MBA students learn to chip, putt, and network on the golf course

Full-time W. P. Carey MBA students are taking full advantage of the 300 days of sunshine and 185 golf courses that the Phoenix metro area offers! Every week you’ll find a group of first- and second-year students in “Business Golf” lessons at Springfield Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz.

Full-time W. P. Carey MBA students are taking full advantage of the 300 days of sunshine and 185 golf courses that the Phoenix metro area offers! Every week you’ll find a group of first- and second-year students in “Business Golf” lessons at Springfield Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz.

Business Golf 101 was started by the Women’s Leadership Association, in partnership with Char Carson Golf, as a way for women to get comfortable with the game. According to Karen Zhen, an organizer from WLA, “Business Golf is about developing relationships and being where decisions are made. This program provides basic training to understand the game, so people will be ready to accept or offer golf invitations in business settings. You can learn a lot about someone, such as stress management and personality, based on how he/she golfs.”

This year, WLA teamed up with the newly created MBA Golf Club to host even more sessions for students. The lessons are taught by LPGA coaching professionals, focus on teaching fundamental skills, and help both men and women become fluent in the rules and language of golf.

Swinging into action

Many of the women were motivated to learn so they could start playing with their dads. Others were looking for a sunny, social activity with classmates outside of school. But now, everyone is hoping to turn their skills into a professional advantage! A second-year student, Audrey Arrington, was one of the original WLA members in Business Golf 101 and has since completed the 102 class. She said the biggest lesson learned was to be patient and not expect to become a pro right away. “Even if you don’t have the best swing, you can win someone over with your etiquette, respect for the game, and integrity,” says Audrey. Looking ahead to her full-time role in Raleigh, NC, she plans to have a framed picture of her “golf-gals” on her desk to let everyone know that she can play.

Megan Hucek, a first-year student and former college volleyball player, was looking for a new competitive outlet. “I love learning new things and thought golf could provide me the challenge of learning a new sport without destroying my knees!” After completing Business Golf 101, she hopes to use her new skills in her future career, too. “I hope that in whatever role I take after college, I will be able to confidently accept invitations to play in company golf outings, in addition to being able to make new connections with people I meet that also enjoy the sport,” Megan explains.

Men have joined the lessons, too, for a great stress reliever during school. Gurcharanjit Birdi, a first year student who joined Business Golf 101 this spring, says, “Business Golf has helped me relax, focus, and take things one swing at a time! Thinking about too many tasks at once will make you tense up and you’ll never hit your target.”

Whether for personal, social, or professional reasons, W. P. Carey students are hitting the driving range this spring! We can’t wait to see how they do in their first company scrambles after graduation!

Discover more W. P. Carey clubs and orgs

From student-led groups like WLA and the MBA Golf Club to professional organizations like Toastmasters and the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA), the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University offers students amazing pathways to get involved, grow their network, and discover new leadership opportunities. Fill out the form on this page for more information about the highly ranked W. P. Carey Full-time MBA, or other MBA and business master’s programs to take your career to the next level.