They say that if you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a bed to sleep in, you are richer than 75% of the world.
And if you’re a member of a country club, well… you get the point.
As golfers, we may not have it all, but we have more than most. More to spend, more to enjoy, and more to give.
Brett Gorney, founder of Servantee, a service-based non-profit, understands this. His organization, while wearing many hats, upholds a new standard that all golfers can strive for: purpose driven golf. His PDG days, as he calls them, are “designed to inspire you to live with greater intention and purpose.”
Golf, in its individual nature, can be considered a selfish sport. With its high-class status, it can be considered elitist. Yet, the golf community does not have to maintain that reputation.
I have had the opportunity to participate in many of Servantee’s Purpose Driven Golf days. The day usually begins with a quick 9 at a local public course. There is no shortage of storytelling and conversation, sometimes mixed in with a little bit of friendly competition with a closest-to-the-pin on our favorite par 3s. Brews and barbecue are often in order after a long walk on the course, so a stop for lunch in between golf and service usually takes place, because, hey, can’t save the world on an empty stomach. Next: the service project. We’ve done everything from neighborhood cleanups to packaging medical supplies for hospitals in need overseas during a pandemic. One of my personal favorite ways of serving is hosting a barbecue for some of our homeless neighbors in the city of Atlanta. We light up the grill, toss on some burgers and a good playlist, and serve people right at their seats. The light in their eyes as they are waited on (something that doesn’t happen to them every day) is incredibly rewarding, and the way they can talk about their stories, as you may be the first person to listen in a long time, is heartwarming.
While Servantee does have some of the bells and whistles: the website, the banners, the gear; all you really need is a group of friends, a tee time, and a cause. I would encourage anyone, whether it’s joining us for a PDG day here in Atlanta, or starting a service golf group of your own, to add more purpose to your daily life.
Saturdays with Servantee have become my favorite days. I get to do the very thing I love most and make my community a better place all at once. This adds a new meaning to making every shot count.
In the words of Brett Gorney, whom I make fun of for being corny; “in order to love your neighbor, you gotta be FORE your neighbor. Golf has a pretty awesome community as it is, let’s all work to be better neighbors.”
