The new millennium has brought along with it a sharp increase in the popularity of womens golf, with a significant rise in the number of women golfers in both the professional and casual arenas. This means the perception of golf is changing in dramatic fashion, as golf is quickly losing its reputation as an ?old boys? game.?

Although it may surprise some, women have been playing professional golf since the 1800s. But traditionally, golf has been a hugely male-dominated sport, with many golf establishments not even permitting women golfers to set foot inside their doors. The path to playing golf has not been an easy road for aspiring women.

Usually, it takes some kind of spark to ignite an explosive increase in popularity for a particular sport. In the world of men's golf, that spark was Tiger Woods, whose dominating play over the last decade or so spurred the popularity of golf to never-before-seen levels. It is quite interesting to note that, as a boy, Woods was denied entry into a golfing club simply because of the color of his skin, a club which now welcomes the golf star with open arms.

For women's golf, sensational teenager Michelle Wie has without doubt been a catalyst in bringing great attention to the sport of women's golf in general, as she has endeavored to utilize her remarkable golf skills to challenge men directly. Like Woods, perhaps her efforts will help stamp out the last obstacles standing in the way of female golfers, including those few remaining clubs that still discriminate toward female golfers.

Apart from Wie's actual level of success in her quest to play with the men, in the past five years, women's golf has seen a vast rise in popularity thanks in part to her efforts as well as the brilliant play of many other great female golfers such as Annika Sorenstam. And that popularity is predicted to rise even further. Women are now entering the sport at a record pace, with the fastest rising demographic taking up the sport being women in their 20s and earlier.

Interestingly, however, there is a slight difference in the manner in which men and women approach the sport. Women tend to view golf primarily as a social activity with competitive undertones, while men see golf primarily as a competitive activity with social undertones. So, while men are obsessing over their handicap, female golfers just try to have a good time.

Nevertheless, despite the ultimate reasons, women have irrefutably embraced golf in the new millennium, and the result has been a great boon for golf.