“Having our sport represented at the Olympics is a great platform for the game, not only from a visibility perspective but also one of legacy that can inspire the next generations,” he said.
“Everyone involved in the golf industry should be looking to build on the positive image these Games will help shine on our beloved sport, where the players are competing for pride and for country, not for pots of cash, where golf is portrayed as an athletic sport that will now be a permanent Olympic discipline, and where its environmentally-friendly and sustainable assets can be showcased globally.”
Paul explains how, from a fan base, Paris 2024 is benefitting from the inclusion of golf in the Games portfolio, but also how they are exposing golf to a larger number of people, many of whom might be finding out about the sport for the first time.
He said: “Golf is among the top 10 most followed sports in the world, with an estimated 450 million fans. So, the Olympics are benefitting from a very unique and loyal following.
“However, if I look at who has bought tickets to come to Le Golf National, it’s a much younger crowd than what we’d usually see at Tour events and there’s a much greater female representation. I would also say a large proportion are non-golfers who have taken advantage of the reasonably priced tickets of our events.
“A lot of people will also be watching Paris 2024 on TV, so, seeing the lush green scenery, blue skies and undulating fairways of Le Golf National might make them think ‘Wow, what a beautiful and peaceful environment’ – hopefully feeling a draw to try out a sport that is played in such natural surroundings.”
This, Paul believes is a huge advantage golf has over other disciplines.
“Golf is not just a sport; it is a sport intrinsically linked to tourism – an aspect I don’t think we capitalise on enough as industry experts,” he said.
“Golf is about being outdoors, discovering new destinations and playing different courses – something sports like tennis, football or basketball can’t offer, in so much as playing a clay court at Roland Garros, is a similar experience to playing a clay court in Marseille, Spain or even New York.
“Whereas in golf, every course is different. They’re set in different environments, in different climates, providing very different experiences – and that is what I believe, a golf destination should capitalise on and promote.”
An important outcome post-Olympics will be how golf courses, resorts and destinations will build on the legacy of golf’s reintroduction into the Games after a one-hundred-year absence.
“Some of the most successful golfing facilities are the ones that actively seek out the next client. Being passive and waiting for customers to come to you is a thing of the past,” added Paul.
“Golf’s in competition with many sports and activities that take much less time, and are sometimes far more accessible or easier to pick up as a beginner.
“This means venues and destinations need to be constantly and proactively looking at what they’re offering their guests, members and visitors, how they’re appealing to women, where they’re engaging with juniors, as well as interrogating the ways in which they communicate to these varied audiences.
“During my days as a golf course general manager, I used to tell my teams that success was about growth and evolution. If venues and destinations do that in the wake of Paris 2024, they will be onto a – gold – winner.”