How to Win in Business By Playing Your Best Golf

Golf has always been synonymous with business networking, mastering team-building skills and for developing working relationships. In the words of the late Arnold Palmer, one of the world’s greatest golfers, “success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character”.

As well as getting to know potential clients and employees, some of golf’s most valuable lessons apply equally well in a business setting for leaders and employees alike. In a relaxed setting, golf has evolved as an opportune sport to evaluate vital qualities prized by business investors, colleague and potential clients, such as:

personal drive
management skills
leadership abilities
problem-solving capabilities, and
effective communication.

Golf also appeals to businesses as it lends itself well as a team-building tool, showcasing a player’s determination and commitment to a task in hand. When playing golf, you must also take into consideration investing in a quality golf club bag for better storage of your golf equipment.

But, if you’re not a pro and have been invited to or are hosting a golf event, here are some top tips on how to raise your game.

Forget about theories

There are countless tricks and theories online that promise to help you gain the edge in a golf match, from giving your opponents their putts early in the round so they haven’t been able to practice short putting when the pressure’s on, or walking ahead of your opponent so they feel like they’re behind all day. But, the issue with these nuggets of wisdom is that they can distract you from the real focus of the game, putting you further behind. If your goal is to win, you can’t put your efforts towards doing that if you’re spending all day trying to trick the system.

Know your weaknesses

You may or may not know the people you’ll be playing with, but you certainly know where your own strengths and weaknesses lie, so focus on these first of all. You don’t want to try overcoming your weaknesses while you’re playing against someone else, so take the time to perfect your skills and hone in on those elements of the game that tend to trip you up.

Instructional videos are a great way to do this, but also practicing your swing at home is also hugely beneficial. Carry out different drills and swing positions to perfect your short game and correct any weaknesses that will improve your performance when you’re up against it.

Do your research

There are countless great locations for golfing, but you can give yourself an advantage if you know the course you’re playing on. That might mean agreeing to a course you play regularly (or at least more than your opponents) or reading online course reviews before you visit so you can identify any tricky shots or strategies that others have found effective. You will gain an advantage that provides you with more confidence when you’re playing and helps you prepare mentally for the upcoming shots you’ll be faced with.

Play point by point

Instead of playing a more traditional stroke scoring game, switch up the rules and award points to the person who cups a given hole in the fewest number of strokes. Match play encourages stronger, more exciting shots but it also means that hitting 12+ on a hole won’t completely destroy your round like it would in stroke play, since strokes don’t roll over from hole to hole. It’s still possible that if one of your opponents is a stronger player, they’ll continue to count overall strokes, but being able to secure the match play will still give you plenty of smug satisfaction and is guaranteed to leave the others feeling defeated.

Get aligned

A common mistake that many amateurs make is improper alignment, which can affect your performance on the course. You might think you need to align your feet towards the target or get your shoulders parallel to it, but the correct way to align your shots is to assess your target from behind the ball for the best perspective of the hole so you can aim effectively.

Also, before you make your stance, set the clubface behind the ball and align it towards your target. This should be your focus before you get into stance and paying attention to this can really improve your shots.

Focus on your grip

A more experienced player will always have a fundamentally solid grip and you might be surprised just how much grip can affect your ability to make better shots. Grip the club with your gloved hand and focus on the placement in the fingers between the first knuckle and your palm. Apply your ungloved hand to wrap comfortably around the handle, moving your thumb and index fingers of both hands to form two Vs which should point towards the right side of your chest or right shoulder.

In summary

Golf can be as relaxed or competitive as you want it to be, but when you get a group of colleagues and companies together, there’s bound to be a fair bit of competition among you all. If you’re keen to come out on top at the end of your golfing day, wherever you choose to book it, the best way is to practice, be prepared and do your research when it comes to the course itself. But above all, enjoy yourself and focus on the job in hand.