Meet Marisa Messana: professional golfer, host and founder

By Kristen Oliveri 

Marisa Messana brings a championship mindset to everything she does. After more than 15 years training to compete at the highest level of professional golf, she has parlayed her on-course discipline into a performance coaching model known as Marigold Elite Partners used by executive teams around the world. 

A standout student-athlete and academic trailblazer at Clemson University, where she earned a master’s in Human Resources and led her team to the NCAA National Championship, Messana now transforms corporate gatherings into dynamic, high-impact engagements through her work with Sports Illustrated and beyond.

Below, Messana shares her story with Wealth Reimagined’s Kristen Oliveri.

Marisa Messana: professional golfer

Let’s start with your story. How did you find your way to golf?

My older brother played golf, and I never just wanted to “sit on the sidelines” and watch, so once I was about eight years old, I started to join weekly junior golf clinics. I’ve always been very driven and athletic so once I started, I was hooked. By age 11, I attended a professional golf tournament giving me exposure to what was possible and once I had that vision, I was willing to do whatever was necessary to get there. 

Along that journey, you’ve also made a pivot into entrepreneurship. What inspired that shift, and how has it shaped your path?

Being a professional athlete meant I was constantly living in extremes. I would feel invincible during the highs, but I also noticed I would get stuck in the lows of downward spirals and begin to question myself.

I knew I needed to handle this better, so I began practices of self-awareness in order to manage the daily volatility, uncertainty, and adversity. Through regular reflections and learning how to manage my state physically, mentally, and emotionally - it became obvious to me that I was not living in alignment with the values and lifestyle that would create the best version of myself.  

I had this gnawing feeling that I wanted to use other strengths and skills I had to serve others, and I was craving to be intellectually stimulated by other interests.  Spending everyday competing with a white golf ball was creating a void.

 Sports Illustrated asked me to start creating a channel on their website producing golf content, so although it wasn’t my “true north” to be a broadcaster, I knew that was the next best step for me to start exercising my skills outside of the golf course. 

You often talk about “inner mastery.” What does that mean to you, and how has it influenced your identity both on and off the course?

I was pretty adamant that when I say I’m going to do something, I will do it, so I was tunnel vision on becoming a professional golfer for the majority of my life without questioning or doubting the “commitment” I made to myself. 

I started experiencing health issues physically. Mentally, I was inconsistent, and emotionally dysregulated and not fulfilled. That forced me to uncover the root of these issues; it became evident this was caused by the dissonance between my internal and external world. 

Externally, I received endless awards and accolades, but I had plateaued and actually started declining because my internal world wasn’t aligned.

 Once I became aware of the root issues, I began to change my lifestyle and make decisions that aligned with the future I wanted to create for myself, rather than making decisions from the patterns of my past.

 At first, it was difficult to lean into these inner challenges, but I quickly realized it was key to unlocking my highest potential. It became my superpower and unquestionably the most rewarding journey. By truly understanding what was driving me versus draining me, my success catapulted in every aspect. 

You speak about the physical, mental, and emotional pillars of performance. How do these show up in your day-to-day life or when you're preparing to compete?

Whether you're a professional athlete, a “corporate athlete” or driven to live an exceptional life, the systems that I created during my time competing translate directly to maximizing your experience in any area of your life. If you’re constantly drained, distracted, or dysregulated, you can’t reach the highest heights. 

Physically, I have daily non-negotiables that empower me to show up energized rather than feeling depleted from the inevitable stressors of each day. 

Mentally, I’ve created my daily form of “mental gym” to train my mind to stay focused, motivated, and grounded despite the surrounding chaos and adversity we see causes overwhelm and burnout.

Emotionally, I’ve developed self-awareness through regular check-ins that not only transform my inner state, but also transform my communication and relationships within my community personally and professionally. 

What practices or habits have helped you strengthen each of those pillars over time?

I dedicate time during my “mental gym” every weekend to reflect on my wins, losses, and lessons in each pillar from the past week. This holds me accountable to acknowledging my wins and also making adjustments or implementing systems in order to grow through everything I am going through.

Tell me about the golf programs you curate. How do you use them to bring people together in meaningful, authentic ways?

Golf is an incredible platform to build relationships because of the beautiful ambiance in fresh air, you’re physically moving your body, and you’re giving your undivided attention to your playing partners, either on the course or the range.

Golf is also the ultimate test when it comes to managing adversity, pressure, and discomfort, which breaks barriers to understand people more authentically and engage in meaningful discussions around the growth-oriented topics I love to facilitate after golfing. 

Oftentimes, I’m sharing stories about challenges and solutions I have created in my performance which opens up the conversation for others to share lessons about the challenges and triumphs they experienced as well.

 In short, we are expediting the process of building trust, camaraderie, and community by leveraging golf to discuss meaningful and thought-provoking topics.

Beyond golf and business, what would you say is your superpower?

I’ve learned to integrate my superpowers through my life personally and professionally so it all aligns regardless of the context. This superpower combines my strengths of communication, connection, and turning challenges into triumphs. 

As you continue to grow and evolve your business, what’s next for you? What are you excited about building or exploring next?

I’d love to partner with other leaders or organizations who also prioritize a standard of excellence as they create significant impact through their products and services. I believe collaborating with others towards a shared mission is the most rewarding work, so I’m always eager to identify/develop “top performers of top character.” 

During this systematic shift of AI, it’s essential to normalize “intentional recreation” where we gather as humans to enjoy discussing important, growth- oriented topics. We need to build better leaders during this time whose inner mastery can empower sustained success. 

 I’ve considered creating a next gen program for aspiring leaders, but I’ve learned I just need to keep taking bold steps towards this vision and the answers/opportunities will become clear through continued action.