|
|
 |
Judy
Anderson "Business Coach" will
be here exclusively every month to share with you
on "How to use Golf to gain a
Competitive Edge in Business".
"IMPROVE YOUR
GAME & YOUR BUSINESS!"
MAY, 2001
The Biggest Challenge in Golf
& Business
Golf
is the great equalizer. It tests us all in the
same way. Whether playing competitively, for
business, or just for the fun of it, every golfer
faces the same challenge. Pros and beginners
alike face it. It’s the challenge that makes
golf the game of a lifetime. It’s the
challenge that gets you hooked and creates your
love-hate relationship with the game. It’s
the challenge of playing well on a consistent
basis.
As a
GolfPsych coach I always ask people what their
goals are, what they want from their game. Very
often, the answer is consistency. Whether
you’ve been playing for years or have just
taken up the game, the experience is the same.
We’ve all hit those great shots, only to
follow it up with the worst shot ever. As our
physical skill with the game improves, we connect
with more good shots to put together a decent
round. But then the challenge becomes playing
consistently well round after round.
Even
though you don’t need to be a really skilled
golfer to be successful with Business Golf,
consistency is still important. Since your
business image rests on how you’re perceived
on the course, as a business golfer you need to
feel confident that you’ll consistently play
up to your skill level. This is the only way you
will be relaxed enough to make it an enjoyable
round for everyone. It’s impossible to focus
on business objectives and build a good
relationship with a client when you’re
concerned about whether or not your next shot is
going to embarrass you.
The
paradox of the challenge to consistently play
well is that deep down inside we all know that
it’s impossible!! Even the pros can’t
sustain peak performance all the time. No matter
how incredible his 1997 record breaking Masters
win was, Tiger Woods didn’t win any of the
other majors in ‘97 and didn’t repeat
that year’s spectacular performance at the
Masters the following year. Even if it were
possible for a player to stay at the top of the
game physically, the constant challenge of the
course makes it impossible to play well
consistently. You can hit a perfect shot and
still become victim to a sudden gust of wind, a
bad bounce, or a spike mark on a green.
The
Champion pros understand this perpetual challenge
of golf. When they hit a bad shot or have a bad
round, they deal with it. And there are times
when they can’t seem to put two good rounds
together. But they don’t experience as many
"slumps" and the slumps don’t seem
to last as long. When they’re having a
difficult time with the game, they’ll
usually analyze their physical game and spend a
lot of time on whatever part of it needs
improvement. But the real secret to their success
is a strong mental game.
Gay
Brewer has said "Hitting the ball isn’t
all there is to golf. The right mental approach
can be just as important as a golfer’s
swing." His strong belief in the power of
the mental game served him well at the ‘98
Masters. During Thursday’s round, at age 66
he became the oldest player to ever shoot even
par. His 72 was only one stroke behind Tiger
Woods score for the round -- and three under the
first round score posted by the winner of the
’98 Masters, Mark O’Meara. Because of
chronic arthritis, Brewer couldn’t rely on
his physical game. Although he gave some credit
to new equipment, he wouldn’t have been able
to set this remarkable record without strong
mental game skills.
Recreational
golfers and Business Golfers can benefit just as
much as the pros by having a strong mental game.
Recreational golfers find that using mental game
techniques helps them stay in the moment and let
go of the bad shots. Because of this, they seem
to almost miraculously have fewer bad shots. And
when they focus on mental strategies rather than
on mechanics while playing, many find that even
the bad shots aren’t as bad. Business
Golfers will see the same improvement in their
physical game when they have strong mental
skills. In addition, they’ll find it easier
to deal with the dual agenda of golf and
business. And they won’t experience what I
call the intimidation factor -- playing well with
friends but having "first tee jitters"
during the entire round when playing with
business associates.
The
first step to having a strong mental game is
understanding the importance of it and making a
commitment to work on it the same way you work on
your swing. You also need to understand what
makes up a strong mental game. Dr. Deborah
Graham, who developed the GolfPsych mental game
system, did research with the pro tours and found
that the consistent winners shared eight
personality traits. For example, the Champions
have an above average ability to focus, are more
dominant and tough-minded, have greater personal
self-confidence, and are more self-sufficient.
They also are capable of more complex thinking,
react less to bad results, and play with below
average levels of tension.
Knowing
where you stand in comparison to the Champions on
these traits gives you some idea exactly where
your mental game needs work. You can then apply
specific techniques, such as deep breathing and
thought control to reduce tension or use a good
mental routine to increase your ability to focus.
Develop
the traits of the Champions and you’ll see
that you start to play more consistently. And
when you play for business purposes, you’ll
have more energy to devote to your business
relationships. You’ll also find that the
mental game skills you develop on course can help
you deal with the day to day challenges you face
in business.
return to
Main Menu
Do you want to Improve your
Golf & Business?
Ask Judy for FREE advice and she will e-mail you
an answer.
|
 |
Judy
Anderson is the founder of Business Golf
Unlimited and the author of "Teeing
Off to the Green" & "Using
Golf as a Business Tool". Through
her speaking and coaching, she has helped
countless executives improve their golf
game and gain a competitive edge in business.
Her programs have been featured at
the Greater New York Golf Show, the Northville
Long Island Classic and First of America Classic
Senior PGA Tour events, and at the PGA's Quad
City Classic. Clients have included, Merrill
Lynch, the National Alliance of Sales and
Marketing Executives, United Cerebral Palsy, the
National Association of Female Executives, and
the World Sponsors Forum.
Judy and Business Golf Unlimited
have been featured in the New York Times,
National Business Employment Weekly, Selling
Power, Executive Female and Golf Digest
magazines. She has been a guest on numerous tv
and radio shows, including CNBC Money Talk, The
Business News Network, and Smart Money with the
Dolans.
Her 20 years experience in post
secondary education, human resources, sales and
consulting, plus undergraduate degree in
business, graduate degrees in counseling
psychology and certification in GolfPsych ® give
her the saavy to use golf to help you identify
and address the challenges facing you in today's
workplace.
Business
Golf Unlimited is a
company dedicated to developing individuals and
organizations through golf. We offer a variety of
speaking and coaching
services. Judy Anderson and Brian
McMahon are committed to helping you
reach your true potential, in golf and, through
golf, in business.
How
to contact:
Business Golf
Unlimited
42253 Parkside Circle Suite 105
Sterling Heights, MI 48314
Phone 810-739-8506
Fax 810-739-9012
e-mail:Judy@BizGolf.com
Visit
Business Golf Unlimited
|
AsiaPacificAmateurGolfers.com is owned & managed by Allied Golfers Network Sdn Bhd.
Copyright 2000-2001. Designed & maintained by