By Scott Robbins
When do you have 5-8 hours of your customer's day? When do you have a relaxed atmosphere for conversation? Where do you get this time? On the golf course!
With the countless pro-ams, corporate outings, corporate golf schools and customer golf I have seen, there are good, bad and ugly ways to take advantage of our opening three questions. It is very rare in corporate America that a salesman can have up to 8 hours of a customer's day, a CEO spend the day with a counterpart of one of his company's biggest partners or manager spend a relaxed day with all or part of the staff, as well as many other ways golf has aided the business process in America and the world. With that much time, the relationships can become deeper, more personal and more loyal than any other time during the business relationship. Becoming knowledgeable in enhancing the experience becomes invaluable. There is an art to hosting a game of golf – and you need to TAKE THE LEAD!
Hosting a game or golf event, whether a foursome in a charity tournament or company outing or even a one on one game with a client, there are a few musts that I see to make these days memorable. First, a day or two before the event, e-mail or call your client confirming the time of arrival, tee time, directions to the course (if needed), agenda for the day and the estimated time of the end of the day. It could be as simple as " Sam, looking forward to our game at Bushwood on Thursday. I'll see you around 1:00 pm and we'll tee off at 1:28. We'll play, have a drink afterward and should be out of there somewhere between 6:30 and 7:15. Just a reminder, Bushwood is at the intersection of Highway 1 and Spackler Avenue. See you then!"
Secondly, be early! Be sure you arrive plenty of time before your customer(s) does. This will give you ample time to go to the Pro Shop and introduce yourself, inform them of your guest's name(s) giving the pro shop time to inform the bag room or cart staff whom to expect to join you, instruct the Pro Shop staff how to charge all fees and amenities who is paying for what), and where your guest(s) may find you at the facility (locker room, grill, practice tee or green, etc.). Plan on having lunch before play, being sure to give you and your guest ample time to meet, eat and warm up before your tee time and get with the dining room staff for a table where you want it and have it ready for your guest(s) to arrive. If locker room facilities are available and going to be used, seek out the locker room attendant and arrange for guest locker(s) if available. If this is a company or charity event, be sure to be around the check-in table or inform the check-in table where your guest(s) may find you.
Next, be prepared for anything during play. If you are playing a golf course with a lot of trouble, you may want to inform your guest(s) of that so they come prepared with enough golf balls. Or be prepared to furnish extra balls. Be prepared to offer information about the course if the customer(s) have never played it. Be prepared to keep them comfortable. Check and see if the beverage cart is running on the course. If not, be sure they have refreshments before they tee off and replenish at the turn. Make it easy on the customer. If they are not playing well on a hole, encourage them, pick the ball up and let them start again on the next hole. Give some thought to a fun, fair wager that allows everybody to partner with each other like a Round Robin where teams are rotated every 3-6 holes. Keep the stakes low ($2-$5), you don't want to let the game get too serious. Be more concerned with your customer's game(s) than your own. And above all, turn off your cell phone! Let the customer(s) you have with you feel they are the only one for the day and that the rest of your work will wait until you are finished.
At the end of the round, take care of all gratuities, from the bag attendant to the locker room attendant. Finish up with a recap of the day over a drink, snack or dinner, whatever you have planned. Be aware of your customer's time and be sure you get them out and on the way home in the anticipated time.
Your customer(s) will remember their good time and who provided it! Good luck and have a great time every time you have a business golf outing. TAKE THE LEAD! You will make it memorable!
Scott Robbins is Director of Instruction at D.A.'s Spring Creek Golf, a golf learning and development center owned and operated by PGA TOUR veteran D.A. Weibring's company, D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources, Inc.
Scott is a native of Dallas and alumnus of Hillcrest High School and the University of Texas at Austin. Scott was the Northern Texas PGA Teacher of the Year in 2000, Metro Chapter NTPGA Teacher of the Year in 1998 and 2000 and Metro Chapter NTPGA Junior Golf Leader in 1995.
For more information visit:
D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources, Inc at
http://www.golfresources.com/D.A.'s Spring Creek Golf at
http://www.dasspringcreekgolf.com/
