about

I'm striving for a world where women are given the opportunity to pursue and enjoy all sports

My background often comes as a bit of a surprise, especially considering the work I do now. I actually have a degree in Mathematics from the University of Exeter and initially began my career in Product Management & Digital Technology, specialising in start ups.

At school, I loved playing sport. Like many, it was what I looked forward to most. Spending time with friends, the competition, matches, training - every aspect of it. I competed at national level for netball, athletics, as well as enjoying mixed club level hockey too. Sport was my joy.

But being a professional sportswoman was never an option for me. Financially, I wouldn't have been able to fund such a career. And I know I'm not the only person, especially woman, who will have encountered this same crossroad growing up.

I believe that the best female footballer, golfer, rugby player, you name it, may never have had the opportunity to pursue their sport as a career, or worse yet, may never have even tried their sport before.

It was only in the back end of 2019 whilst working for a genetic testing company, that golf even entered my life. Despite being a strong athlete at school, golf never showcased itself as a choice. It just wasn’t an option.

My whole golf story actually started by wanting to buy some golf shoes, thinking they were a necessary prerequisite to play the sport. It wasn’t long before I realised golf wasn’t as welcoming to women as I’d expected.

Learning that not only did the majority of Pro shops stock nothing for women, but also one of the UK’s largest golf retailers, had in fact pulled all women’s clothing and equipment from all their retail stores across the country.

As someone who strongly believes in equality, I reached out to the CEO and soon began working with them to create the change I wanted to see. They now stock women’s clothing and equipment in the majority of their retail stores.

Inspired to encourage more young people to try a new sport, in this case golf, and help make it an option, I began documenting my own golf journey on Instagram at the start of 2020. In sharing my story as a beginner golfer, my learnings, challenges, lessons, as well as showcasing outfits I’d found for the course, I quickly discovered I was able to help and support other new golfers, just like me. Or even returning golfers who had lost their love of the game.

Fast forward a couple of years, I now work with numerous brands including adidas Golf, TaylorMade, BMW, Scottsdale Golf, IMG and the R&A.

Much of my time is now spent working as a Presenter or creating my own content for Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. I love being in front of the camera (which I definitely used to hate!) as I’m able to bring happiness and entertainment into the lives of others by showcasing personalities, fun, education, and true authenticity. I’ve actually been called “the happiest golfer on YouTube” a number of times!

I also host a Podcast “Unsussed with Mia Baker” which is aired on Spotify, Google, Apple and Amazon. Here I talk about all things golf, my life, and basically me just sussing things out!

If I had to pick one of my favourite projects so far, it would actually be my children’s book, “Just Don’t Give Up!”, a story created to inspire both adult and child along their personal golf journeys and in life. I wrote the book on a plane in the notes of my phone, learnt how to do book design, sourced an illustrator, printing, and then 3 months later was able to sell directly into retail.

What’s brought me most joy is the impact it’s had on children and the incredibly kind messages I’ve received. Kids have taken my book into school for show and tell and consequently invited their classmates to play golf with them. They’ve even chosen my book for world book day and have dressed up and reenacted the story, parents have had their own children re-inspire them to start up playing golf again all due to my book. It’s honestly brought me so much joy hearing and reading their stories and the impact it’s had.

Throughout my whole journey in sport so far, my main passion derives from being able to give women a choice. Being a helping hand to introduce, and encourage a new sport into their lives for them to try. Whether they enjoy it or not, wish to pursue it further, or call it a day, that's up to them. But it's a choice they may never have had otherwise.

I always think back, how good at golf could I have been if I was introduced to the game at a young age? Where would I be, if I had been financially able to pursue a career as a professional sportswoman? Either way, the world has brought me back into the sporting world in a way I never imagined. All I wish for, is that other young girls are able to pursue their dreams without barriers, no matter the sport.

For all enquiries please get in touch at contact@miabakermedia.co.uk

A few proud moments...

my women's golf events...

Golf can be expensive. Especially when you're starting out. It can also be an intimidating environment - it's new, out of your comfort zone, you don't know what you're doing.

I believe humans thrive on community. We enjoy being a part of something. Sharing our hobbies with likeminded people. There's so many young golfers out there, either yet to pick up a club for the first time and don't know how to get started, through to avid players, particularly young women, who are still seeking their own friendship groups, their own community.

I wanted to host some golf events in a cool, trendy environment, that doesn't break the bank, that lets you wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, that doesn't require you to bring clubs and most importantly gives you the opportunity to meet people, to make friendships that will last you a lifetime.

Teaming up with Pitch, London, an indoor simulator in the City, we've hosted a number of events at their Soho venue. Tickets are just £10 which included a free drink, DJ, TaylorMade clubs, competitions, 5 minute PGA Pro lessons, and a space to meet others who either currently play golf or who would like to get into the game.

On top of this, I wanted to support the female golfers even more. I wanted to make them feel inspired to come back and play golf. I've worked with the likes of TaylorMade and adidas Golf to provide product at these events with the intention of supporting my mission.

With the average age being largely U35, we're building a community for the next generation of golfers to come together, make friends, have fun, and most importantly to both start and / or enjoy a sport that is loved by so many.

women's golf clothing...

Until you notice it, you can’t stop noticing it. That can be said of women’s golf clothing. I’d never looked for it before I decided to start playing back in 2019, but when I did, I couldn’t stop noticing how few places stocked anything for women.

I set out to inspire more females to try golf, to uncover a market I believed was there, a market that I felt had huge potential. There are so many women in this world who haven’t had the opportunity to try golf, to even get started. Who were presented with barriers at the thought of even trying to start the game. My goal was to work with brands to change this. To create a world of golf that was inviting, accessible. Not just to women, but to everyone.

As of 2021, American Golf now house dedicated Women’s & Junior sections in all their refurbished stores. They have females fronting campaigns, women showcased on their social media platforms. They have disability golfers, junior golfers, men and women, all featured together.

As of 2022, Adidas Golf is now stocked in their flagship London store with both a Women’s and Male’s section. They have launched a new unisex golf range, adicross, that bridges the gap between golf and lifestyle. They continue to take open feedback, listening to my thoughts and opinions. Curating new content in the golf space, pushing boundaries, representing women across their social.

winning on the LET...

The Aramco Team Series is an event on the Ladies European Tour that allows an amateur to play alongside 3 professionals in a team format. The professionals are also playing in an individual competition at the same time. The prize fund for this event is $1,000,000USD which is split between the team and individual event.

Within the team event, the best 2 scores of the four ball are taken and contribute to the overall team score. The amateur has the chance to compete and score points for their team to help them win the team purse (which is split between the 3 professionals).

During the Aramco Team Series 2022 London, at Centurian Club, I played alongside Nicole Garcia, Kelly Whaley and Madelene Stavnar. Over the course of the 3 day event, I scored quite a few points for the team. The final day was where I managed to pull through most, shooting a nett par on the 16th with a long putt from off the green, keeping us in T2. And finally on the 18th where I scored a nett birdie bumping us up to T1 and into a playoff.

Nicole Garcia represented our team in the playoff and went on to win. This meant we become the Aramco Team Series 2022 London champions!! I knew my putts were important, but I perhaps didn't quite realise the significance of them until I watched a play back on Sky Sports with the commentary.

It was honestly such an unbelievable experience. It truly made me realise how hard tour life is. I mean, I struggled a lot throughout the middle of each round, feeling exhausted by the sun and heat. I also found it difficult to concentrate properly over a full 18 holes day after day. Professional golf is something to be admired and awed. Their sheer determination to succeed, the time and effort that goes into their game behind the scenes, as well as their mental strength and resilience, all together makes them the inspirational athletes they are to people like you and me.

becoming a presenter...

I had no idea how much joy I could get from being in front of a camera and sharing my love of the world with people. Interestingly I would consider myself as someone who has always been innately shy, someone who has struggled throughout their life with social anxiety - and so the idea and concept of doing the role I do now is none other than mind blowing to me.

Having spent the majority of my life trying to overcome and tackle anxiety, particularly social anxiety, I always thought my dream role would have me hidden away in a corner working on a computer somewhere. My nature has me down as stupidly impatient and always wanting to do more, planning what's next, not to mention ambitious, driven, and a massive workaholic since I was young (probably as a mechanism to cope with my anxiety). But with this, I've always been open to trying new things, understanding that you don't know what you don't know, and you can't like what you've not tried.

Creating my own content on social media, Instagram through to YouTube, meant I could work in the comfort of my own space, create my own videos, showcase my personality, without having the intimidation of the world to stop me. I didn't really consider whether people would watch it... it was fun, it was creative.

Now here we are working as a presenter for the likes of adidas Golf, TaylorMade, the R&A, IMG, Sky Sports and BMW to name a few. I've worked on produced content, live content, tv, social, adverts, you name it! I've also collaborated with incredible people, who let me share my ideas and creativity with them, and who go on to produce amazing things.

I absolutely love working on produced content, edits that showcase personality, that have fun, energetic vibes, a "watchable" factor to them. That's they type of content I love and strive to work on.

my children's book...

Story time with your kids is such a special moment, and one I feel should be cherished dearly. When you read a story, you create memories, you learn, you teach. I wanted to create a moment in golf which could be shared, a moment with a moral, a meaning. A meaning that would resonate with both parent and child.

My first book was written in the notes on phone whilst flying up to Scotland for the AIG Women’s Open 2021. I was inspired by the challenges of golf, and the mentality to keep going and not give up if you want to succeed. A mantra important for both golf, and life. I turned my idea into reality in just 3 months and launched my very first children’s book “Just Don’t Give Up!” in American Golf both online and in-store.

With all my writing, I aspire to create meaningful stories, stories that help make you a better person, a stronger person. A moral running through every book to both teach your child and remind you as a parent.

My next book is written in honour of a friend of mine. At a young age he had an accident that resulted in him losing both an arm and leg. Despite what life has thrown at him, he continues to live a life of empowerment, of success. Through golf he has achieved more than many abled people could accomplish. It’s people like these who remind us that life is about how we respond. We have the power to write our own futures.