One of the four principles of growth is the principle of hierarchical integration. Hierarchical integration states that simple skills typically develop separately and independently but that these simple skills are integrated into more complex ones.
With this understanding, I began to think about how “Golf. My Future. My Game.” could better engage the broader golf industry. Our mission is to create strategic alliances and initiatives for the education and career development in the sport and business of golf to work with communities of color. We believe this will open doors and bring opportunities while creating a platform for a greater comfort level with the game and industry of golf.
Diversity is an issue that continues to plague the industry, from players and advertisers to suppliers. However, I admit that the golf industry has recognized its limitations. We are now working with many community-based golf organizations, including many recipients of the Grassroots Grants Program – a golf coalition and grassroots grants program – launched in May 2021 and designed by the American Golf Industry Coalition to increase participation among underrepresented people in the sport.
Another example of the industry working with communities of color is their involvement with the 2nd annual African American Golf Expo and Forum. Last week, the Expo and Forum held its annual event in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2021, the inaugural Expo and Forum witnessed American Soul Brothers BBQ becoming a supplier to Invited (Club-Corp), leading to a partnership between the two entities.
We need the African American Golf Expo and Forum because the game of golf has historically struggled with inclusivity. From exclusive country clubs with discriminatory membership policies to overwhelmingly male and white participants, the sport has had difficulty attracting more diverse players and fans to the game for decades. Most importantly, the staff, partners, and suppliers of these sporting events, clubs, and companies also lack a commitment to diversity. And while we could quickly point fingers at the biggest entities in the industry like the PGA Tour, the question would be, what does that solve?
We know the history all too well; golf was the last major American sport to desegregate when the PGA of America lifted its’ “whites-only” clause in 1961. And despite having a global, game-changing sporting icon in Tiger Woods that should have allowed the PGA Tour – which organizes the main professional tours played in the US – to reach new, diverse audiences. Yet, today, only two African American players are currently ranked in the top 150 in the world.
There are fewer top Black golfers on the PGA Tour now than in the 25 years before Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in 1996. This begs the question, for the golf industry to remain competitive, how will the golf industry and other entities augment their commitments?
Our organization focuses on strategic initiatives for education and career development in the sport of golf by targeting women, millennials, communities of color, and kids. We work to foster greater diversity in both the business and sport of golf. A key component to this growth is the principle of hierarchical integration, which states that simple skills typically develop separately and independently but that these simple skills are integrated into more complex ones.
Many say the industry’s failure to engage and support more diverse players, employees, advertisers, and suppliers is alarming. In our work, we hope to open doors and bring opportunities for people of color in the golf industry while creating a platform for a greater comfort level with the game and industry of golf. We are now working with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and many community-based golf organizations, including several recipients of the Grassroots Grants Program.
Golf. My Future. My Game. and the African American Golf Expo are committed to raising the level of the rhetoric, reports, and blog posts on websites through educational outreach, economic opportunity, mentorships, and coaching. We are committed to augmenting inclusivity across all aspects of the game. The question is, will others in the industry stand with us?
Craig Kirby is president and founder of Golf. My Future. My Game. Founded in 2008 by Craig, the non-profit organization is committed to strategically increasing leveraged opportunities and mitigating challenges to the popularity, profitability, and sustainability of the sport of golf. In short, fostering greater diversity in the game of golf. Based in Washington, DC, its mission is to create strategic alliance initiatives for education and career development in the sport of golf.
