Golfers could be pioneers

Hey, guys, how would you like to play on your girls high school golf team?! Think about it. You can improve your game and your social life. Talk about a life.

It could happen, if some of the girl golfers have their way.

Here's a roundabout explanation: The Utah High School Activities Association added girls golf as an official high school sport this spring, even though there was little interest or skill among girls.

Now the state's top girl golfers say they don't want to play against girls because there is little interest and skill among girls.

They want to continue playing against the boys, because they want better competition and, surprise, they've made friends with the boys, but thanks anyway.

As you night expect, the UHSAA threw up its hands.

"We were excited," says the UHSAA's Evan Excel. "We were thinking we finally got something right. We had been afraid we were in violation of Title IX all these years. Then we started getting e-mails from parents saying we're in violation of Title IX (by creating a girls sport), taking opportunities away from these girls to play against top competition."

Two top girl golfers say that the girls sport won't be equally competitive for them, and they say they know several more who feel the same way. A group of parents — you knew they were involved — has contacted the civil rights office in Denver about the matter.

What alternate universe do these people live in?

For years, the needs of a handful of high school girls who play competitive golf were accommodated by allowing them to play against boys, albeit while playing from forward tees (don't even go there). Now those same girls say they want girls to have their own sport, they just don't want to be part of it.

What most of these girls and their parents don't understand is that if they win their case, girls lose.

The only girl who gets it is Skyline High's Jenteal Jackson, who told the Salt Lake Tribune she was willing to play against inferior competition if it meant helping girls golf.

"They just don't see the big picture," she told the Trib, referring to the other girls. "We can be pioneers."

Exactly.

Instead of asking what's in it for them, the girls should be asking themselves what is good for girls and girls golf.