Brenda W. Johnson says the golf bug first bit her when a sorority sister from Delta Sigma Theta invited her to take up the sport when she lived in Michigan.

“She says, ‘Let’s learn how to play golf,’ ” Mrs. Johnson recalls. “I looked at her as if she was crazy. But we moved ahead anyway and started lessons. We both had very young families at the time, so we didn’t play often.”

Mrs. Johnson says she began going to the links more frequently after moving back to her hometown of Richmond in 2004. One of her first orders of business, she says, was to join the Jefferson Lakeside Country Club in Henrico County with her husband, “which provides us with the opportunity to play on a regular basis.”

Today, Mrs. Johnson — a grandmother of six — further quenches her appetite to play the game she loves by competing with the Top Lady Clubbers, a Richmond-based group of female African-American golfers.

She is serving her second two-year term as president of the club that was organized in December 1997 by golf pals Marie Moore, Pat Foster and Felicia Perry.

Today, the club has 21 active members, and “we’re always looking for additional golfers,” she says.

“We want to encourage, support and educate African-American women about the game of golf,” she says

“There was no organization in the Richmond area at the time that supported women wanting to learn the game,” Mrs. Johnson says of the need for the women’s club.

Mrs. Johnson first served as president in 2008. She started her second term in 2014 after serving as vice president. She says the club routinely donates proceeds from its tournaments to support various community efforts. The club’s first tournament in September 1998 benefited local student scholarships and the United Negro College Fund.

Most recently, the group donated money to aid the young girls golf program at Armstrong High School in the East End.

Mrs. Johnson says she plays with a 24 handicap, meaning she averages shooting about 24 over par on a course.

She says she is currently recovering from a broken ankle.

“I haven’t played much this summer, but I’ll be back!” she vows.

While the club’s season is over at the end of September, women interested in joining may contact Mrs. Johnson at toff11brenda@aol.com.

Let’s meet this week’s Personality, Brenda W. Johnson:

Occupation: Retired educator.

Date and place of birth: 1947, Richmond.

Current home: Richmond.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Family: Husband, Charles, and two adult children.

Background: I was an only child, but grew up as an Air Force brat in several locations including Richmond, Japan, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Florida.

Top Lady Clubber profile: Most of our members are married, some with young children. We also have single ladies and some grandmothers. We have a judge, several educators and professional businesswomen, as well as retirees.

Their skill level is: Handicaps range from 10 to as high as 30 and above.

We meet: Bimonthly, usually at someone’s home.

No. 1 objective as president: To expand our membership. We’re looking for women over the age of 21 who are eager to play the game of golf and are willing to come out to play frequently during the golf season.

How I plan to reach the goal: When we see other women at golf courses that we play, we introduce ourselves and invite them to play with us a few times before offering them membership.

Criteria to be a member: You must have had golf lessons if you are new to the game. Secondly, each member is required to have an official handicap as provided by the Virginia State Golf Association. The handicap system enables golfers at all ability levels to compete on an equal basis. Lastly, we want members who want to play and have fun. Having fun is one of our most important attributes.

Golf is: Challenging, frustrating and lots of fun all at the same time. The freedom you feel on the course is very exhilarating. Best of all is the bonding that is fostered with the other golfers that you play with and meet.

Why I play golf: It challenges me to be disciplined and focused. It’s like, if I can master this game, I can do anything.

Favorite course: Jefferson Lakeside, of course!

Favorite male golfer: Tiger Woods, even though he is struggling right now.

Favorite female golfer: I like several female professional golfers, including Michelle Wie, Christina Kim, Cheyenne Woods and rookie Sadena Parks.

Thoughts about young African-American golfers: All should finish their education before pursuing other passions. This enables them to still have a chance to meet success. Unfortunately, many aspiring African-American players hoping to succeed professionally in golf struggle to find financial sponsorships that will allow them to really focus on their game and not where the monies are coming from for the next tournament. Golf is not a cheap sport for those pursuing a professional career.

Advice to aspiring new golfers: Learn the basics of golf by first taking golf lessons and then play, play, play. Never get discouraged. Even good golfers have bad days.

What is the industry doing to improve female participation: I don’t think the industry supports women’s golf as much as they do men’s golf. The winning purse for LPGA tournaments is not as lucrative for the professional women golfers as it is for the men. Perhaps if the public demanded to see more LPGA events and indeed watched them, sponsors would increase their support and purses would increase. With more money to be won, there may well be more talented young women players willing to get in the game.

Other activities: Board member at Jefferson Lakeside Country Club, member of Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a member of Club Dejouir. I am also an active member of Fifth Baptist Church, where I am chair of our 150th anniversary celebration dinner that will be held in November at Virginia Union University.

Outlook at start of the day: As I have seasoned in life, I wake up each morning thankful that I did, and thinking the glass is always half full.

Favorite late-night snack: Peanuts.

My friends say that: I’m a good listener, I’m honest and I give good advice because I tell it like it is. Oh, and that I have too much energy.

Person who influenced me the most: My late mother, Elizabeth Wood Franklin.

The book that influenced me the most in golf: “Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect” by Dr. Bob Rotella with Bob Cullen.

What I’m reading now: I enjoy cooking so I read lots of cookbooks and cooking magazines.

Best time of my life: When Charles and I went to Paris to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. 

My next goal: To lower my handicap to under 20.