Charley Hull has always been open about her thoughts on golf. From criticizing slow play to expressing her thoughts on the loss of art in modern golf, she has always been quite upfront. She has now candidly spoken about an age-old stereotype of golf being an ‘old man’s game.’ And she has some unexpected praise for Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda to help clear the image.
Golf has received the tag of being an old man’s game because of its slow play, low physical activity, media portrayal, and other factors. And Charley Hull clearly doesn’t like it. In a conversation with the LPGA Tour content host, Hope Barnett, she expressed why this stereotype is concerning and how Lexi and Nelly are helping erode it.
“My dad always thought golf was an old man’s sport until he tried it, and he was like, ‘It’s the best sport in the world.’ And you know, once you get the bug for it, it really is,” said Charlie Hull on Season 2 Episode 10 of ‘A Chat with Charley Hull‘ on LPGA.
Golfers are the ones who can end this stereotype, and according to Hull, Lexi and Nelly are doing a wonderful job. “Lexi, I think, she’s brilliant for the game of golf, and so is Nelly. Do you know what I mean? I think, like Nelly, like Lexi, is unbelievable with the fans. Like she always spends a lot of time with fans, and I like that. Um, so credit to her,” said Charley.
via Imago
It’s not just golf; we have seen stereotypes affecting interest in multiple sports. Consider gender stereotypes, for example, in athletic games like basketball, which have prevented women from participating in the sport for a long time. Similarly, ethnic stereotypes prevent athletes from participating in certain sports.
The 3x LPGA Tour winner believes that this portrayal of the game can prevent younger players with diverse personalities from entering the tour. The problem with this perception is, why would young kids want to play an old man’s game? As her comments say, to like golf, one needs to play it. However, the stereotype is acting as a deterrent, not encouraging young people to do that.
Both Lexi and Nelly are known to be very supportive of fans and interact with them. Lexi, for instance, is notable at events like the Solheim Cup, where fans cheer the golfer. During the 2024 Solheim Cup, Lexi walked from the second to the third hole while signing hats, flags, and golf balls. Fans even started chanting “Lexi! Lexi!”
Her captain also praised her interactions with fans. “I think it is her legacy, it is her and the Solheim Cup. Just the way she is with the crowd and the fans, this event is Lexi to a T. … She plays better golf here,” Stecy Lewis said.
The same goes for the World No.1, too. One incident that comes to mind is the 2025 KPMG PGA Championship. “Today I had a girl come up to me, and she gave me another Lego set. It was so cute. I’m getting them every week now. I love it. It’s saving me money (laughter). But moments like that, interactions like that, that fuels my love for the game,” Nelly shared.
These interactions that Lexi and Nelly have with fans are the reason behind Charley’s unexpected praise. However, breaking the old man’s game stereotype is not the only thing Charley has expressed her thoughts on. She has also been very vocal about the slow pace of play, which again makes the game a little boring and deters potential fans.
Charley Hull’s thoughts on slow play
Charley Hull has often spoken about the slow pace of play. However, one of the most notable incidents came after the ANNIKA event. The slow pace led to the game ending close to darkness. Coincidentally, she was paired with Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda. She even went on to suggest some strict rules for players who cause slow play. “If you have three of them, you lose your Tour card instantly. I’m sure that would hurry a lot of people up, and they won’t want to lose their Tour card. That would 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 the slow play, but they would never do that,” Charley said.
via Imago
Some fans even said that the suggestions were pointed at Lexi Thompson, as many believed she was the reason behind the long play. However, that was not the case. While Hull was frustrated, she didn’t intend to point fingers but just complain about the slow pace.
Thanks to her concerns and the support of many golfers, including the World No. 1, the LPGA revised its pace-of-play policy. New rules included fines and penalty strokes for overtime on shots. The aim was to encourage golfers to increase their speed to avoid delays during games.
Hull’s remarks show how the LPGA tour is evolving. They updated the pace-of-play policy, and golfers are now interacting with fans. This makes the LPGA Tour an ideal platform to break any age-old stereotypes and shift the dynamics of women’s golf.
