We wear the label of golfers with pride, and it is reflected in our clothing, our vehicles, and the items we use to decorate our desks. Golfers want the world to know that they love golf, and are not ashamed to admit it and put it out there for everyone to see.

The Golf Channel is a necessary part of television for all golfers. If our cable package doesn’t contain The Golf Channel, we switch cable carriers. If they charge for The Golf Channel, we gladly shell out whatever price they ask with no questions.

On Saturdays and Sundays during golf season, golfers watch whatever tournament is on television that week. That is after we’ve already played a round or two. We know that the Masters is one of the most important PGA Tour events, but we also know that it’s just as much fun to watch the Pebble Beach Celebrity Pro-Am as well.

Golfers always know what the new driver is that has been released by Callaway and we often have heated conversations about whether to use a balata ball or a noodle. Golfers always have golf tees in their pockets, and we don’t always take them out before the clothes are washed, thus wreaking havoc with our washers and dryers.

Golfers know how Freddie Couples swings through on his chip shot. We know that Jim Furyk has a great backswing and that John Daly can drive the ball 400 yards pretty consistently. Golfers can tell you what year Arnold Palmer won his first major and how old Tiger was when he turned pro.

Yes, golfers are a specific breed with their quirks and personalities. But golfers are proud of who they are and will never apologize for their obsession with golf. Golfers know that golf is a way of life – not just something you do.

Club Caddie

You must know the game of golf to hold this position, as well as the etiquette. Oftentimes, golfers refer to their caddie to discuss the next steps and moves. To start in this position will cost you $25 to $100 to purchase appropriate shoes for the position. PERKS: Caddying at those fancy golf clubs usually means the ability to play there once or twice a week. You can have the opportunity to work with celebrities and get tipped quite well. DOWNS: Heavy bags can wreak havoc on your body. Golfers who don’t tip. Rainy weather that keeps you from working. No benefits. INCOME: $20,000 to $25,000 per year.

Driving Range Owner/Operator

No experience is necessary, but it could be helpful to know and understand how to run a business. This job is more than a hobby. The start-up costs for this job can get quite up there. PERKS: Time to work on your own game will build friendships during your 75-hour workweeks. DOWNS: Your job is your life. Long working hours are the norm. Vacations don’t occur very often. Little or no mental stimulation. Lots and lots of grass cutting. INCOME: Median income is $39,000, but those who run well-established and fancy ranges have the opportunity to make a six-figure income.

Ball Recovery Diver

Of course, scuba diving experience could be a necessity. You have to love the water and enjoy spending lots of time in it. Start-up costs can be around $300 for the necessary equipment. PERKS: Not many. Except for the amazing looks you would possibly get. Maybe even offers to purchase some of the balls you recover. DOWNS: The possibility of drowning, being eaten by an alligator, or being bitten by snakes is common. No benefits. INCOME: $50,000

Player’s Agent

Legal and/or business training is important and a variety of other thick-skinned personality traits. No start-up costs. PERKS: Top agents of top players are quite often pampered and adored. DOWNS: Clients call at all hours of the day and night. Not a lot of personal time and your salary depending upon someone else. INCOME: This is based upon the percentage of the client’s salary, so it can range. Top agents make up to six-figure income.

Course Owner/Operator/Developer

Experience in engineering and business is required. Start-up costs range from $250,000 to multi-millions. PERKS: The feeling of a sincere job well done when you the satisfied looks on the players’ faces. DOWNS: A very high-risk endeavor could leave you bankrupt. INCOME: Some owners are struggling to make an income.

Independent Accessory Manufacturer

Knowledge of machine tools and materials as well as being a good salesman are important. Start-up costs range from $10,000 to $25,000 in equipment and materials. PERKS: This job doesn’t require much time or effort. DOWNS: You are the one-man show. INCOME: Possibility to earn $250,000.

SUMMARY: Love the game of golf? Don’t think you can make it as a professional? Try some of these other golfing occupations.

For male professionals, four major golf tournaments are held each year. They are:

1. The Masters
2. The U.S. Open
3. The British Open
4. PGA Championship

Female professionals have their own four major golf tournaments each year. They are:

1. Kraft Nabisco Championship (formerly the Dinah Shore Tournament)
2. LPGA Championship
3. U.S. Women’s Open
4. Women’s British Open

Of course, amateur golfers will have golf tournaments as well, including the U.S. Amateur Championship for men and women, and juniors. Amateur seniors and amateur professionals also have specific golf tournaments to gain experience and even notoriety.

Professional golf tournaments are almost all held the same way. There are two days of qualifying rounds, after which, the bottom players are cut. Then there are two more days of competition. Each round is 18 holes.

Open golf tournaments, such as the U.S. Open, are held to try and give amateurs the chance to break into the field of professional golf. Golfers participate in a series of smaller tournaments to qualify for the Open, where they proceed to the big competition and compete against professionals. The last amateur to win a U.S. Open was back in 1933.

Amateurs also get the chance to play in big golf tournaments. The Masters Golf tournament invites the winners of several prestigious events to participate in the big one. That includes the winner of the U.S. and British Amateur Championships.

Most local golf tournaments are held to raise money for specific organizations or charities. Anyone can participate, and they can be quite fun. Most local golf tournaments are one, maybe two, day events and consist of one 18 hole round. Prizes may be awarded for skins, long drives, and long putt, to name a few. Local golf tournaments are flighted – meaning that participants are separated into classes according to ability. Many are also scramble or best ball format.

When you are a regular participant in golf tournaments, you can see why the pros love them so much. Although you won’t be receiving the same big paycheck that they do, you can sure have a lot of fun!

You can take private golf lessons, go for group lessons organized by some golf clubs or you could go to a golf school. Private golf lessons are good if you prefer one-on-one coaching. You will receive lessons tailored to your individual needs. You won’t have to worry over other people seeing your mistakes as it will be between your golf instructor and you. There will also be time to concentrate on you and your needs. Instructors will go out of their way to make sure you perfect your game. Success to them is your learning and mastering the game. The major downside to taking private lessons is the price, which is usually expensive.

Group lessons help you get it right at an affordable rate. Learning with a group will help you master your game well, as there will be a competition in the group. It’s human! People will always try to outdo one another whenever they have something in common. This can be to your advantage as you will strive to be the best. The major problem with taking group lessons in learning golf is that there is not enough time for the instructor to attend to everybody’s individual needs, so success to the instructor is measured based on the percentage of people making progress, not individual progress.

The decision to take golf lessons is up to you. But the truth is they will be of great help in mastering the game as you will have the opportunity to meet and interact with other golfers exchanging tips and advice on how to improve your game.

One thing that should help you decide whether golf lessons are a necessity for you or not is identifying the reason why you want to play golf in the first case.

A new hobby? You just want to be playing now and then in your free time.
Business reasons? You just want to learn to be able to deal with your clients better. We all know that a lot of deals get sealed over golf games these days.

Professional reasons? You want to be a professional golf player.
If you have very urgent reasons like that of business, taking golf lessons will help you master the basics easily and quickly so that you can begin to play with your clients. If it is just for recreation, you may want to learn it yourself. But if it’s professional, you need all the help you can get. Golf lessons should come in handy, but then it’s up to you!

As a business golf speaker, consultant, and author, I teach business professionals how to utilize golf to strengthen their business relationships and increase sales. I discovered the power of business golf while I was a practicing attorney in San Francisco specializing in commercial real estate transactions.

Whether talking with clients or at a networking event, I always felt the rapport level deepened when the conversation turned to golf. Golfers always seem to enjoy talking about the game, whether it’s their own or the great shot they saw on television by a tour pro.

Here are six tips on how you can play golf and make money. For those who play already, choose one or two and make them a part of your business golf game. If you don’t play yet, I hope they’ll inspire you to take up the game.

Golf & Money-Making Tip #1: Schedule Your Golf!

If you don’t play golf often, or don’t know how to play at all, you’re less likely to obtain the benefits of playing business golf. It’s like the lottery. If you don’t buy a ticket, you’ll never win the jackpot!

One obstacle for many people is that they believe they don’t have time to play. If time is an issue for you, then make it a goal, schedule time in your organizer or PDA for a reasonable number of rounds of golf or practice sessions you want to have per month. Perhaps you want to play a business golf round once a month (when weather permits) and spend 30-45 minutes per week at a driving range.

If you fine-tune your swing during the winter, you’ll be ready for golf in the spring. One way to fit golf into your schedule: put a few irons, your 3-wood, and putter in the trunk of your car. The next time you’re stuck in traffic or have time in between appointments, stop at a local golf course or driving range and have a practice session. It beats sitting in traffic and getting road rage.

If you don’t play golf yet, winter is the best time to learn how to play. Why? Golf professionals at your local golf course usually have more time for you. During the peak summer days, the professional is in high demand, with lessons scheduled back-to-back, and will be less inclined or unable to spend extra time with you. Ask some golfing friends for referrals to a local golf professional at a covered or indoor driving range. If you take lessons now, you’ll be ready to hit the course when everyone else is ready to play.

It’s also a good time to read about golf so you can become familiar with the language, etiquette, and rules of the game. For an easy-to-read primer on the game, check out my book, On Course for Business (Wiley). Whether a beginner or an experienced golfer, you’ll find a nugget or two of information that will help you make your business golf rounds more profitable.

Golf and Money-Making Tip #2: Maximize Your Links on the Links

The beauty of a golf round with clients and prospects is its five hours of soft-selling who you are, your company, and what you know. Each golfer spends only a total of a few minutes hitting the ball. The rest of the time is spent talking and getting to know one another’s background, personality, and character in a relaxed atmosphere.

Unlike tennis, where you’re across the net from one another, golf allows you to be with your playing partners. Golf also provides better relationship-building opportunities because you’re not hitting a shot for your playing partner to miss. If you’re playing business golf properly, you should be thrilled when your client hits a good shot and plays well. Play more golf with clients, prospects, and referral sources to build and deepen your business relationships.

Golf & Money-Making Tip #3: Golf Never Lies

When talking to sales teams about playing business golf, I emphasize the importance of playing with proper etiquette and adherence to the rules of golf. As noted in Tip #2, you’re with your client and prospect for about five hours. During that time, you and your playing partners have a chance to watch each other in action. They might notice whether you step on a player’s putting line, talk while someone is hitting, or inadvertently cheat in some way.

Playing a round of golf should solidify your business relationships. When speaking to groups, I ask participants how they feel when they play with someone who plays with poor etiquette or cheats during a round of golf. Most of them agree that it’s a turn-off to have to play under those circumstances, and they do so only to maintain the business. Other business golfers, such as financial consultants, who are concerned with a client’s integrity and reasonableness of expectations, have said they won’t do business with that person if they don’t enjoy their round of golf. And, if they cheat, they’ll find another client that they can trust.

To make a positive impression about who you are and the company you work for, play your business golf rounds with proper etiquette and know the basic rules of golf. You don’t want to sabotage your business relationships when you’re trying to solidify them.

Golf & Money-Making Tip #4: Don’t Bet with Your Playing Partners

I played a round of golf with three business associates/friends where a small bet for a round of drinks on the back nine turned ugly. One player’s fierce competitiveness came out, and you could feel the tension on every tee and green. It was a shock to my friend and me as we felt the change in personality over a simple bet for drinks.

If you’re playing golf for business with clients or prospects, don’t suggest a bet. It creates a win-lose feeling, which isn’t what you want during a business golf round. If your playing partner suggests a wager, and you can’t get out of making one, then make it a small wager like drinks or lunch, rather than hard cash. Regardless of the water, make sure you’re comfortable losing and assume to lose the bet. That way, your competitiveness won’t come out during the round and sabotage your relationship-building goal of the round. Remember, your business golf rounds are a time to deepen your relationships—it’s not a time to try to play your best round of golf to beat your playing partners.

Golf & Money-Making Tip #5: Play Golf as a Single

A client told me that she started to sign up for golf tournaments as a single. She was excited because her technique worked—she got a new client worth about $1 million!

As a single-player, she entered a golf tournament that was sponsored by her trade association in the credit card industry. She was teamed with three others and fortuitously shared a cart with a business owner. While playing together, she learned about his business and his business needs. As the tournament activities were winding down, she mentioned that she thought her company had some solutions for him and asked if she could call to talk about it. After a couple of meetings, she sold him on her services and her company, and they had a deal—all thanks to a round of golf. Keep in your golf bag a business card holder with a few crisp cards. You never know whom you might meet on the golf course.

Golf & Money-Making Tip #6: Become a Golf Mentor

If you’re an experienced golfer, you might remember when you first started to learn the game. Did you feel intimidated by it all—the language, the etiquette, the customs, and the like? I can recall my feelings of uncertainty when I first played on a golf course. I didn’t know what the different colored tees meant and which set I was supposed to hit from? How far could I hit the ball? What did all of the numbers on the scorecard mean? Fortunately, I had some friends who helped me along the way. They made my first round of golf an enjoyable learning experience and told me not to worry about my score.

If you have a colleague, a client, a referral source, or someone you think could benefit from learning how to play golf, volunteer to be his or her golf mentor. You can start with the basics, such as helping him find a golf instructor for swing lessons. You can offer her some tips on the language, the rules of the game, and how to play with proper etiquette. You might also want to have a practice session at a driving range, so both of you can work on your swings and putting game.

You’ll solidify your working relationship and likely learn something new about the game. And, to thank you for your time and energy, the person you’ve helped play this great game will likely thank you with more referrals or business.

See You at the First Tee

I hope you enjoyed these tips on how you can play golf and make lots of money. Golf truly provides a unique opportunity to build your business while you get some fresh air and exercise. I hope to see you at the first tee, or at least to keep in touch with BizGolf E-Tips, my bi-weekly business golf tips.

If you have any thoughts about these tips (hate ’em, love ’em or have a tip to share), please send me an email at suzanne@bizgolf.biz. I welcome any opportunity to chat about golf and business! Or, to learn more about the business golf services that I provide, visit www.bizgolf.biz.