Maxine Gordon reports on a drive to get mums and daughters playing golf.

MY dad is a golf fanatic, my mum a golf widow so, growing up, I guess that made my twin sister and me golf orphans.

Not once in my childhood did Dad take me to his club - or even the driving range - put an iron in my hand and show me how to swing at the ball.

Perhaps if he had, I wouldn't be sitting here writing an article about women in golf, perhaps I would be making the headlines in my own right as a golfing star.

Seem far fetched?

Well, I had my first golf lesson this week at the ripe old age of 37 and it seems, readers, that I am a natural.

After a few minutes' instruction from coach Mark Winterburn, I was sending the golf balls high into the sky, much to Mark and photographer Nigel Holland's surprise.

"I once gave a woman a lesson for an hour and a half and she only hit the ball once," revealed Mark.

By that measure, no wonder he thought I was pretty good.

As a complete novice, I approached my golf lesson with a fair amount of prejudice. Golf, schmolf. I just didn't see the point. It's not exactly exercise is it? Have you ever seen a golfer break into a sweat (if they do it's easily resolved by removing their designer sweater). In a race you wouldn't fancy Annika Sorenstam (the world's number one female golfer) against Kelly Holmes or Maria Sharapova.

To my mind, golf is a hobby for people with too much time on their hands who have a weakness for super-smart leisure wear and a need to discharge their aggression by whacking a big metal stick at a tiny white ball.

But then, not for the first time, did I have the completely wrong end of the stick (or rather, club)?

My lesson began with Mark, who works at Forest Park Golf Club at Stockton-on-the-Forest, leading me to the driving range to show me the basics: how to grip the club.

I was surprised how intricately you have to link your fingers, nestling the pinky of the right hand between the fore and middle finger of the left. It felt totally odd, but after a few minutes seemed perfectly natural.

Next came my standing position. Legs have to be shoulder-width apart, the body pitched forward with the back straight. To swing, you must keep your left arm pretty straight as you raise the club, turning your body to the right, but still bent forward at the same angle, all the time keeping your eye on the ball.

As you lower the club and strike through, the ball should shoot off into the distance and you should finish with your club almost horizontal over your left shoulder, your right foot pointing forwards.

Got that?

It is a lot to take in and you quickly realise that concentration, control and technique are crucial components of the game.

I swung at a bucketful of balls: some I missed completely, others I struck partially, sending them skating off across the green like ducks on an icy pond. But a few I hit perfectly, right at the base, rocketing them towards the clouds. Next, we walked on to the green and I hit some shots from the grass, again with mixed results but still with enough good strikes to make me think there is a golfing genius gene lurking somewhere in the Gordon DNA.

By now the sun was beating down, the sky was brilliant blue, it was the first day of spring and I was beginning to see the appeal of the sport.

Women and golf are not new companions; the LGA (Ladies' Golf Union) boasts some 200,000 members in the UK, and the profile of the women's game has been raised by the likes of Sorenstam, who famously took on Tiger Woods and co on the men's tour in 2003, and US teen sensation Michelle Wie, ranked number three in the ladies' game.

However, women still make up only a tiny fraction of members at golf clubs. At Forest Park, female membership has risen from 30 to 50 in the past couple of years, but male membership totals 535. The club wants to encourage more women to take up golf and has put together a special package aimed at mums and daughters which offers a six-month membership with a series of group lessons for a substantially reduced fee.

The package costs £250 (or £50 for girls aged from ten to 8), and gives unlimited access to the nine-hole course, eight group-coaching sessions and full use of Forest Park's facilities including driving range, putting green and club house.

"It's ideal for beginners or people who have played a bit but are not a member of a club," said Mark.

Normal membership costs £560 a year plus a joining fee of £394 - so Mark believes the package offers a good deal for women thinking of taking up golf but unwilling to make a large financial commitment. He also points out individual lessons with a golf pro cost £16 for 30 minutes.

The only other outlay is golfing shoes (about £40) and clubs (Mark says a starter kit will set you back £150).

The club is hosting two open afternoons, where women can find out more about taking up golf and have some free coaching from Mark. The dates are Sunday April 23 and Sunday May 7, from 2pm-3pm. To book a place, call 01904 400425.

Margaret Skilbeck takes on the ladies' captaincy at Forest Park next month. She began playing nine years ago, mainly because her husband Bob is a golfer.

Now she plays about three times a week and has even been on golfing holidays with her husband to Scotland and Wales.

She said: "I really enjoy it. It's nice outdoor exercise and the social side is excellent too."

The best thing for beginners to do, she suggests, is to have some lessons before progressing to the greens. Beginners can make good progress and age is no barrier, she adds.

"We had one lady member who played until she was 90 - and she used to pull her own trolley."

Ultimately, Margaret says, golf poses a challenge. She is determined to lower her handicap this year, but admits it can be a frustrating pursuit.

She said: "You think you've cracked it; sussed it out. Then just when you can do something well, you lose it. The other aspect is that you have to concentrate for 18 holes. Once you've lost your concentration, the round's gone."

Updated: 16:14 Friday, March 24, 2006