Golfing is good for business

Golfing is the best way to seal the deal according to readers of Golf Digest magazine.  There is no better place to do golf business than Los Cabos in Baja, Mexico. Los Cabos is a bona fide golf-bucket-list destination with 18 courses open for play and a few more courses are on the way. Taking full advantage of the natural terrain, the courses tout championship course designs by Robert Trent Jones II, Tom Fazio, Roy and Matt Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, and Tiger Woods.

According to a recent Forbes article, “Golfers Make Better Business Executives,” 90% of Fortune 500 Company CEOs play golf, and 80% of all executives say, “Golf has the power to establish new relationships.”  Other sports don’t have the luxury of time to talk and share ideas, whereas golf gives you space and comfort without any kind of distraction.

To forge that bond between players, some executives arrange a private jet charter for their golf group. This dramatic tip of Baja is becoming more popular as Spring arrives. The sculpted fairways make excellent use of the ocean view along this scenic crescent between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. The courses here are considered among the most wild and beautiful in the world.

“Golfers bring their clubs and just walk onto the plane, said Chapman Freeborn VP, Passenger Sales, Helen Hollis. “Los Cabos is a two hour flight from Los Angeles. It’s an excellent start to a golf weekend that could end with a multi-million dollar contract.”

The way a person plays golf has a lot of parallels to how they conduct themselves in business. The average length time it takes to play a round of golf is about 4 hours. You really have time to get to know someone. You will see how they approach problems, how they plan their game strategy (or don’t). Maybe you learn that they are short on patience or perhaps too many mulligans. It’s a chance to share your approach as well. Have fun with a challenging shot and share your strategy for achieving a goal. Playing a round of golf lets you figure a person out. You can establish new professional contacts and maybe make lifelong friends.

Aside from the ease of walking and talking along a 3-4 mile course, there are other benefits. Golf can help improve your confidence and if you remember it’s a game, it may also reduce stress levels depending on your birdie or bogie. If you invest in a few lessons or just a bit of guidance, anyone can learn to hit a golf ball. Once you begin practicing, you will hit it a bit further and a bit straighter. The more you play, the better you get.

A study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine on 300,000 golfers and non-golfers reported that golfers live 5 years longer than those who don’t play golf. That’s a good reason to play.