Girls on the Green Golf Network is a sanctuary where empowerment, community, and the love of golf converge. Girls on the Green is dedicated to bringing women together to create a vibrant space for girls to connect, network, and thrive both on and off the green. Kayla grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Seattle in 2020. How old were you when you first started playing golf? I was two years old when my dad first put a golf club in my hand.
Is there anyone who helped you get started in golf? Dad started my brother and I in the game, and was instrumental in my development as a young golfer all the way through college.
Did you have an instructor/mentor who helped you? Although I did receive professional instruction during high school and college, my dad was my biggest mentor and supporter, and was instrumental in my success. I wouldn’t be where I am without his support, sacrifice, and dedication to my development.
At what point did you say to yourself, “I really like this game. I want to see how I can stay involved with it.” At a very young age I received compliments on my swing while going to the driving range as a kid. That was a huge confidence booster, and motivated me to keep working on my game. In middle school, I became serious about practicing and wanted to improve in order to make the high school golf team.
Where did you play collegiately?
Kayla Whatley playing golf for the University of Mobile
I played on the golf team at Plymouth High School (in Canton, Mich.), and was part of the school’s first State Championships, winning back-to-back titles in my junior and senior years. I then took my game to Mobile, Alabama, and played on a golf scholarship at the University of Mobile.
What is your favorite memory (so far!) on the golf course? My favorite memory have been all four of my holes-in-one, three of which came while I was playing with my dad, and the fourth was during a college tournament.
Looking back, what would you tell your younger self if you were just getting into the game? Have FUN. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Enjoy the game, and work hard.
How has your experience as a collegiate golfer and coach with First Tee of Greater Seattle influenced the mission and vision of Girls on the Green? When I graduated college in 2018, I always knew that I wanted to stay close to the game in some capacity. When I relocated to Seattle for work, I immediately reached out to First Tee to get involved as a volunteer coach, to give back to the game that has provided me with so many amazing opportunities, both personally and professionally. Through my entire golf career, and my experience as a First Tee coach, it was evident that there was so much more room for growth for girls in golf and for more diversity within the sport. My experiences in golf influenced the vision of Girls on the Green, because I rarely saw other golfers that looked like me in the field. For a majority of my competitive career, I was often the only black girl competing. Representation is so important to me and having the opportunity to coach with First Tee allows me to mentor other girls, to give them the confidence to strive to play at the highest level in golf, no matter what their skin color is.
Kayla coaching First Tee
In what ways do you believe that playing golf can contribute to personal and professional growth for women? Playing golf alone can open many doors both personally and professionally for women, by the amazing connections you will gain. Having a strong community of women in golf not only helps build confidence but teaches valuable life skills. As a corporate professional, working at Amazon, having golf on my resume has allowed me to connect with VP’s, executives, and leaders in top organizations, that I may not have connected with otherwise, which has contributed to professional growth and expanding my professional network. I have had the pleasure of building rapport with clients and strengthening business relationships by playing golf, sharing the love of the game, and beating them once or twice, too!
Can you share some of the future plans or upcoming initiatives for Girls on the Green? Girls on the Green is having their Official Launch Event on Friday, August 30, at Evergreen Golf Club in Redmond. The team at Evergreen have been extremely supportive of the mission of Girls on the Green and shares our vision of growing the game for women of all backgrounds in the Greater Seattle area. We are excited to bring our network to Evergreen and look forward to partnering with them for future events, group clinics, and meet-ups. Tickets for the event can be found in our Instagram Bio @GirlsontheGreengn or on Eventbrite:
Girls on the Green Official Launch Event Tickets, Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
How old were you when you first started playing golf? I was two years old when my dad first put a golf club in my hand.
Is there anyone who helped you get started in golf? Dad started my brother and I in the game, and was instrumental in my development as a young golfer all the way through college.
Did you have an instructor/mentor who helped you? Although I did receive professional instruction during high school and college, my dad was my biggest mentor and supporter, and was instrumental in my success. I wouldn’t be where I am without his support, sacrifice, and dedication to my development.
At what point did you say to yourself, “I really like this game. I want to see how I can stay involved with it.” At a very young age I received compliments on my swing while going to the driving range as a kid. That was a huge confidence booster, and motivated me to keep working on my game. In middle school, I became serious about practicing and wanted to improve in order to make the high school golf team.
Where did you play collegiately?
