From the desk of BTG - This is a bonus post for paid subscribers. I’ll be writing more of these in the future, probably 2-3 each month on top of the regular newsletter. Enjoy.

Coming from the tech and startup world, I see the recent parabolic growth of golf akin to raising VC money at an astronomical pre-money valuation. And now that the game has taken the money? There is no going back; continuous exponential growth is expected in every facet of the business. Headcount? Up only. Golf adopted a grow-at-all-costs mindset, and what happens when this becomes the mindset? Culture dilutes commensurately to each new employee onboarded. In golf, this dilution manifests as a shift away from the sport’s traditional values, raising questions about how to preserve its essence. The influx of new players, drawn by the allure of a trendy pastime, has stretched the sport’s identity thin, much like a startup overextending its brand in pursuit of market share. This rapid expansion risks eroding the quiet dignity that once defined every fairway and green, leaving us to wonder if golf’s soul can withstand the weight of its own popularity.