By Tina Mickelson & Elle Laur
For those of you who don’t know Holly Kennedy, I’m sorry. You are really missing out. So, I’m going to tell you about my good friend, who took the game by the balls (golf balls, relax) and instead of working for the game, made the game work for her. I have known Holly since we played San Diego Junior Golf together and let me tell you … I have had a front row seat to one of the most unique and interesting golf careers I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. She took her love for the game, her contagiously fun personality and warm nature, and blazed her own path.
Growing up in San Diego, Holly remembers (as early as age 7!) spending many days together with her brother, Dave (another great golfer) and her parents, playing the historic par-3 Presidio Hills GC located in the heart of Old Town. It quickly became her “thing,” and a huge part of what made Holly, well … HOLLY. But she was more than just a great golfer. She was a PLAYER. Her poise on the course and the way she conducted herself when she both won AND came up short are what I remember most about her during those early years.
It came as no surprise when she secured a spot on the UCLA women’s golf team as a walk-on and then soon after, became the team’s assistant coach. She went on to earn her membership to the PGA of America at Singing Hills GC at Sycuan under her mentor, Tom Addis III, past president of the PGA of America. It’s also where she met her husband, John Kennedy (also a member of the PGA of America). Singing Hills GC felt like home to the Kennedys for many years, but when she started to feel a pull toward a new and unique opportunity, she jumped in with both feet.
In typical “Holly fashion,” she and John opened Emerald Isle GC in 2014 and the game of golf has never been more fun. And I’m not talking about your typical, “oh-I-played-well-today” fun. I’m talking FUN fun. As in, no collared shirt? That’s fine because there is no dress code. Tired of the same old snack bar options? The Island Grill has got you covered (I’m looking at you, BLT tacos). Feeling guilty about leaving your dog at home? You don’t have to! Emerald Isle welcomes “man’s best friend” to take part in the fun. The Kennedys spend just about every day at the course, so why not make it feel like home? This extends to their staff, as well, which feels more like family than employees. It’s a place where everyone feels welcome and like they belong.
“We want to set aside how pretentious and stuffy golf can be and make it about people enjoying the game,” Kennedy says.
Even though both the game of golf, as well as the golf industry, have always felt more like a space for men, Holly never let that keep her from blazing her path.
“I’ve seen a lot of women go to the golf course and feel like they’re under a microscope,” she says. “They are often treated as though they don’t know what they are doing or get the feeling they should not be there.”
Holly has stood her ground and worked alongside her male counterparts to accomplish a mutual goal of not only growing the game but ensuring that the game remains fun and open to all. This has served her well, and many women have also benefitted from her knowing what it takes to curate a welcoming environment for ANYONE who loves the game of golf.
Photos Courtesy of Kassidy Glick