Driving Change… with Graham Curry, Handicaddie.

Welcome to the first in our ‘Driving Change’ blog, where we feature people within Golf who are doing exactly that – driving change, being innovative and adopting new ways of working to better the Golf industry.

Our first guest is Graham Curry, Founder and CEO of Handicaddie.

Could you tell us about the journey in arriving at your current job role?*

Having caddied since the age of 14 it’s always something I have been involved with and enjoyed. When I was studying at Queens University, I began working on an idea for the app out of a curiosity to make it easier for myself and my caddying friends to know when our next job was. My curiosity continued and here we are today! This year as well as leading the team at Handicaddie, I’m also working as a Caddie Manager at Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland. I have known the Caddie Master at Kingsbarns for quite some time, so when the opportunity presented itself to work at one of the top links in Scotland, I couldn’t turn it down. Bring a caddiemaster has also given me the opportunity to learn more about the pain points that caddiemasters face on a day-to-day basis which has been extremely helpful in learning what features we need to build in the app. So, it’s a win-win in that regard!

What made you choose the golf industry?

I think I’ve always been drawn to golf since starting to play at 13 at Castlerock G.C, and my passion for it hasn’t dwindled since. I think from about 16 I knew I wanted to work in something that was an intersection of golf and business, so working on a project like Handicaddie definitely ticks all the boxes for me.

What is your favourite part of your job?

The fun part is seeing the app in action and working with some of the top clubs throughout the world. It feels great when a club really starts seeing how our app can benefit their caddie programme, which makes all the behind-the-scenes stuff worthwhile. Getting a round of golf in with our team is also a blast!

If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is looking to follow a similar path in the golf industry what would it be?

One thing I have learned over the past few years is that the golf industry is all about connections. If you’re looking to start a golf company, likelihood is you’re in it for the long run, so I think it’s really important to build those foundational connections and move mountains for your early customers. Our focus currently is to work very closely with each club that uses our software to build a solution that is tailored to their caddie programme and will stand the test of time. I think someone coming in with a creative idea into the golf industry must also enter with the mindset that it will be a 5-10 year journey at a minimum. So, at it’s core, having a passion for the problem you trying to solve is a must.

What improvements would you like to see in the golf industry?

I think there needs to be a continued push to excite younger people to get into the game. Encouraging shorter formats of the game like 6/9 holes, creating gamified experiences at driving ranges and lower the required age to join clubs need to be done more in the UK specifically in my opinion. The future of any industry is in it’s youth, so if golf is to climb up to being one of the most played sports, we have to grow it’s popularity within the younger generations coming through.

Where is your favourite golf course and why?

Ahh, Tough one! I think one of my favourite rounds I have ever played was at Connemara Links in Co.Galway. The dramatic dunes and the low setting summer sun made it very special. Some excellent par 3’s and a great finishing par 5 towards the clubhouse. As far as a golfing experience, this was my favourite course I’ve played.

What do you believe is the most important aspect of your club?

At Kingsbarns there are no members, so our metric of success is ensuring each and every visitor has an incredible experience while playing here.

If you weren’t in the golf industry what would be your dream job?

Before I came to University it was a tough debate between studying Business or Astrophysics. I chose the former, but I’m also fascinated by astrology and also the philosophical side of our existence. So, something down that line if it wasn’t golf.

If you would like to learn more about Handicaddie you can visit their website here.

If you would like to share your story about driving change then fill out our contact us form.