But Why? The Curious Case of Growing the Game

“People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it” Simon Sinek 

As the dust settled on the 2024 Masters at Augusta, I studied my Twitter feed to take stock of the various musings and contentious takes by different Golf Journalists and Influencers. 

Before we examine one particularly contentious headline which generated plentiful debate, let’s take a minute to bring into the spotlight the profile of the man who actually won The Masters. 

Scottie Scheffler, World Number 1 of the Mens’ professional game. An enigmatic talent. A man proudly devoted to the Christian faith and a self-confessed family man. A man not afraid to publicly show emotion and shed tears for all the world to see, as was evidenced after his record defeat during the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Sat atop the leaderboard heading into the weekend and with his wife, Meredith, heavily pregnant at the time, Scheffler was quoted in the media as saying that, in the event of his wife going into labour whilst competing, he’d withdraw from The Masters to be at his wife’s side. 

Objectively, there is so much to admire and respect about Scottie Scheffler. He exudes a set of values which would surely make him a PR Exec’s dream and exactly the sort of person one could reasonably expect Golfing authorities to welcome as a poster boy to help “Grow the Game”. 

Well, not in the eyes of one Golf Influencer…

“This #TheMasters was the worst outcome possible for the @PGATOUR. Clearly your best player is one of your least marketable with the least star quality that has no interest in promoting the game or growing golf as far as I can tell.”

For starters, to suggest that the Number 1 ranked Golfer in the world, who offers all of the aforementioned qualities, isn’t marketable and lacks star appeal is a subjective statement, to say the very least. 

Yet, an especially curious part of this statement was the reference to “Growing the Game”. This is a concept which, for some time now, has generated scepticism and derision, especially as it relates to the Professional side of Golf. 

It’s a concept which seems to generate more questions than answers. 

For instance, what is meant by “Growing the Game”? How do we quantify and measure this? What level of dependency and importance are we attaching to the Professional game, to help achieve this outcome? What about other forms and expressions of Golf being played at the grass roots levels? Perhaps most importantly of all, WHY are we growing the game?  

Starting with WHY 

There is an ever growing plethora of Leadership gurus vying for your attention and willing you to buy their latest book or listen to their TED talk. One, however, who is well renowned for captivating and inspiring his followers is Simon Sinek.

In his book, “Start with Why”, Sinek observes that, whilst some of the most successful businesses around the world are excellent at describing WHAT they do and HOW they do it, they often fall short when articulating WHY they do it. Moreover, he goes on to state that, in times of economic crisis, it tends to be the businesses which can clearly articulate their WHY that stay the course and enjoy lasting success. 

So then, in the current quagmire that is Men’s professional Golf, what do the supposedly preeminent forces of the game outline as their WHY? 

Let’s start with the PGA Tour. On the “About Us” section of their website, one can find a short and sweet statement which reads as follows: 

“By showcasing golf's greatest players, we engage, inspire and positively impact our fans, partners and communities worldwide”

Meanwhile, over at LIV Golf, the equivalent page on their website is far more expansive.  The below excerpt is particularly pertinent:

“Golf is a sport full of existing traditions. The LIV Golf League intends to create new ones through our innovative and transformational approach. We believe our new format will bring fans closer to the game and generate fresh levels of excitement for the sport.”

For the discerning reader, when comparing the two mission statements side by side, it is quite clear which of these two organizations have, at the very least, tried to articulate their WHY.

“Growing the Game” - Finding your WHY

As already alluded to, finding a cohesive and coherent definition of “Growing the Game” is fraught with complexity. When immersed in mainstream Golf media, one can be forgiven for believing that the Professional game holds the master key to Golf’s growth. 

However, when we cast our net wider to consider some of the alternative expressions and formats of Golf which are trending upwards, we start to get a more wholesome sense of what “Growing the Game” means. In the most recent edition of the PGA’s Golf Business Quarterly magazine, it was reported that, in the UK and Republic of Ireland, the number of people playing Golf or consuming Golf media has risen from 22.4 million people in July 2022, to 24 million in October 2023.

So then, who can we look to as role model examples and key protagonists in driving this growth? One shining example is Anthony Blackburn, founder of Golf in Society and a recent guest of ours on the GYH podcast. In his recent feature interview in the PGA GBQ magazine, Anthony explains his WHY behind starting Golf in Society:

“My Father was my inspiration behind Golf in Society. He died 16 years ago and had been a huge sports fan all his life. All he needed towards the end of his life was a little help to keep enjoying it. Following his diagnosis, we used to play a few holes together, then it became a few putts (…) The positive effect that had on my Dad got me thinking that there must be lots of other people out there who just need a little support to keep enjoying Golf when a challenge comes their way later in life”

Founded in the belief that Golf can transform people’s lives, Anthony and his team have turned that belief into action by putting Golf clubs at the heart of local communities. Through the delivery of tailored golf sessions for those living with chronic illnesses such as Dementia and Parkinson’s, the aim is to inspire people to live a happier and healthier life, through the power of Golf. 

From its fledgling and modest beginnings in 2016, Golf in Society has since delivered over 2,000 inclusive Golf sessions and partnered with over 20 Golf venues across the UK. In the process, they’ve not only introduced a new generation of Golfers to the game, they’ve also delivered much needed respite to the unpaid carers, often spouses or other family members who provide full-time care to their loved ones. 

In my recent conversation with him on the GYH podcast, I asked Anthony about the key to his success:

“Remember WHY you started and keep doing the right thing, for the right reason… and I believe amazing things really do happen”

The GYH WHY 

Having critiqued various other Golf brands and analysed their mission statements, perhaps I should hold up the mirror to myself and, in turn, to Golf Yourself Healthy. 

One of my core values is Wellbeing. Having personally lived with Depression and Anxiety for several years now, I have made it my mission to continuously seek out ways in which I can improve my mental and physical health. Wherever I see others placing importance on and prioritising their Wellbeing, I find it inspiring. It helps me to connect with them on a deeper level and to find companionship and solace in our shared experiences.

As a conduit to improving my Wellbeing, I have found that Golf is good for me. It’s been a form of a therapy, whereby no matter what I’m going through at any given point in time, I almost always walk off the golf course feeling mentally,  physically and spiritually fitter than I did when I set foot on the first tee.  

This has never rung truer for me, since losing and grieving for my son, Innes. Getting out on the course and having a place to be alone with my thoughts and to remember him, has been restorative and a vital part of my grieving and healing journey. 

Another thing I deeply value in all areas of my life, as well as in Golf, is Inclusivity. Why do I value this? In my early experiences of playing Golf, I have felt unwelcome and undervalued within certain Golfing environments. I don’t want others who are new to the game, or thinking of taking it up, to have the same experience I did. I want to give back and to make a difference.

Which leads us to the creation of Golf Yourself Healthy. From its inception, GYH has been built on the belief that Golf is Good for You. It is also our belief that Golf is not as accessible, diverse and inclusive as it can be. Through the power of storytelling and community spirit, we seek to get the word out to the masses about the health and wellbeing benefits of Golf. We break down barriers, challenge the status quo and dismantle the notion that Golf is for an elite few. 

When people tune in to the GYH podcast, or they read the latest instalment of the GYH Journal, they are invited into a world of human stories, which by their very essence are candid, honest, humourous and vulnerable. Most of all, they seek to inspire you to be a better Golfer and an even better human being. 

Whilst at this early stage on our GYH growth journey, it is difficult to quantify the impact of our HOW and our WHAT, we at least know WHY we want to “Grow the Game”. 

Kris Lynch, April 2024