So this morning I decided to go for a round of golf, on my own. I'm not Billy no Mates and could have easily asked a friend or two but sometimes a man just needs a little time on his own. Problems at home - no. Problems in work - also no. Trying to think of great ideas to take my business to the next lever - definitely thinking time on your own.
I had a FREE token to use from my annual Golf Insurance Company, which I pay £49 a year to insure my golf, and it always comes with 4 x FREE rounds at a selection of clubs. Today I decided to shoot up to Worsley Marriot Golf & Country Club, on the outskirts of Manchester.
It was a beautiful morning for mid February, 12 degrees, little wind but very wet from the week of rain we have just had. I checked in with the Pro shop and he advised me that the conditions would be very wet but it was almost empty with very few people having gone out that morning. That would do me. I enjoy a fast game, with just enough time to do some thinking.
My game is quite good lately. I'm not Tiger Woods but I shoot of 15.6 at present. For those who don't play golf that is roughly 1 extra shot per hole to complete the course. If the course is Par 71 (Worsley Marriot) then I would be expected to shoot around the 86-90.
My objectives for the day were to enjoy my round, score well and come up with 2/3 ideas for my Evolve business. The first 9 holes went brilliant for me, I came in at the half way point on 40 (5 over Par). I made a few business decisions on the way around that would scope my way forward in the next few months. Currently I have ran out of Badminton Rackets, due to exceptional sales over Christmas period. I ordered more but the time it takes to get them produced is currently longer than usual. My stock is now ready and the options I have are to ship them approx. 50 days or to fly them approx. 10 days.
For me it was an easy decision, I want to get them back on sale ASAP so my customers can purchase them once more. To fly them is twice as expensive but 4 times faster. Decision one made for the day. These rackets are the ones I am selling on my new Evolve 100 club so they will actually arrive here a lot quicker than I have stated on my site. Second decision - Do I still allow customers to purchase them at a 33% discount for the next 2 weeks, till they are here. Of course I will. I made a promise, so every customer that wants to purchase prior to them arriving in my warehouse will get it at 33% off.
Another great thing about golf on your own is the peace and tranquillity on offer from such great courses. I would suggest it for anyone who just needs that time to think and get some quality ideas together. Don't forget, you are also always guaranteed to win the round. So with two holes to go I was on fire, looking at finishing with 2 pars which would bring me in on a score of 84. As I prepared to tee off on the 17th (a short par 4 - 280 yds) I started getting a little giddy, thinking I could drive the green. I probably could it I hit a one in a hundred perfect shot, but anything wild would put me in big trouble. When I combine my thinking time with golf and make some sound business decisions I find that common sense comes into play a lot more. "Let's just knock it up the centre 180 yds then chip it on and finish it on Par" is what I said to myself. I took out a 5 iron and blasted it into the middle of the fairway, leaving just under 100 yds to the flag. A little chip on, a few minutes later and I was putting for a "birdie". All was going terrific. I lined up the put, up hill and sent it going towards the flag - boom, it dropped straight in for the first birdie of the day.
It's holes like this that inspire golfers more and more. You also have to be careful though, don't believe that you will be joining the tour too soon or going for that ridiculous shot on the very last hole of the day, the 18th. For those who have played Worsley Golf Course you will know that it ends on a long Par 5 at 480 yrds. It is quite an open fairway with few dangers but the green is tough. To reach this in two on a cold winter day is tough, especially on a 16 hcap. Another beautiful 270 drive left me with a wind assisted shot of 210 yrds. Taking into account of the wind direction and the assistance from it, I then worked out that it was gonna be a 185 yrd shot, perfect 5 iron for me. I didn't expect to hit the green but the strike was perfect. As it came off the iron I could feel the tingle in my stomach as it flew straight towards the green. If the distance was good then it would be sitting just right of the flag and I would be putting for an eagle (2 under) on the last hole. The ball I was using was bright Orange so I could not miss it as it landed on the right side of the green, yes it left a long downhill right to left put but it was good, not just good, it was bloody awesome.
It's times like these that you almost wish you had a playing partner, or just someone watching near to the green. It was certainly a great moment to walk from over 100m away, putter in hand. One shot for an eagle, two for a birdie, what will it be. I had a good look at the put, the shape the ball would take as it rolled towards the hole, downhill and fairly fast paced. I set it off on the line I was after and it curled it's way towards the hole. It missed by a few inches but carried on a good 4 feet. These are the nervous puts, the short ones. Miss it and it leaves me with a Par to finish, nothing disgraceful on a course of this standard but I wanted more, I wanted that birdie to finish.
These little teasers are tough. Do you hit them firm or use the steady slow small turn needed to find the cup. I went with the second option and tried to use the small left to right turn required to pop it in. It missed. Deflation. It felt as it I had just lost the World Cup Final, to three put from 20ft away on the last hole. Yet still, I had finished on 4 under my handicap, on a tough course in winter weather. More importantly, I had sorted a few big decisions out for the business and had some quality time on my own, breathing in the wonderful fresh air that golf brings to us.
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