Local women golfers set to put quiver into men's knees in R8m series of events

Professional golfer Tandi McCallum hopes the ace female contingent will make their male counterparts go weak at the knees when they tee off against them in a paid tournament for the first time in South Africa later this week — and they’re coming for the cash!

The top 10 available women from the Sunshine Ladies Tour order of merit will compete in the four R2m Vodacom Origin of Golf tournaments, starting at Zebula on Friday.

The gender battle is a relatively new concept in golf, having been staged only at the Scandinavian Mixed since 2021. Linn Grant won the 2022 edition by nine shots.

In a sport where the longest-hitting men on the DP World Tour smack the ball 336 yards compared with 294 by the women on the Ladies European Tour, the playing field will be levelled with the men and women playing off different tee boxes.

“The course would be set up between I would imagine 10 to 15% shorter [for women],” McCallum said at the series launch at Woodmead, north of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

“So to make it relevant, if a gentleman is hitting driver-seven iron, we should be hitting the equivalent driver-seven iron.

“That may mean the course is slightly shorter for us, but to make it equally competitive, they will be hitting the same as us and us hitting the same as them ... essentially the playing field will be levelled.”

McCallum, who finished 16th on the 2023 Sunshine Ladies Tour order of merit and boasts three tournament wins in her career, said the purse would be the second-richest for local women after the two co-sanctioned events on their regular calendar.

“To see South Africa doing it now, definitely I think it's exciting times and they're raising the bar for everyone else in the world to follow.

“But it's very exciting to be a female golfer in South Africa at the moment with the growth we are experiencing, and it's really wonderful that Vodacom is with this venture and they support us 100%.”

McCallum played in the pro-am competition in the Origin series last year.

“Now we’re in their field with their prize funds, so hopefully their knees start to quiver a bit.”

McCallum agrees that women tend to be more accurate with their irons.

“I've played quite a bit of golf with the guys and I've seen the golf ball go in various directions. I have done it myself too.

“But yes, in general, women tend to not power the ball as much as guys do, so they don't generate as much club-head speed, therefore they don't spray the ball as much.

“So to speak to true form, girls do hit the ball a little bit straighter than the guys. But as you all know, it comes down to short game and putting.”

McCallum said women’s golf in South Africa had increased, with up to 12% more professionals now than a year ago.

As it is, the most recent golf major title won by a South African was achieved by Ashleigh Buhai at the Women’s British Open last year.