WITH HER STRATEGIC DIRECTION, THIS SOUTH FLORIDA–BASED REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE HAS GUIDED CORCORAN TO SURPASS $23 BILLION IN ANNUAL SALES—MANY OF WHICH STEMMED FROM RELATIONSHIPS SHE CULTIVATED ON THE GOLF COURSE. HERE ARE SOME OF THE ONES THAT STOOD OUT…
01
Atlantic Golf Club.
I got into golf just after college. I was at a share house for the summer in the Hamptons. A bunch of guys were getting up early to play, and I always liked the idea of it, but it was so intimidating to play because you think everyone who plays is automatically really good. It turns out, not everyone who plays is actually that good. Since those early days, I’ve realized that it’s a lot easier for people to open up and talk business when they’re walking down a fairway than when they’re in a stuffy conference room. I’ve been a member at Atlantic in Bridgehampton, which is just fantastic. One time, I was playing with another woman who was an acquaintance at the club, and I thought we were playing just to play. It turns out, on the 18th hole, she asked me to sell her $40 million house in Sagaponack. It sold a few weeks later.
02
East Hampton Golf Club.
I once got paired with two guys I hadn’t met before. It turned out they were both money managers at a big bank, and by the time we got off the course, they had set me up with two new clients. One of them led to an incredible opportunity to work on a fabulous waterfront estate that hadn't been on the market for decades.
03
Shell Bay Club.
It’s not just about golf there but also padel. In addition to meeting people on the course, I’ve also met people in the gym and on the courts. One time when I was having lunch, I started talking to a woman at the table next to me. She had just joined the club but hadn't found a place to live yet. So, while sitting there, I introduced her by phone to one of my top agents and a week later she was in contract for $14 million.
04
La Gorce Country Club.
I had been talking to someone who was based in New York but was going to buy and sell in Miami. He wanted to get together while he was in town, and I suggested we play golf. We got to know each other a bit better on the course. A few months later, he came to me ready to sell his condo and purchase a new home in Miami—both of which turned out to be significant deals
05
Pebble Beach.
Years ago, I got invited to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday at Pebble Beach. I didn’t know most of the other guests well, but after the trip, I did real estate deals with four of them. One of the women I met ended up becoming a close friend and a regular golf partner. She lived in the Hamptons, and when she decided to upgrade her home, she generously entrusted us with the sale of her property and asked for our help in finding her next one.
06
Sebonack.
I was once walking through a restaurant in New York wearing a golf shirt from Sebonack. A guy who happened to be a member there stopped me, and we started chatting. He said, “If you ever want to do business with me, you’ll be at my golf event tomorrow.” I ended up going to Hudson National the next day for his golf outing, and I think I was the only woman there. He ran one of the biggest investment funds in the country and has become one of my biggest clients—as well as a great friend.
