Does Golf have a Generational Glass Ceiling?

As we find ourselves in turbulent times, the future of golf is both exciting and daunting. It’s been a time to take stock and reflect with industry peers on what has actually changed forever and what we expect to change in the future.

Many hypotheses have been formed and will be tested over the coming months and years. As an internal optimist I’ve always focused on the positives, the opportunities and always tried to look forward. 

Sometimes however, there are emerging trends that you turn a blind eye to and fail to discuss as you don’t want to rain on the parade! These trends simmer away but when it starts slapping you in the face, you cannot ignore it any longer.

What we’ve seen in many cases is the pandemic is amplifying trends especially those that were on a collision course.

One such trend is the career glass ceiling.

As someone who speaks to a lot of people across the industry in many countries and sectors, the trend has been chipping away at me for a long time. Early in my career I loved seeing people break through barriers, climb the career ladder and set new norms where if you are good enough, you are old enough! But 10 years later, this generation seem stuck as the golf industry simply cannot cater professionally or financially for their needs. A victim of their own success?

I know, I know as you go up any career pyramid the top roles become fewer and in an industry like golf that is going to be inevitable. But when you scratch the surface a bit more, it seems we have seen a seismic shift in the structures within golf in the last 10 years. 

Firstly, many careers have been expedited through the education pathways created in the early 2000’s. There seemed to be a general education shift to vocational skills with a number of universities opening golf management programs. This created a flow into the market of ambitious graduates looking to forge a successful career in golf. This signalled that golf was a career rather than something you fall into.

A further element compounding the glass ceiling seems to be the lack of growth in golf generally. As participation numbers have plateaued so has the investment. Golf hasn’t seen the emergence of many disruptive brands or employers that are growing at a rate of knots. The general landscape has looked similar for the last 20 years.

This potentially poses the question: is working in the golf industry now a young person's game? Ironic isn't it? Could an industry stuck with the stigma of being an old person's world actually be restricted by a glass ceiling where a long-term career in golf is challenging as you run out of roadway?

There’s no doubt that this seems to have been exacerbated by covid as it’s shrunk the employment pyramid, but the biggest repercussion from the global pandemic is that a lot of c-level individuals have become stranded with a general lack of leadership roles available. It’s a really sad sight and frustrating given their experience and knowledge, but I suppose golf is not alone in that challenge.

I am not sure whether this is just a life lesson where people before in golf have seen this and people in golf to come will also see it, but with the recalibration of career pathways, it definitely feels more prominent. Either way, it creates a bit of a bleak picture.

So…let’s get back to my natural optimist side! 

For me this is a bit of a glass half full view topic, however with market forces and evolution, new opportunities and pathways will open up. What they will be is the billion-dollar question, but change is coming. Facilities will come up for sale, new lean start ups will challenge the current incumbents and the value proposition of golf has started to break through to wider society.

The unknown can be scary but let’s discuss it rather than sweep it under the carpet! And let’s also view this from a different angle. 

If I were to say we can break down the governance barriers, inject investment into golf, create a golfing economy that embraces innovation and stimulates new business venture, would this break the ceiling? Hypothetically, if this came into existence, does our industry have the right people to deliver to create a new reality? For me it’s a resounding yes.

We need to find a way to create a new tier or dimension to our industry, we need to galvanise and get the right people in the room, we need to develop models that make golf commercially attractive for outside investors. If we do that, smashing the glass ceiling won't be immediate, but it will certainly begin to raise it.

Like all things this is a topic that has many layers, however if we can empower change it will create opportunity. Far fewer victims and a much more vibrant career potential.

Let me know if you’ve felt the glass ceiling, whether this is just life, or do you buy into the potential new reality that could be created?

Comment and share your thoughts with the community!