Peter Williamson: Pro Golfer Turned Game Designer for Social Good

While every PFP guest is PlayFull, we occasionally get the chance to talk to someone who plays full-time! And in the case of Peter Williamson, this has been true since he made a living swinging a club. Now, as a philanthropist, game designer, and play coach, he’s putting these skills to use making the world a better place.

In this provocative episode about how fun and games can be used for serious purposes, the CEO of Game Genius shares how he transforms play into a catalyst for learning, connection, and systems change. Listeners are invited to discover how games can open new ways of seeing, strengthen communities, and bring joy into even the most serious work. It’s a great reminder that play is not just a pastime, but a powerful force for change.

Key Takeaways:

• Peter Williamson shifted from a professional golf career to founding Game Genius and Barometer XP, building a mission around play for good.
• He draws from his background in family philanthropy, education, and systems thinking to design games that create real-world impact.
• His work demonstrates how play can act as a bridge, fostering connection and resilience even in times of social division.
• Treat play as philanthropy by bringing joy, awareness, and connection into your community work.
• Start with existing games—adapt classics like Bridge, Scrabble, or Monopoly, “re-skin” a game everyone knows, instead of reinventing from scratch. This increases options and access.
• Focus on transferable skills when using play (like communication, adaptability, collaboration) rather than only teaching content.
• Apply a systems lens through play—expose yourself and your teams to different games as a way to recognize, question, and improve the systems you live and work in.

"I’ve always thought of play as another form of philanthropy—how can you give fun, awareness-building moments and play to a community to help them understand why best connection is important." — Peter Williamson

"There’s a kind of magical moment with play where when people have that light bulb flip, and I’ve had that enough times myself, where I’m like, oh, if I can do that for other people, that would be really fun." — Peter Williamson

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