It used to be unusual to turn on the television and catch coverage of an LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tour, but thats not so anymore. Women are proving to be quite adept at golf and an exciting sport to watch, and networks and sponsors are catching on that people want to watch these talented women play. Of this seasons 34 womens tournaments, only a handful wont be televised.

The hottest golfer on the LPGA circuit right now is Annika Sorenstam, currently the 2005 leader. Swedish-born Sorenstam is only 34 and began playing golf at the age of 12. In 2004 she posted 16 top-ten finishes (including eight wins) in 18 tournaments, and earned a record-tying seventh Rolex Player of the Year award, tying Kathy Whitworth for the most in LPGA history. She was the first womens player to earn more than $15 million, and halfway through 2005 has already earned nearly $1.6 million.

There are plenty of young women golfers following Sorenstams lead, realizing that women can also excel in what used to be known as a mans sport. Players like Michelle Wie, Brittany Lang, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel are all beginning to make a name for themselves. Creamer, a 2005 high school graduate, had already earned more than half a million dollars this year alone by the time she took her diploma.

Many of these young women are coming up through the ranks of LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, a developmental junior golf program designed to not only teach girls the game of golf, but also life values such as patience, respect, perseverance and honesty. These girls are also learning to lead a physically-fit lifestyle. More than 4,500 girls ages 7-17 participate at 181 sites nationwide.

This is an exciting time for womens golf and an opportunity for young players to make their mark in history.

Susan Hill

Susan Hill is the President of Fitness for Golf, a website dedicated to helping golfers improve through golf specific programs.

Susan has earned national certifications as a fitness trainer with several organizations including the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the International Sports Science Association, and the American Council on Exercise. She currently trains golfers of all levels at the Sunriver Resort, a top U.S. golf destination resort in Sunriver, Oregon.

As a Chek certified Golf Biomechanic and Sports Performance Nutritionist, she is now among an elite group of golf fitness experts nationwide. Susan has worked with hundreds of golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge.

She is a contributing writer to Golf Illustrated, a guest speaker at private and public golf clubs, and a published writer on topics of health, fitness and golf. She was selected as one of the top three trainers as the Trainer of the Year 2003, having been chosen among over 85,000 trainers across the country.

Her work has also been featured in SELF magazine and on ESPN radio.