How to Make Friends and Influence People (on the Golf Course)
Use these tried and true tips for forging new friendships at the golf course.
Find commonalities
Yes, you have golf in common, that’s true. But there’s so much to golf that can take your relationship further. Did you both start later in life? Do you both dread a certain hole on your home course? Maybe you both share a similar strength on the course.
Communicate well
Though we just talked about finding commonalities, it’s also important to look at how you communicate with your new and potential friends. For example, we don’t just want to ask about a variety of topics, hoping to find one in common.
Challenge yourself to be open
To find those things in common with others, we need to be willing to open up, especially if your playing partner just did. You don’t have to share all your stories, or go deep, but if you tend to be more closed-off, remember your goal to build relationships on the course, and fake it ’til you make it.
What is Riccio's emphasis on golf?
Riccio’s emphasis is pace of play. But pace and etiquette are interrelated. Most golfers understand this. Sadly, a myopic few do not. They refuse to let folks through, or they piss and moan about it. Why is sometimes hard to say, though it often boils down to ego or entitlement, or, most likely, a little bit of both.
How many golfers walk up the fairway?
Three golfers walk up the fairway at a course. Either keep up your pace or know the rules to let others play through. But let’s assume congestion isn’t an issue (and if there’s a hole open ahead of you, it’s not), and your group is on the green, with golfers standing, arms-crossed, in the fairway behind you — the golf equivalent ...
What is the difference between traffic on a golf course and traffic on a city street?
The difference is that traffic on a course is mostly self-policed.
