Anyone hoping for a typical golf pro presentation from Sean Foley on Sunday night would have been sorely disappointed.
In a wide-ranging and inspiring talk with the young men of The Bridge Golf Foundation, Foley discussed his philosophy on success, achievement and golf, touching on Malcolm X, Bob Marley, Nelson Mandela, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Buddha, President Obama, Donald Trump and Steph Curry, just to name a few.
Foley, a member of our Foundation’s advisory committee, is one of the most prominent teachers in the game today, but his path to the top is not a typical one. Raised in Toronto by a father from Scotland and a mother from Guyana, Foley grew up steeped in hip hop and golf. His father, a chemist and salesman for DuPont, helped inspire Foley’s curiosity about the game.
“My dad was a chemist with a background in physics,” he said. “So I started asking why the ball went that way. My dad could pretty much tell me, even if he couldn’t control the ball himself.”
This analytical approach to the game has served Foley well as both a player and a coach. But his passion for the game is about more than mastering it. Farrell Evans, our Foundation’s co-founder and executive director, says that he and Foley have been talking about the potential social impact of golf since their days competing against each other as college golfers.
“Sean is about how to use this game to make a difference,” Evans said on Sunday night. “He’s not just talking about golf, but about life.”
Foley, with his love of the game and its technical aspects and his passion for social justice, had a lot to share with our young men on Sunday night. He talked about his time as coach for Tiger Woods; his insights on the true meaning of success; how to deal with difficult people in life; his love of reading and dedication to physical fitness; and a whole lot more.
He even had some homework for our young men. He’s going to send them a hip-hop playlist, a social-justice reading list, and few must-watch movies. It’s not finalized, but judging by his talk, we’re expecting to see Gang Starr, A$AP Rocky and “Do The Right Thing” on his list.
At the end of the night, his message boiled down to one major theme. Believe in yourself and work hard, and you can do whatever you want in life.
“I want to find out that one day you’re giving a talk like this,” he said, “and you can say that tonight I said your success was possible.”
Co-Founder and Executive Director Farrell Evans introducing Sean Foley on Sunday night.
