U-S-G-A: A vision for the future

The situation

The United States Golf Association (USGA) is a multi-faceted organization which serves the game of golf: recreational, competitive and professional golfers, agronomists, golf course owners, golf fans, and other constituents. Amid incredible growth in interest and participation in the game, along with a recent transition in executive leadership, the USGA recognized the opportunity to reset its strategic outlook and better communicate its unique role within the complex golf ecosystem. Queue Deloitte as a trusted advisor of the USGA.

The solve

To move through the strategic journey, Deloitte first needed to help the USGA’s executive leadership team define their long-term priorities and winning aspirations. With the game experiencing tremendous growth, while at the same time facing long-term challenges that are critical for the USGA to address, the USGA and its leaders aimed to establish a strategy that will not only capitalize on the growth potential, but also set a clear pathway in its efforts to ensure the health of the game 20, 50, and 100 years into the future.

Through interviews and workshops across the organization, Deloitte then helped to identify perceived targets, areas of opportunity, and challenges – both at the executive leadership level, as well as across varying levels and functions of the organization. Across an array of audiences and stakeholders the USGA impacts, there is also a wide variety of initiatives and solutions the USGA provides. This includes grassroots programs, major events, research and publications, golf course management products, the nation’s most comprehensive collection of golf memorabilia, and the oldest sports museum. Deloitte helped to identify key priorities, align organizational goals, and bring cross-industry learnings to foster a golfer-centric mindset. The work ultimately led to the development of the USGA purpose statement:

Collectively these four strategic pillars embody the impact that the USGA aspires to make, and they serve as a guidepost to ensure that initiatives, programming, and investment are prioritized within these core categories.

The impact

The impact of Deloitte’s strategic work with the USGA can be seen across multiple fronts. From the enhancement of digital properties to modernizing the membership program and implementing new programming focused on advancing sustainability and inclusivity in the sport. The sharpened strategic focus and vision aims to help the USGA remain the leading voice in golf, today and in the future.