Business of golf: It’s about more than just the game
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In business, we have many tools that we can leverage, but I would argue that my golf clubs are the most valuable. While many may look at a bag of golf clubs and imagine themselves hitting the links, we can’t dismiss the tremendous opportunity that pairing a set of clubs on the fairway with three other golfers can have on the trajectory of our careers.
My grandfather introduced me to golf as a kid and before I knew it, I was playing it at the collegiate level for Jackson State University – a Historic Black College and University. There, my coach wanted to expose our team to larger tournaments, but couldn’t because of the strength of our schedule. We quickly realized this was a common problem many HBCU teams faced, which prompted us to establish our own tournament where student-athletes from these institutions could play at a premier championship.
However, we needed support and funding to make this dream become reality. That’s when we reached out to Jimmy Chandler – who at the time was a senior board member of the National Negro Golf Association’s (NNGA) Cleveland Chapter and longtime family friend of mine. From there, my college golf coach, Jimmy and I established what’s known today as the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship. Each year this tournament hosts student-athletes enrolled in HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Educational Institutions. This monumental moment in my career would not have been possible without the connections I made on the golf course, and it’s a strategy other emerging business leaders can use to reach their own goals.
Building Connections
When we think about building connections, we often think of happy hours where we mingle with others to expand our own professional network. While still valuable, many often feel uncomfortable during these experiences or rushed to share what projects they are working on and where they could need support. Having these same discussions over a round of golf rather than a cocktail at a networking event creates a more casual, comfortable environment to build those relationships largely due to the amount of time it takes to play the game.
A single golf swing could take five seconds but an entire round can take up to four hours, which leaves a significant amount of time for conversations about work, family and more. In a world where we are accustomed to coffee or lunch meetings and conference calls, golf can create a neutral playing ground where you can create connections over a casual game.
Translating the Game to Business
The relaxed atmosphere on the course can also provide valuable insight about players who could become your colleagues. In fact, 50% of golfers agreed that how a person plays golf is very similar to how he or she does business. If you were planning on partnering with another individual professionally, consider taking them up on a round of golf. Pay attention to how they approach the game, especially when it comes to how they solve problems or whether they are cool, calm and collected when the game doesn’t go their way. These behaviors can all be indicative of what it might be like to work with them in the future.
Cultivating Diverse Teams
Golf has the potential to bring together groups of all ages, genders and backgrounds to help establish deeper connections. During the game, your chances of meeting someone in your industry or who is looking to do business with someone of your skill set increases. The game can be a catalyst for professionals to get a jump start or take the next step in their careers. At my company, PXG, we believe golf is a game that should be accessible to all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity because of the many benefits the game can have for players.
Roughly 73% of women believe golf helped them network and develop business relationships. Additionally, 50% of female executives say that being able to discuss the sport allowed them to be more successful. This data shows that golf has the potential to open doors for professionals and should also be used to create an inclusive environment within the sport and workplace. Diverse teams are more creative, and opening the door for more people of varying backgrounds over a game of golf can help business leaders make them possible.
Golf may be a leisurely hobby, but we can’t forget how it can also enrich our professional lives. Whether it’s creating new connections, closing deals or cultivating more diversity within our organizations, this sport is a tool every emerging business leader should have in their toolkit.