Ping! My driver connects with the golf ball and the sweet, sharp noise is accompanied by the joy of seeing my ball soar through the air. This is my new favourite sound… and the bliss? That can often be as short-lived as the walk to my next shot, but I’m getting used to the highs and lows of my latest addiction. I love playing 18 holes at the golf course. Sometimes I can’t believe that since the end of February 2021, I have already racked up many, many more hours playing golf than I’d like to admit.

I’ve never had a hobby before. As someone who has always enjoyed working a little too much – I’m an author, broadcaster and consultant – playing Candy Crush on my phone was my idea of letting off steam. I did try knitting, but it took me nine months to complete one scarf and by the time I was finished it was summer; not quite the adrenaline rush I was looking for.

Golf is still seen as a man’s game, specifically old men, businessmen and professional athletes. While they may make up the majority of people, this is changing and, post-lockdown, more women have taken up the game and the golf community are actively welcoming them, as well as many more players from ethnic minorities. Of course, this changes the dynamics of a club but, honestly, 95% of the people there seem into it.

There are so many ways to learn to play and join a club and while I can’t pretend it’s cheap, it’s not as elitist as you might think. I have met so many interesting people since I started playing. Yes, some of them are wealthy, but some are not – and then there’s me, definitely not rich. Academies and schemes like Gateway to Golf and Women and Girls Week help with entry to the world of golf and beginners get to learn the basics with other newbies.

You don’t have to join a club, you can get and retain your playing handicap inexpensively through England Golf. If you do choose to join one, there are many benefits. And not all clubs require Rishi Sunak levels of cash to play there. I started with second-hand clubs that were a bargain and, although there is a lot of gear, golfers tend to be generous when they want to upgrade and I’ve had some clubs and other equipment handed on to me in that way. I’ve even been given an electric trolley.

It would feel a bit disingenuous to say that I feel isolated as a Black woman playing golf, because I’m not the only one at my club. Of course, there could be more of us, but it’s not as rare as some of the comments I had when I took it up would make it seem. A couple of friends’ thoughts included: “That’s weird and random” and “Have you become a Tory?” In other words, the way golf is perceived has a long way to go.

I know quite a few Black people who play, including my cousin and uncle. The first time my uncle rang me to talk about golf I missed his call, so I messaged him back to ask if he really meant to phone me. He said: “Yes, to talk about golf!’’ There’s something about the game that offers a real connection point. I met the TV presenter Dan Walker the other day and he’s promised me we’ll play, but he’s really good so I’ll need more practise first. As a big Arsenal fan I’d love to play with Ian Wright, too. For me, golf is like a world within a world and it’s easy to see why so many deals are done on the course. It’s one of the other reasons I hope under-represented groups get even more involved, because there is so much to gain.

Networking was one aspect that my mentors – former England football international Cyrille and his wife Julia Regis – enthused about seven years ago. So I went along to their club dinners and really enjoyed it. After that I did a Gateway to Golf course, but struggled to take it further as I was also reading the news at ITV Central and getting up in the middle of the night for 4.30am starts. The timing was less than ideal.

Fast forward to a post-Covid world – I was living in a new area where I didn’t really know anyone and had gained some serious pounds from an intense Deliveroo habit that I’d developed in lockdown. I needed a hobby and the timing was perfect. Cyrille had sadly passed away in January 2018, but Julia had kept speaking to me about golf over the years and encouraged me again – she has helped so many other Black women get into the game. I often wonder what Cyrille would think to see me playing now, a wry smile at my swing.

Apparently, I’m a natural talent at golf, which is a good job because taking it up at the age of 39 isn’t all that easy and there have been barriers to entry. My boobs for one, and no one is talking enough about boobs and golf – I have searched on YouTube! Building a swing around my body hasn’t been straightforward. I felt for the poor head pro at my club when I asked him, so what do I do about these then? Swings were built by men, for men. With no major chest obstruction, arms can be swung straight across the body with lots of speed and wild abandon. It’s not so much of an issue for many professional sports women, endowed with athletic prowess and the bodies to match. They can swing with a little more ease than those of us with the genetics that demand firm-hold sport bras only.

Luckily, instructor Craig Normansell came to me with a fix, which has been working well. I don’t want to give away his coaching secrets, but I am now in possession of a fairly solid swing. Although I have learned in golf that as you solve one problem, another one soon pops up – a bit like life really. So I am now working on another part of my game.

Once you start, it is addictive and here’s why it’s reeled me in: adulting doesn’t give you many opportunities to openly compete. Outside sport, no one admits to it because it’s seen as passive aggressive. I played my first real competition a few months ago, I’ve won three events at my club in my first year, and I haven’t had that much adrenaline running through my body since reading the news on TV.

It’s a game to master; a new social crowd to enjoy a little wine on the terrace with; a bit of nature to escape to when I don’t get that client booking, or somewhere to celebrate when I do. It’s also been a great way to lose weight – I’m 8kg lighter from the hours I’ve spent walking around golf courses. What thrills me is knowing I’ve found a sport that I can play anywhere in the world well into old age. In a game full of innuendo – it’s all balls, holes, grips and strokes – please take it with the cleanest of minds when I say that maybe you should really start swinging, too?’

Fairway to heaven: how to get started in golf

1. Attend a Gateway to Golf session with a PGA pro where you’ll learn the foundational shots and see if you enjoy hitting the ball. It’s also a great way to meet other learners who can become playing partners – the smaller the class the better (englandgolf.org/find-and-play).

2. For my first set of nine clubs I got a secondhand bargain. The January sales are also great, as is eBay. Have a look at golfonline.co.uk.

3. Visit a driving range to practise and find a PGA coach you enjoy learning with – my coach challenges me, but ultimately I feel as if he believes in me and lessons help you to progress more quickly.

4. You can join a golf club with an academy or starter membership – do a bit of research to see what’s in your area. For me, distance to the club was a big factor, a space there to store my clubs and the ability to play on the course to get better. Friendly members are also a big plus.

5. Get out on a course. The first time on the greens was tough for me, but learning in the winter/spring months meant summer was enjoyable.