I've spoken to some friends about how watching a golf tournament isn't as much fun when Tiger, Retief, Ernie, Phil, and Vijay aren't playing in the tournament together. Well, this weekend Vijay is playing in Houston at the Shell Open, while Ernie and Retief are in China at the Johnny Walker Tournament
Even if it's not a major, again, if the members of your sphere of influence follow golf, then you should as well. One highlight of this weekend is Vijay's election into the Hall of Fame. Last weekend it was Darrell Clarke's $700 plaid trousers and his double-bogey on the 18th hole. But, with a wife at home who is a survivor of cancer, he was a class act when talking about his loss. He suggested that he only lost a golf tournament and that there's more to life.
Remember that when you play your next round of golf, especially in a business golf round. No matter our score or how we play in a given day, it's only a game for us--it's not how we make a living.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
My Masters Thoughts
The Masters is my favorite tournament. On Monday, a friend and I were e-mailing about Tiger's victory. The friend said Tiger was lucky and DiMarco should have won. Given his lead going into the third round, it looked like DiMarco would win, and I would have been very happy if he had won. But, to claim that Tiger's victory was luck struck me as being unfair and odd. First, unfair because Tiger had to come back from as much as a seven-stroke deficit. He pulled it off on Sunday morning to even take the lead going into the final round.
And, odd because Tiger's chip shot on the 16th green was fabulous. First, Tiger had to read the green, hit the ball, and then it had to drop in. I don't know how many players (pro or amateur) could have made that shot. Sure there is a modicum of luck that it went in, but it isn't like Tiger skulled it or hit it fat, and the ball happened to land where it did, so it would take the break, and then go in. Tiger had the imagination and skill to pull that shot off.
Besides, isn't some luck (serendipity, providence, or whatever you want to call it) always a factor in a person's success? I think even Donald Trump would say luck is some part of his success mixed with his vision, hard work, persistence, and focus on achieveing his goals.
To have luck, you have to put yourself in a position to receive it. So, maybe it's luck Tiger's chip went in, but he put himself in a position to chip it in. And, if you have a long putt, at least you hit the ball on the green, read the break, and then stroked the ball well, so it went into the hole.
I'm not ever one to kick a gift horse in the mouth. I've had my breaks on the golf course for which I'm grateful and will admit to. But, to chalk Tiger's victory to just luck is bad form and, a frightening thought, perhaps even a method of attracting a share of one's own bad luck.
And, odd because Tiger's chip shot on the 16th green was fabulous. First, Tiger had to read the green, hit the ball, and then it had to drop in. I don't know how many players (pro or amateur) could have made that shot. Sure there is a modicum of luck that it went in, but it isn't like Tiger skulled it or hit it fat, and the ball happened to land where it did, so it would take the break, and then go in. Tiger had the imagination and skill to pull that shot off.
Besides, isn't some luck (serendipity, providence, or whatever you want to call it) always a factor in a person's success? I think even Donald Trump would say luck is some part of his success mixed with his vision, hard work, persistence, and focus on achieveing his goals.
To have luck, you have to put yourself in a position to receive it. So, maybe it's luck Tiger's chip went in, but he put himself in a position to chip it in. And, if you have a long putt, at least you hit the ball on the green, read the break, and then stroked the ball well, so it went into the hole.
I'm not ever one to kick a gift horse in the mouth. I've had my breaks on the golf course for which I'm grateful and will admit to. But, to chalk Tiger's victory to just luck is bad form and, a frightening thought, perhaps even a method of attracting a share of one's own bad luck.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Rained Out Again!
As long as I've been a golfer, which is 15 years now, I have never seen the PGA season inundated with rain. Last week's tournament was rain delayed with a Monday start, and now the Masters has been struck with the same fate.
Be patient and try to see some of the tournament. It's the most revered tournament on the PGA schedule. Despite the recent controversies, it's still my favorite Major filled with lore, tradition, and beauty.
Remember, keep in the conversation and watch this tournament. Your golfing clients and prospects will definitely be talking about it, especially Tiger's putt into the water. Ouch!
Be patient and try to see some of the tournament. It's the most revered tournament on the PGA schedule. Despite the recent controversies, it's still my favorite Major filled with lore, tradition, and beauty.
Remember, keep in the conversation and watch this tournament. Your golfing clients and prospects will definitely be talking about it, especially Tiger's putt into the water. Ouch!
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Dittos and What If They Cheat?
In my last posting, I asked the rain to go away for the last tournament. We're asking for the same as the Players Championship has also been rain delayed. At least the ladies are playing in their first major with Annika tied for the lead.
On another note, a professional golfer this week asked the PGA to check Tiger's driver to see if it conformed to the PGA's rules regarding equipment specs. He was watching the Ford Tournament and couldn't believe Tiger could out drive Phil by 20-25 yards. Well, Tiger can and does with his new Nike driver, which is legal according to the PGA.
So, what do you do if you're playing a business golf round and your guest is cheating? First, don't automatically assume that the person is cheating. He or she may simply not know the rules of golf, since we're not required to learn them before we can play like in other countries. Yes, some countries make golfers take playing, rules, and etiquette tests before they can get their "driver's license" to play on the course. The idea is to prevent cheating and five-hour rounds. Doesn't seem like a bad idea for us to have the same! I hate slow play.
But, back to playing with a "cheater." If your guest is a new player, then he's not likely cheating, but just ignorant of the rules. If she is a single digit, has played for 20 years, then you can probably conclude she knows the rules and is cheating for some reason. You should definitely take note! When I'm considering to do business with people, I want to make sure they're not dishonest. In a round of golf, you'll get valuable information about your playing partners. Is this just competitiveness gone too far, and/or a major flaw in her business ethics? If you decide to still do some business with her, then armed with this information, you can be more careful. Thanks to your round of golf together, you'll at least be able to protect yourself better!
On another note, a professional golfer this week asked the PGA to check Tiger's driver to see if it conformed to the PGA's rules regarding equipment specs. He was watching the Ford Tournament and couldn't believe Tiger could out drive Phil by 20-25 yards. Well, Tiger can and does with his new Nike driver, which is legal according to the PGA.
So, what do you do if you're playing a business golf round and your guest is cheating? First, don't automatically assume that the person is cheating. He or she may simply not know the rules of golf, since we're not required to learn them before we can play like in other countries. Yes, some countries make golfers take playing, rules, and etiquette tests before they can get their "driver's license" to play on the course. The idea is to prevent cheating and five-hour rounds. Doesn't seem like a bad idea for us to have the same! I hate slow play.
But, back to playing with a "cheater." If your guest is a new player, then he's not likely cheating, but just ignorant of the rules. If she is a single digit, has played for 20 years, then you can probably conclude she knows the rules and is cheating for some reason. You should definitely take note! When I'm considering to do business with people, I want to make sure they're not dishonest. In a round of golf, you'll get valuable information about your playing partners. Is this just competitiveness gone too far, and/or a major flaw in her business ethics? If you decide to still do some business with her, then armed with this information, you can be more careful. Thanks to your round of golf together, you'll at least be able to protect yourself better!
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
The PGA Tour seems to have had more rain delays as the race for #1 golfer in the world tightens. The Bay Hill Invitational has been delayed with Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen taking aim at Tiger. If you live in a weather delayed area where playing golf hasn't become a thought yet, start preparing your game. Check your equipment. Do you need new grips? New shoe spikes? Practice putting in your living room or office, and start thinking about your game! And, don't miss Michelle Wie and Annika going at each other in the Safeway tournament this weekend!
Monday, March 14, 2005
Even Vijay Misses 3 Foot Putts
Vijay uncharacteristically missed a three-foot putt to continue the playoff against Padraig Harrington in the Honda Classic. If Vijay, who practices hours in a day, and can miss a three footer, then we certainly can't get down on ourselves when we do so. To our relief, our missed putts don't cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I played in a scramble this weekend with my niece, father, and friend and had a great time. You can spot the leaders in foursomes by who takes charge in deciding which drive to use, and other characteristics of players.
If you're new to golf, scrambles are the perfect venue for you as you start playing business golf outings. Let the long-ball hitters hit their drives, and you can help with your short game, which you should practice before you play in the tournament. Just make sure you play with proper etiquette, know the rules, and are a fun playing partner!
I played in a scramble this weekend with my niece, father, and friend and had a great time. You can spot the leaders in foursomes by who takes charge in deciding which drive to use, and other characteristics of players.
If you're new to golf, scrambles are the perfect venue for you as you start playing business golf outings. Let the long-ball hitters hit their drives, and you can help with your short game, which you should practice before you play in the tournament. Just make sure you play with proper etiquette, know the rules, and are a fun playing partner!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
A Great Tournament
Sunday's final pairing between Tiger and Phil lived up to what everyone expected. It was the most exciting final round that I've seen in a long time. I can't wait to see another tournament with the top ranked players again.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Tiger vs. Phil!
This is the showdown we've been waiting to see. A chance to beat Tiger versus Tiger's chance to reclaim the #1 ranking in the world. Watch this tournament, so you can stay in the conversation. And, if you didn't see Tiger's shot to the 16th par-4 hole on Saturday, you missed a shot that was as much fun to watch as it was for Tiger to hit. Course management? Not for Tiger!
Friday, February 25, 2005
Drive for show, putt for dough!
Tiger's loss in match play today is a testament to that popular saying in golf. Tiger outdrove his opponent, but couldn't sink his putts. So, when clients ask me how good of a golfer do they have to be in order to play golf for business, I repeat that saying.
If you can make consistent ball contact, regardless of the distance of your shots, you can play business golf. But, before doing so, you MUST learn to play with proper business golf etiquette and with a knowledge of the basic rules. As you'd expect, those two topics are covered in my book, On Course for Business. Or, if you have a question about them, please write a comment.
If you can make consistent ball contact, regardless of the distance of your shots, you can play business golf. But, before doing so, you MUST learn to play with proper business golf etiquette and with a knowledge of the basic rules. As you'd expect, those two topics are covered in my book, On Course for Business. Or, if you have a question about them, please write a comment.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Stay in the Conversation
If you use golf to build rapport with your clients, then it's a good idea to follow the news about the professinal tournaments being played. So, if a client talks about what's going on, you'll be able to stay in the conversation.
The World Golf Championship - Accenture Match Play Championship starts today in Carlsbad, California. It's a match play format, which is different than the stroke play tournaments that we usually see on the weekends, so I thought I'd talk about it.
In stroke play, the player with the lowest score wins the tournament. In match play, two players compete against one another. The player who wins the most holes (by having the lowest score on a hole) is the winner of the match. Then, he goes on to play against another opponent.
If you see Tiger with the score of say "5 & 4" that means he had won five holes with only four holes to play, so he won the match. Scoring will be referred to by the number of the holes that the player has won or lost. So, if Tiger is one up with four to play, that means he's leading in the match by one hole and there are four holes to play. If he's one down with five to play, then he's losing by one hole with five holes to play. If the players have the score, then the hole is halved.
By the way, Tiger is the two-time defending champion of this tournament.
As to the LPGA, its first tournament of the year is in Hawaii at the SBS Open. Michelle Wie is playing as an amateur, so this tournament will be in the news.
If your clients watch the Champion Tour, then you might want to keep up with that tour as well. You can get the latest about all of the tours at www.pgatour.com.
Enjoy the great golf in the coming days!
The World Golf Championship - Accenture Match Play Championship starts today in Carlsbad, California. It's a match play format, which is different than the stroke play tournaments that we usually see on the weekends, so I thought I'd talk about it.
In stroke play, the player with the lowest score wins the tournament. In match play, two players compete against one another. The player who wins the most holes (by having the lowest score on a hole) is the winner of the match. Then, he goes on to play against another opponent.
If you see Tiger with the score of say "5 & 4" that means he had won five holes with only four holes to play, so he won the match. Scoring will be referred to by the number of the holes that the player has won or lost. So, if Tiger is one up with four to play, that means he's leading in the match by one hole and there are four holes to play. If he's one down with five to play, then he's losing by one hole with five holes to play. If the players have the score, then the hole is halved.
By the way, Tiger is the two-time defending champion of this tournament.
As to the LPGA, its first tournament of the year is in Hawaii at the SBS Open. Michelle Wie is playing as an amateur, so this tournament will be in the news.
If your clients watch the Champion Tour, then you might want to keep up with that tour as well. You can get the latest about all of the tours at www.pgatour.com.
Enjoy the great golf in the coming days!
Welcome to Business Golf Blog
Hi, my name is Suzanne Woo, founder and president of BizGolf Dynamics at http://www.bizgolf.biz/. As a sought-after speaker, author of On Course for Business (Wiley), and consultant, I speak to organizations and work with individuals on using golf to develop and enhance business relationships. I have a unique blend of business savvy as a California real estate attorney and a passion for the game of golf.
I've created this blog, so we can talk about how you use, or want to use, golf for your business success. I want to hear stories on how you used golf to woo a prospect, and even horror stories on "what not to do" during a business golf round. If you have questions about golf etiquette or how play golf for business in general, let's hear those too!
I've created this blog, so we can talk about how you use, or want to use, golf for your business success. I want to hear stories on how you used golf to woo a prospect, and even horror stories on "what not to do" during a business golf round. If you have questions about golf etiquette or how play golf for business in general, let's hear those too!
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