Mental Game: Make every course your favorite, Like Phil
14 Feb 2014

Mental Game: Make every course your favorite, Like Phil

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer Do you know why Phil Mickelson does so well at the Masters? Bones McKay, Mickelson’s caddy, has remarked many times how Phil has declared his love and admiration for Augusta National. Phil states that he gets goose bumps every time he drives up Magnolia Lane. With the Masters coming up in a few months, this is a teachable moment for your students. A declaration of love (or great admiration) for a course can help your play. Like Phil does at Augusta National, you are psyching yourself up to play well—regardless of condition or difficulty. Joy of a course can help expel any excessive feelings of anxiety. Ultimately, you are transforming adversity into an enjoyable challenge. Let’s take the flip side. You can talk yourself into playing badly on a course or a hole. How many times have you and your students been psyched out of a hole by telling yourself how much you dislike that particular hole? Perhaps the hole did not fit your shot pattern or fit your eye. In either regard, a dislike for a hole decreases the joy while increasing the stress you will feel, usually leading to a poorer score. I know it is easy to find something wrong with every course you play, or letting a hole psych you out. But I would highly recommend to your students to take Mickelson’s mental game lead. Talk yourself into enjoying every golf course that you play. Find something about the course that you really admire. Perhaps it’s the piece of property and its beauty or its unique par 3’s. You should also recommend to your students to find something they like about every hole. It is easy to do, especially if this becomes a habit. When you make every course and every hole your favorite, you will enjoy the game even more because you played so well. (Dr. Gregg Steinberg is the sports psychologist for the USGTF. He is regular guest every Tuesday on “Talk of the Tour” heard on Sirius/XM PGA Tour Radio. He is a tenured professor of sports psychology and has been the mental game coach for many tour players. Dr. Steinberg is the author of the bestselling golf psychology book, MentalRules for Golf, and you can get your autographed copy at www.DrGreggDteinberg.com.)
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GOLF IN THE OLYMPICS?
14 Feb 2014

GOLF IN THE OLYMPICS?

In the spirit of this month’s Winter Olympics, it is imperative we in the golf industry – and all golf fans worldwide – voice our opinion about the individual format for golf at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as recently decided upon by the International Golf Federation ( IGF).  I know I’m not alone in espousing an anti-individual format and would highly revere witnessing a team competition for a host of reasons. I am not going to mince words. The IGF got this wrong, in my opinion. I’ll prelude my position by also stating I don’t even believe golf should be in the Olympics in the first place.  However, since it is a “fait accompli,” a team competition should take precedent over an individual one. I’ll digress. First, to remove a staple sport such as wrestling, a sport dating back to the 1896 Games in Greece during the first modern Olympics (and 708 BC in the Ancient Games), only to replace it with golf, is not fair…although wrestling was later reinstated.  There are also many typical North American backyard barbecue hobbies which are sports with both a wide audience and intense interest level in other parts of the world when played at a high level…badminton and table tennis come to mind.  Another inclusion in 2016 is rugby, and rightfully so, not because it is incredibly popular worldwide (although somewhat), and not simply because of its rough and athletic nature, but because winning an Olympic medal in this sport and the aforementioned backyard barbecue hobbies is the pinnacle for these athletes. Wrestling naturally falls into the same category. Turning back to golf. Is an Olympic medal the revered prize? Is it something a young Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Annika Sorenstam, Suzanne Petterson, Lydia Ko, or any other prominent professional golfer grew up dreaming about winning? Of course not! Now, some may argue today’s professional golfer never had the dream of Olympic glory, for it was not an available opportunity. Nor should it be. Golf has a storied history of revered championships that golfers thirst to win. An Olympic medal may look nice on the mantle, but a green jacket, Claret Jug, or US Open trophy will always glimmer brighter. Take it a step further. A Masters victory offers a lifetime invitation down Magnolia Lane. I’m sure Greg Norman would agree he was blessed with a fine career, but to say something is missing is an understatement, and it isn’t Olympic gold. Without getting bogged down in the political and financial argument that surely propagated golf into an Olympic sport, it is fair to say an Olympic medal is not the “Shangri-La” for the individual golfer. If golf is to gain a stronghold within the Olympic movement, a team competition is paramount. National pride is at stake, as we witness in sports such as hockey, basketball, curling, soccer, and now even figure skating. The Ryder Cup portrays an emotional intensity level not seen in any other professional golf tournament. The President’s Cup falls short in this regard; however, fragments of intensity are apparent. The same can be said for a variety of other golf team competitions, be it in the professional or amateur ranks. This being said, would golf fans tune in in droves to witness Tiger or Phil win another tournament, say the right things, and then have them go about their business two weeks later at the FedEx playoffs? What about Olympic glory?  Forget about it! There is a $10 million dollar annuity, season-ending championship, and player of the year award at stake. The Olympics were great and all but hey, there are other big fish to fry. Would sport fans tune in to watch their underdog nation have a chance against a stalwart golf nation? You bet. The IGF proposed a format to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for a “72 hole individual stroke play format for both men and women, reflecting the leading players’ opinion of the fairest and best way to identify an Olympic champion,” according to the IGF website. Wow, is all I can say! Here we have an international sporting organization, governed by the leaders of the stewards of the game in the Royal and Ancient, the USGA, worldwide national golf associations and professional golf tours, and they leave it up to the leading players to choose the format? Whatever happened to true stewardship? Should the millions of golf fans and thousands of professionals employed and driving the industry not have a voice? Here we have an opportunity to grow the game in developed and emerging markets, and the decision is left to the top 120 players in the world? Sure, they may be popular, but do they truly know what is needed within the industry and relished by sporting fans? Do they truly understand the weight of their decision? As the competing athletes, I question their objectivity, and the enormity of the decision should not have been placed in their hands. Golf has a competitive edge over many sports in its uncertainty. Underdogs on paper often win, especially in a team format.  We’ve seen it time and again in the Ryder Cup with Europe. Who’ll ever forget the “Miracle on Ice” during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, when the US hockey team won the gold, upsetting the Russians during the semi-final match at the height of the Cold War? A winning team’s dynamic is often immeasurable and cannot be defined. This uncertainty is what can often propel a sporting event and a sport to a different stratosphere. The fact golf has an opportunity to not only be showcased, but to embrace its competitiveness and uncertain outcome on a world stage, is fortunate. It has been given a second chance in the Olympics. As golf fans, we already know who the top players are and do not need the Olympics for further proof. This cannot be said for other sports; hence, the Olympics are very much required for individual accomplishment and glory for many athletes. National team over individual pride for a golf victory would be held in great stead by the players, future stars, and fans alike. Furthermore, the uncertainty of a team victory heightens the suspense. Imagine an emerging country taking on the USA in a final match for the gold. How much weight would that hold in growing our game both home and abroad? Sorry IGF, I believe you missed the mark.  
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SOCIAL MEDIA: IT’S A MUST
13 Feb 2014

SOCIAL MEDIA: IT’S A MUST

As golf teaching professionals, most of us are independent contractors. Some of us might work for a golf club, driving range, or golf school.  Like most businesses, we are always looking for ways to grow our business, gain new clients, and solidify our trade.  Social media is a great way to advertise, reach new clients, and stay in touch with current students. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are free to use and efficient, as many of your students are most likely already using these sites.  By accessing these forms of marketing, you can stay connected to your students and grow your business for free.  Free is always good for small business owners! When you start a Facebook page, it will help you expand in many ways.  You are able to show pictures of your business.  You can highlight training aids you use and show pictures of people taking lessons.  The people in the pictures are most likely on Facebook, so make sure you “tag” them.  Their network of friends will see these photos, thus growing your business without paying for advertising.  People will “like” the photo, and thus send your business information to others whom you wouldn’t be able to reach directly without paying for it. Next time you visit a local business, look to see if they ask their customers to follow them on social media sites.  Think of other successful businesses and pull up their social media sites for ideas.  If you think it’s too hard or you are not “techie” enough, think again.  It is a must for small business owners to connect to social media, especially for those of us in the golf business.
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12 Feb 2014

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOLF CART FLEET

By Marc Gelbke, Contributing Writer, US Golf Managers Association Often overlooked by golf course managers is the importance of a golf cart fleet at our facilities. Fleets directly relate to revenues and budget, and must be successfully managed. Most managers are not aware of the fact that our fleets are the second-largest source of revenue (after golf fees), and often the largest profit center. This article is designed to explain in some detail and point out the importance of a cart fleet and how it could be viewed from a manager’s point of view. I will touch on other aspects of cart fleet management in future editorials, such as:  How to make a fleet program successful; the responsibilities of a fleet manager; how to determine fleet size; and, maybe even how to decide between electric and gas-powered carts. For now, I would like to return to and point to the realization of the importance of having a fleet. Based on US averages, a typical rental concession should generate about $1,900 in income annually per cart (of course, lots of facilities generate even more).  That translates into an average fleet size of 57 cars to $113,430 of annual revenue/profits. Based on these numbers, it is obvious that it is an important part of your operation, and many facilities use this revenue to afford things like an on-site golf professional, pay for improved services, staff, or equipment. Now that you are aware of the importance of a fleet in terms of revenue, profits, and services it can provide to your facility, let’s move on to the “value” a golf cart brings to a facility and your operation. Of course, as managers we all want to provide services to our golfers, as it creates repeat business (again, our number one source of revenue is golf fees). The services a golf cart can provide to our golfers, are, for example: –          It provides a means of transportation to the golfer who can’t walk the course due to physical or health reasons and would otherwise not be able to play your course. –          It eliminates the need to carry your clubs, especially important in rough climates and rugged terrain. –          The use of golf cars can increase the speed of play if properly managed. –          The car rental income has continually offset golf fee increases to golfers, which I am sure golfers can greatly appreciate. Some pretty convincing values to a car fleet, don’t you think? However, on the other side of the spectrum is the facility or your operation, so let’s look at some values a cart fleet provides to your facility: –          It’s a direct source of income and profits. –          The rental income helps pay for salaries, services, and equipment. –          Having carts can increase your facilities image and reputation. –          Car fleets promote more rounds played at your facility, which directly can impact and result in increased merchandise sales in your shops, as well as your food and beverage operations. Once again, some pretty good arguments for the importance of a fleet from the facilities point of view.  In closing, the importance of a golf cart fleet is obvious, and we as managers should be directly and deeply involved in managing our fleets to assure maximized profits for our operations.
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LEAVE IT TO THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH
6 Feb 2014

LEAVE IT TO THE GOVERNMENT TO LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH

The business consultant Peter Drucker said that what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done. If I were to apply this to government, I could say it consists of making it difficult to conduct business. ESPN recently did an exposé on the charitable giving of the PGA Tour and noted that a watchdog group gave them a zero rating because they don’t give enough to the charities they support. The basic issue comes down to the fact that the PGA Tour gets tax-exempt status, and according to the report, they have been able to avoid $200 million in taxes over the past 20 years. The fact that the tour has raised over $2 billion for charities appears to mean nothing. Now, some of our so-called astute leaders in Congress want to take away the Tour’s tax-exempt status. Don’t they have more important things on their plate? A quote from the watchdog group:  “The lion’s share of the money is going to big prizes, cash prizes for athletes, and all the promotion around it, so it’s really pathetic, actually, every single taxpayer in this country ultimately is bearing the burden of having to pay the taxes for this wildly inefficient organization that’s giving so little to charity.” This makes no sense. The PGA Tour is a business. Their primary function is entertainment, at which they do a pretty good job. Each event is a major undertaking that supports a significant number of big and small businesses. The fact that the tour has decided to help charities is a bonus. I would also bet that the taxes paid by all the people employed by the tour to run each tournament and those paid by the athletes far exceed the annual exemption the tour receives. Didn’t Phil Mickelson say he pays 65% of his income in taxes? I don’t feel the burden and neither should the government.
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PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICE
3 Feb 2014

PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICE

Teaching golf is a service industry.  It falls in the same category as restaurants, tourism, and entertainment.  The client does not have to take a lesson; he wants to take a lesson.  It is important to remember this, as golf lessons are basically luxury items. As a teaching professional we should: • Promote the game of golf. • Provide superior teaching techniques. • Deliver excellent customer service. Some interesting statistic concerning customer service: • 96% of customers who feel they were served poorly do not complain. • 90% of those who feel they were served poorly will not return for a lesson. • Each poorly served customer will tell at least nine people and some will tell over twenty. • 95% of customers will return if their problem is resolved on the spot. Providing good customer service yields “word of mouth” referrals and students who continue to take lessons. Remember to evaluate yourself by putting yourself in the customer’s shoes.  Try to imagine what it is like to take a lesson.  For instance, sometime as teaching professional we forget what it is like to be a beginning golfer. Our perception of ourselves is not always the reality.  Therefore, it is important to honestly evaluate your actions.  To grow as a teaching professional, continue your education.
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