Craig Kessler Q&A: The LPGA’s new commissioner on goals, ‘pillars’ and what success looks like

The former COO of Topgolf and the PGA of America has a brand-new gig: leading the way for the LPGA, where, he’ll be the first to tell you, the stars are already aligned.

THE SCENE: On the phone, days after Kessler was named the LPGA’s new commissioner.

Dylan Dethier: What’s your golf origin story? Are you a lifelong golf guy?

Craig Kessler: I would absolutely call myself a lifelong golf guy. I started playing as a young kid at Rancho Carlsbad [near San Diego]. It was an executive golf course we called the cow pasture because there wasn’t a blade of grass on it. But I’ve been playing ever since. Professionally, after six years at Topgolf, I [went] to the PGA of America for two and a half years. Candidly, I don’t see myself ever leaving the game if given the choice.

DD: You’ve said that at Topgolf a lot of your focus was on food and bev and entertainment but also on disruption. What big-picture lessons will you take from that work into your new role?

CK: The biggest lesson learned at Topgolf was when we developed our purpose statement: Create moments that matter for everyone. The idea was, whether you’re a bay host, a cook or the CEO, your job is to do more than sell burgers, beer and a game of golf. Your job, when you put on your name tag every day, is to create moments that matter.

DD: Do you view the LPGA as going in the right direction, or is it, like, Hang on, we need to make significant changes?

CK: Let’s start by celebrating the rich history. At 75 years, this is an [organization] that has shaped the landscape of women’s sports. It’s a global tour. Lots of organizations try to figure out how to go global, but we’re already there. That’s a massive asset for the LPGA. Purses have risen. There are stars worth celebrating. The raw ingredients are there to build something even more remarkable. At the same time, the LPGA has so much untapped potential, and when the world gets to know the stories of our superstars, and the sacrifices they and their families have made, they will go from watching the LPGA to rooting for the LPGA. I think some amazing things will happen. It may require tough decisions, but understand it’s all in the spirit of taking something that’s already great and making it even better.

DD: We interviewed Jeeno Thitikul a few months ago and hearing more about her background — that she grew up in a town without a golf course and is now the No. 1 player in the world — that was the type of story that changed my perspective.

CK: Think about how many people across the country and the world have seen the video of Rory chipping balls into his washing machine. Like, you feel it in your bones; it’s the beginning of this emotional connection where people are yelling at their television sets with excitement. If people understood Jeeno’s story, or the sacrifices that people like Aditi Ashok’s family made for her to go from India to America to make it on tour, or what Nelly and Lydia and others have done, they will also yell at their TV sets when their favorite players have a shot on 18 to win a major, to chase the Grand Slam.

DD: I’ve heard you are bringing four “pillars” to the LPGA. Hit me with ’em.

CK: [Laughing] I love that you know there are four pillars. Big picture, we’re wanting to create an organization where our stakeholders look at the LPGA and say to themselves, Something magical is happening there and I have to be a part of it. I think there are four things required to help us get there. Number one is building trust, and that’s trust with players, with our sponsors, with our fans, with our staff. The second is building visibility, and that is making sure our superstars — who lay it on the line on the courses every week — are celebrated and visible. The third pillar is all around building fans. As I said, right now, people watch the LPGA. We want them to root for the LPGA. There’s a difference. The fourth and final pillar is around building a financial future that’s even stronger for the next 75 years.

DD: How important is it going to be for you to have a good, consistent, communicative relationship with the players?

CK: Priorities number one, two, three and four are all around building trust with the players. That starts with being extremely accessible and by listening with an open heart and mind. And, honestly, that takes time. But I’ve already been in touch with quite a few LPGA athletes, both past and present, including some legends of the game. My goal is for all of them, as fast as possible, to say, You know what? We got the right guy. He cares about us. He’s super visible. He’s available to listen and hear our ideas. That’s the approach I took at Topgolf. We had 75 venues when I left. I had the phone number of every one of our general managers and they had mine. Every time they had an idea, they picked up the phone and called. And no matter what time of day it was, we had a conversation. We’ll take the exact same approach at the LPGA.

DD: What does the LPGA look like in a couple of years if you’ve done what you would deem to be a successful job?

CK: Let’s go back to the four pillars. I think the players and sponsors and team have trust in not just their commissioner but the leadership of the LPGA. This is a team sport and it’s going to require all of us to make this successful. I think [the tour] will be highly visible on broadcast and beyond. We will have raving fans. And our financial foundation will be stronger than ever. One visible cue will be if, three years from now, the first tee of the Solheim Cup at Valhalla looks and feels like the first tee of a Ryder Cup, or at least close to it. We’ll know we’re making some progress.

DD: What makes you most nervous?

CK: I’ve had so many moments over the last handful of weeks where, at three in the morning, I’m staring at the ceiling asking myself all sorts of questions. I wouldn’t say they’re questions that stem from nervousness, though. They’re questions that stem from excitement, and, fundamentally, the theme is Are we doing enough? And Are we going fast enough?