Today, many business-savvy people play golf, and a time may come where a game of golf impacts your financial prosperity. To help make sure you’re successful, here are seven tips for business golfing: - Leave your Rickie Fowler ensemble at home. Golf attire these days can offer trendy, bright colored hats, shirts, patterned socks, and more. When golfing for business, sticking to a neutral-colored conservative look, like you would for a meeting, is always the safe way to go.
- Arrive early. Being late is extremely insulting and can discredit the day before you’ve even arrived. Make sure to start the round with your partner knowing you value and respect their time by showing up at least 15 minutes prior to tee time.
- Treat your partner. Anytime you’re taking a client out for a round of golf, you should absolutely pay for the round. If you’re meeting up with your boss, offer to do the same. They may insist on paying, but at least you’ve made the generous gesture and will avoid the awkwardness if no one initially steps up to pay.
- Avoid using a caddy. If you plan to talk any business on the course, caddies can make for a censored round if your partner isn't comfortable sharing sensitive business information around strangers. Instead, share a cart together and keep the lines of business-related talk wide open.
- Just say no to the booze. Many golfers would argue that a round of golf simply isn’t a round of golf unless there’s alcohol. That’s fine when playing with your buddies, but if you’re playing with your boss or client, refrain from drinking to avoid getting sloppy. Sitting in the clubhouse with a drink after the round is perfectly acceptable.
- Keep the game moving. The game of golf is intended to be played rather efficiently. Your score is ultimately less important during this round than your pace of play. Be respectful of your group’s tempo and that of the players on the hole behind you. Help keep things moving along by having your next club ready and by tending to the flag.
- Don’t call out a search party for your lost balls. This goes hand-in-hand with tip number six. Unless it's your partner doing the searching for their ball, take a penalty stroke immediately to keep the wheels of the game in motion.
If you have any etiquette rules that you believe are a must for business golf, give the office a call. Together we can discuss any aspect of your financial prosperity. |
