A new season of The Girls Golf Club of Whispering Pines is on the horizon, and will commence once school is back in session. The Club is LPGA and USGA affiliated, and open to girls aged 6 to 17. It costs just $40 per girl for the year plus two community outreach days. Golfers are invited to bring their own clubs, but there is also plenty of equipment available for newcomers.
Charlaine Hirst teaches a class in May
“I don’t want to have anyone not show up and come play golf because of the cost,” says Charlaine Hirst, founder and head coach of the club. She came to the U.S. from South Africa to play golf at Longwood University in Virginia. She competed professionally for nine years, making it to the final stages of the LPGA qualifying series five times. “I had a very good career … eventually I decided I wanted to stay home and start a family so we’ve been in Pinehurst for 19 years now.”
Since then she’s been sharing her love of the sport with others. “I love growing the game. The girl’s golf segment has the largest growing population in the game of golf.”
The Girls Golf Club isn’t just about learning the game, but gaining life skills. Charlaine teaches the 5 E’s: Exercise, energize, engage, empower and enrich. She enjoys watching the girls grow as players and people. “It is so fun to see this little girl that comes at five and six years old. And they persevere in the program and all of a sudden they become this middle school, high school golfer … I have probably an 80% if not greater return on girls from one season to another.”
Charlaine and Allie, left, and coach Nancy Nicholson at work, right
E-leaders like Allie Hirst, Charlaine’s daughter, help coach and instill these values into the young players. The 18-year-old says she still uses the lessons she learned growing up with the game like resiliency, perseverance and integrity. “I’ve been playing since I could hold a club. My mom was a huge inspiration to me when I was younger.” Now other girls look up to her. “It’s really awesome. I love when they run up and hug me when they see me … When they finally get it and they become more confident, it’s so incredible. Most of the girls that have been in this program I’ve seen since they were tiny.”
The club also runs off of volunteers like Nancy Nicholson, who loved sports growing up but lived in a pre-Title IX world. These women are pioneers in their own right. “I remember in our neighborhood there were a bunch of boys and me,” says Nancy. “So it came baseball time, and then all my pals got to go to Little League, but I couldn’t and I was just as good or better than they (were). That was a rude awakening for me at a tender age.”
Nancy also picked up golf as a girl thanks to her father. “I got clubs at an early age. My dad always said, after two o’clock, everyone is welcome at the golf course.” As athletic as she was, there were no varsity sports for girls when Nancy was in high school, but she went on to coach high school softball in Vermont and college ball in Wyoming. These experiences make being a part of The Girls Golf Club special for Nancy. “I immediately volunteered, because I think it’s really important to give back to young ones, to a sport that you enjoy.”
As a professional athlete, Charlaine couldn’t help but want her daughter to follow in her footsteps. Although competition wasn’t Allie’s path, mom and daughter still get to share their passion through mentoring other young women. “This program is really just like an outlet for these girls, a safe place to come after school and to just have fun with your friends,” says Allie. Mom adds that she loves watching her daughter develop into a coach. “She’s a natural … the way she carries herself. I’m just so proud of her.”
The Girls Golf Club of Whispering Pines costs $40 for a year or about 18 to 20 classes. You can also pay $20 for one season. To sign up, visit Charlaine’s website where she also offers private lessons, camps and clinics.
