Business Golf: The Golf Course, Now a Board Room
Golf is the most popular sport for business professionals today, especially among top executives. Its popularity can be attributed to several factors; it promotes physical activity; it reduces stress; it provides physical and mental challenges; but most of all, it provides an ideal situation where business and pleasure can be mixed.
The Appeal of Golf
Business executives are competitive by nature; theoretically, any sport that allows them to capitalize on their competitiveness should appeal to them. What sets golf apart from other sports is the nature of the game; it is an individual game where the player is solely responsible for his victory or defeat.
The game parallels the corporate jungle in many ways; it has a long and short game. The long game is the entire game itself; golf is literally a long game because an average game lasts for at least four hours. Similarly, companies have their own long game. Because of high start-up and opportunity costs, every company established is envisioned with a long lifespan. The top executives set long-term goals, and strive to steer the company towards these goals. The short game pertains to the individual shots the player makes; these shots are usually delicate or tricky in some manner. Companies have their own short games; moments when the market share of the company become uncertain, or the unpredictability of gas prices suddenly raises their production costs. Then there is how the player manages the course; what strategies to employ; and how the player reacts emotionally and psychologically to the game; how he or she handles miscalculated shots and other potential sources of pressure. In the corporate jungle, executives go through similar challenges and experiences.
But if a parallel environment is all that golf offers; then there is no point in playing, is there? Unlike the corporate environment, golf courses have lush green backgrounds and fresh air; playing amidst Eden-like surroundings promotes excitement, as well as relaxation.
From the Boardroom to the Fairways
The relaxed atmosphere of golf enables executives to socialize and network among themselves, prospective partners, potential customers, or discover new markets. Since everyone is playing, defenses are lowered; small talk can easily progress to updates on current points of interests within the company, to creative suggestions on product placements. Although the game requires focus and concentration on the part of the player, discussions can be easily sustained because it is not strenuous; ideas can be explored further while walking from one hole to the next.
Golf is an ideal opportunity to get to know your colleagues, superiors or subordinates; from how they conquer a difficult shot, how they recover from a bad shot, to how accurately they mark the position of their balls; all these can be very telling of their temperament, their capacity for dishonesty, and how well they handle pressure in general.
Golf also provides a unique bonding experience. It is a game that is difficult to master; most veteran players are eager to share pointers to beginners. As the game progresses; the skills of every player, veteran or beginner, develop; and the bonds deepen.
It is true that given the unique social and professional relationships that develops and evolves during the game; many business deals have been concluded after a game or two. But this generalization must be qualified; most of the business deals that have been concluded on the fairways have one thing in common: a mature and long-standing relationship between the parties. If the parties are still getting to know each other, golf can help develop and strengthen their relationship until they reach the level wherein they can comfortably close a deal after ironing out all the necessary details during the game.
Mixing business with pleasure is not just possible in golf; it is the de rigueur. Companies and business professionals seeking to maximize their and their employees’ time have been taking advantage of this by taking up matters previously dealt with during boardroom meetings only on the freeway. So far, this has worked out to everyone’s advantage; exercise, fun, and work are accomplished with a swing of the club. Indeed, golf is a rare opportunity where a win-win situation is not only possible; it is a reality.
