What is Make Golf Your Thing?
In 2020, the golf industry united together to address two simultaneous opportunities: how to bring greater diversity to our sport and how to build on the momentum that golf has experienced since the pandemic began. A year later, “Make Golf Your Thing” was launched as a collaborative effort across the golf industry to ensure the future of golf is open to everyone.
This multi-faceted, multi-year campaign invites people to the sport from all backgrounds to enjoy the game of a lifetime in their own way.
Inviting people from all backgrounds to this game starts at the point of play by ensuring inclusion and accessibility to all. Make Golf Your Game remains focused on finding facilities, instructors, and operators who’ve adopted the practices of the inclusion guidelines and to bring awareness to their DEI resources. The Education & Skill Development work group is dedicated to bringing newcomers and those interested in the game to inclusive environments, where they can learn the game of golf and feel welcomed while doing it. Resources and information will be made available through the ADM search engine for those seeking it.
Youth and Adult Player Development Subgroup
The Youth and Adult Player Development Subgroup works to bolster community-based programs that are authentically engaging consumers from diverse backgrounds. Focused on supporting community-based programs and consumers, the youth & adult player development work group created the Grassroots Grants program. Phase IV of the program will distribute $750,000 to grassroots organizations committed to exposing underrepresented groups to the game.
Grassroots Grants program
The Grassroots Grants program, is centered around the development of a location-based directory of these golf programs for consumers of all abilities wishing to participate further in the sport. This ADM directory is available on the Home Page for users to find golf programs near them.
Make Golf Your Career works to identify, attract, and engage more talent from diverse backgrounds through an industry-wide job portal for golf industry employers and potential job seekers. The goal of the Talent Acquisition work group is to drive employers to the industry-wide job portal and reach and engage an audience of job seekers who will bring their diverse backgrounds to the golf http://makegolfyourcareer.org/industry. This job portal links directly to the industry partner’s career page and create a one-stop shop for employers and potential candidates.
Make Golf Your Business is dedicated to the creation of a diverse supplier database connecting minority-owned businesses to golf courses, tournaments, and industry leads. With the establishment of the VRAConnect.org supplier portal, industry leaders like the PGA TOUR, LPGA, PGA of America, USGA, & NGCOA can connect with vendors, content creators, apparel brands, and more. The supplier portal provides businesses a new opportunity to introduce their goods & services to the golf industry by registering their business at VRAConnect.org.