Former Stouffville resident Nisha Sadekar’s (left) company, Play Golf Designs, can assist corporate and charity golf events by arranging for female touring pros to play a round of golf, offer clinics or take part in challenges with participants. Ashley Prange (right), who won the Golf Channel’s Big Break 5 Hawaii reality series, is one of the staff players.
Whitchurch-Stouffville
July 19, 2008 07:39 PM
Ex-pro Sadekar uses connections in golf business
By: Mike Hayakawa
Are you thinking of hosting a company or charity golf tournament, but would like to make that outing a little extra special?
Nisha Sadekar has some ideas through her company, Play Golf Designs Inc.
A former Stouffville resident who now resides in the Las Vegas, Nev., suburb of Henderson, the 27-year-old specializes in organizing golf events for companies.
It means she can create unique and customized golfing experiences in which company or charity events can include the appearance of a touring female pro player.
“You can enhance corporate or charity golf tournaments or create your own custom golf event with your Play Golf Designs professional assisting in various challenges,” she said.
“You can create a special day with your associates and close friends with our Play with a Pro service. Play a round of golf with your choice professional and add on a clinic for you and your guests. Have your select professional host your corporate event or help raise money for your charity event.”
Getting her company off the first tee almost two years ago, Sadekar said the idea stemmed from a combination of her time playing on the Futures Tour and in setting up in Vegas in 2004. She applied the business acumen she acquired while playing and studying at the University of Missouri.
“I was doing OK on the tour, but I knew there was other (business) opportunities when I moved to Las Vegas. I visited the various casinos and tried to raise an awareness of women’s golf with them,” she said.
“The people there (casino management staff) said we (golfers) were almost like entertainers. Being on the tour, there were a lot of attractive and beautiful women golfers who I knew that were always ready to play. But it was like a job to us. I was thinking, what a better way to create a group that can specialize in entertaining.
“For example, when we (touring pros) play golf in a company or charity event with a group with say three other people, they expect you to hit a shot and they are in awe because they are playing with a woman who is young and at the same time who is well spoken and knowledgeable about the game.”
Sadekar had eight touring pros on staff to start. (ne year later it ballooned to 32 players.
They include Canadian pros Alena Sharp, Salimah Mussani, who won last year’s CPGA championship in Thornhill, Seema Sadekar, Nisha’s younger sister who is on the Futures Tour, Angie Green and Jessica Shepley.
Others are U.S. pro Ashley Gomes, who gained notoriety on the Golf Channel’s The Big Break reality series as a runner up in Big Break 7, South Korean pros Naree and Aree Song, and recently, Susan Choi and Courtney Erdman, who were on Big Break IX Ka’anapali.
Sadekar had a good base to draw upon through friendships she developed while attending the golf-intensive IMG Academy in Florida, along with her competitive days in the Canadian Junior Golf Association, at university and on tour.
Since last year, Sadekar noted many of the pros have come via referrals from those already on staff.
“I might get an e-mail from one of the girls stating there’s someone we should try to get,” Sadekar said.
Although based out of Vegas, Sadekar conducts some of her business in the GTA.
During the winter months, when most courses are closed in Ontario, Sadekar’s company can arrange for players to visit sunny and warmer climes of Las Vegas for golf and to take in the night life.
Much of her business is for members of clubs or corporations.
Groups play a competitive three-day match using a Ryder Cup style tournament format.
“A head pro say from a private club can bring down seven or eight members to Las Vegas or a boss from a company can bring down seven or eight of their workers or clients and we take care of everything from the transportation, golf, hotel and gambling,” she said.
Two tourneys are planned for October, two in November and one in December.
“It’s a fun job and it’s been great and exciting. I thought I’d just be working with the casinos, but there’s more out there.
“I didn’t even have the concept down when I first started and I didn’t realize the level it would be within the year,” she said.
“But I’m still learning on the go. But right now we’re redefining the world of golf entertainment.”
Go to
playgolfdesigns.com for more information.