Society of the Month – March 2024
Skratch Women
Year Founded
Founded 2021
Geographic Area you play most
London & Surrey
Annual Tour
Our annual trip abroad is the Skratch Friendly!
Played in two teams, we mimic a Solheim Cup format where players get team kits included and a variety of team and individual prizes from our brand partners.
Prizes have included shoes from Duca del Cosma, Royal Ablartross, Srixon, Trendy Golf and Rituals.
In our first year we went to Portugal, followed by Morocco and this year we’re going to Cyprus!
Formats
Our events vary location, so we might have meet-ups at simulators, driving ranges or on the course.
Therefore when it comes to format, it depends on the event.
But we’re all about inclusivity, so we would encourage team formats and stableford scoring when on course!
How Many golfers
Our community stands at about 400 women based in London region.
Why did it start
The community started, by Cal Shukla the founder, in 2021 when she found herself living in London without any likeminded women to play with.
Being in her mid-20’s the golf club membership route wasn’t an option due to inaccessibility, high fees and time investment therefore Skratch Women was started as a social club for young female golfers to connect.
It has since evolved into a broader community where women can learn, play and travel around their love of golf.
How do you select which courses to play
We focus on accessibility from London, so our locations are always a stones throw from city central.
But we also consider club atmosphere and approach to dealing with female guests, sometimes golf clubs are not always as welcoming to young female groups (particularly with varied playing ability).
So we prefer to play with the welcoming and open minded venues.
Favourite Course played with Society
Sunningdale Heath is always a favourite and we have some of the community who are also members there.
It’s warm, welcoming and a shorter course which makes for a quick game!
Top Tips for running a golf society
- Be personal
- Vary event types
- Think outside the box!
3 reasons to join the Society
- Golf is always more fun when you find your people.
- Societies attract likeminded individuals, so you’re more likely to make life-long friendships and connections.
- They can challenge you to play in events you might not have considered before.
Club Membership Split
Our community is predominantly made up of non-club members.
We estimate our current split will be about 5% are members of clubs and 95% are casual golfers.
Mental/Physical Health benefits
We have had a lot of people join the community because of loneliness in the city.
Women who are living on their own or women who have just moved country.
Having a place where you belong is essential and we hope to provide that comfort for the community.
Final Thoughts
We’re here to welcome as many newcomers to golf as well as to connect those existing players together.
Inspire, support and encourage is our ethos which will help us progress and increase the number of female golfers playing on course.
Golf is a changing game and societies don’t exclusively operate on the golf course now… we enjoy golf events at a variety of venues that accommodate every playing ability!
Check out previous Societies of the Month
Gallery
