Scot Duke Interview On His New Book - "How to Play Business Golf"

We're a big fan of Scot Duke and his company Innovative Business Golf. Scot has just released a book about this very subject called, "How to Play Business Golf"

If you think you know all there is to know about Business Golf we HIGHLY recommend you read his book. It is not only entertaining but very insightful on this often misunderstood relationship.

Scot was kind enough to let us ask him a few questions about his new book. We hope you enjoy it. When you are finished please head to the link at the end of this post to get a copy.

1. How do you define Business Golf?

Most of the time golf is used as a casual outing and as predominantly a sales tool. I define Business golf as being a purposeful golf outing where business is conducted. Business Golf is more a business tool. Not a six hour sales pitch.

2. What are a few of the most valuable points I can receive by reading your book?

The three things each person who reads the book, hears my speech or attends the seminar/workshop will leave with:

1. A complete awareness and understanding of the importance for the need to develop solid business relationships,
2. Learning why businesses need to quit using golf as a sales tool and how to use it as a business tool
3. And understand why businesses need to stop treating a large percentage of their customer, employee and vendor base as being disposable.

The product of all of this is long lasting business relationships that will take a business long into the future…

3. How can one use Business Golf to their advantage?

Like a marketing tool, or a promotional tool, Business Golf is a Business tool that if used correctly will produce sales, develop positive imagery and solid business relationships.

4. Why is the "environment" of golf important?

Business Golf is played outdoors and provides a healthy alternative to a sit-down business meeting. Business Golf is played at upscale facilities that produce a positive atmosphere for successful business development.

5. What is the biggest misconception about Business Golf?

There are a few. The most popular is most business people thinking golf is just a sales tool. A six hour sales pitch. An opportunity to hold hostage a person for more than the 15 minutes usually allowed someone to pitch a deal. Other misconceptions are related to non-golfers not understanding what golf is all about; what golf can develop and how it can improve a business’ bottomline. Business Golf is not a frilly attempt to contrive a reason to organize a golf outing.

6. Can you share a memorable Business Golf story from your experience?

One of my most memorable experiences had to do with a round of golf I witnessed in Las Vegas that exemplified how most business people are trying to wrongly use golf. This particular round of golf had a very rough ending and serves as a story I tell people on what happened to this one individual who went ahead and tried to close a deal on the golf course.

A gentleman in front of my group was entertaining three guests for a round of golf at one of the best golf courses in Las Vegas.

What I witnessed for three holes was this gentleman in front of us suddenly pulling out charts and graphs and laying them out on his golf cart seat for his guests to look at. Not only did his actions slow up play it was annoying his guests who came to play golf.

When my group got to the clubhouse after the first none holes I got to witness what takes place when someone comes to a golf course to other things other than play golf.

There seemly was some sort of altercation between the gentleman and the management of the golf course and all of the sudden six very large caddies escorted him to the parking lot and the three other guys continued on to play.

After we finished our round I ran into the three guys who were in front of us and asked about what was taking place with the little man getting kicked off the course, Embarrassed, they told me the story of what happened.

What took place was the little man invited these three gentlemen to meet him in Las Vegas to meet over a contract deal. The dinner meeting was scheduled for later that evening.

On the second hole the gentleman received a call on his cellphone from his boss instructing him to close the deal on the course and catch the next plane to the office to clear up a mess they were in.

So the gentleman politely told his guest that dinner was off and he wanted to talk about the contract while they played. His guests refused and said they were invited to play golf and that was what they came to do. They offered to reschedule the dinner for another time...the gentlemen arrogantly pursued pitching the deal. When the group made the turn they asked the club manager if they could help with the situation since they paid a lot of money to play golf and did not want this gentleman bothering them anymore.

What took place when my group pulled up to the clubhouse after nine was we got to watch as this gentleman gets into an altercation with the manager and was asked to leave. When he refused he was escorted off the property.

This experience really confirms what I am talking about on how using golf as a sales tool just will not work, but is being used this way everyday.

Buy How To Play Business Golf Today!

Correct Sight - How to Hit Dead-Solid Shots!

One of the big issues in golf is movement, especially when your movement is vertical movement, such as "dipping" which changes your spine angle during the swing causing all sorts of nasty things to happen

In light of this issue we wanted to introduce the Correct Sight golf training aid (the first release from the noted company, Correct Set-Up Golf) . It is simple, effective and most importantly affordable. By correcting excessive body/head movement and increasing focus on the golf ball during swinging, putting and chipping, the Correct Sight can really make a marked improvement in your golf game.

Many people might think it looks funny when you attach this gizmo to your cap or visor but don't be fooled - it is most often the simplest golf aids that work best.

Some of the benefits you might expect from this PGA Tour Partners "Member Tested" seal of approval product are:

• flush, dead-solid golf ball striking
• consistent chipping and distance control
• less "fat" and "thinned" golf shots
• a "quiet" and repeatable putting stroke
• extremely lightweight, portable and easily fits in any normal golf bag pocket

This may seem like a tall tale for such a simple device but we ask you to put it to the test and see for yourself how a little practice with this exceptional golf aid will be well worth the effort when you begin to hit dead-solid shots, gaining power, distance and accuracy.

Personally, after an exceptionally lousy round, I grabbed the Correct Sight and headed out to my local "more dirt than grass" driving range. I am not that bad of a player carrying an 13 handicap but kept hitting the ball "fat" and taking huge divots - driving me nuts! After cooling down I thought intuitively that keeping more "still" might help. And, of course, with the focus and help from the Correct Sight I was back to hitting the ball decently flush (for me anyway!) I have not had the chance to card another round but will report back when I do.

Do yourself a favor and head on over to Correct Set-Up Golf (listed below) to order online or by calling 800 972-0065

www.correctsetupgolf.com

The Secret to Hitting Good Shots

Hitting a good golf shot is one of the thrills of playing the game. Unfortunately (for most of us anyways) it is very fleeting. But there ARE moments when I at least catch a glimpse - so reading this observation below by Johnny Miller made me think of how I can recall those good feelings kinesthetically of a well struck golf shot. For me it is always the feeling of not trying to hit a good shot but of letting a good shot happen. Of course it is somewhat counterintuitive but if you can do it once why can you not do it again? More and more I am convinced it is all in the mind. Take a read below and let me know what you think.

"Everyone has expectations that every shot will be great. The secret to hitting good shots is to stand over the ball saying, “I can’t wait to hit this shot. It’s going to be fun.” Think back to a situation in the past when you hit a similar shot well. If you don’t hit a good shot, know that even the pros don’t hit that many perfect shots. And when you do hit it good, don’t say, “It’s about time.” Instead say, “That was awesome.” Notice the sound that it makes when you hit it flush, the beautiful flight, how it goes up against the clouds and lands softly on the green, where your body was, your weight distribution and your finish. Then press “enter” in your mind and try to suck up all the data and feeling you had. So when you get that shot again, you can remember what you did. Unfortunately, in golf, most people have a bank of bad memories and the good ones they just say, “Well, that’s what I should have done.” If you want to know how to play golf, go watch Gary Player and see how everything is positive and he only remembers the good shots. The negative guys leave the tour early."

The Difference Between Pros and Amateurs

Our bank accounts and the size of our homes, right? And let's not forget the 100 foot yacht versus my plastic tubby toy. There are lots of differences to be sure, but I'm talking golf, particularly practice routines. If I go to the range and hit six 7-iron shots, making decent contact on each, then I'm done with that club. Which, upon reflection seems to be a stupid thing to do. If for once during the month I'm actually making good contact you'd think I'd want to keep at to lock it in. 'Good practice makes the right moves permanent' seems to be the logical way to look at things.

Why then do I want to get the club out of my hands as quickly as possible. Probably because I know it's only the matter of a few more swings and it's all going to go south. Why ruin the feeling that I've actually 'got it', when I know reality is going to show it's ugly head soon enough. So does that explain why most amateurs quickly find a golfing rut and stay in it for most of our careers?

I'd like to know if anyone out there has had the same experience or maybe the opposite one. Please tell me that you started hitting the ball well and stuck with it for 200 shots and as a result you dropped 10 strokes off your handicap. Until someone can prove that to me, I think I'll just keep putting that club back in the bag and savor a moment of triumph that golf rarely gives.

'7 Laws' & Nick Bradley

I have a confession to make, I read too many golf books. I'm always looking for something more in my swing. I honestly believe the golf swing can't be as complex as we and most of the golf teachers out there make it. But, like most golfers, my own experience and what I see going on around me says my beliefs are wrong. And now comes along Nick Bradley to sell us hope once more.

But this time may be different. I don't know yet, but from what I saw in my first glance at his book 'The Seven Laws Of The Golf Swing' hope springs anew. First, the visuals are completely different from anything I've seen in a golf instruction book. If there is a 'secret' some where I believe it's in an image. Hogan gave us the 'swing plane' piece of glass as a visual and I believe that one image drove much of the golf theory that's been written since. But there's got to be more. There are too many of us out here that struggle too much with the full swing for that to be THE image.

Nick Bradley's book isn't full of swing sequence pictures. In that sense, there are relatively few images and they are mostly full page vies depicting one of his seven laws. They are visually stimulating and perhaps this is done to keep them 'burned' into our memories. A good many of them also show the underlying skeletal positions. You may think this odd as you read these comments, but go take a look and I think you'll come away with a different opinion.

Though I only scanned the book, I liked the idea that there were only 'seven' laws. Most golf books give way too many pieces of information for the normal human to digest. They also lack any ranking, so you may unwittingly be practicing something that isn't very important, while not addressing one of the basics. Seven is doable. You can get your head, and hands, around that. That also fits in with my belief that the swing can't be that complicated, we just make it that way.

I found the book at Borders, so go take a look for yourself. It won't hurt your game and, who knows, you just might find a big part of the puzzle that you've been missing. Let me know what you think.