Raising the Par Fore Women in Business

It is no secret that golf is highly regarded as the unofficial sport of business professionals. It's where industry leaders and other movers and shakers go to build, foster and maintain healthy business relationships.

Yet, women are less often seen in these spaces.

As a female leader, I feel it is part of my duty to challenge that narrative. With this in mind, I decided, alongside my colleague and friend Tina Sparrow, a senior business development executive at OneDigital, to host regular golf clinics that focused on creating a fun environment where like-minded women would have the opportunity to learn the basics of golf without feeling intimidated for their lack of experience. We wanted to show women that it is okay to take that time to build their skills and confidence.

Last summer alone, we hosted five clinics, one every other week, with a great turnout. For an hour, we received hands-on training from a professional golf instructor, while networking with other female leaders in the community. This became a great opportunity to get women out of the office and teach them a skill that is increasingly becoming more useful in business.

It may seem trivial, but having business discussions during a golf game is not simply reserved for Fortune 500 executives. In certain industries, career advancement can mean an increase in invitations to attend casual golf outings and tournaments. By declining these invitations, you may be excluding yourself from the conversations that take place and the potential for relationships that are built on the course.

One of the attendees from last summer’s golf clinic shared that although she did not know everyone,

The group atmosphere put me at ease right away. And being around individuals who truly encouraged each other, not only to be there but to tell them they are amazing was great. This made me look forward to each outing and ultimately helped me conquer some things in my personal and professional life I thought were not possible.”

It’s exciting to see women come together to support one another. Not only did they gain skills on the course, but they also walked away with personal and professional skills by networking and stepping outside their comfort zone. Although it’s only March, we are getting inquiries for this summer’s course!

The time has never been better for women in business to raise their hands, seize opportunities and see what they can achieve. You will never know how far you can go if you don’t put yourself out there. You don’t have to be good at it, either! Just be willing to go out and give it a try.

Learn more about how OneDigital’s female leaders are represented across the country and download the Infographic: Celebrating Women in Business at OneDigital.