Do you remember your best golf game ever? Chances are it wasn’t out on the green while trying to impress your boss. That’s because all across corporate America, boss-underling golf outings have become a bit of a staple, much to the dismay of those who suffer from performance anxiety. And indeed, some old-school employers take the number of strokes a bit too seriously when everyone shuffles back into the office.
Try to imagine yourself as a fresh-faced account manager setting up your cubicle on your first day. You might have golfed a bunch of times throughout high school and college, and you may have even spent some serious time during childhood learning to play golf at the request of your parents. Heck, you might have even participated in some amateur public golf tournaments before you even hit age 18.
But none of that residual skill will help you on the course with your boss. That’s because when you hit the links with the higher-ups, everything changes. Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered on how to survive it.
Compete like you’ve been playing for years.
In all actuality, you may have been playing for years, so you already have the advantage here. The trick is not to flop on purpose in order to stroke the boss’s ego. Chances are he (or she) will respect for delivering a potent whooping, so do what you can to make it happen. And if you really are just a god-awful golfer, then fake it. Who knows, you might just have the 18-hole golf program of your life.
Don’t talk about work unless the boss does.
Here’s a tip — the boss is probably using the day on the gorgeous green fields of the country club as a respite from the daily stresses of the corporate office, so don’t bring him/her back into that environment. If the boss wants to talk shop though, great! Chime in and bring up that new account you snagged just last week. But sometimes the best thing for a work-golf outing is to simply enjoy the silence.
Dress the part, even outside of the office.
Golf program attire is a bit different from professional officewear, but you get the idea. Leave the cargo shorts at home in favor of a nice pair of slacks. Bring a hat for the sunny spots, but don’t forget to remove it once you enter the clubhouse. Whatever you do, try to dress as evenly as your boss. After all, you don’t want to come off as a slob or some kind of bourgeois fashionista.
Remember that whatever happens on the course during the golf program stays on the course — unless the boss brings it up, of course. Ger more information on this topic here.