If you have high career ambitions, be careful to choose the right sport. The playing field can sometimes be an arena for learning strategy, sometimes for building new relationships, and sometimes for making power visible. From the golf course to the stadium box, from indoor soccer pitches to e-sports tournaments, the ball is always in play. But the real question is: where does the ball turn, and with whom is it played?
Career, Sports, and Geography
Golf: The Field of Patience and Strategy
In the global business world, golf is still the number one game. It offers strategy and visibility. Golf courses, like those we see in American films, are the venues where major deals and agreements are made. Golf is all about patience and long-term strategy. The greatest value of this hours-long game lies in the dialogues and closeness it fosters. Joining the right club means being side by side with the right people. Million-dollar deals are often signed not in the meeting room but on the golf course.
But in Turkey, career and golf are not as closely connected.
Why Is Golf Less Popular in Turkey?
1. Accessibility and Venue Issues
- Golf courses in Turkey are limited to certain regions: Belek, Bodrum, Istanbul Kemer Country, etc.
- For most businesspeople, going to a golf course in the middle of daily traffic is difficult. For example, for a manager in Levent (Istanbul), going to Belek requires a plane trip.
- Football fields, indoor soccer pitches, and club boxes, however, are located right in the city center and are much easier to access.
2. Cultural Habits
- In Turkey, the social capital of the business world has been shaped for decades around football clubs and stadium boxes.
- Football is a common language from childhood onward: a sport everyone knows, talks about, and builds a sense of belonging through.
- Golf, however, is culturally perceived as “foreign,” more like a sport of tourist regions. That’s why, although prestigious, it doesn’t function as a “natural networking arena” for businesspeople.
3. Time and Tempo
- Golf is a 4–5 hour game; with the fast pace and busy schedules of Turkish businesspeople, this duration feels like a luxury.
- In contrast, a football match or indoor soccer game takes 90 minutes; conversations in stadium boxes are limited to the match time—much more practical.
Football: Turkey’s VIP Boxes
In Turkey, the ball turns in stadium boxes. Football is the strongest simulation of teamwork: everyone has a different role, and the leader’s job is to maximize the performance of their players.
But football is also the stage for footwork, lobbying, and club politics. It is no coincidence that many leading businessmen become presidents of football clubs or try to. Running a club means power, influence, and an easy connection to large audiences—both in business and politics.
Tennis: Negotiation on the Court
The tennis court is a rehearsal for one-on-one competition, reflexes, and negotiation. It teaches focus, quick decision-making, and the ability to accept loss and return to the game. Tennis clubs are excellent venues for forming strong, long-term professional connections. While it is seen as an “elite sport,” for the business world it is also a subtle training ground. Every stroke on the court can be a new career opportunity.
Indoor Soccer: Democratic Networking
A little further down, we find indoor soccer fields. For middle managers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals, these are the most genuine networking arenas. Here, titles don’t matter—performance does. Jerseys are equal, everyone fights on the same turf. Indoor soccer may be Turkey’s most democratic business network.
New Generation: Playing in the Digital Arena
For Gen Z managers, instead of golf clubs or stadium boxes, there are e-sports clubs and Discord channels. League of Legends tournaments, FIFA matches, and digital racing simulations provide both strategy and networking spaces for young professionals. Leading a clan is a virtual rehearsal for running a company.
Managing a League of Legends team today means practicing role distribution, team communication, quick decision-making, and crisis management—critical business skills. FIFA matches function as the digital equivalent of stadium boxes, creating a shared language among young managers. Even strategy and simulation games (Civilization, Football Manager, SimCity) offer gamified training in patience, planning, and resource management for future leaders.
Conclusion: Fields Change, the Game Stays the Same
Golf, football, indoor soccer, tennis, chess, sailing, or e-sports… Each offers a different network, a different strategy, and a different form of power. But the common point is this:
It’s not just about playing sports; it’s about which field, which club, and with whom you play the game.
Businessmen Who Combine Golf and Career Worldwide
Donald Trump: One of the most golf-associated names in the business world. Since 1999, Trump has bought or managed 17 golf courses around the world, showing how this sport became integrated into his brand and business.
Warren Buffett – Golf Club Membership Equals Prestige
Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman Warren Buffett not only plays golf but is also a member of Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world’s most prestigious clubs. Through this sport, he builds powerful social networks. Golf symbolizes patience and strategy for him, alongside his other hobbies like bridge, reading, and playing the ukulele.
Bob Parsons – Turned Golf Into an Investment
GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons transformed his golf passion into a corporate project. He bought a golf club in Scottsdale and launched Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), a brand producing high-quality golf equipment. For him, golf is both a lifestyle and a business opportunity.
J. P. McManus – Networking and Charity Through Golf
Irish businessman J. P. McManus, owner of Adare Manor and Luttrellstown Castle golf courses, is a strong figure in golf. Since 1990, he has organized the J.P. McManus Pro-Am tournaments, building networks with celebrities and raising significant funds for charities.
Businessmen Playing Golf in Turkey
Despite everything, Turkey also has golf enthusiasts among its businesspeople:
- Nihat Özdemir (Limak): Among the first businessmen to organize tournaments.
- Mustafa Koç: Known for his passion for golf and membership in prestigious clubs.
- Fikret Öztürk (OPET): Invested in golf in Belek.
- Yıldırım Demirören: Counts golf among his hobbies.