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For players who compete in our 15 USGA championships or one of our international team competitions each year, our goal is to ensure their experiences are best-in-class, making memories they will look back on long after their playing days are over.
This experience comes to life in different ways for different championships, and requires significant investments. But the one common thread is our mission to ensure the players can focus all their efforts on competing for some of the game’s most coveted titles while having the experience of a lifetime.
We often say that no two days are alike when it comes to Player Relations. In addition to providing key services on-site, we also serve as the first point of contact for players at the USGA.
Depending on the player, we can be a travel consultant, family concierge, sports psychologist or sounding board – sometimes all in the same conversation! When players reach out, we want to be a resource, so they have a direct line of communication into the USGA.
That communication often starts well in advance of a championship, particularly one of our Opens. Some of the topics we cover are logistical basics – Lexus courtesy cars, accommodations, player guest credentials. But we think through the entire week for players and their guests from the time they arrive in town to the minute they leave.
We talk a lot as a group about the player journey. We get to know many of these players when they are still teenagers, competing in one of our junior championships or now, as part of the U.S. National Development Program. We want them to feel like they are part of the USGA family. It is a privilege and a great responsibility.
The most gratifying moments often come at the end of a championship. Seeing a player raise a trophy, having it sink in as they share an intimate moment with family and friends, is thrilling. For those who come up short, we do everything possible to ensure they feel our support and recognition of their worthy accomplishments.
It is a thrill to work with a great team, doing work that you genuinely care about. With that in mind, we are grateful to be able to serve the game and its players.