Need for unique, out of the box ideas

Allow me to ask the question that many astute golf club owners and senior managerial staff (with any foresight) must have discussed in numerous meetings over these past few weeks.

The question that everybody seems to be avoiding is “just how is the virus going to affect our business?”

The harsh reality of the situation is slowly being realised by the golf industry. Put yourselves in the position of a player with nowhere to play or a GM of a club whose financial wellbeing depends predominantly on foreign golfers paying handsome green fees. What serious questions should now be tabled and intently discussed?

Grass is not going to stop growing because of the virus and requires to be cut every single day. Staff will still need to be paid, even if the players don’t arrive in the estimated budgeted numbers. Some “out of the box” unique marketing ideas are needed — and quickly!

Your mind controls your body — not the other way around, which means most problems in golf are due to the mind simply being untrained to give the body the correct instructions it needs to perform the way you want.

This leads to an interesting question “What’s more important

— having a good brain for golf or having a great repeating swing”?

The perfect answer of course is both but that’s the main reason we have relatively few really fantastic players.

Let’s all remember that just a generation ago, basically the only physical exercise many top players indulged in was a walk to the nearest pub!

Physical and flexibility training would have been seen as a strange, and unsettling way to prepare for a round of golf for many in that era — now however, it’s a major component of any top golfer’s regimen.

Different systems of training are now used to maintain the flexibility for today’s need to be able to release a powerful swing. Daily stretching sessions of up to 40 minutes normally begin before each workout. Then on it continues — working on different muscles and joints from the spine to the toes — this all helps to create balance and freedom of movement.

Core strength is just as important as flexibility. Core muscles help control movement and transfer energy from the centre of the body out to the limbs, which can obviously impact how well you consistently strike the ball. Core training builds overall strength and flexibility and helps maintain an ideal state of posture and symmetry.

Workouts for today’s top players are intense and long. However, if you’re not thinking clearly, or not able to concentrate correctly during your round then forget trying to bring home a good score.

Out of Bounds: In business, in golf and in life, ego and ignorance are a lethal combination.