Business or pleasure on the golf course?

Local professionals discuss the dos and don’ts of conducting business on the course, as well as the game itself.

1 of 1Cranbrook Golf Club is the home course for all three golfers interviewed in this article. — photo courtesy of Cranbrook Golf Club

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Golfers are familiar with common courtesies: don’t walk across someone’s line on the green, let faster groups play through, don’t let your phone disturb other players, always rake your bunkers—I could go on. But what kind of etiquette is there for conducting business on the course?

First off, show up on time. If the first impression your potential business partner gets is that you’re the kind of person who tends to run late, then your relationship is already off to a rocky start.

But once you’ve got your cart, gathered your wits, and teed off Hole 1, what then? Do you dive into talk about business plans and anticipated revenue charts? From what these successful Kootenay professionals say, nope. Here’s their take on the dos and don’ts of conducting business on the course, as well as the game itself.

Profiles:

John Anderson - President and Founder, Maple Leaf Forestry
Golfs: 2-3 times per week
Home Course(s): Cranbrook Golf Club and St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino

Brad McInnes - Senior Partner, Rocky Mountain Appraisal
Golfs: Once every two weeks
Home Course: Cranbrook Golf Club

Corey Spring - Partner/General Sales Manager, Spring Honda
Golfs: Twice per week
Home Course: Member at Cranbrook Golf Club

Q&A

Favourite hole in the Kootenays?

Anderson: “I’d have to go with the toughest one, that’d be No. 8 at St. Eugene. It’s just very narrow. That’s a par 4.”

Spring: “I would say probably hole No. 5 on Wildstone. It’s just the depth of the hole from tee to green, it’s quite a drop, and the views are spectacular.”

Favourite part about the game?

Spring: “I think probably the challenge every time you play—every round is different and the conditions are different every time you play. It really takes a lot of thinking and creativity to work your way around the golf course.”

Anderson: “Enjoying some laughs and a couple of beers with friends.”

Talking business on the golf course?

Anderson: “It depends on who you’re out with. There are some people who I definitely won’t discuss business with because I know that they want to come out and enjoy themselves without that business talk. Generally with a client, it depends on who they are, but usually I won’t bring it up at all. If I invite them out to enjoy a round, I want them to enjoy it, not to worry about the business part.”

McInnes: “Not a lot. We have taken clients out, but we just go for the socializing, and then conduct business elsewhere.”

Business golf events?

Spring: “We do a lot of business golf events, definitely. Honda Canada always has corporate golf tournaments, and we have staff days here at our dealership. And a lot of suppliers in the auto business, when they come through town, like to take us out to the golf course.”

Building client relationships?

McInnes: “Oh yeah—a lot of people just kind of like to get out and golf, so if we can buy them a round that then leads to something else down the road, that’s just great.”

Tips for golfing with clients?

McInnes: “Keep it social, but I wouldn’t get too social. Try to avoid a lot of business talk—people just enjoy getting out on the course, and we can always go for a lunch or something where we conduct business instead of on the course.”

Anderson: “I read once that you can tell a lot about a person by how they conduct themselves on the golf course, and I found this to be very good advice. Whether it is a potential client, business partner or a possible future employee, how they conduct themselves on the course will give you a pretty good idea on how they will conduct themselves in business. Even more importantly, remember they might be learning about your character and integrity as well.”

Spring: “I think keep it social and just get to know someone and have a fun day. It makes business a lot easier when you come down to it after you’ve played a round of golf with someone.”

Any don’ts?

Spring: (laughs) “No foot wedges.”