Announcer: Welcome to Business Life 360 with Kristi K., where we get to know thought leaders and innovators trends and impact in the world of business.

And we see firsthand how business and life have evolved.

And now helping us all learn, lead and grow is our host, Kristi K. Kristi K: Hello, I'm Kristi K. Business Life 360 is at the intersection of business and life.

On this episode, we go inside the business and life of World-Class Golf.

I sit down with women's professional golf icon Morgan Pressel.

You'll meet up close and in studio one of the nation's leading golf course groundskeepers.

And I chat with three legends in women's golf.

All true friends who have been together on the road for a combined 81 years.

So as we talk with some of the greatest female golfers of all time and discuss friendships, world class golf, course management and tournament life, the intersection of business and life is evident.

Whether you're a seasoned golfer, news of the sport or a fan of the game, get ready to get a closer look at the business and life of golf.

So kick back, relax and come along with me.

This is Business Life 360.

(Music) Announcer: Business life 360 with Kristi K. is made possible by ProMedica, a locally owned, nationally recognized, not for profit health care network that has a strong commitment to clinical excellence, providing safe, high quality patient care and addressing social issues that impact health.

The John B and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation at the University of Toledo.

Developing lifelong leaders for the world of business.

And by the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, also by viewers like you.

Thank you.

Kristi K: In the world of professional athletes, Morgan Pressel is legendary.

She is the youngest ever female golfer to qualify for a U.S. Open at the age of 12.

She has been top five in the world rankings and is one of the youngest female golfers ever to win a major event at age 18.

Now, with decades on the course, she also can be seen on the Golf Channel as a commentator.

I'm honored to have the privilege of sitting down with Morgan Pressel to talk professional golf and life.

Morgan, thanks so much for being in Business Life 360.

Morgan Pressel: I'm excited to be here.

Thank you for having me.

Kristi K: So, Morgan, you qualified for a women's U.S Open when you were 12 years old.

What do you remember about that experience?

Morgan Pressel: Oh, goodness.

That was such a whirlwind for me.

I had only been playing golf for about four years at the time, and my grandfather was the one who got me into the game and really encouraged me in the sport.

And when he told me that I was playing in a U.S. Open qualifier, I was kind of like, Why?

Like, why?

And he goes, oh, just for experience.

No big deal.

You know, it doesn't matter.

And I qualified.

It was just like I was I had no expectations.

I mean, I was a young kid who thought I could play some golf, but to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open and at age 12, I definitely didn't expect that.

But after that moment, playing in the U.S. Open was really when I decided, OK, this is a really, really cool and this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.

My early teens was a rough time in my life.

My mother was battling breast cancer, ended up losing her battle to breast cancer when I was 14.

So, you know, but she always instilled in me to give one hundred and twenty percent all the time work hard and always inspired me to be the best.

Kristi K: When we talk about tournaments, you've won your share of tournaments for sure.

Talk to us about some of those tournaments, maybe some that have some special meaning for you and even numbers.

How many of you won?

You probably lost track with all of those.

Morgan Pressel: Well, on my professional career, I've had a few big victories.

Definitely winning the Ayna Inspiration Major Championship as my as my first victory was probably the highlight of my professional golfing career.

One of actually my biggest and most memorable victories is winning the women's am.

I had accomplished a lot in amateur golf and was ready to turn pro.

had made that decision.

And then to win the women's Amma's.

It was very special.

Kristi K: So let's talk to now about Solheim Cup.

Is it just everything you would think it would be, the hype and all of that as you kind of go overseas and also when it's back in the US?

What's it like?

Morgan Pressel: Yeah, there's there's really nothing like it.

I've played for Solheim perhaps overseas and two in the States and and both are different and equally as awesome and so much fun.

And we play an individual sport.

So getting the opportunity to team up with your country, women and actually be partners on the golf course and play together as a team.

And there's so much pride that's involved for all of us and an honor to wear our country's colors red, white and blue.

And here have chant, have fans really cheering for you.

The atmosphere, the Solheim Cup is so unlike any other tournament that we play.

I say it's more like a football match.

You know, I'll play it like literally one team against another, which you don't have on any other type of a golf tournament.

Kristi K: Now, you mentioned your foundation, Morgan.

Tell us more about that.

Morgan Pressel: Yeah, my my foundation, we started it It's been almost about 15 years now.

As a golfer, the natural fit is to have a golf tournament, to raise money for our charity, which is the Morgan Pressel Foundation, which predominantly which actually exclusively raises money for breast cancer initiatives in South Florida.

We're really into early detection.

That is any way that we can really get out to the community encourage them to get their yearly checkups, their yearly mammograms, and really stay on top of their health.

That's a big push for us.

Kristi K: What are some of the most maybe difficult challenges you faced as you've been a professional athlete in this business of golf, if you will?

Morgan Pressel: You have to be on your game.

There is the tiniest difference between winning a tournament and finishing 30th these days.

You know, the talent is so strong on tour and you reall have to be on top of your game all the time and nobody can be.

That's not physically possible for anybody to be on top of their game all the time.

But the grind is definitely one of the toughest things about the challenge of golf.

And even the business of golf is the mental grind you lose in golf a lot more than you win.

And that can take a mental toll, especially if you're really struggling.

I mean, beyond that, travel travel is tough.

We travel an international schedule, so all over the place Covid has made that exponentially more challenging and it can be lonely.

You know, a lot of times we're traveling by ourselves.

We have friends on tour and you try.

Hang up at Covid, of course, again.

We were not able to do that for a while, so I say that was a tough, really tough stretch of of your life.

Kristi K: Now, you are also doing some commentating now.

How is that in comparison to you being on the course and playing?

Morgan Pressel: Yeah, it's different.

It's a challenge.

It's a different type of a challenge.

You know, I'd say I've worked my whole life to be a professional golfer.

And suddenly, you know, I've decided to kind of go down a little bit of a path of broadcasting and learn some of that business And I didn't go to broadcasting school or do much.

You know, I reached out to certainly a lot of people who who have been very helpful, but kind of jumping in, you know, to the deep end and a new field now.

Yes, I've been around golf my whole life.

Sure.

But, you know, the television side is definitely a little bit different.

I just.

But I've really enjoyed it.

The team that I've worked with at NBC Sports and Golf Channel have been wonderful.

And it's just it's been a great learning experience.

Kristi K: OK, thanks so much, Morgan.

And we'll be back in a little bit for some quick hits.

Next step behind the scenes of every great golf course and world class tournament is the precision of a master groundskeeper.

With me here in studio is John Zimmers, otherwise known as Z.

He's renowned as one of the most talented golf course groundskeep the country at the historic nationally recognized Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

John Zimmers, it's great to have you here on Business Life 360.

John Zimmers: It's great to be here.

Kristi K: So, listen, you are at Inverness Club.

Give us some background on this prestigious club and kind of what the distances with the type of club it is and how long you've been there.

John Zimmers: Well, let me start with how long I've been there.

So I've been here about five years.

And when you think of Inverness, you think of the history.

So it's over a hundred years old.

Many, many championships.

And to me, it's just the anchor of Toledo.

Kristi K: It really is.

And World-Class, now, you've had many tournaments at the club.

Tell us a listing, if you would, of some of the tournaments at Inverness has hosted.

John Zimmers: Well, I'll probably miss a few along the way because they've had so many.

But really the one that stands out is started in 1920, the first U.S. Open, and then it just progressed as they went through and had more U.S. opens and had several PGA events in some intercollegiate events.

And just recently, we've had a lineup of the junior amateur and then the girls or the women, I should say, girls and women, I should say, are the drive on championship, which was the Covid year, which was quite, you know, challenging.

And then, of course, we had the Solheim Cup, which was probably one of my favorite championships I've ever done.

Kristi K: But so, generally speaking, as a groundskeeper and someone who is really in charge of the presentation of the course to players and members of a club, what are some of the hallmarks of a golf course of an excellent kind of high caliber course?

John Zimmers: Well, I think you think about golf holes and then, you know, are there great golf holes, memorable golf holes the entire time or are there some weak golf balls?

So I think when you look at the championship golf courses, you know, it's really about the first hole in the 18th or how do they all stack up.

And that's usually how you get judged upon hosting championships.

Kristi K: You and I have talked before about the beginning, the middle and the end of a large tournament and kind of that preparation that is involved.

Yeah.

Give us an understanding of the number of hours, the amount of staff, what is happening when you're preparing for a world class tournament to take place at, say, Inverness Club?

John Zimmers: Well, I mean, it's true.

It's really and I tell the club this in the staff, it's before, during and after.

So the before part is all the preparations and coordination o the vendors coming to town.

And, you know, the tent people and people don't realize there' somebody that, you know, is bringing generators.

Somebody provides all the ice, the restrooms, et cetera.

So you're kind of coordinating and doing all that and helping them all get set up in the bleachers, et cetera.

And then on our end, you know, it's organizing the staff and we bring in volunteers.

So I have people that are in the business to do what we do and their friends and family.

There's about 30 or 40 that come in.

So you need hotel rooms and then you need to figure out your lot, your lodging and meals, transportation and who's picking these people up from the airport.

So there's a lot that goes into it.

Kristi K: Yeah.

So this pristine golf course that you've just taken so long to, to just make immaculate, all of a sudden you have one hundred and thirty thousand fans who've just trampled it.

You've put in roadways, as I understand it.

Yeah.

That are just temporary.

Correct.

And then people go off the roadway in the mud.

Now you have these you know, you get tire marks, you have divots in the course.

I mean, how on earth do you kind of bring it back to where it was prior to a tournament of that magnitude?

John Zimmers: So it's a great question.

And, you know, you really just take it a day at a time afterwards because it can be overwhelming.

And I see it when you look.

Into the staff that it can be very humbling and depressing, like we just did all this and this just got ruined or wrecked.

You have to go back to this is what we were trying to do and we picked for it.

And now we're going to tear it all down for our members.

How fast can we put it back?

Kristi K: Here you go.

I like John Zimmers: that.

And that's that's really what we're trying to do.

Kristi K: What about you?

What are some of the descriptions or descriptors that you would say it takes to be in a role such as yours?

John Zimmers: Well, you know, I really try to be consistent every day.

So one of the things I really pride myself on and I set a standard for the staff, which I have a wonderful staff close to them They work so hard behind the scenes for me is being consistent, because I think when you're striving to be great, whatever that might be in athletics or profession or what a business or whatever it might be.

To me, the consistency is what people you know, you can pick and do different things.

But if you do it in a day in and day out and people come accustomed to this is what they expect when they come to the Inverness Club.

That's our number one goal.

Kristi K: So if I were to walk across the 18th green with these heels on, would that be bothersome to you and frustrating?

John Zimmers: That would be OK if we were flying that week.

That's what we're trying to put holes in the ground.

I've seen that at weddings a few times.

Kristi K: John Zimmers, thank you for giving us that informative and fascinating behind the scenes look at the business of turf management through your eyes, that Inverness Club, one of the most iconic golf courses in the country, as if the competition of women's golf isn't enough.

The career life of being a female golfer year after year requires strict discipline.

A calendar year filled with international tournaments and travel from Asia to Europe to North America.

The ladies of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, or PGA, are on the road with a grueling schedule, often living in hotel rooms, eating out, connecting with their families virtually from abroad as moms, sisters, daughters.

Many have described their lives as sometimes lonely or isolating, yet incredibly rewarding.

They juggle life as it happens on the road.

Where they set their clubs is their home for the week.

Yet through the pressures of being a professional golfer and the stress of the game, these next three women have formed the deepest of friendships through decades of playing on tour against each other.

Their mutual respect and bond is unbreakable on and off golf courses across the globe.

Here on Business Life 360, we get a snapshot inside the lifelong friendships of three LPG greats (Music) Thanks for being here, ladies.

It's so wonderful to have you here.

Thanks for having us.

Thank you so much.

Fun to have you here in our region and talking about golf and the business of golf and what it's been like to have a career in this fabulous sport.

You three have a combined total of something like eighty one years.

In the sport of golf, does that resonate with you, is that right?

Seventy two years old.

So when we talk about a number of years playing, as we kind of go back to that number, a number of years playing and also number of soul Hymes, you participated in Cristie.

Tell us about that for you.

How many years have you played?

Christy McPherson: Like I said, just pick a really good company.

These two Voser think in the top 11 career, all time money.

So I know how to pick really good friends and friends that are really good at golf.

I've only played one Solheim Cup.

Julie's played at least 20.

How many of their men?

I played on nine.

It's played on nine.

OK. And she's obviously been captain for three of them.

My one time cup was the best week of my career.

Two thousand nine.

Got to be teammates with both of these.

We got the win, which was nice, and it was on US soil, which was really cool.

But they can talk a lot more about Solheim than I can.

I've had one year of it.

I know.

It's amazing.

They've got an experience that nine times and five times if you Angela.

Six times, I'm cheating them both.

Angela Stanford: Yes.

And this year, assistant captain for the first time.

So awesome.

Congratulations on that as well.

But it's it's cool that I got to play with both of these ladies.

And then Julia was my captain, so.

Kristi K: And you've been captain of Solheim Cup for three, three times.

Juli Inkster: Yeah, but you know, just the thing, Kristie, that's pretty much what the Solheim about when you play one year or four years, the experiences and the memories is really what you take away from it.

Kristi K: That, Julie, you are a Hall of Fame golfer.

When Nasby Solheim captained three times, I mean, on and on and on one of the most winning golfers to play the sport ever.

So honored to have you here.

Is there something like from when you were younger, the younger days, like some kind of a character aside, two older brothers.

Juli Inkster: So every day was a survival to make golf eas because, you know, I, I kind of fell in the sport.

It wasn't like I was destined to be a golfer.

I got a job at a golf course.

Has a 15 year job.

Yeah.

Park ranger.

Nice.

And I just got some clubs in the back room.

I was what you call a jock.

I played all sports and I just started playing golf or something.

My brothers really didn't want to do it.

So I started playing and I fell in love with it.

And I think that's kind of why I've played for so long.

I have a passion for it.

Christy McPherson: Sixty one years old, she still works harder than anybody.

Did you go for a run or something this morning?

I got my workout clothes underneath.

You got a workout?

Clothes, I mean, six hours.

Yeah.

I mean, she still works harder than anybody.

I mean, you don't get in the Hall of Fame.

You don't get those wins.

And Angela as well, winning a major at 40 years old You don't do that unless you put in the work and these to put in the work for sure.

Kristi K: And you TCU horned frogs and twenty two years on the tour.

Is that is that the right calculation?

Twenty one.

Twenty one.

So, Angela, in a word, how would you describe your career?

One word for word.

Angela Stanford: Blessed.

Oh, I love that.

I like because I didn't you know, I wasn't highly recruited I think I was a late bloomer.

Angela Stanford: I think I've outlasted everybody in my rookie class and, you know, even everybody that played college golf with.

So, you know, I think along with Julie, like I love it, lik I love hitting the golf ball.

But I just look at these younger ladies and I'm like, you guys tell me how hard this is.

Kristi K: And winning a major forty per cent, that's just plain stubbornness.

I was just going to stick around long enough.

I was just trying it out last, everybody.

So but no, I didn't do that.

Juli Inkster: It's yeah.

Because next Monday you turn it up.

Yeah.

Come on.

Can I celebrate for a little while?

Kristi K: Yeah, that was great.

Angela Stanford: That was a great lesson that I learned.

You know, she said earlier, you lose more than you win.

And I think when I the first time I heard you say, I was like, OK, because she tells me all the time, I'm too hard on myself.

The first time I heard say that, I'm like, she's right I do lose a lot.

Like, don't beat yourself up over the long term because you got to learn how to deal with it instead of probably one of the biggest lessons.

Christy McPherson: Yeah.

And through the years, I get a lot from this old lady.

So you go out.

All right, Christine.

Absolutely.

Julie is the tour mentor on everyone out here.

Angela was my big sister when I got out on tour.

He had big sister little sister programs.

So she showed me the ropes and and quickly kind of threw me in with jewels.

So very fortunate to have these two with a lot of a lot of wisdom, a lot of experience ahead of me A lot of fun.

A lot of fun.

Definitely a lot of fun.

Kristi K: Yeah.

And Julie, you've done so much for the game of golf.

What is golf done for you?

Juli inkster: Well, I get to play I get to play a great sport as a job.

I mean, I don't I don't ever feel like I was going to work.

You know, I was going to compete, but never going to work.

I think it's made me a better person and definitely a better mom.

Your daughters?

Probably an OK wife.

Kristi K: Yeah, I guess.

OK, understanding that you're all professional athletes and we get this, I need to ask you, I think we've already answered one of these.

Who would be the most competitive of the three of you, Julie?

Oh, no, I'm the tiebreaker.

The most compassionate.

Juli Inkster: K-Mac.

Christy McPherson: Awe.

Isn't that sweet.

And thats why i am having a hard time between the.

Still on the course.

Came and came back.

Who's the most.

Remember that caddis the course for me.

All right, Joe Johns with that one, OK.

It was the most fun all around, though.

So we do have to do something to fall asleep first.

Came back Wow.

I really be in there, too.

Yeah, I mean, Novarro.

Have fun at night.

A bus tour.

What are we going to do?

Kristi K: The most likely to break the tension with the joke That's the most likely to grab a vodka tonic after a long day at the course.

The three of you are legends.

I can't thank you enough for being here.

Thank you for all you've done for the game of golf, for life.

You've been just amazing role models for me to watch you.

You inspire me every day.

So thank you.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you for having us.

We can do your job here.

No, not at all relevant.

Kristi K: Yes.

Thank you.

Thanks again.

OK, you're right.

And now let's jump back to LPG rates.

Morgan Pressel.

And she gives me the rare opportunity to hit her up with some rapid questions as we get to know her a bit better in my Quick Hits.

(Music) So, Morgan, when you're on Business Life 360, we do something called Quick Hits, right?

Let's do it.

So, yeah, so I'm going to tell you a couple of quick little nervous.

Well, let's go.

Here we go.

You ready?

Yeah, let's do it.

Kristi K: Current pets or pets?

Well, right now I have two.

Oh, my goodness.

We just got a new puppy.

We have two mini golden doodles And Zoe and Lily.

And Lily is crazy.

He is a princess and actually travels with me a lot.

We talked about the loneliness and but traveling with my pup helps a lot.

I'll bet.

Kristi K: What is one world cause you would like to solve?

What's one world, Cosmo?

I guess I guess I work really hard to fight breast cancer.

That's definitely my biggest passion in terms of philanthrop Kristi K: and extracurricular activity of choice for you.

That is more than golf.

I have to say gardening and taking care of my plants.

Kristi: Nice.

Very nice pet peeve.

This'll sound really weird.

But when a waiter doesn't write down my order at dinner, that is like my biggest pet peeve drives me Kristi: crazy because ultimately they get it wrong.

Yeah.

Because when they get it right, it doesn't impress me.

And if they get it wrong, like, you know, a lot of times I add something different to the order or try and like it's like just write it down.

It's OK. You can write it down.

You want to memorize it.

I don't know why it bothers me.

So.

Kristi: Hey, that's.

You never know.

So what do you fear?

What do I fear?

Probably feel fear.

Failure more than anything.

Kristi: Your music group of choice, Taylor Swift and huge Taylor Swift fan.

Kristi: One golf moment.

You wish you could relive.

I wish I could relive.

I have to say, going back to playing in the open when I was 13, I wish I could relive that.

It was very special.

My mother was there, came to watch.

So I think I wish I could relive that one.

Kristi: The most impactful person of influence in your life?

My grandfather, definitely.

Kristi: And Morgan Pressel.

That's it.

You survived.

Yeah.

Thanks so much for being in Business Life 360.

It has been a true pleasure.

Thanks, Christine.

Thank you.

The business and life of World-Class Golf is like no other meeting, some of the greatest female golfers of all time observing the friendships and recognizing the difficulty and precision it takes to manage a world class golf course leads us all to respect the game and an even greater way.

That's a wrap on this episode of Business Life 360.

So glad you joined us to learn more about the exciting leadership, lifestyle, trends and innovation in the world of business.

I'm Kristi K Reminding you to work hard, be humble, be respectful, be kind.

I'll see you on the next Business Life 360.

Announcer: Connect with Kristi K. on LinkedIn at Kristi K. Hoffman and hear the Business Life 360 conversation on FM 91.

On Thursday mornings to watch previous episodes and more, visit our Web site at Gty Borghi 360. Business Life 360 with Kristi K. is made possible by ProMedica, a locally owned, nationally recognized, not for profit health care network that has a strong commitment to clinical excellence, providing safe, high quality patient care and addressing social issues that impact health.

The John B and Lillian INEP, College of Business and Innovation at the University of Toledo.

Developing lifelong leaders for the world of business.

And by the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, also by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(Music)