Executives Still Play Golf

It’s no secret that many HUGE business deals have been closed on a golf course. With that said, it would stand to reason that CEOs who regularly play golf are paid 17% more on average than those who do not.

A whopping 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs play golf, and 80% of executives say playing golf enables them to establish new business relationships.

Syracuse professor Bill Walsh says “Golf provides a unique opportunity to bond with individuals for a significant amount of time.” 

“If you have lunch with someone, that might be for an hour or so. In golf, you get to know the person much better since you’re battling the course together. In an age of teleconferencing, golf may be one of the last venues where you can maintain that personal contact.”

Although only 20% of all golfers are female, 50% of executive women who play golf say being able to talk about golf allows them to be more successful. And although the study is a bit dated, women with a handicap of under 10 in 1993 made an average of $146,900 annually.

MORE Business Golf Stats!

54% of business people see golf as the perfect networking tool.

80% of business golfers agree that playing golf aids in establishing new business contacts.

93% say playing business golf with a business associate is a good way to establish a closer relationship.

Golf has survived the centuries as the leading way to building a business relationship.

If you are searching for a way to get a leg-up on your competition, you might consider playing business golf.

I’ll be back soon to talk about the brand loyalty that is built from the round of business golf.