Athlete

It wasn't until last year that I figured out the problem: I just don't love competitive golf. What I love is the game itself. I love being outdoors, practicing, and smelling the freshly cut grass at 6:00 a.m. as the sun rises. But I didn't love travel, or pressure, or the mean-spiritedness of my competitors.

I dress differently, I don't conform to what golf is supposed to be.

If someone is misrepresenting my playing career, I try to correct them. If they say something mean about me I'll let them know it hurts my feelings. But I've noticed that the best thing for me is to show love back to them and show positivity and by doing that you gain a fan.

I'm called rude things, and people say nasty stuff. It's disrespectful, and as women we don't deserve that.

Golf is elitist, it's stuffy, it's exclusive and I hate that because I am not that and I was never welcomed in and I'm still not welcomed in.

But if I feel comfortable swinging in a short skirt or shorts, if I feel athletic and strong and confident, I can do that, and you shouldn't call me certain names for it.

Golf's a gentleman's game. So it's all about integrity and you cheer on other people, and it's kind of different from other sports where you just want to beat everyone.

If you look at what people typically wear when they play, OK, my clothes could be considered provocative. But I'm not wearing them for a reaction. I'm just comfortable in fitness clothing. Golf is a sport, so dress like an athlete. Name another sport where people wear khakis and cotton polos?

I'm a content creator, so I like to read the comments, and I like to engage, because if people aren't interested in what I'm doing, then I'm not doing a good job.

I was a tomboy. I played football and wasn't afraid to get dirty. Shopping? Not for me.

I'm not refined, I'm raw and real and I wear what I want and I have always been so different and golf is not that way.

Tennis players wear sleeveless tops and skirts with spandex shorts so that they can hit, reach, and lunge for the ball effectively. Similarly, in order to perform at the optimal level, golfers need to be able to rotate, extend, crouch, and bend, often in extreme weather conditions for up to five or six hours at a time.

I've done golf and fitness shoots, but in those I'm still fairly covered up.

I've done golf and fitness shoots, but in those I'm still fairly covered up.

For me, working with kids is one of my favorite ways to give back, and I refuse to let public opinion about whether I'm a 'winner' stop me from being a positive role model and mentor.

I dress differently, I don't conform to what golf is supposed to be.

I respect and understand that golf is enveloped in tradition and that certain rules and regulations must be upheld.

The gymnastics community is toxic. You just do what they say no matter what. It's really scary.

In the age of millennials, women's rights, and female empowerment, I hope my voice helps to encourage the next generation of great female athletes and golfers to possibly stop social injustices and prejudices from creeping into the game that I fell in love with at such a young age.

I started playing golf after a broken knee led me to quit my career as an elite gymnast. It wasn't long before I became one of the world's top-ranked amateur players.