What allyship means to Georgia Hall

Growing up in a seaside town in southern England, AIG Ambassador Georgia Hall learned early on what it means to have a strong ally, encouraging and supporting her journey into professional golf. Georgia’s dad, an avid golfer, inspired her love for the game at just 7 years old when they spent the day at a local driving range. By the age of 18, Georgia turned pro.

“My dad always believed in me and supported me from day one,” says Georgia, who went on to win her first major championship in 2018 at the AIG Women’s Open at England’s Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, where her father acted as her caddie.

As Georgia prepares for this year’s AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, just south of London, she thinks back on those who supported her over the years and led her to become among the world’s top golf pros. She reflects on how her allies showed up for her, and what made them some of her strongest supporters.

Here are five qualities that stood out to Georgia:

• Shows unwavering support. Georgia appreciates AIG’s allyship, both in backing her as a player, and helping to raise the bar across women’s golf and level the playing field for female golfers. “AIG helped support me for the past few years, which I’m extremely grateful for. They are the head sponsor for the Women’s Open, which in my opinion is the biggest golf tournament in the world for women golfers. I’ve gotten to know a lot of the AIG team and we have the same core values, not just in business but in life.”
  
  
• Communicates honestly and openly.  Honest feedback can sometimes be difficult to hear. Georgia notes that listening to those she trusts and who want to see her succeed has helped her improve her game. She considers her coach, Robert Rock, an important ally. “My coach gives me ongoing feedback on the course so I can fix things and adjust my strategy as needed,” Georgia says.
  
  
• Shows compassion. Georgia recognizes that working too hard can lead to burn out, and she looks to her allies to help keep her balanced. “Golf can be very taxing and busy—it can be tough for me to recognize when I need a break,” Georgia says. “I appreciate when the people around me tell me to take a week or two off — that I don’t need to practise all the time.” She also is thankful that those close to her, especially her family, help her remain humble and remember her roots.
  
  
• Encourages resilience. For Georgia, her strongest allies will also encourage her to keep going during some of her most challenging times. For example, Georgia’s caddie, Colin Cann, helps her navigate the ups and downs on the course to play her best game. “Colin supports me in so many ways as an ally,” Georgia says. “He motivates me and keeps me focused, even during the most trying times, and helps me figure out solutions to the most difficult shots. But most importantly, he is a friend to me and someone I can turn to on the course.”
  
  
• Mentors as a team player. Georgia believes that having allies around her has been the key to her successes —the strongest of which continues to be her dad. “Even though golf is an individual sport, there are people around us that we lean on to keep going,” Georgia says. “My dad has been that person my whole life, through good times and bad. I can’t thank him enough.”