10. Spend time with clients.
I am not sure when someone decided that client golf took too much time. Everything today is hurry up and wait, quick this and fast that. Make your 5 appointments per day. Next time you are going to buy that client a $50 bottle of wine, take them for a round of golf instead. Spend 4 or 5 hours talking about something other than the next order. Actually get to know the person with whom you are doing business. There is nothing like watching a client playing golf. You learn their likes and dislikes, you learn their tendencies; if you watch - truly watch, if you listen - truly listen, you will do a better job in the one area that will make you more sales - fulfilling the client’s needs.
I know this is an old-fashioned concept, but it works. Incidentally, rule 10a: Don’t just give the client a round of golf; golf it with them. Want another tip to make it even more beneficial? Put together a group of three clients that you think might have common interests. There is no better way to build a stronger relationship with your clients than turning them on to new business.
9. Spend time with friends.
I have one regular game. These are my doctor buddies. We can do just about anything to each other on the course and know that our relationships can handle it. Playing golf with a regular group makes you feel supported. You can tease and be teased. You get to know just how far you can travel with each friend. You learn the different levels of friendship.
Mostly, however, you get to be you. Now in my case, I am lucky to have guys that will allow me to be me - I am a pain! This should be your relaxation time. I know, ego wants to win, but every once in a while, remember to enjoy their company and the time you share together. No matter how much crap they give you.
8. Learn the true meaning of humility.
I admit it: winning the Men’s Division (not the Championship Flight) of my club Championship was really exciting. I worked very hard on my game and reached my goal. Since then, I’m not sure if I’ve broken 80… Think you are great? Play golf! Think you know everything? Play golf!
Once you learn to make a free throw, you basically never change. We always, always tinker in this game.
Shoot your best round on Saturday, I can pretty much promise your worst could be on Sunday. One of my golf doctors, Doctor Dave, works harder on his game than any pro on tour. Recently, he felt he’d finally made a breakthrough after 25 years. Then came the following Wednesday… Golf is not a four letter word; golf stands for humility.
7. Play by the rules.
Ever seen an offensive lineman call a hold on himself? Ever seen Alan Iverson call a charge on himself? In our game, we see it and do it every day. We don’t do it every time, we probably don’t do it enough, but we do it and we are supposed to do it. There is no flopping and there is no acting. There is just knowing. When was the last time you looked through a rule book? Now that’s a great idea!
Want a real dose of reality? The next round you play, but not on a weekend because it could take 6 hours if you really do it right, play 18 holes completely by the rules. One - see if you can do it. Two- see if you break 100.
6. Meet some great people.
I know part of it is my job, but being around golf, you can meet lots of great people. It can be as simple as walking up to a starter’s window as a single and joining three other players. I used to do that all the time in Los Angeles, especially at Brookside Country Club in Pasadena. I would get up at 4am, rush over to the parking lot and wait in line, hoping to get one of the first tee times. I met some of the greatest old-timers and their stories stay with me today.
Always be open to new opportunities. Don’t be so concerned about what someone shoots; see if you can find that one interesting quality of each new golfer you meet.
On the business side, I have met so many wonderful people. The athletes are always fun, but I tend to like the business people, especially my friends at Nike.
Everything does flow from the top there. Cindy Davis, the American General Manager of Golf, has such a passion for the game. They all do. You hear it the way they talk - their excitement about making the game more fun and easy. Sure they want to make money, but from Cindy to Tom Stites to the apprentice engineers, their love of golf permeates everything they do.
5. Learn that there are unlimited possibilities.
This is one of my favorite parts of golf. You can never get bored. The better you get, the better you want to be. We start by trying to hit it straight, or just one way. From that first step, we now try to hit it nine ways.
Suggestion: The next time you stand behind the ball getting ready to hit the shot, try to see a second way to do it. Then, block the first from your mind and hit the second. Over a two month period your game and your score will improve… after it goes in the toilet first. Try the same thing in life. It is kind of like the “Count to 10” theory. I’m not very good at this… ask my kids, it’s usually yell first, question second.
Ever tried a different grip? Wow… it is next to impossible! Better yet, some morning try changing the order of getting ready for work. Now that is really impossible.
4. Learn to handle pressure.
As most of you know, my oldest son is currently residing in Hilton Head at the International Junior Golf Academy. Talk about pressure. Most kids there have been playing golf for 10 years. Doug is really in his second. Most kids there live and breathe golf; Doug just decided to do that about 10 months ago.
Recently at one of his games, I saw the real meaning of pressure and more importantly, never quitting on yourself. Doug teed off for his second round full of hope and confidence. He proceeded to make a 9 on the par 4. He then three putted the next green. 6 over after two holes, but I saw something in Douglas at that moment that I had never seen before. Something that will transcend golf for the rest of his life.
I saw him get positive. Yes, there was a little anger first, but it was the kind of anger any coach would want to see. It was the kind of anger that someone uses to be successful. There was no moping; there were no slumped shoulders. Doug played the next 16 holes in 2 over par.
Want to know pressure? Live with some of the best young golfers in America and give them a 5 year head start with one year to go.
3. Learn to trust your read.
I think one of the best parts of golf is putting. In putting you must trust what you see. You might be wrong, but if you don’t trust it you have no chance. I think it was Hogan that said, “Trust your feet.”
The best part of trust: once you got it, move on. See, that’s where most go wrong. We put a ball down, we look for line, and we try to feel speed. For 30 years, I was a feel putter. What I finally realized is that I never took the trust of my line out of the equation. One day, I started putting a line on my golf ball. Once I trust my line, the line on the ball follows, and I want to tell you it is not as hard as you think - then all that is left is speed and execution.
Trusting your read is the same in life. Work from the trust backward. See the answer, set the line, and work backward on your presentation to create the proper resolution.
2. Learning to get better.
Why is this so hard? Learning to get better is such a skill; you’d think we all want to get better. One reason we have a hard time getting better is our individuality, understanding not what we need to get better, but our own way of working to get better. What do I mean? Take me - I hate the range. I’m just no good there. So I get better in front of a mirror. I try to visualize my swing planes from my video lessons and take them home to my mirrors, then work with them on the course. If I try to do it on the range, I fail.
In order to get better, after getting the best teacher possible, learn your best way to get better.
1. Spend time with your family.
This is rule one in the game of golf. Nothing more to say. Everything we do in life, center around this line and life will be good.
