Women in Golf: The Feldon Valley Ladies Academy

Tom Jones, Director of Golf at Feldon Valley and PGA Professional, has spent nearly 40 years coaching the game he loves. However, throughout his career, one recurring challenge has stood out—the number of women who take lessons but don’t progress to playing regularly. This issue, observed by many golf coaches, prompted Tom to rethink his approach to introducing women to golf.

His solution? The Feldon Valley Ladies Academy, designed to transform complete beginners into confident players on the course. The Academy aims to guide women through their journey of learning to play golf, from their first time holding a club to becoming regular players, enjoying the sport alongside fellow golfers and hopefully going on to become full members of the club.

The beginners’ program includes seven one-hour lessons, covering every aspect of the game, from technique to etiquette and rules. The group setting fosters a supportive environment where women can learn together, alleviating feelings of self-consciousness while encouraging camaraderie and fun—a key focus of the Academy. Tom emphasises that the sessions are designed to be enjoyable, with participants of varying skill levels supporting each other.

After completing the lessons, the Academy provides opportunities for the women to transition onto the course. To ease the challenge of this step, the rules are adapted: players can use tee pegs for every shot, start holes from 100 yards, and receive extra chances in difficult situations like bunkers. Gradually, these accommodations are scaled back as the players gain experience and grow in confidence, but they certainly help people take these early steps onto the course.

In addition, the Academy has set up roll-up times on quieter Thursday and Sunday afternoons, along with a WhatsApp group for arranging practice sessions. The existing Ladies’ Section has warmly welcomed new players through events like "Chip and Sip," where members and Academy participants play a fun round of golf before socialising with a glass of Prosecco.

David King, Managing Director at Feldon Valley was quick to praise the achievements of the Ladies Academy, “ Tom and his team have done some wonderful work to create a little more balance to the demographics of the Feldon Valley Membership.? Our Ladies Section is growing each year and the Ladies Academy provides a gateway to Golf that isn’t provided at every Golf Club.? As we move towards 2025 we want to see more people engaged in the sport and the work that Tom is doing is a huge part of achieving that.? I was also delighted to hear that our Members have elected our first female Club Captain for the coming season and this also sends a really strong message - the only frustration is that it has taken so long to happen”.

Since its inception, the Ladies Academy has successfully nurtured many new golfers, with some becoming full members and others taking up Season Tickets. For Tom, seeing women embrace the game and the social aspects of golf brings immense satisfaction. He views the Academy not just as a pathway to golf, but as a gateway to new friendships, exercise, and lifelong enjoyment.

To learn more about golf at Feldon Valley, the Ladies Academy or Membership for 2025, get in touch with Tom via email on [email protected] or his team at [email protected]

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