Stories submitted by our golfing exec that prove there’s always a new challenge — at work and at play! And nothing prepares a manager for a leadership role better than … Golf. A course on humility, in other words.
Wayne Harris
President, Glowac & Harris & Madison, Inc.
As I stepped out of the car I could feel my heart start to race. In a few hours I was going to have dinner with one of golf’s all-time greats! Over the next two days I was going to golf on his course and hopefully watch him up close.
The legend: Arnold Palmer. The course: Latrobe (Arnie’s course). The same course his father helped to build and maintain. In fact, there is a statue of Zeke (Arnie’s dad) that was carved out of the remains of a fallen tree — a statue that I came very close to hitting!
For two days I golfed and ate breakfast and dinner with Arnie (and several other guests). On the second night, I got to sit next to Arnie and his wife. They are wonderful folks. The course was beautiful and my golf was as bad as always, but the inspiration of playing Latrobe and seeing all of Arnie’s trophies and memorabilia inspired me to cut a few strokes.
Here is a piece of trivia for you: Arnie’s wife went to UW-Madison for summer school and when not studying worked at the Var Bar.
I’ll close with this — we spent some time in Mr. Palmer’s office and were allowed to fire him questions. Here was mine: “It’s the 18th hole on the last day, you are tied for the lead, you sink this putt and the tournament is yours. What is going through your mind as you step up to the ball?”
His answer was simple and to the point — “winning.” That was it: “winning.” No way do you allow a negative thought to affect your resolve.
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Thomas Farley
President, Chris Farley Foundation
Giving John Daly Advice of a Different Kind
In 1999 I was working in New York, managing sponsorships for the Big-Four accounting firm KPMG. We sponsored a lot of professional golf events, so I was pretty connected in the industry.
That fall, Golf World Magazine reported that Calloway Golf was ending their relationship with golfer John Daly. Daly responded by saying, that he was glad to be free of the Calloway obligation and added, “I’d just rather be Chris Farley and play some golf.”
At this time I was also launching The Chris Farley Foundation, so I felt the need to reach out to John Daly.
I knew the publisher of Golf Digest, so I emailed him and asked for Daly’s contact information. I told the publisher that, “I feel compelled to tell Daly first hand exactly how his intended road is paved. Having witnessed Christopher’s journey, I can’t stand by while someone else invokes his name and begins down the same pathway.”
Instead, the publisher suggested doing an article and had his writer Dave Kindred contact me. We spoke about John Daly’s desire to be Chris, and began our conversation with me asking, “What? John wants to be dead? Because that’s what Christopher is.”
I also noted that Chris’ life ended, “very much alone, surrounded by people who were not his friends,” something Daly couldn’t possibly want. I concluded by pointing out that Chris was not in and out of treatment facilities because he kept failing, but because he was determined to beat his disease.
“God gave Christopher Farley and John Daly talent, but they still had to compete. I can’t believe that someone whose whole life is competition would just give up.”
The article was published in Golf Digest’s December 1999 issue. I never heard anything from John Daly, but watching his career over the last ten years, I sure wish I had.
George Kamperschroer
President, Neider and Boucher, S.C.
This year marks the 99th annual Pater-Filius (Father-Son) golf tournament sponsored by the Wisconsin State Golf Association. I wasn’t around to witness most of those tournaments, but my oldest son and I have participated in 7 of the last 8. There are old guys with grandkids and young guys with young sons, and everything in between.
The format is one of the most challenging around — pure alternate shot. Fathers and sons alternate teeing off, with alternate shots from there until they hole out. The result, of course, is inevitable — father-son relationships are both forged and tested.
A typical scenario: Dad puts the ball in the left rough with a tree in the way of a clear shot down the middle. Son says he is going to hit the ball at the trees across the fairway and hook it back to the fairway. Dad knows that Son has never hit a hook on purpose, and “encourages” Son with “positive reinforcement” (“you have got to be kidding me? Save your energy and I’ll just take a drop now.”) Son, of course, gives it his best and hits a slice, thus wasting his energy.
The format is also a good way to learn humility.
Once at Lake Arrowhead on #18, I hooked my tee shot into the rough between the 18th and 1st fairways. The best second shot was to go left into the 1st fairway and leave the ball short of pond between the first tee and the 18th green. Jeff executed it perfectly, other than the fact that either he or I (we still debate this!) decided on too much club, and the ball, perfectly hit, ended up in the pond.
I took the (first) drop, right in front of a sixsome on the 1st tee, and hit a beautiful wedge that splashed even more beautifully into the waters of the pond!
Jeff took the second drop, I took the third, and Jeff took the fourth ….
And of course we got to do this in front of what was now a group of 12 on the first tee. They were gracious enough to hold their laughter!
We glanced sheepishly at them as we jumped back in our cart and drove around them to get to the green. We looked away and they looked away, and their body language was the same as someone watching some poor guy embarrass himself by making a board presentation with his zipper down!
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Kristin Balistreri
Vice President, M&I Bank
My golf story starts when I was about five years old. My dad, Dick Johnson, took me out to Pleasant View. We spent quite a bit of time hitting balls and playing the par 3. It was a nice way to spend time with my dad; he is a very good player. I am so thankful that he taught me the game.
I’m also thankful that my husband, Tony, plays golf. In fact, this was kind of a pre-requisite. We enjoy playing together and we have a rule of no unsolicited advice. I would highly recommend this for any golfing couples!
Growing up in the 1970s, not many of my girlfriends played golf, but it was not that big of a deal, as I played other sports. However, I had one girl friend, Amy, who showed an interest in the game and at the start of every golf season we would enthusiastically head out to Pleasant View.
Then by the sixth hole (it never failed), Amy would decide that golf was not for her! And I would loose my golf buddy for the season, although Amy still is my best friend. My dad was there though and still is.
I would be remiss if I did not put a plug in for one of my favorite golf groups, Executive Women’s Golf Association – Madison Chapter. It’s a wonderful venue for women who want to learn how to golf, or for women who just want to play more. I’ve met some of my closest friends through EWGA. It’s also good for business.
I love the parallels between golf and life, and the lessons it teaches us. A round of golf is also a great way to get to know people. My dad and I always say that golf is forever humbling … that is for sure.
Have golf memories you’re willing to share? E-mail them to gloriab@magnapubs.com and watch for upcoming e-zine stories!
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