If you like the idea of being productive while having fun, taking up golf as a hobby might be a really good idea. A lot of high-profile executives play golf, presumably for exactly this reason. It is common knowledge among professionals that playing golf together is a great way to bond, connect, and build a relationship. On the golf course, you are very likely to acquire new contacts who might turn out to be key to your success down the road.
On the other hand, your primary reason for being on the golf course should be to have fun. Everyone can notice when someone interacts with them purely out of self-interest and opportunistic motives. If you don’t force it, you’ll make plenty of friends from different backgrounds naturally.
Why the Golf Course Is Such a Good Playing Ground for Making New Friends
Playing games together, in general, is a good way to get to know someone. You can see how they react to adversity, bad luck, and other misfortunes. It’s harder for someone to wear a mask when they are overcome with the zeal of winning a game. You get to see what kind of person they really are and you can be sure that what you’re seeing is an honest reflection of them. This raw display of emotions and our true nature is relaxing compared to workplace politics, where you have to read into people.
Benefits of Playing Golf with Coworkers
There are other ways to use golf in your professional life. For example, as a leader, you might want to strengthen your team’s unity and morale. Starting a friendly golf competition with a small prize might turn out to be a great team-building exercise. By giving team members something they can all share, chat about, and bond over, it can be a great way to ensure a friendly atmosphere in the office.
Doing Business on the Golf Course
Of course, we shouldn’t forget that playing golf is a great way to build close relationships with your clients. In business relationships, feelings of familiarity and connection matter as much as numbers, so being closer to your clients than your competitors might be the deciding factor between winning and failure. This should inspire you to book tee times online and start fostering those bonds.
However, it is recommended to keep leisure and business separate and talk about money as little as possible. Nobody wants to be reminded of work issues while they are having fun. A leisurely atmosphere lets you capture the client’s attention and subtly communicate messages you want to get across. During a normal day at the office, getting clients to listen to you for half an hour is usually an achievement. On the golf course, you have several hours to talk, so you don’t have to rush by going straight into closing the deal.
Meeting New People
You can meet golfers of all ages on the golf course. If you are a senior, you’ll make friends who are in their twenties, and you’ll have the chance to get to know them and how they think. It works the other way around as well: youngsters might benefit from establishing relationships with older, experienced people just by bringing their golf clubs to the course and having a swing. A lot of people have established great relationships and even found mentors on the golf course.
It’s not hard to start playing golf. You just need a golf club set suitable for beginners and a few hours of golf lessons. If you are older and just decided to start playing golf, there are many solid golf clubs for seniors as well.
In conclusion, I think we’ve established that playing golf is a great way to bond. You can use it to strengthen your familial, professional, or other relationships.
