What Virgil Abloh Can Teach Us About Golf, Business, and Success
You need to watch this 32-second video from Virgil Abloh before reading any further. It’s one of my favorite clips because it forces me to stop and think about life, careers, success, and how value is assigned.
Virgil Abloh was the Chief Creative Director and Founder of Off-White and the Men’s Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton. He lived in Chicago and passed away in 2021 after a battle with cancer at age 41, but his impact on culture, creativity, and how perception shapes reality lives on.
So how does this clip from a fashion designer apply to golf professionals, country clubs, and career growth?
At its core, this concept isn’t just about understanding the unique dents in your own candle (the imperfections, experiences, and skills that define you). It’s about placing yourself in a setting where those traits become undeniable assets.
Because in golf, business, and life, the best don’t always rise to the top. The best-positioned do.
The Club’s Identity Is More Than Its Amenities
A club isn’t just a golf course, a dining room, and a golf shop—it’s a feeling, an identity, a brand, and a story.
Two clubs can have similar golf course conditions, service levels, and F&B offerings, yet one is seen as elite while the other is another club down the street. The difference isn’t in what they offer—it’s in how they frame it.
This is what Virgil’s message reveals: perception is shaped by setting. The same candle that sits unnoticed on a garage shelf is elevated to art when placed in a gallery.
Clubs that understand this don’t just provide amenities; they curate experiences that make people feel like they’ve stepped into something greater. The small details—the way a member is greeted, the scent in the locker room, the handwritten note waiting in their locker—create a setting that elevates the club’s identity and the people within it.
Virgil understood that an artist isn’t just defined by their work, but by the space that presents it. The same applies to clubs, their staff, and their professionals. When positioned properly, they aren’t just part of the operation; they become irreplaceable.
Are You Seen as a Role or as a Presence?
The difference between being an irreplaceable golf professional and just another staff member comes down to perception.
If a head pro or assistant is seen as the person who runs tournaments, manages the shop, and handles logistics, they will always be part of the machinery—necessary but replaceable.
But if they are seen as the voice of the club’s culture, the architect of its experience, and the presence that defines what golf feels like at the facility, their value becomes undeniable.
This shift doesn’t happen by accident. The best professionals don’t just manage—they influence.
They create experiences, not just events.
They build a reputation that extends beyond their club.
They shape how people feel when they walk through the door.
A club’s setting frames its staff just as much as it frames its amenities. If you’re seen as someone who just "runs things," that’s how you’ll be valued. But if you weave yourself into the club’s traditions, storytelling, and identity, your presence extends beyond your job description.
Being indispensable isn’t about doing more. It’s about being positioned as someone who defines the experience.
Your Setting is Your Ceiling—How Do You Change It?
Many assistant professionals grind year after year, believing hard work alone will lead to better opportunities. But hard work alone isn’t enough—positioning is everything.
Virgil’s message applies here, too: if you’re in an environment that doesn’t recognize your full value, you will continue to be overlooked.
Where you are shapes how you are valued. If assistants are seen as interchangeable at a club, no amount of extra effort will change that.
So, how do you shift your setting?
Detach your identity from your job title. Saying “I’m an assistant pro” confines you to a box. Saying “I create unforgettable member experiences” reframes your value.
Expand your network. Opportunities rarely come from within the same circles. Connect with business leaders, media professionals, and entrepreneurs who see golf differently.
Create visibility. Whether it’s through content, thought leadership, or speaking engagements, put your expertise into the world. The best-paid professionals in any market aren’t always the best at their craft—they’re the best at positioning themselves.
If you feel stuck, overlooked, or undervalued, the answer isn’t always to work harder—it may be to reposition yourself.
Think About It
Virgil Abloh’s message isn’t just about art or branding—it’s about how value is assigned. The same candle that sits unnoticed on a shelf becomes a masterpiece when placed in the right setting.
That idea applies everywhere: to businesses, to clubs, and to individuals.
A club isn’t elite because of its amenities alone—it’s because of how those amenities are framed.
A golf professional isn’t valuable just because they run a great operation—it’s because they establish a presence that shapes how the game is experienced at their club.
The best clubs and the most successful professionals don’t just offer services—they craft an environment where those services become irreplaceable.
So, ask yourself: What setting are you in? Are you positioning yourself in a way that makes your value undeniable?
Now, I want to hear from you. Watch the Virgil Abloh clip again and reflect on how it applies to your career, your club, and your future.
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