There is something special about teeing it with someone who makes a living playing golf.  Angela was the perfect ‘host’ for our team. She understands that Pro-Ams are for the amateurs playing.  She went out of her way to make sure we had a good time.  Boy!  Did we ever have a good time.  It wasn’t about how well we played, even though we scored very close to to the top teams.  A Pro-Am is about getting to spend time with a great golfer, supporting the tour event and its chosen charity, getting to know other golfers and even getting some visibility for your business.

As I waited in the staging area for the event I looked around and was dismayed at the low number of women playing.  Here we are at a Women’s Professional Golf Event and there were only 12 women out of the 78 amateur golfers in the first Pro-Am.  Of the 26 teams only 2 were all female.  The 2nd Pro-Am had only 9 women out of 81 amateurs and no all female teams.

Women what is the matter with you?

Granted for some the economics may be the problem as these types of Pro-Ams can cost $750 per person and up.  So for some it may be simply a matter of affordability.  However, for most women it is a case of being intimidated and not feeling like they play golf well enough to enter.

Hogwash!  The majority of us who play in a Pro-Am are not good golfers.  In fact, there are more hackers than scratch or low-handicap golfers so please let go of that golf myth. Also, the majority of players are sponsored by their companies and guess who gets picked to play…the men in the office.  Why?  Because women aren’t taking advantage of golf in the business setting.

If those women that do play golf speak up and let their companies know that they want to play when these events come up there is a better chance of breaking down the old boys network.  It takes being proactive and going after these kinds of opportunities.  Sitting back and waiting for things to change on their own will result in nothing changing.  The saying “If it is to be it’s up to me” hits the proverbial nail on the head.  It’s time to step up and get in the game!!

The memories I have of playing with Angela, Cammy and Brittany at the Duramed Championship will last for years to come.  I even got a couple of great tips from our pro and found myself following a golfer that I got to know by playing golf with her for 4 1/2 hours. There was a “Meet the Pro” reception, a very nice gift package and much, much more.  That my friends is PRICELESS.

If you are lucky enough to have a LPGA or Duramed Tour event any where near where you live, please get involved.  I promise, you will be forever glad that you did.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee golf blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Your comments are welcome and encouraged.

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Women using golf to network in business are lagging behind their male counterparts.   Are golf myths partly to blame? Discussion of the reality and a solution.

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When is golf more than a game???

Answer:

When it used as a business or social networking tool.

The average person that plays golf or has thought about playing golf typically overlooks or just plain does not understand how effective golf is as a networking tool.  Even within the male population of golfers, very few of them know how to maximize golf as a networking tool.  The sad part is that there are many more men attempting to implement golf into their business networking than there are women.

Perhaps it is simply a case of not knowing how to network with golf. Let me simplify it by listing the 5 most basic ways to do so:

1. Talk the Talk – who says you have to know how to play the game of golf to benefit from it?  By simply learning the basic terms of the game you can elevate yourself to an understanding and a capability of casually chatting about golf.  No longer are you banished from conversations due to your lack of knowledge
2. Walk the Walk – playing the game allows you to get into the ‘skin’ of the game and enhances your ability to converse and to commiserate around the watercooler at work or while having drinks with friends or co-workers. Playing golf with customers, prospects and co-workers gives you more one-on-one quality time than afforded by any other networking tool. To get started playing golf click here.
3. Watch golf on TV – by getting familiar with the players on tour (LPGA, PGA Nationwide Tour) by name and results you elevate to a more authoritative voice. You will be invited to more golf events and to chime in to more golf conversations.

4. Play in Golf Events – Golf is still one of the most popular methods for raising money for charities or Chambers of Commerce.  Budgeting your time and resources to participate in as many of these events as possible gives you a recognition factor within your community that is often overlooked. Instead of thinking “I can’t afford (the time or money) to play”. You should be thinking “I can’t afford NOT to play.”  Maximize your exposure.

   

5. Sponsor or Volunteer to Local Golf Events – every community has a plethora of golf events including some professional ones and they all need volunteers and sponsors.  If you aren’t in a position to play don’t overlook the value in offering your time, your money or BOTH to golf events in your area.  The visibility that this creates along with the contacts that can be made can extend your business ‘touch’ to people and groups that with whom you might not ever connect.

The primary theme is to ‘get involved’ in whatever way serves you best.  Not everyone is capable of, or perhaps, interested in playing the game but most certainly everyone has an opportunity to capitalize on the power of the game by one of the five methods mentioned here.  Golf is a universal social and business language.  The good news is that it isn’t as hard to master as, say, learning to speak Chinese.

As a subscriber to Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com, you are encouraged to help others discover the rewards that golf has to offer.  Please take the time to invite one or two non-golfers to join in the fun via the points listed in this article.  You’ll be glad you did!!

Thanks for visiting. Please leave your comments below.

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As for the men not being as comfortable playing with a woman certainly there’s something to be said about the male camaraderie, as well as, female camaraderie that contributes to that feeling. However, if a woman shows she knows the basics of the game, how to act and not be afraid to own up to her potential lower level of play if just starting out, she can truly benefit from networking with golf ON or OFF the course. In fact, she will probably be light years ahead of most male counterparts in the rules and etiquette areas, If she’s at all athletic or coordinated, she could also be ahead in her playing skills as well.

The point however, is understanding what golf can do for both men and women in the business world. It is rarely about how well you can play. It is more about how you handle yourself on the course and in potentially uncomfortable situations. Like in business, the more prepared you are the better the outcome. Know WHY you are playing and WHO you are playing with and WHAT you are trying to accomplish. It may be just to play the game and get to know some new people. Perhaps it’s to treat an existing client, a prospect or valued employee to some time away from the office environment while at the same getting to know each other better. Whatever the reason maximize the time spent on the course and the ‘19th hole’ afterwards.

Recognizing that golf is not a luxury item but a valuable business tool will go a long way in embracing the true value of the game. The fact that you can enjoy yourself while networking on the golf course does not make it a frivolous activity as some non-golfers might suggest. Women more so than men seem to think that they don’t have time to play golf. They need to be grinding away in the office. How often can you get a client or prospect totally to yourself for 3-5 hours? In today’s economic climate you may need to scale down a bit but treating golf as a pariah is not the answer. You need as much, if not more, face-to-face time with your business associates and clients to make sure you are aware of each other’s needs and addressing ways to deliver the ‘goods’.

So next time you are asked to participate in a golf event that allows you to meet new people, especially business people, toss those out-dated fears aside, grab your golf shoes, your clubs and your positive attitude and head on out to the links!!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Please leave your comments below.

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1. LIFETIME OF FUN: Golf is a tremendous game, sport and networking tool that can last a lifetime. It is not gender, age or skill specific.

2. GET ONE WITH NATURE: Golf is played outdoors and provides an opportunity to stock up on your Vitamin D daily requirement (assuming you are playing on a sunny day!)

3. CHARACTER ASSESSMENT: It is a game of honesty, ethics and integrity. It can give you a barometer of one’s true character and to get a ‘window’ into the soul of those that play. This is great for business and personal relationships UNLESS you are one who cheats!!

4. PLAY BY YOURSELF: It is a game that can be played with a group or as an individual. If you feel the urge to play and no one else is available, no problem! You can play as a single or better yet get paired up with others at the course and forge new relationships.

5. LEVEL PLAYING FIELD: There is a golf handicap system (GHIN) that helps to ‘even the playing field’ when playing with more experienced golfers. This means that no matter how many strokes it takes you to finish you may still ‘score’ better than some of the other players.

6. EXERCISE: You can get as much or as little exercise as you wish. Walk the course and carry your own bag if you’d like or hop in the golf cart with your golf clubs loaded on the back and drive up to the ball. Either way golf is still a good workout!

7. STRESS REDUCTION: You can spend quality time away from the stresses of life and enjoy the beauty of nature. I have never seen a golf course I didn’t like. There’s always a better view than from an office cubicle.

8. CHALLENGE: There is constant challenge to improve and still have fun. You don’t have to compete against anyone but yourself if you even choose to compete at all.

9. FASHION STATEMENTS: Golf offers a variety of styles of dress to ‘show off’ your personality. The better you feel about how you look the better you play! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

10. LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS: No matter what else came before this (that would be points 1 thru 9 above) the top benefit that golf offers is a medium to forge lifelong bonds and commonality that make gathering at the 19th hole more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Drinks all around, please!!>br>

There are so many more benefits that the game of golf offers. My intent here was to offer up some of the more universal ‘gifts’ the game offers. It can grow from a favorite pastime into a career, as it did with me. It can take you to the highest highs and the lowest lows if you choose to get into competition. No matter, the plain and simple truth is that golf is a game that keeps on giving and giving. Don’t be afraid to offer this ‘gift’ to others.

As always your comments are welcome and encouraged. Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com.

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2. That it is OK to take the time to schedule and play a round of golf with a preferred client or a new prospect. Where else can you find that kind of quality time without office interruption?

3. That it is important to let your co-workers, clients and prospects know that you play golf or can discuss the game of golf with some basic knowledge.

4. That you don’t have to be good to successfully use golf to build your business.

5. That men are also very capable of playing slow…they just don’t get pigeon-holed as ‘slow players’ like women do.

6. That getting to know your client’s/prospect’s golf handicap and interest level in the game is important homework to help you take full advantage of the sport in your business networking.

7. That if women ever realize just how effective the game of golf is in the success of their careers men may be in bring trouble. Their ‘monopoly’ will come crashing down and that promotion may well go to the woman that deserves it.

Sound off with your opinion. Your comments are always welcome at www.sherrytabb.com.

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Geoff Mangum of Putting Zone said: “The game of golf cannot grow without women succeeding and enjoying the game. This means the culture of golf has to welcome women to a much greater extent than it has traditionally. As a golf teaching professional, helping the WIGF is a simple matter of self-preservation! Besides, women make great students of the game and my students beat all the guys!”

WIGF, Women in Golf Foundation, out of Atlanta, GA focuses on helping women of all ages progress in life and business using golf as a primary vehicle. Organizations like this can only survive if we, as women, understand our value and our right to play golf at any level we desire.

Granted there have been and still are many biases towards women in the golf industry BUT it’s up to us to remove them. If you go about the game properly by investing some time and effort in getting comfortable with some basic rules, etiquette and take a few lessons you will be light years ahead of most of the average male golfers playing in your neighborhoods.

The game of golf needs us ladies BUT we need to do it right. Stay on board with the rest of us here at Ladies on the Tee and let’s help each other have a whale of a good time chasing that little white (or pink) ball around the countryside!
Thanks for visiting www.sherrytabb.com. Your comments are always welcome.

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So even if you don’t think I know what I am talking about, here is one of the LPGA’s rising stars trying to recruit more women onto the course and into a lifetime of fun and friendships provided by the game of golf.

There are success stories of women getting ahead in business by taking advantage of the one-on-one time that golf affords businesswomen with their clients and prospects. The problem is that there are too few of these success stories NOT because networking with golf doesn’t work but mainly because women are shying away from the game due to misplaced fears or buying into the “old boys network” mentality.

Paula calls for “breaking through the grass ceiling. Personally I’d like for us to Mow it Down!!

Thanks for visiting www.sherrytabb.com where we welcome YOUR thoughts and experiences.

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Women are excellent relationship builders by and large. What better way to Build Business Relationships than by Playing Golf? The unfortunate issue is that a lot of women feel that they have to be a ‘good’ golfer, a good athlete or a part of the ‘old boys club’ to participate in this time-honored sport. That is far from the truth.

The real issue is that women need to learn step up in greater numbers and let their clients and co-workers know that they play or have an interest in playing. They don’t have to be a scratch golfer to get on the course and spend some quality time with the key people in their business lives. Sometimes just knowing what is going on in today’s game, both on the men’s side (PGA) as well as the women’s LPGA, is enough to get the ball rolling. Talk the talk and then learn to walk the walk.

I have owned a golf business for over a decade and I will tell you that most events that are played are set up using a scramble format which doesn’t penalize you for hitting a bad shot. You get to play from where the best shot in your group lands and play out in that manner throughout the round. This really helps to eliminate that feeling of not being ‘good enough’. It’s a great way to enjoy the game, get to know your clients and your co-workers and bosses AND have a great time doing it.

There are other considerations that need to be addressed for women to really capitalize on the golf networking opportunities but I will touch on those in future posts. For now I would love to get your comments on this topic and share what is or isn’t working for you.

Thanks for visiting http://www.sherrytabb.com. We invite you to tell your friends about us.

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This website is devoted to providing tools and resources to business women enabling them to build a comfort level with and a strong knowledge of the game of golf to take their businesses to new levels. We, in effect, are striving to remove the GRASS CEILING!! In addition, we want women everywhere to have the opportunity to participate in what can become a lifelong love affair with one of the oldest games known to man, I mean woman! You DO NOT have to be a great athlete to take advantage of this sport.

My name is Sherry Tabb and I am a sports nut. I grew up playing every sport possible and even became the first female Head Tennis Professional in my area. Over the last decade plus I discovered golf. I started up a golf business after leaving corporate America in 1996. During the last 12 years of owning and operating my golf business, Tee ‘M Up Enterprises, I not only fell in love with the game but I witnessed firsthand the effectiveness of golf in the business world. Sadly, I have also recognized the low percentage of women participating in this wonderful sport and reaping the rewards of this highly effective business tool. I have a passion for this revered (and sometimes reviled) game and for the advancement of women in business. So, to that end I welcome you to join me on this quest. Leave your heels and fears at the door and let’s play a round! You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for visiting http://www.sherrytabb.com. We invite you to tell your girl friends about us.

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