" (hole in one).

All seriously competitive golfers must have the capacity to get up and down from difficult situations. Whether it’s short siding yourself in greenside rough or having to fly a trap off the fairway to a tight pin, the flop shot is a must have.

Sand traps have always been a staple of golf; they’re a constant at every golf course ever built. Whether it’s the fluffy beach sand of Kiawah or the pot bunkers of England, effectively getting up and down from greenside bunkers is a must for low scores.