Mark Twain called golf “a good walk spoiled”. The Scots who invented the game sometimes referred to golf as punishment. Others reference golf “as another four letter word”. Rumor has it that there are 18 holes in golf because there are 18 shots in a fifth of Scotch whiskey which indicates the attitude of early golfers. Some of us feel we have been behind that foursome on more than one occasion. Golf is also one of the few games in which players of varying skills can compete thanks to the handicap system.

Golf is also one of the best tools available to a manager. After four hours and 18 holes the observant manager is much better able to understand and evaluate his or her playing companion. A person’s thought process, decision making skill, etiquette, social skills, integrity, and personality are all on full display to the person who wants to observe them. Golf is a game of self-policed rules. A player’s adherence to the rules or disregard for the rules tells a lot about them. The player who kicks his ball from the rough to the fairway because he believes no one is watching will exhibit similar behavior in the office. The person who takes six shots and says “gimme a five” will do the same lying on the job. A player’s comportment with a caddy will reveal a lot about them. It is indicative of how they treat subordinates. Rudeness on the golf course usually translates to rudeness at work.

In my experience the major difference between an 18 handicap golfer and a 9 handicap golfer is in their decision making. The 18 handicap golfer will consistently make the wrong club selection and attempt shots with very minimal chance of success. The lower handicap golfer will usually select the right club and make good choices on the course. If he has a 10% chance of hitting a shot over a pond and onto the green he will lay up short of the water and try to one putt for par but accept a bogey. The higher handicap golfer will usually get double bogey or worse.

Even the 19th Hole can be an eye opener for the observant manager. Listening to the after game chatter can be quite revealing. A player who assumes responsibility for her score will also assume responsibility in the office. On the other hand a player with 1,000 excuses for a poor performance will have another 1,000 excuses in the office. “It can’t be me.”

Be observant on the golf course and the learning will be invaluable. A round of golf can help you decide whether to promote a person or not; hire a person or not; or accept a new position or not. The people who report to you or work with you become known quantities; the people to whom you report become more known and understood; and clients become more transparent.

Golf is not the only activity that provides such excellent insight but it may be the best. Any social occasion can be educational if you remember that you are working and use the occasion as a learning experience. As Francis Bacon said: “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”

I hate to disagree with Mark Twain but from a management point of view golf can be an excellent walk!!