And now let's head out to talk with one of the best golfers to ever play the sports.

Julie Inkster.

Julie Inkster, great to be with you here today.

Juli Inkster: Thanks, Kristi.

It's always great to be with you.

Kristi K.: Thank you.

We always have a great time.

We do.

Yeah.

Juli Inkster: It's like sitting on a green couch just talking.

Kristi K.: That's right.

Every year with the iconic Julie Inkster.

So lucky me.

Yeah.

I wanted to talk to you a little bit.

I was just watching a video about you and some of the amazing accolades that you have had.

The Bob Jones award, all of your wins, all of your victories through the years, the SBA, the Golf Digest Awards.

Does this resonate with you When I say you are the rock star and kind of where your you're places in this world and how many people you've impacted?

Juli Inkster: You know what?

You know, I look back on it and I realize, you know, I've just kind of live my life and I've kind of tried to live it the right way.

I really think winning the Bobby Jones Award really resonated with me as far as an award going and how how much I've maybe made a difference in golf and and people you know, you don't win the award just because you're a good golfer.

You ignored the war because what you do outside of golf and you know I've never I've never really thought of it that way.

But you'll hear in someone like Morgan Press, I'll talk, you know, who's a really good friend of mine about, you know, the influence I had on her.

And you know what?

I realize as you're going through life, how you can help people and impact people.

And, you know, I might just be a little thing, but I think, you know, having my girls introduced me for the Bobby Jones ward, you know, you know, when they start traveling with me at six weeks on tour and and where they are now in their life and and where I am now in my life and with golf in and personal life, it just I don't know, it just kind of hit home that, you know what?

It's been a really good ride.

Kristi K.: We've talked so many times about how you got started in this game of golf and what influenced you the most and kind of what kept you going.

You're such a resilient person.

You're such a determined person.

Was there someone in your life who had similar traits who kind of got you into the sport but also kept you going in the sport?

Juli Inkster: Well, I mean, I my mom and my dad were a big influence on my life.

My mom was a stay at home mom, but and not competitive, but stubborn, resilient.

And I got that from her.

You know, my dad played professional baseball for a few years, so I probably get my athletic ability from him.

But my dad was a worker bee, worked two jobs.

He was a fireman and his days off, he worked in other job.

And at 15 I had two older brothers.

At 15 we had to get a job.

And so I rode my bike up to the golf course.

You know, I didn't play golf, got a job parking carts and pick it up.

The range decided I was a jock.

I played basketball, I played for whatever my brothers played.

I played.

And so, you know, they beat me up a little bit.

But I feel like golf was something I could do that they weren't interested in.

So, I mean, I actually got some lost and found clubs and that's how I started playing.

Kristi K.: I'm a huge proponent of women helping women and women helping girls, not being threatened to do so, not feeling like we can't do that because what if they get more than we get?

Exactly.

How do you feel about kind of that whole notion that women really do need to help girls in our lives, in our world?

Juli Inkster: I think it's weird.

I think a lot of times women don't help women and it drives me crazy.

But I think we're getting better at that.

Kristi K.: I hope you're right.

Juli Inkster: Yeah, I know.

You know, the biggest compliment I ever get is someone coming up and ask me a question about either being a mom on tour or can I play a practice round with you or to me, that's the highest honor is when someone does ask you that, because that means that you're open to giving advice and you're open to help grow the game, not only on the golf course, but off the golf course.

Kristi K.: Well, you know, that kind of principle transcends whether it's corporate America or in other sports in grade school, high school, college, that whole principle of really helping others and wanting to mentor them on their journey seems to be like we are all as women, planting those seeds for empowerment, for success, for thriving, and for giving us equity.

Juli Inkster: Yeah, and I don't think there's anything better than being a mentor then than, you know, someone calling you and say, Hey, you know, what do I need to do here?

Or I just think that's the highest honor of that one.

Your your doing something right.

Yes.

And you're opening yourself up.

You're being vulnerable that, you know, hey, I'm going to go I'm going to give you everything I got.

Kristi K.: You know, I want to talk a little bit more that about women and equity in terms of the purse.

You talked before about what is you make and you said your very first check on to her was how much?

Juli Inkster: 22,500.

And as a 23 year old, I was a lot of money.

Kristi K.: Do right here was that.

Juli Inkster: If I were in 1983.

Kristi K.: 83.

Juli Inkster: Yeah and you know it's getting better with people like KPMG and AIG and Chevron.

They're doing a great job of elevating the women's game.

But we have a long way to go.

We we make about 10% of what the guys make.

That's not a. Kristi K.: Lot.

How do we change that?

What needs to happen in order for us to get to the level where women are on equal playing fields and par with with so to speak?

A little bit on there.

well, we need we need more awareness.

We need to play better golf courses.

We need TV revenue.

I mean, we we pay for our TV if we want to be on network TV, the LPGA or the sponsor has to pay for TV.

So it's you know, we're we're we're an organization that stands on our own.

We don't have any help.

We don't have the PGA help, you know, like the Champions Tour does and the Korn Ferry does.

It's it's you know, I and I look at the PGA Tour and the whole live right now, how they're they're competing against.

How do we make more money?

It's like, you know, how do you share more money?

You know, share a little bit.

I mean, you need you know, you get to a point where it's like, you know, yeah, golf has always been a rich man's game.

And, well, they're they're showing it that it is.

Kristi K.: Mm hmm.

Well, I just want to say thank you, Julie Inkster, for being the living legend you are, for being the inspiration you are.

And just for giving us the gift of you.

Juli Inkster: Well, thanks to you for being a rock star in growing your occupation.

And we got it.

We've got to support women right?

And you have always been great at that.

And not only, you know, housing players, you know, you did know them, but you know what?

They're your family.

Kristi K.: They are my family now.

Juli Inkster: And you know what, guys?

When I was a rookie, I stayed in 90% of housing and I still in very close to all of them.

So it's the best.

Kristi K.: Gift that keeps on giving.

Juli Inkster: Exactly.

Kristi K.: Exactly.

Juli Inkster: Thank you.

Thank you, Kristi.