I've worked with many people who told me that they were invited to play a round of golf with an associate, client or prospect but declined the invitation. Their main reason for declining the invitation was their fear of embarrassing themselves on the golf course. I always tried to put the person at ease by explaining to them that during a business round of golf their form and score were irrelevant. I would emphasize to the individual that their success during a business round of golf was dependent on two factors. The first and most important factor was how well they understood and followed the required etiquette for a business round of golf. The second determining factor was maintaining the same pace of play as the other members of the group.
I was taught the importance of golf etiquette early on as a caddy at a local country club. The on the job training included being sent out with a senior caddy to learn the fundamentals of the game with a particular emphasis on etiquette. If a new caddy received an unsatisfactory report they would be prohibited from carrying a bag for 2 days. That period of time was spent with the caddymaster relearning the importance of golf etiquette and how it related to the success of the caddy.
When I first started playing the game of golf I was comfortable with playing at a leisurely pace with other people new to the game. I was taught the importance of pace when I first asked my Dad and Uncle to join them in a round of golf. Their retort to my simple request was, " If you want to play with us you have to play fast." I began to enjoy the game more and improved my skill level by playing at a faster pace.
The next few posts will contain tips for proper golf etiquette and playing at a faster pace.
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