By Harvey Silverman, Silverback Golf Marketing, old white man, golfer
By Craig Kessler, Director, Governmental Affairs, SCGA, old white man, golfer
Part One of our article focused on how an “inflection point” signifies a “change, a turning point, a shift of direction.” Our country faces an inflection point now, borne of racial and societal reckonings piled upon the multi-layered impacts of COVID-19.
But we’re here to talk about golf, to explore whether the golf industry can create an inflection point of its own regarding diversity and inclusion with strategies and recommendations that benefit golf course operators or is fated to ignore it, like a certain upcoming “Golf Strategy Summit.”
Diversity and inclusion, abbreviated as D&I, is a multi-dimensional issue crossing societal, cultural, racial, and business ideologies and practices. Google it – you’ll find page after page of references.
We Zoomed five interviews with leaders of color who have on their own, and with varying degrees of success, achieved palpable results for communities of color that want and love to do one thing – play golf. They include:
- Azucena Maldonado, Founder, Latina Golfers Association. azu@latinagolfers.com, latinagolfers.com/what-we-do/.
- Tiffany Fitzgerald, Founder, and CEO, Black Girls Golf. tiffany@blackgirlsgolf.net, blackgirlsgolf.net/
- Clemmie Perry, Executive Director, Women of Color Golf. cperry@womenofcolorgolf.org, www.womenofcolorgolf.org/
- Michael Cooper, Chairman, WE ARE GOLF Diversity Task Force, mcooper2@springfieldcollege.edu
- Renee Powell, LPGA/PGA Pro, Clearview GC, Canton, OH. rpowell@clearviewgolfclub.com, www.clearviewgolfclub.com/
But first, a few vital statistics. NGF reported 4.3 million “non-Caucasian” (includes Latino, Black, and Asian) golfers in 2018, from a total of 24.2 million, or about 18%. Unfortunately, NGF has not published counts specific to each race. Compared to the entire U.S. golf population, the average age of non-Caucasian golfers is considerably younger, 37.9 vs. 44.6 years, and household incomes are virtually the same, slightly more than $100K. However, the average number of rounds played by non-Caucasians falls well short of the entire golf population, 13.1 vs. 17.9. Can you say, “growth opportunity?” We think you can.
So, to the question at hand: How do we sew diversity and inclusion into “grow the game” initiatives at the green grass level that might actually work? The two white boomers authoring this article listened to the “experts” in the matter and learned from comments that ranged from deeply personal and revealing to enlightening and commonsensical. Their insights provide practical business advice that the game’s normative leadership organizations have been hard-pressed to match.
First, we must extinguish preconceived notions that because golf came to American shores as an elitist pursuit of the rich, it is a pursuit that people of color aren’t interested in pursuing. Golf wasn’t the only game with an “all Caucasian” clause. But like all the others, it is at its core a game and a great game at that. Quite simply, people of color love the game of golf for the same reasons that peoples across the globe love the game. And they love it here in America despite that love often being an unrequited one. They embrace golf even though it doesn’t always embrace them, and they proselytize its virtues to communities of color, nonetheless.
Like grassroots political community organizers, leaders of color Azucena Maldonado, Tiffany Fitzgerald, Clemmie Perry, and Dr. Renee Powell, whose family OWNS a golf course, have taken the initiative and single-handedly created and built organizations to promote the game of golf and all the benefits it offers. Fitzgerald is a presenter at NGCOA's upcoming Golf Business RevCon 2020. Dr. Michael Cooper chairs the WE ARE GOLF Diversity Task Force, whose purpose is “to be a catalyst for making golf look like America.” Dr. Cooper counsels, mentors grassroots community leaders, and sits on boards of local and national organizations with a personal goal of connecting them to golf industry leaders. We provide their email addresses so you can reach out to them for advice and introductions.
Their message: People and groups of color welcome with open arms any golf course operator who comes and meets with them, and provides opportunities to meet, learn, and play. Golf courses have something they want, and groups of color have something to offer – more business.
Strategies
Images count. Seeing more people of color at a golf course starts with employment. There is nothing we can do about an abundance of white golfers lining the fairways, and they get that. But seeing, meeting, and getting to know a staff member in the golf shop or an instructor on the practice range goes a long way toward creating an inclusive, warm, and welcoming environment. Already have a diverse staff? Let’s see them. Headshots with names and maybe a short bio on your website can open a door and invite others like them to do business at your course.
Groups of color are out there, waiting to meet and do business with you. Ever hear of the Black Golf Directory? The African American Golf Expo? Neither had we. You don’t even have to Google others; the NGCOA has a new Diversity and Inclusion Center online that lists groups and businesses of color for easy reference. The challenging part, if you are not a person of color, is stepping out of your comfort zone to contact and meet with groups and businesses in your area. Everyone likes to be invited. Remember, you have something they want, and they bring something you need. It isn’t uncommon for relationships of common interest to graduate to relationships much deeper and enriching than simple interest – reaching for the good while doing well as it were.
Caddie programs were once a traditional entre to golf for youths of all shapes and colors, displaced in large part by motorized golf cars and lesser part by well-meaning labor laws. Reintroducing caddie programs, especially at urban public golf courses, would bring a wealth of benefits to kids, golfers, golf courses, and the communities in which they are located. Does your course host a First Tee facility? Take a look at what Green Valley Ranch in Denver, CO, does: https://www.gvrgolf.com/online-tee-times/take-a-caddie-pay-only-a-tip. The course pays the kids a set rate based on their classification, plus whatever money they get in tips. If you don’t host a First Tee and there is either one nearby or another laudable junior developmental program, talk with them about launching a caddie program. But do check your state’s labor laws first.
Is it time to re-brand the name of your course? According to the Internet Golf Course Database (IGDB), there are 86 U.S. golf facilities with the word “plantation” in their name; and 121 with “Indian.” Lord knows how many have logos depicting racial images. Re-branding is an expensive and time-consuming project. But at what cost future business? Just ask “The Washington Football Team” and FedEx, or “Squaw Valley.” Be a leader or get left behind.
Lack of resources from national, state, and local non-profit golf organizations has hindered the growth of a more diverse golf population. Clemmie Perry told us, “We’ve never received even a sleeve of balls from a golf organization.” That’s an indictment no one in the golf industry wants to hear from someone whose organization has accomplished so much for the game.
Here is how the NGCOA might begin to move an industry mired in confusion about how to put deeds to its heartfelt words about desiring greater diversity and inclusion to one that charts a more productive course:
- Enlist current and future sponsors to contribute to a diversity grant fund and create a fundraising effort for the cause.
- Enlist NGCOA members who raise their hands and commit to using diversity grant funds under a strategy developed by NGCOA in conjunction with groups of color.
- Enroll the groups of color in a unique category that gives them visibility to the membership and helps facilitate introductions.
- Monitor and track how funds are used according to the established strategies.
- Push forward to the PGA and Reed Exhibitions, a special minority business section at the next live PGA Merchandise Show. Likewise, invite them to the next live Golf Business Conference. The first year – gratis.
One of the themes that echoed in every one of our interviews was the issue of golf’s “culture.” More specifically, that ingrained cultures don’t change by virtue of issuing goals, directives, or press releases, but only by the much harder work of coming to terms with past practice and taking overt/conscious steps to overcome it. Call it a reckoning, or an “inflection point” if you will. Or even a phrase sure to incite controversy – “affirmative action,” which if understood by its initial promulgators as proactive steps taken in pursuit of stated goals as opposed to the “quotas” and/or “reverse discriminations” of its later detractors, is what we think our interviewees were getting at.
More simply put, ingrained practices never change by fiat; they only change through acts.