There are very few places or situations where you can see whether or not a person has what it takes to be a great business person, but the golf course is one of them. In 4 hours, you can see if a prospective employee or client is worth hiring or working with, in the future.
Below you will find the top 10 qualities of a great businessperson and the scenarios when they shine or are not on par.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS
During a golf scramble, one person usually takes leadership over the team. A good leader will decide which shots to use and will make sure everyone gets a chance to use at least one of their golf shots to feel like they are a part of the team.
UNAFRAID TO TAKE RISKS
The golf course provides countless opportunities to take risks. You want to find someone who takes smart risks. A smart risk in golf would be a decision not swayed by emotions. For example, I was playing team golf and hit a horrible first shot off the tee behind some trees on the left side. After noticing that the other team hit horrible second shots behind the trees, I decided to punch out into the fairway and assume I would make a bogey on the hole. I ended up winning the hole because I knew when to hit the safe shot instead of trying to shape my second shot around the trees to get on the green in 2.
Another example of taking a smart risk is when I’ll try and cut a corner to make my second shot easier into the green. I’ll only do this, when I know I can get over the trees with a pretty decent drive. This strategy usually impresses my playing partners and makes the game more interesting and fun!
BEING LIKABLE AND HAVING FUN
The golf course is the best place to unwind and show playing partners who you really are. At the office, a level of professionalism is expected, but on the golf course it is normal to open up and let your guard down. You should find yourself telling corny jokes, drinking beer or cocktails and finding new topics to relate on with your playing partners. How much better do you think your relationship with a client would be if you found out that both of you were All-Americans on the swim team and you both love to ski in Aspen? You would have an instant connection that would make working together that much better!
COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
Great business golfers have a desire to win but more importantly have a desire to improve each time they play. They also know how to celebrate the successes with the failures. If you catch someone cheating who has a competitive spirit, I would be weary of doing business with them. If they cheat to win a game, there is a good chance they would do anything to get ahead in business.
A GOOD INTELLECT
Golf is a game of strategy. When a great business golfer approaches a difficult shot, they calculate various scenarios and choose the most rewarding option with the least risk. Golf takes more mental energy than it does physically, so you can determine someone’s intellect based on how well they strategize and improve despite physical abilities.
ABILITY TO TAKE INITIATIVE
When playing in a scramble the leader is usually the player who also takes initiative. They figure out what strengths the team has and how to position everyone to build the most successful strategy for the team. If no one takes an initiative, a great team could still end up losing because they didn’t work well together.
SOLID COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Golf is the greatest stage for getting to know someone. You have 4+ hours to communicate with one another. You even get to see how players communicate when they are tired.
HAVE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
When someone offers to buy you a drink, pulls out the pin on every hole, or offers to rake the sand trap for you when you hit a bad shot; then he or she exhibits great customer service. It all comes down to taking care of the golf course and being considerate of the other playing partners.
A RELIABLE NATURE
You know someone is reliable when they show up to the course on time, help you look for lost balls, and is always available as a 4th.