Written by Dalton Finkbeiner, SCOREGolf
Whether it is friends gathering for their weekly game or strangers pairing up to enjoy a day out on the course, golf is a sport that connects people.
The game’s social aspect was on full display last week at The Club at Bond Head in Beeton, Ont., where history was made. Erik Anders Lang, a golf influencer and founder of Random Golf Club (RGC), partnered with Golf Town to create a unique event called the “400some” where 400 people played a hole together to celebrate the game and be part of the special moment.
“Golf Town has long been an institution in Canada and they have been about promoting inclusivity,” said Lang. “They were looking for a way to lean into that. It seemed like we were going to collaborate, whether we knew it or not at that point. Even though I had never played golf in Canada, the mission was put out: hey, we want to do a crazy, huge, inclusive golf event. “
A latecomer to the game, Lang took golf up at 30 after his brother convinced him to try it. With a background in film, Lang combined his passion for storytelling and his newfound love for golf to form Random Golf Club in 2020. The brand is known for its videos, which are some of the most interesting in the golf space. It has also carved out a reputation for putting on cool events around the world. Lang said RGC’s mission is to build the biggest, most inclusive golf club in the world.
“Our gatherings have a very specific purpose, which is to bring people together on the golf course, make people feel comfortable, make people feel like they’re a part of something,” said Lang. “To be able to do that with a brand that’s essentially much bigger than Random Golf Club (Golf Town) and one that is powerful in Canada. When it comes to golf, having a partner who is interested in furthering the purpose of our events is huge.”
While RGC is creating a welcoming environment in the golf space, some parts of the sport remain uninviting. Lang got a first-hand taste of that in 2020, shortly after RGC was formed, when he and his crew were shooting a video at Winged Foot Golf Club ahead of the 2020 U.S. Open there. A private club, the RGC contingent was invited as guests to shoot a video showcasing the course ahead of the tournament. As they approached the 18th green, a group of members walked up and inquired about the project. They were cordial but made sure to mention Lang wasn’t an ideal candidate for Winged Foot membership.
“I haven’t thought about that in a long time,” said Lang when asked about the interaction. “I think it buzzed over me. I didn’t really understand what they said or didn’t realize that I was essentially being looked down at … it was an insane experience when you think about it.”
The day at Winged Foot didn’t deter Lang. In fact, it fueled his desire to shake up the status quo of the sport and redefine what a golf club is.
“I first had to ask myself: ‘Hey, how do we act in an inclusive way?’” said Lang. “The simplest way to do that is the opposite of the example you brought up about Winged Foot. It’s not exclusive. It’s not saying the table’s full, membership’s not open, or that area is closed; inclusive is inherently a positive action, right? It’s growing, welcoming, adding. If I go back to the beginning, the first event, it was 10 guys who wanted to play golf and I didn’t want to say no to anybody. So, I said, well, I don’t have time to play 10 rounds. Let’s all just play in the same round. I guess that’s always been a part of me., wanting everybody to be there.”
Lang will continue to seek out partners such as Golf Town to further his vision, hoping to change people’s perceptions of the sport.
“Ideally, something like the 400-some, it’s like you do it once, you do it twice, you do it a couple of times in your life, and you have this wild experience that can hopefully reframe how you approach the game after that,” he said. “That’s the goal.”