PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – The Pebble Beach Era of women’s major championship golf got underway this week at the 78th U.S. Women’s Open. The fact that three additional U.S. Women’s Opens (2035, 2040, 2048) are now on the calendar is due in part to Pebble Beach Company co-chair Heidi Ueberroth.
A power player in sports business for decades, Ueberroth currently serves as president and managing partner of Globicon, a private investment and advisory firm focused on high-growth opportunities in media, sports, entertainment and hospitality.
Prior to founding Globicon, Ueberroth spent nearly 20 years with the NBA, most recently overseeing the league’s international expansion. One of the few female members of Augusta National, Ueberroth has been named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports by Business Week.
Ueberroth’s family ties to the iconic resort run deep. More than 20 years ago, Heidi’s father, Peter, was part of a group that included Clint Eastwood and Arnold Palmer that purchased the Pebble Beach Company. Heidi served on the board for several years before rising to co-chair.
Here are excerpts from Golfweek’s conversation with Ueberroth on Pebble’s role in the women’s game, playing golf for business and rounds with dad.
'There is so much momentum right now'
I’ve been in the sports business for 30 years with a number of different sports, actually. This is by far the best time I’ve seen in women’s sports. women’s golf and women’s sports. Leading businesses and companies, really big brand names, media companies, really starting to dive in.
There is so much momentum right now. What I like, too, is businesses are recognizing that they’re doing the right thing to start to fund women’s sports more, but it’s also the smart thing.
You look at golf, the women’s segment is the fastest growing segment, so they’re going to see value. We certainly see value in helping to build women’s access to the game and at the resort.
Hoping to 'shine a huge spotlight'
What we’re hoping to do is just shine a huge spotlight on the players. Their talent is so incredible and by showcasing their talent, it’s going to inspire future generations of girls.
How I think about it, personally for me, whether these girls dream to become professionals or just pick up the game, I know how much golf has enriched my life, and it’s something I’m very passionate about, encouraging girls and women to play golf.
I’d also say it’s important that women get to play these iconic Open venues, and we think it’s really going to help take women’s golf to the next level, and we’re excited for the women to get their due.
'How hard would it be to take up this game?'
I took up golf to get outside. I had been working for men’s tennis in Paris. I had a lot more vacation dates than I did when I got to New York. Growing up in Southern California, I just loved being outside. I was in advertising sales in ESPN, and I would watch as my colleagues would go out on these beautiful spring/summer days to play golf. I said ‘How hard would it be to take up this game?’ And I want to do that.
It wasn’t until my mid-20s when I took up golf, and I was just, get me out of the office.
It helped a lot then – just the relationships I could build with our different clients and customers. I saw that advantage right away.
When I was charged with building the NBA’s business internationally, in places like China and the Middle East, I would play golf often times with people who didn’t speak the same language. As you know with golf, even just nine holes later, we had this common understanding and really got to know each other better. It helped me a lot professionally, to build relationships in a lot of different countries.
I’ve never seen another sport like this. If you ask somebody, do you ski? They might say yes, I’m a beginner, but I ski. You ask, do you golf? They say no, I’m a bad golfer.
It was at the now Annika (Sorenstam) tournament at Pelican that they helped come up with ‘I’m a social golfer,’ maybe it’s nine holes and you have fun.
Best memories are the smaller ones
The best memories (with dad) are really the smaller ones. … I could always expect a phone call after he’d had a very good round, it would be on a Sunday and I’d be in New York and I’d get back and there’d be a message, and he’d go hole-by-hole on how he played. And boy, I would do the same.
The first time I broke 80 at Shinnecock I couldn’t wait to call him up and take him hole-by-hole through my 78, which doesn’t happen very much.
A memorable eagle
Last month, we were in a small tournament here at Pebble Beach and he was in the group behind me. I’m teeing off on the fourth hole, and I hear this very loud cheer from just a foursome, on No. 3 – I looked at one of my playing partners and said ‘Boy, do I hope that was for my father.’ A hole later I’m finishing out on No. 5 and this golf cart comes pulling up and there’s my dad looking for me. He wanted to tell me how he eagled No. 3 from the fairway.
Break out of your comfort zone
When I was growing my parents were in the travel business. I was so fascinated by working with other cultures. In doing that, I think you have to take a real interest and find common ground.
I never really looked at it as men vs. women. I was really lucky, maybe part of that is being raised by my parents to believe that I could do anything, and so I would jump in.
One of the ways to kind of breakthrough, I think, is to get on the revenue side of businesses.
It’s easier maybe to keep score and have an impact. Break out of your comfort zone – take more risk, really look at the business and try to find commonalities rather than differences.
Closing that first big sponsorship deal
I personally attribute a lot of the success I’ve had by being kind of rain-maker in business deals. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to encourage women to get into the area of sales.
When I first got into sales, I was so terrified of cold calling. I had so much apprehension. I took me about a year before I really got comfortable. Then you tap into a competitive side.
I remember closing my first big sponsorship deal on television. It was the Subway college football awards show, and I just got hooked.
