7 Specific Ways Golf Helps U be a Better Leader
Passion inspires untiring action and unique ways to achieve selected goals. When focus and determination become implicit in your ‘pursuit of passion’, impediments and adversities give way. As an adventure enthusiast, I have undertaken a multitude of adventure sport activities such as Sky Diving, Hot Air Ballooning, Water Skiing, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Para Sailing, Para Gliding, etc. Even though some of these activities have reduced now, what has not diminished is my love and passion for the one sport that I adore, Golf. While Golf is well known for leisure, luxury, style and networking in serene environs, it also provides amazing life lessons bundled with unique challenges. Here, I list 7 specific ways on how pursuing my passion helps me in my life and how Golf helps hone a host of virtues critical for effective leadership.
1. Pursuit to Excellence: The most remarkable thing about Golf is that it brings out our innate desire to excel. Whether competing, practicing or playing for leisure, the goal is the same — to do better than before. Since you are playing against the course, you alone are accountable for your every move — always looking to better yourself. On the rare occasions that I become feeble, my game takes a downward spiral. Regardless of expertise level (beginner, intermediate or pro) one has to continue to persevere.
‘Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you’ — Arnold Palmer
2. Focus: Another virtue that the game inculcates, is immense Focus (In fact this is inescapable). Whether in golf or in life, you always need to be alert and ‘in’ the game, physically as well as mentally. Wavering focus is a sure shot recipe for failure. Years ago, after missing a particularly easy putt, I frustratingly remarked on how I knew I would miss the sure-shot putt. My very wise partner taught me a great lesson by his candid comment — saying, ‘that’s exactly why you missed.’ The body is a slave of our mind. And a strong desire, tames the mind into submission. Not only do you have to believe and be confident, you need to have a yearning for success and the ability to visualize it — for which you require vision, focus, concentration and confidence.
‘Concentration comes out of a combination of confidence and hunger’ — Arnold Palmer

3. Challenge: Golf provides a unique dare every day, every hole, and in fact every shot. No two shots in golf can be identical. The game goads you into reinventing yourself. Whether you’ve played your best round ever, or the worst, you have to start all over again for the next one. And that next game could be drastically different from the previous one. Even on the same golf course, it is a constant puzzle to be solved with moving pieces. That is what brings me back on the course — more focus, sharper skill and even stronger resolve. If this is addiction, it’s a good one to have!
‘The most important shot in golf, is the next one’ — Ben Hogan
4. Humility: Whether you like it or not, the game will teach you humility, like no guru ever can. While confidence is critical, there is little room for arrogance. The fleeting instant of invincibility is at best — transient. Because the very next moment of conceit is extreme vulnerability. Haven’t we all witnessed weird shots, immediately after celebrating a birdie or a par? This game requires a particular rhythm, genuine modesty and immense mental strength, in addition to physical agility, skill and extreme prowess. It is for no small reason that Golf is known as the ‘Ultimate game of life’.
‘The mind messes up more shots than the body’ — Tommy Bolt
5. Strategy: The number of times we hear the word ‘luck’ on the course, is not even funny. In equal measure are the emotional outbursts of profanity, especially when the odds are against you — which is more often than not.
‘Man blames fate for other accidents, but feels personally responsible for a hole in one’ — Martha Beckman
Due to the extremely dynamic nature of the game, many players overlook the significance of strategizing in Golf. Just as in life, you must strategize every move in Golf and then match up with precise execution. Chivalry has its place, but not with decisions which need to be based on a multitude of factors, (the lie, distance, hazards, approach, pin position, green speed, club selection, choice of shot to be executed, etc.) and of course, progress of the game.
‘Golf is a game that is played on a 5-inch course, the distance between your ears’ — Bobby Jones
6. Courage and Decisiveness: A huge water hazard right in front of the green can intimidate any seasoned golfer. Whether that will prevent you or motivate you, is based on courage, risk appetite and strategy. Once again, no easy answers –temperament, confidence, rhythm and overall goal, determines the outcome. Courage is about overcoming fear, not the absence of it. ‘Luck favours the brave’, but also punishes the fools.
‘Of all the hazards, fear is the worst’ — Sam Snead

7. Integrity. A round of golf with a person can tell you more about the individual than a week long interview. For when a good shot goes to a bad lie, will you play by the rules, or mend them to suit your convenience, especially when no one is watching? From a personality and integrity stand point, I wonder if there is a better test. Plus, you will get insight into the person’s counting ability. Very often, in their child like enthusiasm, golfers tend to forget counting a stroke or two.
‘If you wish to hide your character, do not play golf’ — Percey Boomer
Still considering whether to pursue your passion?
No matter how busy you are, if work is not your passion, then you surely must consider picking up a hobby, sport or activity which you can connect with. That’s an area where you are bound to excel, come what may!
Whether I am engaged in practice or playing a game, I have never experienced a day on the course which is short of great! Time on the golf course is always well invested with immense learning.

