How to conduct business on the golf course?
The idea behind conducting business on the golf course is to make friends first and then do your business. As you are playing, keep in mind that you will want to bring your “A” game as much as is humanly possible.
Do you have business decorum on the golf course?
There is much business that is done on the golf course every day of every week. You won’t find a better place to make a business deal than on the links. However, you will want to use some form of decorum to insure that your business goals will come to reality.
Is golf the sport of business?
Where there is Golf there is Business Golf is the unrivalled Sport of Business 54% of Biz Professionals see Golf as The Sport of Business 25% of Business decision-makers play Golf 48% of Executives see the Golf Course as an ideal biz environment 20% of the FTSE-100 Chairmen belong to the same Golf Club
Should you play golf with your business affiliate?
When you are conducting business on the golf course, you have the luxury of sharing a common goal – to beat each other. Yet at the same time, when you are playing with business associates on the golf course, you really need to practice some decorum when playing golf with a potential business affiliate.
Keep Score Like Your Preacher is Sitting Next to You
When I first started golfing, I got to where I could shoot about 100 fairly quickly. For the next, 6-12 months I continued to get better at golf, but I kept shooting 100. What was happening? Well, my 100 early in my “golfing career” was about the most dishonest 100 you’d ever seen.
You Are Not the Scorekeeping Police
As an addition to the above tip, you are not the score police. I do not care if you have spent hours studying the PGA rulebook and you know all of the penalty rules. If someone you are playing with wants to fudge the numbers and kick their ball around, let them do it. Don’t sneer at them or make any comments either.
Etiquette Before All Else
This should go without saying, but that never seems to be the case with things. You need to make sure that you 100% understand basic golf etiquette and that you follow it to a T whether or not anyone else in your group is. Additionally, don’t correct someone who is not following etiquette rules even if it is negatively impacting your game.
Be Jelly and Go with the Flow
I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so I try and use them in my analogies as much as possible. When you’re on the golf course looking to advance your business dealings, you need to be ready to go with the flow. You need to be like jelly— not so rigid that if things are different than you’re used to, you can’t adapt.
Getting Better Does Help
You probably are already aware of this, but getting better at golf is certainly going to help, but maybe not for the reason you think. Honestly, most people I’ve played with didn’t care if I was good or bad at the game.
Conclusion
I’d say we covered quite a bit today, and hopefully, this helps you to be more prepared for your next golf business outing. Sometimes getting tips from someone that is more around your level can be better than getting advice from an expert or a professional.
Pick the Proper Venue
Whether you’re playing with skilled or subpar golfers, pick a course that is relatively easy to keep morale high. You don’t want the person your trying to impress to be digging around in the woods or fishing their ball out of the water all day. That can breed frustration and hurt your chances of productive conversation.
Follow Their Lead
If your boss, guest, or associate picked the course and they’ve neglected the first two rules above, just go with the flow and certainly don’t point out their own poor judgment. The last thing you want to do is insult their home course. That’s a surefire way to damage a relationship.
Use Your Networking Time Appropriately
Wait for opportune times to discuss business (if at all) and always let your guest be the one to bring it up. After all, you invited them for a round of golf, not a captive sales pitch.
Practice Proper Golf Etiquette
If you’re playing an informal round don’t be stickler by being the first to holler about a penalty for taking a mulligan or a “gimme” on a 2 foot putt. Keep your score however you’d like but leave the PGA Tour mentality at home and let your guest play the round they want to play.
Create a Memory of Yourself
If you’re in sales, business cards should always be in your wallet and/or golf bag. A “leave behind” to remind that person of you is a great way to relay your contact information to your guest (s). It also shows that you’re serious about their business.
Have Fun
These rules are a guidelines to keep you looking professional out on the course, but its important to remember to have fun out there as well. Golf, after all, is supposed to be enjoyable. Loosen up and enjoy the day and it will translate into an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.