Two ambitious women decided to join forces in 2018 when they started Driving Pursuits KC. Melissa Seiler and Gretchen Hayes launched this program with the goal of creating a comfortable and fun environment for women in business to learn golf, gain confidence, and expand their professional and social networks.
Melissa’s background includes experience in the legal industry, with a focus on compliance, vetting employee benefit brokers, and implementing benefit programs. Gretchen comes from a background in retail and advertising, with a passion for helping business owners grow their brand.
“Now, we are both employee benefit producers at HUB International, and interestingly, neither of us knew how to golf when we started Driving Pursuits,” they shared.
“We quickly saw the value and necessity of learning golf to grow our businesses at HUB, as so many professional conversations and networking opportunities happen on the course,” they continued. “We wanted to create a community where women feel completely comfortable learning the game without intimidation. Golf has traditionally been a male-dominated sport, and we saw an opportunity to change that narrative by providing a space where women can ask questions, practice at their own pace, and build confidence.”
More than just golf, Driving Pursuits is about connection and empowerment. Many women avoid corporate or social golf outings because they don’t feel prepared or skilled enough to participate. Their goal is to remove those barriers and help women feel just as included and confident in these spaces as men.
They offer group golf lessons tailored specifically for professional and social play for women of all skill levels with PGA golf professionals.
“We teach beginners to intermediate golfers. Our lessons start with fundamental skills like stance, grip, and swing techniques before progressing to more advanced strategies for playing a full round,” they noted.
This spring, they are excited to kick off their 2025 season, welcoming over 70 new members and offering lessons that started in early April, adding, “We are offering both a beginner cohort and an intermediate cohort for women who have already completed one year of the beginner program. Additionally, we now have 12 mentors in the program. Mentorship is a key part of Driving Pursuits, as we know that having a mentor can significantly boost self-confidence and professional growth. Our mentors bring valuable real-life experience, providing guidance on how to navigate the course with confidence, play in a first scramble, and use golf as a tool for business success.”
In 2023 they partnered with the Kansas Golf Foundation to offer a scholarship. The Driving Pursuits Golf Grant is an annually funded scholarship program that provides financial assistance to women who have a passion for golf but currently lack the means to pursue it. Their goal is to make golf accessible to more women.
They are accepting new members through May 20, 2025, for this season and are excited to continue fostering a strong, supportive community of women on and off the course. They believe golf is more than just a sport. It’s a tool for confidence, connection, and growth. At Driving Pursuits KC, when women support each other, incredible things happen.
“We are truly differentiated from other golf clubs because we work with working women and want them to network within the group and outside of it,” noted Melissa.
“We look forward to continued growth and can’t wait to see more women taking ownership of the course and their confidence!” Gretchen exclaimed.
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“We teach beginners to intermediate golfers. Our lessons start with fundamental skills like stance, grip, and swing techniques before progressing to more advanced strategies for playing a full round.”