Ames Right On

Stephan Ames won The Players Championship with confidence and precision shots I haven't seen in awhile from a third-round leader. What struck me was what he said during his interviews after the third round and before he teed off on Sunday. He repeated if he stayed committed to every shot, he'd do well.

He did just that. There was never a hesitant swing (except one putt on 10) or sense of indecision. His caddy-brother surely helped Ames with his comment, "Have fun with the shot!"

We can apply the wisdom of the Ames brothers to our business lives and our golf games: Commit and have fun with it!

Sabbitani Slow Play Snafu - Round 2

Rory Sabbbitani made his dislike for slow play known when he teed off his ball on the next hole while Ben Crane (Sabbitani's playing competitor) was still putting out. On Thursday at The Players Championship, Sabbitani was put on the clock with playing partners Nick Faldo and Camillo Villegas. Sabbitani accused Faldo of slowing down play on purpose.

Sabbitani refers to Faldo's comments during the Nissan Open where Faldo suggested the way to beat Sabbitani is to slow him down. I didn't hear Faldo's remarks and he denies he played slowly intentionally. Instead Faldo explained they slowed to look for Villegas's lost ball and then got back on pace.

I don't particularly like Sabbitani, but he makes a good point about slow play. “When people say, if they are paired with you, that they will slow-play you, it leaves a lot of questions about their morals and professionalism,” said Sabbatini. “It is a matter of respect to your partners and the rest of the field.”

I hope Nick Faldo didn't slow play Sabbitani. So many golfers need to learn how to keep up the pace and keep rounds to four and one-half hours.

Take a Deep Breath

If you saw Greg Owen's three-putt on 17, which caused him to lose Arnold's tournament, you can feel his pain. I was watching the tournament after playing a wet, muddy round at my club. When he missed the first putt and immediately stood over the second putt, I yelled, "Take your time!"

Unfortunately, he didn't.

If you're working on a tight deadline, and things fall apart, say you can't find a document you thought you saved, it's best to take a deep breath and step back. Rather than randomly pushing different keys and getting angry, you need to push away from your keyboard. You might find it by doing a search of your hard drive, or the worst outcome, you'd have to re-compose the document.

The important thing is if you keep your head, you'll have a better chance to get that deadline met and make that comeback putt.

LPGA Tournament Thoughts

I flipped onto Golf Channel to watch some of the LPGA MasterCard Classic tournament and to my surprise I saw Annika getting into a golf cart. In fact, she was driving and her caddy was the rider. Apparently because of the elevation changes at the course, carts were allowed.

I chuckled to myself because when I speak to professionals I suggest that they drive if they're the host of a business golf round. The goal is to build a relationship and treat your guest well that day.

To see Annika driving, just showed who is in charge and is in the power position. I would have thought her caddy would drive, like he carries the clubs ordinarily, and she's thinking about her upcoming shot rather than maneuvering the cart.

As to seeing the carts in an LPGA tournament, it also surprised me to see that carts were even being used. I certainly remember the lawsuits over Casey Martin riding in PGA tournaments because of his illness that causes excruciating pain in his leg. I can't help but feel three-day tournaments and carts for players are not promoting an image of the LPGA as being on par with the caliber of competition in the PGA (at least that's what the LPGA and some players would like).

Let's Talk Business Golf on Monday, March 13th!

On Monday, March 13, 2006 at 6 p.m. PST (9 p.m. EST), I'm having a one-hour teleseminar call. It's free. If you ask me a question at www.asksuzannewoo.com, I'll answer it during the call.

I won’t help you hit the ball farther, or help you sink those 20-footers, although I play to a 13-handicap and am the 2004 women’s club champion at her club, Mira Vista Golf and Country Club in El Cerrito, California. But I can answer these questions:

• When are you ready to play golf with clients and prospects?
• Why should you play business golf?
• How good of a golfer do you have to be to play business golf?
• What mistakes must you avoid while playing?
  

So, ask me your single most important question about playing business golf with clients and prospects at www.AskSuzanneWoo.com. Submit your question along with your name and primary e-mail address.

I'll answer your question during the one-hour free teleseminar. Here’s the call-in information:

Date: Monday, March 13, 2006

Time: 6 p.m. PST (9 p.m. EST)

Phone: 712-580-0100

Access Code: 841845# (Enter this number when prompted.)

NOTE: Please call in a few minutes early. The call will start
according to www.time.gov.

Women's World Rankings and Wie

The LPGA and the other four women's professional golf associations throughout the world released a world ranking system of the ladies. To no one's surprise, Annika is #1, then Paula Creamer, and Michelle Wie debuts at #3. Similar to the men's world ranking, the Women's World Rankings will base ranking on the field strength of tournaments played and player performance.

In the Fields Open in Hawaii, Wie finished third in a 54-hole tournament. I'm not used to seeing tournaments end on a Saturday, but the gals can watch Davis Love III take on Geoff Ogilvy in the final match of the Accenture Match Play Championship.

Good luck, Davis!

Check out the Matches

The Accenture Match Play Championship has started at LaCosta in Carlsbad, California. If you're not familiar with match play, it's an exciting format because every hole is a match. Rather than seeing who played the best based on the total score like in stroke play, the winner in match play is the player who wins the most holes during the match.

For example, Tiger is back after his flu forced to him withdraw at the Nissan Open. At LaCosta, Tiger beat Stephen Ames, 9 and 8, which means Tiger had won 9 holes with 8 holes to play. A resounding victory in match play, which usually comes down to the last two or three holes to decide the match.

Watch this tournament and listen to the announcers describe how players may play differently because it's match play. There's more intimidation and mind games played because of the format.

Watch and Learn

During my presentations on business golf, I often talk about what you can learn about someone by watching how he or she plays golf. Confident? Selfish? Team player? These characteristics and many more will be revealed to you by playing with that person.

I was talking with someone about a person she knows that won't play golf on a golf course, but just hits balls at the driving range. He hasn't been on a golf course for several years. Money for green fees or lack of time isn't his issue. Instead, he prefers to hit balls at the range because he doesn't enjoy the pressure of playing on the golf course.

What pressure was my thought? Each of us plays the game and hopes to do well. We have great days and bad days. Yes, it's frustrating when I don't play well, especially if it's a prolonged slump. But, in short time, the joy of being on the golf course, talking with friends, and getting exercise always takes me back to the course.

Although I couldn't play with that guy because he refuses to get on the course, I have a good idea about the guy at least with regard to golf. He sounds like someone who has unreasonable expectations about his game and is afraid to look bad on the course.

It's really too bad, and somewhat sad, because ultimately we're out there to have fun and enjoy the game!

Pebble is Rocking

The start of the Pebble Beach AT&T has started. It's been glorious weather this week and will continue through the weekend.

Certainly the sponsors and corporate tent owners are having a great party. It's just not about great golf in a spectacular venue; it's about client relationship-building and schmoozing.

If you can go to a local PGA or LPGA tournament with a client, it's time well spent enjoying live phenomenal golf shots and building rapport.

Learn from Prime-Time Tiger

Tiger does it again. He needs to sink a putt to tie for the playoffs, and he fist slams after the ball dives into the hole. The odds weren't with Jose Marie and Nathan. One a veteran and the other a PGA rookie knew they were in for Tiger at his best. Jose Marie's smile on the driving range as the crowd roared said everything...Tiger is in the playoff.

In an interview before the tournament, Tiger explains why he always wins in the pressure situations. "You've got to have the guts to get it done," he says when asked why so many guys with picture-perfect swings can't win on the PGA Tour. "That's when it comes down to what do you have inside... . Some people may or may not have it, and that's something you can't teach."

Whether it's Tiger to sink the putt, or his friend, Michael Jordan, to sink the basket, they get it done when it counts.

The body language tells it all. On the 72nd hole, must have birdie hole, Tiger walked up to his ball in a not-so-perfect uphill lie, but the announcers noticed his shoulders were back and he walked tall.

I talk about body language in my book, On Course for Business. If you're a beginner to business golf and have a high handicap compared to your playing partners, walk with confidence and enthusiasm as you play...and while you conduct business.

Playing to Pay for a Huge Mortgage

After signing title docs for a $38 million oceanfront estate on Jupiter Island in Florida, Tiger is back to work. He's playing his first tournament of the year at the Buick Invitational in beautiful San Diego. By the way, I'm sure Tiger just used some extra cash he had earning 4% interest to pay for his estate.

During his time off, he didn't touch a club for 24 days and spent valuable time with his father, who is dying from cancer. Tiger has always been motivated to win every tournament he enters. But, with his father ailing will Tiger make it a year filled with victories for his father? I hope so.

Missed Opportunity for Me?

Chris DiMarco won his first tournament of 2006 today. Playing in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, he beat the field mostly of European pros, but including notables such as Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Colin Montgomerie.

Why a missed opportunity for me? The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is played in Karachi, Pakistan, and I was invited to speak in Karachi last year.

At the time, I checked with the State Department's web site to learn about Americans traveling to Pakistan, and saw the travel warning advisory and closure of the four American consulates. So, I politely declined the invitation.

Did the European and PGA Tour officials provided tight security for the players? I suspect so, but as a Chinese woman traveling alone without an entourage of security, I didn't want to risk it.

Would you have gone?

Chinese Discovered Golf -- Holy Scot!!

According to Professor Ling Hongling of Lanzhou University, the Chinese invented the game of golf more than 500 years before the Scots. Then, Mongolian travellers took the game to Europe.

The game was written about in the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) and was called chuiwan - 'chui' meaning to hit and 'wan' meaning ball. Players used ten clubs, including a 'cuanbang' (known today as a driver), and a 'shaobang' (a three wood). Chinese royalty inlaid their clubs with jade, edged them with gold and decorated the shafts elaborately.

The next time I tee it up, I'll pay reverence to my ancestors for the game, but wished I had their clubs instead.

Wie Misses the Cut -- What You Can Learn

Michelle Wie missed the cut during this week's PGA Tour's Sony Open. Reasons given for her poor play include she was nervous, it was windy, and even that she felt the nervous energy of her gallery, which was large since she was playing at her home club, Waialae Country Club.

After cheering for Annika and Michelle to make the cut, I have to wonder why they are attempting to compete against their male counterparts. For Annika to do so, I understand better. She's the number one ladies golfer in the world and she wants to see how her game compares against the men.

I question why Michelle, who hasn't won yet an LPGA event, has set such unreasonably high expectations for herself. As Tiger said, you learn from your victories. Thus far, Michelle has only suffered from nearly making the cuts and her disqualification in her first tournament as a professional.

When I speak to beginners wanting to play business golf, I tell them don't set yourself up to fail. Don't play your first business golf event by entering into an 18-hole tournament with a client. Obviously, take lessons first and learn a golf swing. Then, play with friends to learn the etiquette and the dance on the golf course.

When you're comfortable on the golf course, then your first business golf outing should be a practice session at the driving range with another beginner client or prospect. As your game and confidence improve, only then you're ready play 9-holes with a client, and then eventually 18-holes.

Everything in life requires first taking baby steps before one can "master" a new skill or behavior. The golf swing can never be mastered, but learning how to play proper business golf so you're effective in building business relationships on the course can be learned with patience and proper information.

Golf in 2006

The PGA Tour is back with The Mercedes Championships in Hawaii. I'm glad to see golf is back at least on T.V. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we've been drenched for the last week or so.

If you plan to use golf to develop your business relationships in 2006, then you should make some goals about your game and how you want to use golf in your business. What you measure grows. So, how many business golf rounds do you want to play -- one per week or one every other week? Mark some dates in your calendar now, so you'll make time to play as the date approaches.

Do you need to take some a lesson or two to improve your game? Winter is a great time to take lessons. Find an indoor teaching facility. The teaching professionals will likely have more time to spend with you and you'll be ready when spring arries.

Does your favorite charity or civic organization have a golf tournament that you want to play in?
If not, create a committee to plan a fund-raising tournament for '06.

If you can't play because of bad weather, at least you can talk about golf with clients and prospects. Keep up with the golf news on www.pgatour.com or www.lpga.com. The pros will be making news soon that your clients and prospects may want to talk about!

If golf has been proven to help you grow and build your business, then make it happen again this year -- even if it's just talking golf until the weather permits .

Winter Golf

As an avid golfer, this is a tough time of the year for me. Although it's festive because my birthday is in December and Christmas, there's little golf and the professional tours have wrapped up. As a fan of the game, I might follow the Australian Tour and the European Tour, but it's just not the same without Tiger, Phil, Fred and the gals. It was fun to hear about Retief's and Ernie's battle in South Africa though.

So, this winter, I've decided to read some books about golf. One is Golfing with God, which I've enjoyed. The other is The Future of Golf, which has been eye-opening regarding the USGA and the technology war. I'll post reviews of those books in the near future.

I did want to share one story about winter golf though that you might not have seen in local newspaper. It certainly isn't something I want to ever experience while on the fairways.

Near Tokyo, Japan, four golfers were nearly hit by disc-shaped piece of ice. The chunk weighs 4.4 pounds, is 20 inches in diameter, and 6 inches thick. The course isn't near an airport and it's not under a known flight pattern. Golf is hard enough without having to worry about a mysterious chunk of ice hitting you!

Anyway, have a Merry Christmas and a 2006 filled with birdies and pars. Oh yeah, watch out for any flying ice chunks!

Thankful for Golf

Wednesday was a special day because my niece and I, as a twosome, were able to play 18 holes before the start of "Mens' Day." She is 15 and can out drive her aunt by 30 yards, but I don't mind. I love watching her aggressive swing and her determination as she reads our tricky greens. But, after her uphill putt just missed the hole, she declared, "Aww...life's tough, Auntie!"

On Thanksgiving Eve, I couldn't resist a lesson on gratitude and humbleness. I explained to her that our lives are anything but tough. I reminded her of the obvious -- we were playing golf at a beautfiul country club on a spring-like winter day with views of the Golden Gate, SF skyline, and were enjoying each other's company. Then, the plethora of loved ones and material things that we are blessed with while many are without. In short time, she got it!

I was especially in a thankful mood as it relates to golf for two reasons. First, on Sunday, while playing with my Dad and friends, I had my second hole-in-one on the same hole that I had my first ace! It was during our club's Turkey Trot tournament and as a team we were grinding to do well. We were playing off of the forward tees and I hit my 6-iron onto the green. It's an uphill hole and a tiered green. We could see it rolling on the green, but didn't know whether it was long or fell off the green and rolled short. After looking for it, I asked my playing partners if they saw my ball. One friend said, "Look in the hole!" which my Dad did and to our surprise there it was.
I was thrilled to share the excitement with my Dad, my Mom, and other relatives and close friends later in the clubhouse.

Then, on Tuesday, a friend invited me to play Monterey Peninsula Country Club near Pebble Beach and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I've not played Pebble and I'm threatening to take my Dad and Mom there next year -- he's old-fashioned and just can't imagine paying $425 for a round of golf and that's without the lodge fee required to even get a tee time!

I must admit the hospitality was not the most inviting. I suspect because it's a premier private club and guests aren't welcome without being accompanied by a member. After getting over the difficulty of buying my Dad a souvenier, we first went to the driving range, which is one of the nicest and largest that I've seen. Green grass, of course, and there wasn't signage to post the distances to the flags, but range finders behind the stalls.

Newly re-designed, the holes wind through the forest and then you're greeted by the sounds of the waves clapping the beach. It was hard to concentrate on playing well while being distracted by beautiful homes and the vistas. It was a special treat!

It wasn't too long ago that I was very frustrated with my game. I was scoring poorly and just not hitting the ball well. I've improved slightly and then was struck with a bit of good luck with the hole-in-one and a chance to play a beautiful course. I have much to be thankful, and I hope you're having a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend!

No Whining Allowed in Golf

Terrell Owens' recent comments about wishing he had Brett Favre as QB rather than Donovan McNabb was the last straw. Management has benched Owens for the remainder of the season and he'll likely not play again donning an Eagle on his jersey. His problem with the Eagles started because he wanted to renegotiate his already-lucrative seven-year contract after the first year.

Besides speaking to groups about the game of golf, I'm also an attorney, and a contract is a contract. One party can whine and complain, but the other party doesn't have to renegotiate as the Eagles have shown.

Thanks to T.O., I've discovered another reason why I love the game of golf. Seldom do you hear the golfers on any of the professional tours complain about their take-home pay. Except for company endorsements prevalent in every professional sport, they're not paid for their performance on-the-come or their shots in the past. They're paid for every swing they made, or not paid for every putt they missed.

It's called self-responsibility for your outcome. Perhaps, every sport should adopt the pro golfer's pay scale. For every completed pass thrown, every ball caught, every block made, or every ball hit, you get paid $X amount. Maybe then over-paid athletes will keep their mouths full with humble pie, so they can't say anything to further embarrass themselves and their sports.

Congrats to Annika for her Five-Peat!

On Sunday, Annika won the Mizuno Classic for the fifth consecutive time. She has surpassed Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen, and Walter Hagen, who have each won four tournaments in a row. Prior to Annika, Laura Davies held the LGPA title for winning the Standard Register Ping tournament four times consecutively from 1994-97.

Winning five times in a row is an awesome feat in any sport. Congrats, Annika!

Congrats to the PGA for Hitting a Billion

The PGA Tour has reached its goal of a "Drive to a Billion." More than 2,000 charities and one million people have been aided by the money raised for charity by the TOUR and its players, tournaments, volunteers, sponsors and fans. The monies are raised from gallery receipts. If you've not been to PGA event, here's another reason to attend. Besides watching great golf, part of the proceeds of your ticket goes to a local charity. It took 67 years to reach a billion. Let's hope it takes less time to reach the next billion!