Golf is unquestionably woven into the fabric of American leisure, luring players from all walks of life to battle for the lowest score across eighteen holes against the backdrop of exquisitely manicured natural scenery.

And the nearly 14,000 courses speckled throughout our landscape—from high-end resorts to municipal parks—indicate that this sport with ancient origins isn’t fading anytime soon.

Among the stalwarts keeping the game thriving are ambitious businesspeople, who leverage this setting not only to unwind from office stressors but also to broker some business deals in the meantime. After all, certain elements of golf are right on par with specific professional aims. Get a look at the core benefits of taking to the course with one or more business contacts and how you could walk away a champion in more ways than one.

Casual communication

Just about every professional interaction requires you to make some sort of sales pitch, whether you’re promoting a product, encouraging a new contact to collaborate, or even inspiring your team members to commit their top efforts to your organization. In any case, the best sales techniques often rely on being organic and subtle rather than overly direct with language—a slow-burn spiel that flows naturally from casual conversation into a formal request. And perhaps one of the greatest environments for hosting such rewarding communication is a golf course.

When you invite an important contact to unwind with you at a fresh-air venue rather than the confines of a stuffy boardroom or desk, you’re more likely to inspire relaxed discussion, consistent engagement, and camaraderie. The peaceful atmosphere and stimulating activity beckon players to let down their guard and share ideas over the approximate four-hour period it takes to get through an eighteen-hole course, which is plenty of time to lay the groundwork for your eventual hard sell.

However, be sure that you’re up for the task—in order to be a good golf companion, you need to have the conversational skills to fill a full morning or afternoon. Fail to remain engaging, and you could turn off a potential business partner or client with no possibility of taking a mulligan. To fuel rewarding interactions, utilize the FORD method, asking about the following:

• Family: Who is important to them, and how do they enjoy quality time with these individuals? Especially if they have kids, nothing can get someone talking quite like bragging about a loved one.
• Occupation: What do they do for work? Since you will likely already know this, inquire about their background in the field and their favorite parts of the job.
• Recreation: What do they like to do for fun (besides golfing)? When your chat becomes tepid, shifting to sports, events, and movies can help reignite two-way dialogue.
• Dreams: Who do they aspire to be in five years? What are their financial, family, or career goals? The latter is the perfect segue into pitching working together.

These proven discussion tactics can help you foster ongoing relationships with all kinds of business contacts, expanding your professional network and encouraging profitable deals with big-ticket clients.

Team building

Golf could be just as motivating for individuals within your organization, offering stupendous team-building potential. Michael Alexis, CEO of the employee-engagement service teambuilding.com,

reports that investing in socializing among your workforce stands to enhance intercommunication by more than 50 percent— just one of many benefits. Invite a few employees to a round on the green, and you may just see an improvement in their collaborative skills, project-brainstorming performance, and ability to collectively resolve issues.

As you plan such an outing, note that a standard round of golf typically accommodates up to four players, so you’ll need to separate your team members into small groups. Make sure to do so thoughtfully, apportioning them in a way that spurs strong connections. You could pair those who often collaborate digitally but don’t interact face-to-face regularly, or consider randomly shuffling people from different departments. Though your approach will depend on your goal for the activity, the end result will be the same—a stronger work culture and greater performance.

To gain even more team-building benefits, host a postgolf meeting at the clubhouse to review the important lessons to be learned from the experience. Poll your employees on how they utilized skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, strategic forethought, and competitive analysis throughout their round. For instance, did anyone witness their abilities flourish between holes one and eighteen? What did this teach them about their aptitude for taking on difficult projects? By connecting the dots between their fairway lessons and their work, you can better ensure that they carry over into the office once everyone returns.

What about a driving range?

Depending on who you ask, this environment doesn’t qualify as golfing, but spending an afternoon at such a venue may offer some of the same advantages as playing eighteen holes—and perhaps other added perks. Hitting balls at a driving range is a less complicated activity bogged down by fewer complex rules than standard golf, making it minimally challenging to take up for newbies. It’s also far less time-consuming since you can dictate how long you want to play rather than being at the mercy of the course.

All this means that a quick stopover at a driving range could be more appropriate for a team-wide activity or casual business meeting. It may be an especially popular choice if the invitees in question vary in age and background. Older individuals and those with mobility issues, for instance, might not be up for all the walking, even with a golf cart. Likewise, someone with a tight schedule may not be able to while away a morning or afternoon golfing between their commitments.

Another bonus is the potential to wrap the golf course and clubhouse into a simultaneous social activity. Many successful brands like Topgolf serve food and drinks while you play, allowing you to talk business over some delicious eats before grabbing the club for another round. On top of keeping everyone’s energy up, it will also keep your spirits high—Who can stay upset about a bad shot with a mouthwatering meal in front of them?

For a more whimsical alternative with equal upside, consider spending an hour or two at a mini golf course. If you operate in an industry with a creative and youth-oriented focus, such as media production or event hosting, potential clients or partners may be more than thrilled to meet you at such a venue.

Listening to your invitee

When planning professional meetings and team-building events, always be sure to gauge your guests’ hobbies and preferences, verifying that they’d be interested in golfing or visiting a driving range. Doing so is key to executing a mutually enjoyable event, especially one you hope to walk away from celebrating a lucrative deal. But if a cohort does agree to meet you on the green, carrying exceptional conversation could encourage strong connections with people inside and outside your organization—and spell a hole-in-one for your business.

TAKE ACTION:
Call up at least three individuals who you could invite golfing, noting what you specifically aim to achieve from these gatherings.