We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathleen Erickson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathleen below.
Hi Kathleen, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
Golf courses, as a whole, are set up for the 25% of golfers that are available to play during the day and on weekends. The rest of the 75% of wanna-golfers work during the day and the courses are closed at night.
The Short Game Place® will be open 24/7 365 days a year to accomode the rest of the golfers.
Another aspect of The Short Game Place® is the adaptive and disabled golfing community. We have a facility designed for everyone, no matter their differing abilities, to play golf together on an inclusive design course. You can play seated in a wheelchair, ride a solo-rider golf cart, or walk along…it serves all golfers needs.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have loved playing golf since the moment my fiance took me to a driving range to learn the game. That was 40 years ago.
I want to play as often as I can, however working days made it difficult to get better, and then when the winter approached, or the course was closed at night, I had no place to play or practice except driving ranges or miniature golf…not anywhere comparable to what golf is, or how it is played.
I decided to come up with a way to play golf indoors…and this is how The Short Game Place® came into my mind.
The vision is for everyone, no matter their skillset, or their disability to be able to learn, play, and improve their skills on the closest thing to the real outdoor golf courses, but indoors, where weather and time of day do not stop you from your desired goals.
Because most people wanna play golf when they have the time, I am going to have it open 24/7, 365 days a year. If you work at a hospital, or at Topgolf even, when you get off work, late in the evenings, you can come over and eat at The Chip Shot (TM) Bar & Grill, then take lessons, play a game, or practice to improve your game.
This will be the community hangout during the day and sartound the clock for those who work the later shifts.
And, this is real golf. Our greens will be the best indoor turf you can get, sanded to play normal, fast, or slow. You have three different approaches to each green, and a variety of hazards like water and sand bunkers.
The trees and bushes are not real, however you will not nbe able to tell. Entering each hole, you will be enveloped into the environment with sights, sounds, and the feel of being outside. We control the light, wind, and sounds. We also change the pin placement every other week…18-holes of real golf, indoors…wow!
Each hole ranges from 10-40 yards. Our Culture is to provide a fun, safe, and entertaining environment for all the soon-to-be-golfers, golfers, and adaptive golfers…nobody left out!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
It was February 16, 2018, two days before my 55th birthday; I received a call from my husband’s work that he had fallen and I needed to come down there.
When I arrived at the hospital he did not fall, but had died. They didn’t want to tell me this over the phone.
I had a job and a career I loved, but it was not the same after this moment. I was working to support Us…to give Us the lifestyle we desired. Now, I just desired to be with him in life.
I married at the age of 20, was intent on being the best wife to my husband. I put his needs before mine, and I helped him advance his career in whatever job he had. We were a great team.
Now, as his needs were no longer at the forefront of my needs, it was time to consider whay my direction would be; like going from Mrs. Michael Erickson, to just Kathy.
The opportune moment was here to pursue my dream, break out into a leadership role, and create The Short Game Place®, going after the vision I have had for years…now was the time!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Many people have commented that they couldn’t see how I could recover from such a loss in so short a time; i think back to those first days, then weeks, then months and see myself; I was surrounded by so many family and friends who supported me. This included the bosses and coworkers at my job. They all suffered with me and helped me through it.
The realization to me was that GOD had put these people in my life for this moment. GOD was always with me, and he put these people on the earth for this moment in time.
I am a very strong woman, but it is because GOD gave me the ability to see beyond the pain; see where my life was going, and that GOD was totally in charge.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.theshortgameplace.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheShortGamePlace
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-erickson-1725997/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShortGamePlace
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWEPHv27eQrVaRNlr_bUHA/videos
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWEPHv27eQrVaRNlr_bUHA/videos