Question:
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:
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
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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.
- 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!!
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Tags: "business on the golf course", business golf, business networking, game of golf, ladies on the tee golf blog, LPGA, Nationwide Tour, playing golf, sherry tabb, women networking with golf
