Title IX changed women's sports forever. Our latest podcast explores its effect on golf

The trajectory of women’s college sports changed forever in 1972, when Title IX was signed into effect. The revolutionary law directed its aim at education, ensuring someone’s sex didn’t hinder them from receiving educational opportunities. It applies to all activities, at all federally funded schools. So that means, women’s sports had to be treated proportionally equal to men—which means women’s college golf suddenly had to be taken a whole lot more seriously.

RELATED: U.S. Women's Open nearly doubles purse

On this week’s episode, which coincide with U.S. Women's Open week, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. We talk to coaches and competitors to get a glimpse of what women’s college golf was like before Title IX, what progress – albeit slow – looked like, and how current successes of the women’s amateur and pro game can be credited to the signing of Title IX back in 1972.

Women’s sports is still fighting for equality on many levels, but while professional female golfers are competing for a record $10 million purse at the U.S. Women’s Open, now is a good time to realize and celebrate how we got here.