The Importance of Mentorship in the Golf Industry

By: Nikki Gatch - Aug 15, 2022

One of the discussion points during my Women’s Golf Summit session was on mentorship. This is something I’m extremely passionate about. I think it’s so important to find a good mentor (or several, if you’re so lucky!), no matter what you are doing, or what stage you are in with your life or career.

If you’re a player new to the game, find a mentor that can help “show you the ropes," so things don’t seem too overwhelming as you start your golf journey. If you are a competitive golfer (junior, college, amateur or professional), find a mentor that can help you achieve your goals. It’s important to have someone to help hold you accountable to your goals, navigate the ups and downs of your journey and always keep you focused and positive. If your mentor has gone down the same path as you, even better. Rely on and learn from the past experiences and advice of your mentor(s) to achieve your best results. And, if you are in, or are considering joining the golf industry, find a mentor that can help guide you, encourage you, push you and support you.

Mentors can really be the catalyst to your success. I have been extremely fortunate to have had wonderful mentors throughout my entire life and into my career. I’ve had mentors in each stage of my life and golf journey I mention above - from junior golf, to college and certainly during my career. I have my core mentors that I will always rely on for support, but you’ll also find that mentors may cross your path at different stages in your life or career. They were brought into your life for a reason, use them! I have no doubt that any of the success I’ve been fortunate to achieve would have not been possible without the guidance and support of my mentors.

And the most rewarding part of mentorship is when you find yourself in a position to become a mentor to someone else. There’s nothing more rewarding than coming full circle and being in a position to help someone else realize their own potential and achieve, or exceed, their goals.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

-Maya Angelou

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