Taking Sabbatical!

I looked up the word Sabbatical and its definition pretty well describes what I am going to be doing.

A sabbatical year is a prolonged hiatus, typically one year, in the career of an individual taken in order to fulfill some goal, e.g., writing a book or traveling extensively for research.

Well, I guess it is time to finally fess up that none of this stuff out here on the internet really works. I would like to say it is just me, but unfortunately there are a large number of us out here that are now realizing that None of this is really all worth it.

I will be taking a sabbatical to work on my next book that I will be outlining all of the fallacies of the internet…until then you may want to check out my other book to catch up on what is going on.

You can check out the periodic blogs I will post over at my main site, IBGS Blog. Hope you enjoy the archive of blogs I have posted here.

Sony Open: Golf Channel Coverage????

OK, I can officially say that I am going to miss the Network coverage of GOLF. The coverage the Golf Channel provides…well I can’t think of a better word…but it Sucks.

Last week it was so dark you could not see anything, this weekend the coverage was so overexposed I was having to put my Oakley’s on just to watch the play and it still did not improve the glare.

And talk…talk, talk, talk, about everything but golf. Like golf to non-golfers is not boring enough, Nick and Kelly have to spend time talking about a parachute surfer…this is golf ladies and gents…not the wide world of sports…anymore.

OH, and we have another week of nothing but Golf Channel coverage at one of my favorite tournaments, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic….what will it be this time? Too dark, to overexposed, shaky camera or……

Will they finally hire a production crew that knows where to place the camera and how to set the camera’s up to deal with lighting and will they bring in golf announcers who can be funny while talking about golf… The GC can afford it because as far as golf goes…they are the only show in town.

Hey, we can only hope, because it can’t get any worst…or at least I hope not.

Scot Duke is President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC and author of How To Play Business Golf. Mr Duke uses his 30 years of business management experience to help business owners and executives develop their business to be more successful and mentor business people on how powerful of a business tool Business Golf can be towards solving many business challenges. More information on Mr Duke and Business Golf can is available at the Innovative Business Golf Solutions web-site.

Golf: Round Two

It is the second week golf and second PGA event for the season.  The venue is still Hawaii, kinda a paid vacation for PGA Tour Players…that is for those who make the cut, or it just becomes a vacation for the ones that don’t.

But I am excited to say with he second week of golf nearly over the reporting of the golf in the Dallas Morning News sports section has moved from page 11 to page 5.  I would like to be able to report this as being a promotion by the sports editor of the Dallas Mornings News, but I can’t since the sports section was only 11 pages this morning compared to the 14 pages previously reported.  OH, yes the DMN did put a big spread in on page 4 for the Byron Nelson sponsorship drive starting Wednesday…and I only mention that because my friend David Feherty was featured speaker at the Sportsmanship kickoff luncheon.  It will be April or maybe March at the earliest before golf will be up closer to the front of the print media, with the Masters and the Byron Nelson being the only reason for those promotions.  Then as the LPGA starts golf will again move back to being reported in a three inch square on the page after the championship rodeo stats. I’ll continue to provide you with my look and others on the disrespect the print media has for golf as it progresses.

Back to the second PGA event, yes… Michelle Wie struggled to a respectable 8 over during the first round of the Sony Open,  respectable if you were a 10 handicapper.  I still think that there are some hyperventilation issues she is having from being back on the tips where the fairway looks like a razor blade standing on edge.  Those 7000+ set-ups are a long way from the 6000+ courses played on the junior circuit.  Yes Michelle can hit it a long way, but when it is taking everything she has to keep up with the men, not boys, she maybe just a few bench presses short from having the endurance, nerves, and mental strength to hang in there…but, hey, the money is good for her even if she posted my score for what I would shoot from back there.

It is just week two, and Tiger and Phil will show up soon.  I am sure they are in back to back meetings with their financial advisors discussing the goal for this year and I know how long it takes to get to see my FA, so they may be having to be on call to be worked in their schedule…yaw right.

 It is cut day for the PGA Tour, so I will cut this one off here and hopefully be back to report on the latest in golf tomorrow.

 

We Are Going To Miss Golf on TV

Well, the first PGA event of the year is over and the Golf Channel covered it.  Was it any better?  No!. 

The camera work was not as clear as the network camera coverage…Not sure if it is the camera or the way it is set up, but they were not nearly as clear and sharp as ABC’s or CBS.

The lighting also seemed to be dark and there were shadows where I don’t think they wanted them to show.

I will miss David Feherty and Gary McCord and their consistent wit.  Nick Faldo is OK, but he seemed to have a harder English accent on the GC.  Dotty is OK and “What’s Her Name’, Kelly Tillman, just doesn’t cut it for me…don’t get me wrong, I am for the women covering the game, it just seems Kelly talks to be talking…

OH, well, if you have cable or satellite you have the ability to watch golf now, but give it up if you are one of the 240 million who don’t have access to it and have to watch Network Feeds…. Mr Golf Channel Sponsor, I hope you got a sweet heart deal for sponsoring golf on the Golf Channel…doesn’t seem to be as large of a market watching golf now that the GC covers it all for golf.

We will see how things work out this year…and see if things improve over the year.

Scot Duke is President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC and author of How To Play Business Golf.  Mr Duke uses his 30 years of business management experience to help business owners and executives develop their business to be more successful and mentor business people on how powerful of a business tool Business Golf can be towards solving many business challenges. More information on Mr Duke and Business Golf can is available at the Innovative Business Golf Solutions web-site.

 

Business Golf: Where Did It Start?

Now that most of you know what Business golf is, you ask, where did it start?

I would take a guess that some form of Business Golf was played the first time two people got together to play the game.  And since that was over 400 years ago, I would say that a method of Business Golf was played over 400 years ago.

 Where today’s business golf started would be back in the Bobby Jones era.  Where the true gentleman’s game of golf was established.  I was not there, but would image that since Mr Jones  would address the way you would play golf with him at the first tee, and then wine and dine you afterwards, that would be the first blush of where today’s Business Golf was started. 

Now, History reports that Mr Jones was not only stern in a round of golf with him be nothing but golf, he was also one of the most respected businessmen of his time.   When it came to integrity Mr Jones showed it on and off the course.

Since Mr Jones passing, some of the style and guidelines to using golf as a business tool have been morphed by the greed of today’s business people who make golf a six hour sales pitch, or to turn away from golf all together as a way of doing business due to what boils down to having a total lack of understanding of what golf is all about. 

This goes back to most of the today’s business people running from golf due to not having been exposure to the game as they were growing up or got caught up in other interests or sports that contradicted the integrity issues golf demands from its participants.

Things are changing and with golf now making a come back after 10 years of being knocked by the business giants as a complete waste of time and money, more people who learn how to use business golf correctly will put themselves ahead in the crowded marketplace.

Learn to play business golf and you might find a better way to get ahead in business.

Scot Duke is President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC and author of How To Play Business Golf.  Mr Duke uses his 30 years of business management experience to help business owners and executives develop their business to be more successful and mentor business people on how powerful of a business tool Business Golf can be towards solving many business challenges. More information on Mr Duke and Business Golf can is available at the Innovative Business Golf Solutions web-site.

 

Golf 2007: Starts on Page 11

You probably didn’t know that the 2007 Golf season has begun.  Why? 

Well if you are like 99% of the avid golfers who read the sports section to find out what is going on in GOLF, you may have become nauseated and stopped reading due to the endless reports on football, basketball, hockey, NASCAR, Lacrosse, Bass Tournaments, and underwater basket weaving playoffs (OK, I threw that one in there just in case you are reading) before getting to page eleven where the 3” square report on the Mercedes-Benz Champions being played in Hawaii.

But, yes, the golf season has started and for 40 million golfers around the world who are really dedicated to the game, and only this game, it is really hard to find anything that is going on with the first tournament of the season. 

If you are looking for the LPGA, that starts in two weeks, let me wish you luck.  I am sure I will be back to provide you with my keen insight on the absurdity and lack of respect the print media has towards the women golfers.

OH, yes, you could trot over to the TV and pull up the Golf Channel and watch their NEW coverage of the PGA.  I am sure you would be Wowed by the over produced and over dressed golf commentators that make you ask…Who are these people?…and Why are they on the Air…and What claim to fame do these people have in the world of Golf?    

You will also probably die of boredom from them covering the same three holes over and over…which is probably why more people are not into golf since the only time they see golf is on TV and the TV serves no justice to the game by just covering three of the 18 holes.

So, you could go to the TV, but if you are depending on the Newspapers to provide you insight into why Aaron Oberholser was shown in the paper with only one score and the others showed two, well all I can say is…Good Luck.    

I suggest you start from the back page of the sports section like I do and work forward…you will get to the golf before losing your breakfast from all of the team sports that the Newspapers feel are more important.

Scot Duke is President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC and author of How To Play Business Golf.  Mr Duke uses his 30 years of business management experience to help business owners and executives develop their business to be more successful and mentor business people on how powerful a business tool Business Golf can be towards solving many business challenges. More information on Mr Duke and Business Golf can is available at the Innovative Business Golf Solutions web-site.

Tiger (Big Daddy) Woods: Expecting First Kid

 

OK, we knew this was coming and it should not be of any surprise…Tiger Woods is going to be a Daddy….what is the line that the kids plays golf?

 

SI.COM Story

Wendy’s Three Tour Challenge: Yes, It Is Holiday Golf

I have not cracked open the sports section of the newspaper in two weeks since there are no sports I am interested being reported. I haven’t really looked at the sports news on TV lately, other than to see Dale Hansen (Sport Director for the ABC affiliate here in Dallas, TX) sarcastically bash Jerry Jones (which I thoroughly enjoy since Mr Hansen and I grew up in the era here in Dallas when Football was Football and not the “Saturday Night Wrestling Match” flavor of football Mr Jones has made out of the Dallas Cowboys and football in general so he can profit from it and take all of the money back to Arkansas where he belongs and is the number reason I do not open the sports section or watch sports news on TV.) (But I Digress).

I did however have my wife program the TiVo to pick up and record anything related to the sport I love and only watch, Golf. And when we came in from the movies last evening I noticed that TiVo recorded a Golf Program on the ABC affiliate…I thought Santa must have come earlier, and when I turned on the program it was the forgotten Wendy’s Three Tour Challenge.

Now here is an event that I will have to admit is not very well produced and has unfortunately fallen to the wayside of golf events. It has an outstanding format where three teams of three from each of the tours, the PGA, LPGA and Champion’s Tour, play in a team format for some pretty good chump change and for charity.

Again this year the event was played at one of my favorite places, Lake Las Vegas, but the field this year was not that impressive…the LPGA outshined the rest with their players and maybe that was what the thought was. Natalie Gulbis, Christi Kerr and Julie Inkster all represent the past, Current and Future of the LPGA, the PGA starless team had Zack Johnson, Stewart Cink and Scott VerPlank with the Champion’s anchored with the marquees of their tour, Tom Kite, Craig Stadler and Jay Hass…

The play was average, the talk was interesting….seeing Natalie’s home was nice, but it looked unlived in….another one of the many GiveMeAFrigginBreak moments during the program.

But HEY! It is GOLF and for that I am very, very, very thankful and not having to watch the Donald Trump crap on the Golf Channel anymore….

Hopefully, with my help in 2007, more businesses will come to see the opportunity they are missing to rise and shine in the eyes of the golfers who represent a pretty well off demographic. More businesses need to get behind the sponsoring of more golf tournaments so TV can see they need to capture that revenue and hiring some of my new friends who know how to produce a top notch golf event that can be put on the air during this time of year when golfers are really hungry for golf since they are stuck in their houses during the winter. Yes, they are missing some prime business opportunities that they can’t get any other way…

So, watch golf, and yes, you can watch the Wendy’s Three Tour Challenge…maybe if the rating went up they can bring in the names like Freddy and Tiger and Ernie to play in a ‘three club and a putter’ match against the other two tours full bag format…I would fly out to Vegas to see that one…I would even caddy for that one…

Yes, I love golf and business…such is Business Golf.

 

Grace Park: Her Style is Coming Back

Grace Park, here is a Business Golfer par extraordinaire and one of the LPGA’s more stylish players…she also has game and set to make a come back after a injury laden 2006. And looks like it will be at the Lexus Cup Match in Singapore

Golfers: Taking Your Game To The Next Level

There are many golf e-books on the web, including mine. Most of them are pretty good and have some information that makes them worthwhile. There are a few however that are truly professional, and written by true experts. Better Golf Solutions is one of these.

Written by renowned sport psychologist Dr. Lester Bouchard, Dr. Bouchard obtained a doctorate degree in Sport Psychology from the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was employed as a Golf Instructor, and also served as an assistant coach and consultant to the University Men’s SEC Champion Golf Team. He is also the former Director of Sport Psychology for the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. He has performed hundreds of professional consultations and presentations to athletes and coaches ranging from the ranks of aspiring juniors to collegiate and professional. I recently had a great conversation with him and this guy is the real deal.

His book will show you how to accurately evaluate your game and then how to overcome your weaknesses and amplify your strengths. In my opinion this is the most comprehensive e-book on golf improvement because it covers all aspects of the game, from strategic to mental to technical. He is also giving away hundreds of dollars of FREE bonuses, including a personal consultation. Click here for more information.

Hurry, this introductory offer won’t last much longer. He has agreed to hold the offer open for all of my fans but the price will be going up soon so don’t wait long. Click here for more information.

Take it from Mr Business Golf, This is a book you cannot be without if you are wanting to take your golf game to the next level…and remember, as your golf improves, and you improve the way you feel about your game and life,  your business will improve.  Let Dr Bouchard show you how to get to the next level of your game.

Scot Duke is President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC and author of How To Play Business Golf.  Mr Duke uses his 30 years of business management experience to help business owners and executives develop their business to be more successful and mentor business people on how powerful of a business tool Business Golf can be towards solving many business challenges. More information on Mr Duke and Business Golf can is available at the Innovative Business Golf Solutions web-site.