Woman Ask Me About Business on the Golf Course

Many women ask what they should do if they are going to play golf for business purposes. I usually recommend having a few golf lessons to learn about etiquette, dress code and the basic swing for short game and hitting off the tee and fairways.

It is important to realize your time on the golf course is primarliy for relationship building and demonstrating that you are a good sport. Typically you will be on the course with someone for 4 to 5 hours. This is not the time to start any in depth discussions or complicated debates since you could take the other persons concentration off their game and end up with someone frustrated at you instead of inspired by your critical thinking!

Remember your time on the golf course is best kept for relationship building!

Why I should be Tiger's new Caddie!

Currently Tiger Woods has enlisted his childhood friend Bryon Bell to be his caddie this week at the WGC – Bridgestone and at next week’s PGA Championship.  When asked if Bell would be a permanent fixture Tiger replied “Have you seen his legs?” So the question then becomes, what kind of legs is Tiger looking for? One would have to assume he wants fit legs, a pair that would be able to handle 4 rigorous days of carrying and walking. Tiger has indicated that he wants someone that emulates both  Mike "Fluff" Cowen and Stevie Williams in the caddie department. Well I say that is a tall order because Fluff has short stumpy legs and Stevie has taller fit legs. My legs do however land in that spectrum, further substantiating my claim that I would be Tiger’s best choice. Throughout the years Tiger’s caddies have been excellent at maintaining crowd noise. I believe that my previous teaching experience and classroom management skills would enable me to excel in this department. Finally, by employing me, I can help to rebuild Tiger’s image since I am a female – need I say more. Should for some crazy unknown reason Tiger decide not to hire me, a huge mistake of course, I will continue to cheer for him, mostly in part to shut up the broken record that is the media. 

Fair Weathered Golfers

Have you heard the term “Fair – Weathered Golfer”? It seems that I have witnessed it more this year that previous ones. It may be that I am a bit more of a golf enthusiast than others; however a light misting or hot temperatures certainly does not keep me from playing. Canada = Cold weather, I don’t have to tell you, my fellow Canadians, that it is cool to freezing from October to April (7 months), cool –warmer May and September, and if we are lucky, awesome weather June, July August (3 MONTHS). This year we happen to be lucky, the temperatures have been consistently in the mid to high 20s. I realize that last week was an exception when we had almost record setting highs but we should be embracing the warmth. I can’t support the statement “it is too hot to play”, I think a new brand name is needed for such golfers. In this instance fair weather doesn’t seem to fit because in December we long for hot temperatures to play in. How about “Can’t make up my mind golfer”, or “Need any excuse not to play golfer” or even “Can’t call myself a golfer”. Come on people, everyone was looking forward to a long hot summer as predicted in April and May. Well the weather people have actually come through this time, so far it has been a hot one and I am going to enjoy it on the golf course with the rest of the golfers!

The first round of the British Open has proved to be an exciting one at Royal St. Georges in Sandwich, Scotland. Thomas Bjorn, a reserve, is currently leading at 5 under par. I was getting so sick of hearing the Rory vs Luke debate all week - it was so over done on the Golf Channel. I wish the analysts would just commit to someone already, I liken it to weathermen predicting the weather. I am very excited for Bjorn, because of his previous collapse in 2003 where he blew a 3 shot lead with 4 holes to play, ultimately losing to Ben Curtis. It occurred on the par 3 - 16 where he took 3 shots to get out of the bunker resulting in a double bogey. Bjorn had a small victory on the 16^th today with a birdie, but I have to wonder if he was thinking about his dreaded finish while standing on the tee.  Hole-16 provided even more excitement with Dustin Johnson’s HOLE IN ONE and his finish. He was +4 through 13 holes, finishing birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, bogey to finish at even par - so exciting to watch! Other notable reserves include Kyle Stanley (currently -2) who finished second at the John Deere last week allowing him an entry and Rickie Barnes (currently -2) who got in due to a freak scooter accident injuring Nicolas Colsaerts. I know that it is VERY VERY early in the tournament, there is still a lot of golf to be played and I am loving all of the coverage on TSN, especially since I started watching at 6 in the AM. We are always pulling for Bubba in any tournament, but it’s fun to see some of the underdogs throw up some red numbers! 

Family Golf

I remember hitting my first golf shot at Tam O'Shanter Golf Club with my dad, John Evelyn,  who was the Golf Pro at the time. I was about 3 years old when he first taught me to hit a golf ball. It was such a lot of fun chasing the golf ball and hitting it. Little did I know that it would become a life time passion for me.

Tam O' Shanter was one of the first public golf clubs in Canada and was open to anyone that wanted to play. It was a great place to grow up and learn to play golf.

This summer I have been playing golf on our Executive Course at Bushwood Golf Club with my two sons and teaching them the etiquette and rules of golf. Golf is a great way for families to spend time enjoying the outdoors and eachothers company without any of  the technology distractions which take up a great deal of our family and liesure time these days.

Speaking of technology ....I am in Boston at MIT completing the final year of Entrpeneur's Masters Program. Today, at MIT we were presented with information on how technology is changing the world we live in and the about the presence of 4 Generations in our Workplace...... Very interesting informaiton!

The Weather Will Improve Next Week

This weather is making playing golf very challenging. I am hoping the forecast for better weather next week will be true! I am excited to play golf and wear short sleeve shirts and shorts and actually have to put on some sun tan lotion.

It is June next week and hope that you have some golf games lined up with friends or business colleagues.  A game of golf really reveals someones true personality in a matter of hours which could take months to observe their personality in different settings. So book your tee time today and start enjoying the long overdue summer!

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope that everyone is reaching out to their special mother today to share a happy mother's day. It really is a fun day for the most part. It is nice to be recognized and spoiled for being a mom. I personally have found having kids very rewarding though challenging at the best of times. Kids do teach us the joy and hurdles in life in very simple ways. I had the pleasure of playing golf with my sons yesterday and it really is a great way to spend time with family -  away from all or most of the distractions that make our lives so busy these days. So enjoy today and the special memories. Even better if you can work a game of golf or even a trip to the driving range with your family today!

If you get a chance to watch the golf this weekend - who do you think will win the Tournament?

mary@bushwood.ca

Why Play Golf?

I have had many non golfers ask me why they should play golf? They make jokes about golf being for older non active people... However, one of the best things about playing golf is the ability to assess someone's character. For instance someone who cheats, or takes mulligans or gets mad and throws clubs or walks off the course is givng you a snap shot of their behaviour in other settings. It could take years or a few bad dealins with indiviudals before seeing their true behaviour. So why not invest in a game of golf where at the end of 4 or 5 hours you get a pretty good idea if you would like a continued relationship with the person?!

Golf is also a great way to form trusting relationships with people. As well, golf  is a sport that you can play and enjoy throughout your lifetime. It is fortunate that Tiger Woods entered the golf industry and enlightened many more people to the possibilities of the game of golf rather than just a past time for the elite or priviledged.  However, in my opinion - Tiger became too involved in the power and wealth afforded by his on and off course success.

So why not have a game of golf with someone next time you are trying tosize up their character?

Well it is Friday afternoon - have a great weekend!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well Happy St Patrick's day to you. It was a beautiful day today at the club. The snow is almost gone. We posted our St. Patrick's Day video clip yesterday and Tom Aird our Business Manager was in good humour as he donned the green good luck hat and chatted with L'il Bubba our resident gopher.
We had a visit from Randy McDonald of Pro Shop Magazine yesterday as he showed us new ways to communicate with our customers and how to reward our golfers for proper etiquette, speed of play and especially for having a fun day at Bushwood. Stay tuned as we get ready to welcome back our customers.

We have two well experienced golf managers joining Tom and I Monday as we gear up for the season. The countdown is on until opening. We are targeting April 9th so there are 23 more days until we open!

Thanks for reading and please be sure to check out Tom and our mascot L'il Bubba on our website http://www.bushwoodgolf.com/.

May the Luck of the Irish be with you!

Mary

SLOW PLAY - Are You the Cause or the Cure?

How many times have you complained about SLOW PLAY ?
How many times have you been the cause of SLOW PLAY ?
Many associations have tried to solve this age old problem for the past 30 to 40 years and yet it still exists and at some clubs it is getting worse.
Many people blame Beginners, Seniors, Juniors, Ladies and everyday poor players for this problem.
Some players are just inconsiderate and aren't likely to change.
Although some of these are part of the reason, all players at times contribute to the problem.
Many Professional and Low Handicap players take an exessive amount of time deciding what type of shot they want to play, wind conditions, their lie, reading their putts etc....
Most beginners and poor players don't spend any time doing this, they just take more time hitting more shots.
All players need to spend more time learning and practicing the etiquette of the Game of Golf.

SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE "PACE of PLAY"
1. DON'T take mulligans. Do your practicing on the driving range before or after play.
2. Line up your putt while other players are putting.
3. DON'T waste time "reading" greens. First sight is usually right. Most players tend to overread putts.
4. If you play out of a cart take two or three clubs so you are ready to play when it's your turn.
5. DON'T stand on the green after holing out, mark your scorecard on the next tee.
6. Leave your power / pull cart where you can take the shortest route to the next tee.
7. DON'T think about the players behind you. Keep pace with the players in front of you.

PLAYING TIME FOR THE MAJORITY OF GOLF COURSES NO MATTER WHAT SKILL LEVEL YOU ARE SHOULD BE IN THE 4 to 41/2 HOUR RANGE.

If everyone pays more attention to their PACE of PLAY everyone will have a more enjoyable day on the Golf Course.

February 19th - Snow Again!

I am at work today and cannot believe the change in weather. Yesterday my brother Sean, his son Chris and Tom and I  walked the course and were amazed at the green grass all over the course in the areas where the snow had medlted. Our greens are covered with tarps - however you could not miss the blades of new growth on the greens. Very exciting since L'il Bubba our resident gopher did not see his shadow - which should mean an early spring! So today with the the snow storm and strong winds - yesterdays walk seems like a dream not a reality! Stay warm this weekend and enjoy Family Day- great day to connect with your kids and family!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!
This a special day to celebrate with your loved one(s) and play cupid for the day!
It is a beautiful day today and we are starting to think about playing golf. The snow drifts are melting and it will not be long until we are open for the season. 
Please visit our website at http://www.bushwoodgolf.com/ to see our club mascot L'il Bubba looking for his sweetheart in the snow!
We are excited to announce later this week two well experienced managers joining our team at Bushwood to assit Tom and I this year. 
Stay tuned for some golf tips and other fun information.

Cheers,

Mary

Congratulations to Bubba Watson

It was a fabulous win for Bubba Watson on Sunday. Bubba's up and down on 18 was an inspiration to golfers watching and lamenting over the possibility of more snow in the GTA! Great job Bubba and we look forward to whether the gopher aka L'il Bubba at Bushwood Golf Club sees his shadow tomorrow.. Could be an early spring apres the predicted heavy snowfall overnight....

Cheers,
Mary