The Addie: An image is worth a thousand words — Highlights from Thailand — Must-click women’s golf links
By Addie Parker
The IX: Golf Thursday with Addie Parker, Mar. 2, 2023
Happy Golf Thursday. Imagery matters. Long before we had written or spoken language, we had images — symbols, glyphs, and figurines that told a story. The ancient image makes up a larger sphere of visual history that break the barriers of time.
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Throughout our history, the primal imagery of human figurines on a cave wall have molded into the fine masterpieces of the Renaissance, to things like the political cartoons from the Gilded Age, to now in our modern society with the use of images for branding — like logos. Logos are an essential part of our lives. We know the golden arches of McDonald’s. Most of us hold a little apple in our palms every second of the day thanks to Steve Jobs. Even the clothes we wear, from Polo to Nike, we all know what those brands are through a single image or graphic.
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Imagery matters. There’s a reason the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” has stuck around for centuries. Because to see something, to learn it, study it, and recall based off a singular cue is a powerful use of human cognition. So, imagine what can happen when someone creates an image/icon that’s the first of its kind.
In May 2022, my friend Taylor Olson Freed and her brand Draw & Fade Modern announced a new logo of theirs, a woman golfer.
D&F took it upon themselves to create something that goes beyond just saying that women deserve to have space in golf, they made a tangible thing that’s representative of women in golf everywhere.
The tee in the golfer’s hair reminds me of those post-round showers where nine different tees would fall out of my ponytail because my hair was the more convenient spot than my pockets. I was also a bag-over-one-shoulder kind of girl because it looks cooler than double strapping. The fact that she’s wearing pants over a skirt, is subtle reminder that women’s golf clothes should be functional and stylish.
The icon is a modern golfer. She could be heading anywhere after her round of golf — and that’s why D&F just works. Each piece is offered in neutral colors with simple silhouettes that can easily function as on and off course wear all for under $100 is enabling accessibility.
Last week, Taylor and D&F took this logo, which was used on their ‘Austin’ sweatshirt, a step further.
To be more inclusive of women in golf, D&F introduced a Black female golfer icon to be used on their new sweatshirt called ‘The Addie’.
Now it’s difficult to put into words what this icon means to me; that Taylor thought to do something like this with me in mind.
Growing up as a Black girl in golf, I was so use to being on a little island — that I was going to be either be the only girl or the only Black person in any given tournament. As a kid, the tokenship that came with being the only one was something that felt good. I was this special person because it was just me and then I happened to be good so I drew in even more attention. But as a moved further away from competitive golf and began to understand my identity as a black woman, I now understand that being a “token” is dangerous. People will use you, they will exploit you and try to make you a pawn in a much larger chess game that you weren’t invited to.
This sweatshirt, with a Black girl golfer, coined with my name, erases all of that.
It brings me so much joy that someone will see someone they know wearing it, and they’ll ask what does the logo mean or who it’s meant to be. It’s meant to be every Black girl or woman of color who has felt like that token at some point. It’s meant to be whoever you want it to be because that’s what true representation is.
A portion of the proceeds for the Addie Sweatshirt will go to Black Girls Golf. BGG is an organization that is centered around being a network for Black girls and women who want to learn, practice and play golf. The BGG Foundation also establishes scholarships for African American, female junior golfers to the career opportunities available in the golf industry.
To Taylor, this is my thank you. You have been such an incredible friend and muse for all of my writing and I’m so proud to know you. What you have done with D&F in such a short span of time has been remarkable and you deserve all the recognition for your hard work and advocacy.
To everyone who has already purchased an ‘Addie’ sweatshirt, thank you. Your support is shaping history and that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Your support also means that Black girls with get to experience golf is a better way than I did, in a better way than most of us did — and it’s all because of one little image.
Until next week, golf fans.
This week in women’s golf
If you have links you wish to share for Golf Thursday, sources for golf news, or want to talk about anything at all, you can email me at addieparker25@gmail.com ! Discussion of any kind is always welcome…I mean it…MESSAGE ME!
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