We were out here for the October festival. It was a beautiful day and the hole in one shot was open. My 12 year old daughter wanted to give it a try. She tried two balls for $5. The woman at the desk said if we wanted the other 3 we could pay the difference. After the first two, my daughter decided she wanted 3 more since she was close to the island. When I asked to grab three more balls, she rudely said she had to come out and go to the back of line. Which wasn’t a big deal. We waited for about 15 minutes and then we were next in line. That is when they had an employee shift change. The next employee didn’t recognize our previous deal whenI told him. Not a big deal at all. It was ten more dollars and she received 5 balls. My daughter went to the spot in front of the gate where she was told to go the first time. He hollered at her and said “she couldn’t play it from there. She had to go where the wooden blocks were located.” I told him that the other lady let her do it from there. He said very rudely, “fine, but she can’t win the grand prize.” “Understood, I don’t think she will be getting a hole in one anyways.” She hit her shots. One was on the green not far from the hole (talk about almost making her mom eat her words). The other ball was a great shot and we saw it go up and couldn’t tell where it hit on the island. We knew it wasn’t in the water and even the gentleman watching said, “I’m pretty sure that made it on there.” She was very proud of herself. Not only was she in a costume, she was the first person to get two on the island out of the other 4 men who tried. She came around and we said, “We know she got one on there next to the flag. We are pretty sure the other one made it too but we lost sight of exactly where.” He said, he didn’t watch the other one and two have to make it to get a prize. Then he went and started talking to the next player. Clearly, it was a mute point to try and argue.
She was so proud. She put herself out there despite all the other players being male. In my opinion she crushed it. Instead, of being pumped in the moment and for her achievement, she walked away deflated and defeated.
She later pointed out to me that she “didn’t understand why he was so nice to the other male players and not so much to her. Does he not like girls who play golf?” The fact that he made her feel that way hurts my heart. It is a hard enough world we live in with bullies, kids fighting anxiety and low self esteem. I sure do not need a stranger to make my daughter feel less because she is a female. Maybe he should have paid more attention and should not have underestimated her because she is a 12 year old girl. A great job young lady would have went a long way. I was disappointed in the poor attitude and experience . I know she wasn’t in golf clothes and was a female, but that shouldn’t effect how a person is treated. You need to do better.