The Perfect 5-Hour Sales Call

As an aspiring business man and lover of the game of golf I, for one, hope to make many business deals on the course. I can hardly imagine a job better than one that involves going to great golf courses with great people and doing good business. Plus, I just can’t wait to say “Great shot Bruce! Now how about investing $20 mil in my company!?”

A joint Sports Illustrated-CNN article does a good job outlining several guidelines for doing business on the course. You can check it out if you want, but here are some of the best rules to follow (my comments in italics):

-Don't Sandbag or Tank It
It's the most common question: to win, or not to win? The answer is: play to your ability, fair and square. Gauge the personality of your partner and determine how intense he or she is about the game. Don’t dupe your playing partner. If you dupe him on the golf course, you may the type to try and dupe him in business.
-Patience is a Virtue
Don't discuss business before the 5th hole or after the 15th hole. Like golf itself, you're in this for the long haul. I guess the point here is not to seem like you’re forcing the issue. You’re out of the office for a reason: to get to know the person in a non-formal setting. Therefore, don’t present your idea in a traditionally formal manner. Weave it in there effortlessly. When your playing partner comes up short on the par-3, let him know that if Callaway had used your metals he would have been pin-high-stiff!
-Focus on Results
And by results, we don't mean score. Before the round, think about what you hope to get out of the day, outlining your goals and how you plan to meet them. It's a vital component to business golf, as key to good performance as a pre-shot routine. Treat the “five-hour sales call” the same as usual but with appropriate modifications. You aren’t out there to completely screw around. You have goals so outline them and make sure to achieve them by the end of the day.
-Right Time, Right Place
This would be my only addition to an already good list. Timing is everything. You don’t want to abruptly make your proposal right after a bad shot. Instead, hit him up for his business after he hits the green in two on the 600 yard par far. Bruce is probably going to be less excited about shelling out a few million if you solicit him just after his Titleist strikes a tree branch and falls right into the lake. If you do, Bruce might impale you with his 7-iron.

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But in all seriousness, the golf course can be a great place to do business and learn about existing/possible business partners. The theme of all these rules is to remember that even though you’re playing a game, you’re still performing, still making a business pitch. There’s a famous saying that “Sports builds character.” This is true, but I’ve always felt the following should be equally famous: “Sports reveals character.” And really, there’s none better than golf. A round of golf can provide insight into someone’s decision making skills (how do they go about choosing a club?), risk tolerance (do they go for the green in two over water) and integrity (do they follow the rules of the game?). Do enough good business on the course and maybe you’ll be able to put down that club membership on the company’s expense account.