There’s a lot to learn in golf, from mastering your swing and perfecting your putt to finding your way around the course. But Amaya Athill, who started playing at the age of five, experienced the sport a little differently.
Surrounded by other Black players in her home country of Antigua, she grew up with a deep sense of belonging. When she moved to Toronto just a few years ago, she instantly felt invested with a mission to build community by introducing underrepresented folks to the sport and making it more inclusive.
Interview with Amaya Athill, PGA of Canada Professional and founder of Black Women Golfers
How did you start out in golf? What keeps you in it?
I grew up in Antigua. My dad, who’s an entrepreneur, introduced me to the sport because he recognized how valuable it was as a networking tool. He enrolled me in lessons at Cedar Valley Golf Club, the island’s main golf course, when I was five years old. The rest, as they say, is history! When I was young, getting to see my golf friends every week is what kept me in it. As teens, we’d travel together for competitions all over the Caribbean. But I did fall out of love with golf for about 15 years. I went to law school and started my career, and I didn’t have the time, energy or resources to commit to it. In 2022, I was cooped up in my London apartment for over a year during the pandemic. I needed to get outdoors, and that’s when I rediscovered golf. Playing in the UK, I was really struck by the lack of diversity in golf and specifically the fact that there were so few Black women. That lit a fire in me, and I’ve been passionate about advocating for more Black women players in golf and actively creating opportunities for them ever since.
Tell us about Black Women Golfers.
When I was in the Caribbean, I was surrounded by folks who looked like me. But in the UK, that wasn’t the case at all. It felt completely isolating and almost like I didn’t belong in golf. So I actively sought out communities of colour. I started going to events organized by the African Caribbean Golf Association (ACGA) and met some Black women players there, but I knew there should and could be so many more opportunities. With a lot of encouragement from my mentor Julia Regis, I organized and hosted my first taster session for Black women in East London in October 2021. That really opened my eyes to the many, many barriers faced by Black women who wanted to play.
About six months later, I moved to Canada and had to start the process of finding my community all over again. I joined the Canadian Caribbean Amateur Golfers Association (CCAGA) and started going to the events. Again, the Black women I met all shared the same feelings of isolation in the sport. We started meeting up in the sim in that winter, and it felt amazing to be part of a group, play every week and just me myself. That’s why I created Black Women Golfers—to open up the space for other Black women to see themselves in the sport, learn and play. In summer 2023, I hosted the first intro to golf clinics and range meet ups. More than 60 women were there!
This past summer, I wanted to be intentional about creating a pathway from learning to playing through fundamentals clinics, monthly range meetups to practice in a group setting with other Black women and intros to scramble to navigate playing on nine-hole academy courses. In 2024, our community grew to more than 100 women. I wanted Black Women Golfers to be a space for women to learn and grow in the game, and it’s becoming so much more. It’s such a supportive community of women, and I’m so excited to continue this work!
What are some of the common barriers players from diverse backgrounds face? How do we address them?
The first is cost. Golf is an expensive sport, there’s no way around it. Are there ways to make it more affordable? Yes, but it’s still a significant cost. In the US, the LPGA released an affordable set of clubs and equipment for women and juniors. Programs like that help create a starting point for beginners.
There’s also the fact that Black women don’t see themselves in the sport. In the entire history of golf, there have only ever been eight Black women on the LPGA tour. There are only two Black women PGA professionals in Canada, including myself. It’s really difficult for someone to feel called to a sport where they aren’t represented. This needs to be remedied at all levels through accessible entry points for diverse women to learn golf, specific outreach by coaches and golf courses to communities of diverse women, trust building within communities of colour with affordable opportunities to learn and use facilities, financial support for groups that work with diverse communities in golf, the buy-in of golf brands and more storytelling about diverse golfers.
At the competitive and pro levels, we need funding for diverse competitive juniors and players who want to turn pro, more pathways for women to join the pro tour and better pay for women pursuing professional golf to make it more attractive and accessible.
Tell us about your most memorable round of golf.
One of my most memorable rounds this year was with my dad. I spent a week in Antigua this summer and got a round in with him. It was loser carries the bag. He doesn’t play as often as I do, but his short game was dialed, and I ended up carrying the bag more often than I would have liked! It was so much fun. We laughed almost the entire round. I loved every moment.
One of my most memorable rounds ever was in 2001. My parents took me to St. Andrews in Scotland, and I played one of the courses. The first time I landed in a pot bunker, I cried because I couldn’t believe it! For a young girl growing up in golf, it was an unforgettable experience.
What are your favourite golf brands?
Adidas Golf has been a big supporter, and I love the apparel.
What’s on your ultimate golf playlist?
Any and all soca!
What’s next?
It’s been a busy and incredibly rewarding summer. Over the next few months, I’m going to take a break and sit with all the positive feelings I have about my work and the community we’re building. I also want to take the time to connect with family and non-golf friends (I hope I can eventually convert them to golf!). Next season, I want to continue expanding the community of Black women golfers to other regions in Ontario and create ties with corporate partners to better resource and equip the beginners in our programs.
