'Everyone's out there to help': Woman golf pro ‘mansplained to’ at driving range graciously speaks out on man's ‘advice’
23 February 2024, 16:09 | Updated: 23 February 2024, 16:44
Female golf pro Georgia Ball has spoken out after she was 'mansplained' to at a driving range by a fellow golfer offering advice on her swing.
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Georgia was practicing her swing at a driving range when a man in a nearby lane offered some unsolicited advice to correct her form. Video of the exchange quickly went viral after it was posted online.
She told LBC today: "I was that focused on what I was there to do, I almost couldn't let it phase me. Looking back now I can just kind of see the funny side and laugh about it."
"I'm just so grateful for all of the support. It was nice to be able to reach out and try and get as many people involved in the sport as we can.
Golfer breaks silence after viral mansplaining video
She said she wants the golfer who offered the advice to "understand that golf is a tough game, so we're all going through our own change, all going through our own thing, so have a little of patience with people on the course and on the driving range, because it is a hard game.
"I'm quite a humble person. I'm open to advice. I'd never throw someone down, because it's just not in me to say, 'I know what I'm doing, I'm a PGA professional golfer.'
"Looking back at it, I can see how I did feel awkward, but it's just not in me to say that."
"Once you're out on the course, everyone's out there to help each other. It's such a beautiful game where we all do come together, and that's why it's so good to share the videos I do.
"Don't let anyone scare you, just get involved, and enjoy it."
Ms Ball is a qualified PGA professional and shares her golfing journey to TikTok with her some 150,000 followers.
The video shows Ms Ball enjoying her swing practice, when the man in the nearby bay suddenly speaks up.
He says: “Excuse me, what you’re doing there, you shouldn’t be doing that. You should be right through, swing and follow through. Not - you’re going too slow on the way up and then back.”
Ms Ball then starts to explain the method behind her swing, as she says: “Okay, I’m going through a swing change at the minute, so everything I’m-"
The man then interjects before she can finish, saying: “No, I know, but what you’re doing there is you’re coming back too slow.
“You know, I’ve been playing golf for 20 years, what you need to do is this, is follow through a lot quicker than what you’re doing right there now.”
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Ms Ball then looks at the camera in disbelief as she tries to explain the technique again before he interrupts her for a second time, instructing her to “hit one, hit one sec”.
She agrees and then jokes in the video caption “I knew I had to make this a good one” before executing an incredible swing.
But what should have been a smug moment for Ms Ball became a frustrating one, as the man then appears clearly vindicated, believing it was his advice that resulted in the great swing.
“See how much better that was?” he quickly says.
Ms Ball starts laughing in disbelief but politely replies: “Yeah, thank you”.
She then finally manages to explain the reason for her swing technique to the man, adding that some of the world’s best players in the world adopt a similar method before she is again cut off.
He says: “No, I know what you’re saying but what I’m saying is I’ve been playing golf for 20 years, so you just need to follow through.
“Keep doing that anyway, okay?”
She replies “thanks for your advice” before the man then leaves her alone.
The video has since spread like wildfire across the internet, racking up hundreds of thousands of views with countless commenters expressing their anger over the incident.
One wrote: “Trying not to scream at the monitor was killing me the entire video... she is one graceful lady to hold it together.”
Another said: “The way he kept cutting her off and then just told her to hit one like I would be screaming.”
While one added: “She handled it nicely, I suppose?
“But I kept waiting for her to inform him of who she was.
“He was rude regardless of her background though so it really doesn’t matter. He operated on ego and she never asked for his assistance.”
Multiple commenters also appeared amazed at how polite she remained throughout the interaction, with many saying they wouldn’t have been able to stay so calm.
