As a young player evolves from junior star to collegiate or amateur standout to golf professional his team needs to grow as well. Early in his career his mom or dad will make the travel plans, reserve the hotel rooms and drive him to and from the golf course. In college the coaching staff of the university takes on this role. When he turns professional it becomes his responsibility. He has enough to worry about deciding which events to play in and then playing well enough to cover his expenses and keep his card. He needs a team to handle the myriad of small decisions that have to be made each and every week to be on the PGA TOUR.
What does this team look like?
A PGA TOUR player will initially have to consider the following:
- Who do I hire as my agent?
- Who do I get to caddy for me? (Veteran or buddy from college)
- Who will pay my bills when I am on the road?
- Who will I get to handle all of my taxes?
Later, additional decisions will have to be made, including:
- Does my current swing coach meet my needs now that I am on the PGA TOUR?
- An equipment deal may give me financial peace of mind but is changing equipment companies wise at this point in my career?
- Do I need the advice of a mental coach?
- Do I need the services of a physical trainer?
- The media, old friends, charities etc. will want some of my time. How do I balance these without appearing rude or selfish?
- How do I establish a daily routine and stay in that routine with all of the demands of being a PGA TOUR player?
Each of these people is a member of his team. They will, collectively, act as gatekeepers and detail mavens and handle his affairs, freeing him up to play golf.
In the coming weeks I will explore the thinking that goes into selecting these team members and making some of these critical decisions. A good team can help with all of these issues. At the end of the day the team is charged with handling all of the day to day details of being on tour except for actually playing golf. Ultimately, like many things in life, it is all about process. The player needs to know that all of the little decisions that need to be made will be made for him by people he trusts. Then all that remains is playing golf. The clearer his mind is during a round the better he will be able to concentrate on playing golf to the best of his ability.
Tim Gamso
Member
Salesmanship Club of Dallas
