Deb Olson is Fighting the Good Fight

Written By Adam Hawk

Deb Olson is a lot of things. She’s a native Georgian who has since spent large portions of her post-high school life on each respective seaboard. She’s a seasoned veteran of the golf industry having served more than 20 years working nearly every role in the industry. She’s a new entrepreneur as a result of a vintage hat obsession. She’s a former club president, an LPGA diehard, a customer service savant and a dedicated foot solider in her longtime advocacy for women’s golf.

“You might call me feisty, too,” Deb says. “Maybe ‘direct’ is a better word. But I’m willing to question things I feel are important to question and to amplify all perspectives. I don’t do it with myself in mind, but for the others who aren’t always thought of.”

Deb, who has been with the SCGA since 2022 and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Member Services, has good reason to consider groups of people who might otherwise go overlooked. She’s quick to recall a time in the not-so-distant past where women were a clear afterthought for all things golf, including golf apparel. “For a while, we had three styles of shoes to pick from. If your feet hurt, too bad.” She also laments the lack of pockets offered on so many pieces of women’s golf clothing.

Attire shortcomings, and private clubs who wouldn’t grant Saturday morning tee times to women, and golf newsletters that required dozens of clicks just to find women’s golf content, are all lived experiences that Deb keeps on the forefront of her mind, even as things are changing for the better. At the SCGA, she is constantly championing more inclusive imagery and content that reflects the organization’s diverse membership.

Deb, who also has a professional background in communications and graphic design, believes that everything matters. Words, pictures and marketing are all telling a story, and the more the story is told and retold, the more it becomes reinforced as fact. “Every year, The Masters is branded as golf’s first major of the season. It might be the first men’s major of the season, but when the Chevron Championship was played in the California desert (from 1983–2022), it was golf’s first major of the season.”

Tangible or intangible, Deb has a keen awareness for the various facets of the women’s game, including her least favorite, oft-repeated trope among some men about pace of play. “We’re not slow players,” Deb insists. “In fact, we might be the only group that plays from the correct tees.”

Anecdotal evidence supports the latter part of her claim as most golfers have seen their fair share of men’s players with double-digit Handicaps head to the back tees to fire triple-digit scores.

Are you getting the sense that Deb pays close attention to the details?

This doesn’t just make her an objectively great asset for a golf association during a time when women have come to the game more than any other demographic since 2020. This level of passionate focus directly benefits any of the hundreds of members who might call her with an inquiry.

“I love people. I love talking to people. And I love being the human voice that can help someone solve a problem when they are accustomed to dealing with automations elsewhere. I try to thank every single member for being with the SCGA at the end of our call because, without them, we wouldn’t have jobs.”

Before working for the SCGA, Deb worked at Griffith Park GC as a starter, volunteered as a marshal at DeBell GC and served as President of the LPGA Amateurs Golf Association – Los Angeles. She is currently finishing a six-year stint as Events Director. Today, she has turned a passion for collecting vintage hats into a side hustle called Flippin’ Lids ‘N Things.

Deb estimates that she has close to 500 hats on hand between her home and storage unit. Hats are just part of Flippin’ Lids ‘N Things as she frequently rounds out her offerings with other picks (both golf and non-golf) from thrift stores, flea markets, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, estate sales and Whatnot.

“This hobby has taken over my life, in a good way. I’ve found a community with other resellers who are eager to help and be helped. I love the process of restoring an item back to life, especially an item that I remember being on the shelf from decades ago. The added bonus is keeping these things out of the landfill.”

With previous roles in graphic design, Flippin’ Lids ‘N Things has renewed an outlet for her creative side. And while this venture may be new and still in the build-out phase, she’s had great early success selling her items at the quarterly Golf Flea events, hosted by two SCGA members, Bryan Jones and Troy Aguila, at Meadowlark GC. But the most fulfilling aspect of Deb’s upcycling business isn’t the business at all.

“I was a daddy’s girl and my dad loved flea markets. He would take me all the time. This brings back memories and reminds me of him.”

Deb has been described by a close friend as dedicated, kind and full of integrity. This blend of virtues yields a person who can thread a rare needle of compassion, conviction and community.

Deb’s compassion is seen through her understanding of other people’s challenges and her desire to help address them. Her conviction is on display when she constantly advocates for inclusion of all people. And her love of community is the undeniable throughline of her life in golf. From her first job to her current one, from her golf club to her volunteering efforts and from fellow online resellers to in-person customers, community has been with Deb every step of the way.

June is Women’s Golf Month and in thinking about what that means to her, Deb’s response, fitting of her personality, was decidedly nuanced. “I’m glad we have it and I support the spotlight. Women deserve heightened visibility and an acknowledgment that we exist. But I wish we didn’t need it.”

That wish stems from a fundamental belief Deb has held in her heart, her mind and her words for a long time – women’s golf is just as good, just as enjoyable and just as important as the men’s game.

“Championing women’s golf isn’t a month for me. It’s every day.”