The way top executives create relationships has changed, and you can see it pretty plainly if you look closely. The days of huge stages, jam-packed schedules, and endless panels are no longer the go-to for senior leaders, with the trend moving towards smaller, more relaxing settings like golf networking events. Traditional conferences still exist, but more and more CEOs are opting for a different venue to have meaningful interactions. The focus is not on louder or bigger events, but rather on creating a more relaxed atmosphere. And curiously, one of the most common places to make this adjustment is the golf field.
More Than Leisure: Why Conferences Feel Limited
At first it may sound like a lifestyle choice or a way to merge business with pleasure. But it doesn’t end there. Conferences are great but sometimes often feel rushed. You meet dozens of people, do quick intros, maybe a little chat between sessions, and then you move on. It’s efficient, but not always meaningful. Sometimes there isn’t enough space for a connection to expand beyond the surface level.
The Golf Course Dynamic: Time Creates Depth
The golf course is a whole different atmosphere. You’re working with the same small group, meandering between shots, talking for hours with no set agenda. Dialogues tend to be more natural. There’s time to go beyond the traditional elevator pitch and actually get a sense of how someone thinks, what they care about, and how they make decisions. Difficult to get that degree of intimacy in a busy conference location.
A Level Playing Field: Reducing Hierarchy
Another factor to take into account is the environment. Golf is a neutral, low-pressure environment that feels less hierarchical. When everyone is playing the same game and has the same problems, titles don’t matter as much. Some shots are good, some aren’t, and that unpredictability tends to level things out a little bit, allowing players to connect on a more personal level, despite whether they are professionals or not. When conversations don’t feel too scripted or transactional, it’s much easier to build actual connection.
Trust in Action: Reading Between the Lines
And there is a little amount of trust-building in there, too. “People hang out together a lot in a relaxed setting and see how other people are, how they react to adversity, how they talk, how they carry themselves. Those small cues often speak louder than perfect presentations or rehearsed pitches. They can give a clearer picture of if someone is reliable and flexible and someone you want to do business with in the long run.
Not a Replacement: The Role of Conferences Remains
That said, we’re not about wholesale replacement of conferences. Large events still have a place in discovering new ideas, staying on top of industry trends, and networking at scale. But many CEOs today argue the real value is not in multitudes of contacts but in deepening relationships with a smaller group of people. Here, it’s the quality of the golf, not the quantity.
A Practical Choice: Blending Work with Mental Space
There is a practical aspect to it as well. As schedules get more and more packed, you may find that networking, together with an activity that gives your mind a respite, may be more attractive than sitting through back-to-back sessions in a conference environment. It offers CEOs time off from constant decision-making and enables them to conduct productive conversations. And that balance is more and more important.
Networking in 2026: Prioritizing Real Connection
Business networking in 2026 is less about showing up and more about building real connections. As leaders like Kevin Tash CMO, often point out, the golf course has been a natural venue for communication to flow more easily, time demands to ease, and connections to form more organically. This is not the only method CEOs are networking, but it is one strategy that is quietly gaining traction.
And when you think about it, that makes sense. And real connections don’t happen in a haste; they need time, space, and a setting where individuals can relax and be a little more themselves.
