
The Playbook | No. 42
A year out of college, stuck in a job going nowhere. Three months later, he’s behind the scenes of brand meetings, building systems, closing partnerships, and learning how the golf industry actually works.
This is the playbook no one teaches you.
“Your career doesn’t start with a job, it starts with a connection.”
The Playbook | Insider POV
I was on autopilot
It had been one year since I graduated from college. I had a degree in business and film, but I wasn’t doing anything interesting with it. I was working a job to pay the bills, and not much else.
I had always been interested in golf, media, and their intersection. So I scrolled LinkedIn every day, looking for opportunities. At first, I scrolled mindlessly; then, I scrolled with intention. That’s when I was introduced to Terence and Impact Golf Studios.
On a Zoom call in October 2025, Terence shared his vision with me:
A growth accelerator for emerging golf brands.
Branded content featuring local creators.
The Training Camp content series.
And the Cactus Club, an Arizona golf community built around live events, exclusive course deals for members, and a quarterly tournament to bring the valley’s golf sickos together in one competition.
Some of these business concepts were already in action and flourishing. Others were still just ideas. Terence just needed one employee to help bring it all together.
Luckily for me, I was open to work.
In January 2026, I officially joined Impact Golf Studios. I got to work right away.
Terence gave me a crash course on the whole business and the tools we’d need to be successful: Beehiv, Notion, Parfour, etc.
I built out a production plan for our Training Camp series. A pipeline to keep track of potential partners and meaningful contacts. Email templates, pitch decks, social media graphics, you name it. I became the quiet engine behind Terence’s brands.
Then we went full tilt on outreach.
Over the past three months, Terence and I have met with more than 50 companies and brands within and adjacent to the golf industry.
Some meetings led to immediate partnerships, event sponsorships, and plans to shoot content.
Other meetings set us up for future conversations.
One thing became immediately clear: Connection is the key to building a successful business in the golf world.
And the full circle moment?
None of this would have happened if I hadn’t made the decision last year to connect with Terence on LinkedIn.
For college students and young grads looking to get into the golf industry, it can be difficult even to know where to start.
Should I work a job at a golf facility and work my way up?
Do I need an internship with a big golf brand? Are PING and Titleist hiring?
What if I want to work in media? Or do golf content? Or marketing?
Am I already too far behind my peers?
I can’t answer all of these questions, but I can answer the last one: You are not too far behind, and it’s never too late to start.
I spent my college years interning at production companies making independent films. My early post-grad career took me to ticket sales. Now, I spend my days working in the sport that I’ve loved since I was old enough to pick up a club.
Was a clear career path laid out for me to get here?
Not at all.
I reached out to someone doing what I wanted to do, made a connection, and now I’m learning the industry from the inside at Impact Golf Studios.
My advice to young people aspiring to break into the golf industry:
Figure out what you’re interested in.
Identify who’s doing it.
Get some time on their calendar.
You never know which LinkedIn connection or coffee chat will lead you to your dream job…
What you missed last week:
The Playbook | News
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The Playbook | Career
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The Playbook | Report

Golf isn’t just a sport anymore: it’s an economy.
Impact Report Vol. 1 breaks down how fandom, data, and culture are shaping golf’s $25B future. From sponsorship ROI to fan value, this quarterly deep dive gives operators and founders the edge they’ve been missing.
The Playbook | Insider

Parker Spillane is one of the top emerging marketing professionals in the golf industry. After attending St. Anslem College, Parker joined Pinned Golf in 2023 as a Marketing Manager.
Since Parker began her role as Marketing Manager, Pinned has been featured in Forbes, won a 2025 PGA Show award for Best New Product, and surpassed 250,000 active users.
The Playbook | Gift
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