Not so long ago, Suzanne Thompson’s golf clubs were gathering dust in her shed, a gift from her husband, that she now laughs about as she reminisces on her beginnings in golf.
This weekend she will be watching some bright young talent compete at the Flogas Irish Girls’ Amateur Open Championship at her home club while sharing it with her community of nearly 4,500 Instagram followers.
“I remember one Christmas, he bought me a set of golf clubs and I was raging,” said Thompson.
“I thought I was getting a designer handbag, but I got a set of golf clubs, a different type of bag.”
Those golf clubs remained largely unused for several years. Growing up in Swords, where she still lives with her family, Suzanne had only brief encounters with the game. As a child, there were moments, pitch and putt with her brother, hitting balls in the park, even a set of cut-down clubs from her dad but she never saw herself in golf.
“I never saw another girl playing golf. I was never on a real golf course,” said Thompson.
Later, when she and her husband John tried the occasional stay-and-play it never quite clicked.
“I lost more golf balls and got more frustrated than anything,” said Thompson.
“I said, let’s just do spas and hotels instead of golf.”
The turning point came in Wexford in 2018. What began as a casual invitation to the Friday Friendlies women’s golf society became something more meaningful.
“When I rocked into the car park they were giving out little bottles of prosecco. It was really relaxed and fun,” said Thompson.
“You could have an air shot, it was just a scramble, so no pressure and I absolutely loved it.”
Four weekends that July were enough to get her hooked. She returned the following summer and soon joined Ballymoney Golf Club where she earned her first handicap, before moving to Corrstown.
The game was becoming more than just a pastime for Suzanne, it became a space of her own.
“The golf is like a tonic to me. It’s like my escape from being a mammy, from work and from running the business,” said Thompson
“Even if I’m playing bad, I’ve got headspace. Chasing a white ball around the field, it’s my yoga.”
By 2023, Suzanne was fully immersed in the game, playing inter-club with Corrstown she helped her team to Leinster North Challenge Cup success. At the same time, she began sharing her golfing experiences online. What started as a few casual posts quicky gathered attention.
“I was posting lots of bits and pieces about different courses and I was getting lots of reshares,” said Thompson.
“It was a personal page I was posting on, but everyone was saying, ‘the golf, the golf!’”
After another stay-and-play trip to Mount Juliet, John encouraged her to take her budding passion further and in November 2023, Swing & Tonic was born.
“I say it’s my tonic for my soul. As cheesy as it sounds, tee time is me time,” said Thompson.
The name struck a chord. In just over two years the page has grown into a community of nearly 4,500 followers, with a broad audience from Ireland and further afield.
“The page has organically just grown,” said Thompson.
“It’s wonderful to see, and I’ve followers outside of Ireland as well as a lot of followers in Ireland and a lot of followers from America, which is unreal.”
More important than the followers has been the connections she has made. Through Golf Ireland initiatives like Chip and Chat, Suzanne has built friendships that extend beyond the fairways.
“Since starting the page it has given me opportunities to meet loads of new ladies, I have met friends that I’ll have for life,” said Thompson.
Growing the page and being a space where women can see themselves in the game has brought about plenty of opportunities. Trips to Old Head, St Andrews and the Olympic Club in San Francisco have all stood out, while a TaylorMade launch in London provided another unforgettable experience, sharing a range with Charley Hull and Annabel Dimmock.
“That was incredible to stand watching Charley Hull, whack the ball indoors,” said Thompson.
“Even the noise of it. I was literally feet away so that was a great experience.”
Closer to home, one of her earliest invitations came from PGA Professional Lynn McCool, who had spotted Suzanne online, not just for her content, but for something else quite distinctive.
“I only had 1,000 followers and she said, ‘I’ve seen this one swinging a pink driver, get her up, she looks like fun,’” said Thompson.
“I was on the first tee going, ‘my God, I’m out of my depth here,’ but they were so down to earth. We had an amazing time.”
The pink PING driver, picked up by chance, became a conversation starter and in many ways a perfect match to Suzanne’s content, bright, fun and a way to bring visibility to women in golf.
That visibility is particularly relevant this weekend as Corrstown hosts the Flogas Irish Girls’ Amateur Open Championship with many leading young players from across Ireland and beyond competing from Friday to Sunday.
For Suzanne and the club, the event is more than another opportunity to host a major underage championship.
“There’s a push on, Eithne (McIvor) is the junior convenor now with Charlie (Cronin), and they’re doing a big push on getting more girls,” said Thompson.
“I know golf is on the rise with women, but the more girls we can get at a younger age, the more it just becomes natural.
“It also showcases the course, it spreads the word of golf, and especially the girls being up there, they’re absolutely unreal.”
This also resonates with Suzanne as a parent to three children. Her two sons Olly and Toby both play golf and now her five-year-old daughter Tilly is also beginning to pick up the clubs.
“Tilly has just started playing, and she has started lessons with our pro Brian Sweeney,” said Thompson.
“She does dancing and singing like every girl wants to do, but she actually gets more excited about the golf.
“Even to play in the club with us, to have all the family playing together would be incredible. It is one of those sports that generations of families can play together.”
As for Swing & Tonic, Suzanne is happy to “go with the flow”. She continues to balance it alongside her business, ASU Nail & Beauty Supplies, and family life, while embracing new opportunities, including her recent role as a brand ambassador for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open. The famous driver is also set to make appearances at Play in Pink charity events throughout the year.
“I’ll just go with the flow, continue doing what I’m doing and what will be, will be,” said Thompson.
“I’m one of these people that if I’m going to do something, I’ll do it and I’ll just keep posting content while people are liking and sharing and enjoying it.”
“I always say, golf is owned by nobody, nobody owns the sport. It’s out there for everybody.”
Leave a comment