PXG (PARSONS XTREME GOLF)’s Post

It is a sport of business, and a business of sport.

I was at the Masters last week, Wednesday, which was the last practice day before the first round on Thursday. The Masters is the only major tournament that is always played at the same course, at the same time each year, at Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia. I have been fortunate. I actually got to play Augusta National with my coach Tom Landry in 1992. What a treat that was. But this post is a business post. This is a long post but it will be worth your time. I listened to many interviews this weekend because Friday was one of the toughest rounds for golf, in a major each year, where the average score was 75+ for the day. Great players like John Rohm, the 2023 Masters winner, was out of contention after that tough Friday round. Five time Masters winner, Tiger Woods, finished dead last. Here is the business tip. Max Homa, top four heading into Sunday’s final round, did not play to his standard on Sunday. The business tip is an interview Max gave to one of the Golf Channel commentators. They asked him what helped him through the tough round on Friday. Max Homa said, “my goal on Friday was not trying to play better than I am”. PLEASE think about this statement as it relates to you and where your career is today. We all have blind spots. We all believe that we can accomplish anything we set our mind to. But, have you EVER said, “I will not try to be better than I am. I could spend hours talking about this. From a sales perspective, most of us believe we will close that next deal because……. When you don’t close that deal, most look outward and not inward, as Max Homa did. He knew what he was capable of. He knew in tough conditions he could NOT try shots that were above his curent capability. Max Homa is a PGA pro, a winner on the PGA tour and a players that you will hear of for years to come. The sales message he shared with me, in that interview, was simple. You are talented, you are capable, you are worthy. But, you are not Superman. Be Clark Kent, do your job, serve the clients, honor your promises and deliver on those promises. Most of all, stay in your lane and do not try and be more than what you are capable of. Many of you that are not golf fans, also known as golf crazy, do not understand that golf is one of the hardest sports ever. Having the humility, as a professional golfer like Max Homa, was willing to play at the level he knew he was capable of. We need to see our blind spots, have mentors that will coach us, friends and family that will support us and most importantly “play” at the level we are capable of. By the way, I struggle with this. I want to close everything, But, I don’t. Hearing the Max Homa interview, I will become a much better salesperson. Knowing my strengths, my weaknesses and most importantly when to ask for help will be what I will be focused on for the rest of my career. Learning is a lifelong journey. I am still learning every day. I want to become better.

Let me explain “Independence” in golfer’s terms. You’re playing a round of golf with three of your closest friends on a beautiful spring day. It’s 72 degrees and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. You’re totally dialed in and playing a great round of golf. Your foursome is teeing up the 17th hole, a long Par 5 with a dog leg right that finishes with an elevated green surrounded by big bunkers. You’re first off the tee and your drive is right down the center of the fairway for 245 yards. You decide on a 5 wood for your second shot, and it puts you comfortably 80 yards short of the green. Wow! Your third shot is a gap wedge and, after a smooth swing and perfect contact, you stick it just three feet below the hole for a birdie put. Amazing! As you walk onto the green and repair your divot, you see a distinct left to right break - maybe 2 cups outside the hole. Of course, you’re the last golfer to putt. As you stand over the ball and take your practice put, you think to yourself, “birdies are rare.” You slowly exhale and put. The ball begins to decelerate as it approaches the cup and breaks right, just as you predicted, and drops in for a birdie. Your friends are stoked and immediately high-five you on a well-played hole! That’s the feeling Financial Advisors have when they transition from a Wire-House to Independence. Steward Partners built an exclusive club for some of the industry’s best golfers (aka Financial Advisors). Our membership committee offers competitive transition packages for golfers with low handicaps and, above all, a love for the game! Paul Sullivan  Wealth Management Independence Founder and Managing Partner psullivan@wminyc.com   Steward Partners Partner Managing Director Head of Internal Sourcing paul.sullivan@stewardpartners.com   973-525-7626 ____________________________________________________________________________ I want to help my Big 4 colleagues learn more about the benefits of Independence. I welcome a confidential conversation and can be reached on my cellphone at the number listed above.   Another resource to learn more about Independence is my website: www.wminyc.com

These 9 core values—Confidence, Courtesy, Honesty, Integrity, Judgment, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, and Sportsmanship—are foundational in golf and life. Here's how each value pertains to both: 1. Confidence - In Golf: Confidence is essential in trusting your swing, making decisions on the course, and overcoming challenging shots. - In Life: Confidence helps you face challenges, believe in your abilities, and take on new opportunities with self-assurance. 2. Courtesy - In Golf: Golf is known for its etiquette. Showing courtesy to fellow golfers by respecting their space, being quiet during their shots, and maintaining the pace of play is critical. - In Life: Courtesy translates to kindness and respect for others in everyday interactions, fostering positive relationships and a sense of community. 3. Honesty - In Golf: Golfers are responsible for keeping their own score and being truthful about penalties or infractions, even when no one is watching. - In Life: Honesty is about being truthful with yourself and others, which builds trust and integrity in relationships and in professional settings. 4. Integrity - In Golf: Integrity means adhering to the rules, playing fair, and not taking shortcuts, regardless of the stakes. - In Life: Acting with integrity means maintaining strong moral principles and doing the right thing, even when it's difficult. 5. Judgment - In Golf: Good judgment is needed to select the right club, assess risks, and choose the best strategy for each shot. - In Life: Making sound decisions based on available information and weighing the potential outcomes is vital for success in personal and professional endeavors. 6. Perseverance - In Golf: Golf can be a frustrating sport, but perseverance keeps you going through difficult rounds or after bad shots. - In Life: Perseverance is key to achieving long-term goals, pushing through setbacks, and remaining dedicated despite obstacles. 7. Respect - In Golf: Respecting the course, your competitors, and the rules of the game is a fundamental part of golf's tradition. - In Life: Respecting others' opinions, boundaries, and efforts is crucial in building harmonious relationships and a healthy work environment. 8. Responsibility - In Golf: Golfers take responsibility for their actions, such as repairing divots, keeping score, and following course rules. - In Life: Responsibility means owning your actions, fulfilling your commitments, and being accountable for the outcomes of your decisions. 9. Sportsmanship - In Golf: Good sportsmanship means congratulating opponents on their success, playing fairly, and handling both victory and defeat with grace. - In Life: In any competition or collaboration, showing sportsmanship by treating others with fairness and humility fosters respect and camaraderie. #golf #pga #scpga #welovethisgame #ricmooregolf

I always love it when the Kentucky Derby comes around. It was the one sporting event my Grandma would watch every year. This year though, the Kentucky Derby made me think of business.     There was a big difference in how my father and my step-father would make their wagers. One would study the racing form, look at the horses lineage, time it's history of races, and finally get a good look at the animal as it walked out of the paddock. The other would just bet the most successful jockey to place (come in 1st 2nd or 3rd). It was the ultimate battle of "Betting the Jockey" vs "Betting the Horse." "Betting to win" vs "Betting not to lose." So How is this related to working? It's tough to pick a winner, both in horse racing and employment. Hiring decisions are tough enough, and hiring managers is even tougher.   A simple, logical way to hire a new manager is to find successful organization and recruit that manager to your team. That is a good example of betting on the jockey, not the horse.   But are you sure that person was the reason for the success, or even understood where it came from? Honestly though, Do you even have the resources or time to research the horse? If you have the time, access, and insight to study and confirm if the jockey was the reason that team won. You'll make a better decision. Heck, you might have uncovered the real reason for the success. Unfortunately, there's not an equivalent "Racing Form" for small/medium businesses nor in that much detail for large businesses. Until we find a better way, we'll keep betting on the jockey.

Selling door to door is just like playing competitive golf. 🔹You can’t set 5 appointments on the first door that answers. 🔹You can’t shoot 67 (or break 90, or 80) by hoping for it on the first tee box. The key to performing to the best of your abilities on the course is execution.. most of my weekend golf buddies don’t even know how to execute on the course.. where do you start? when I was playing for Coach Aaron Pohle at RMC (Go Bears!) we worked with a golf psychologist that introduced a simple format for a pre-shot routine that would fill the space in your mind with constructive “to-do’s” instead of “I hope I make birdie here” Or “i really need to shoot 34 on the back” OR my personal favorite.. “don’t miss this left..” here’s the formula, and feel free to apply to your line of work: S.F.T. See it, Feel it, Trust it. 👁️👁️ See it: observe your conditions and requirements of the shot at hand. visualize the ball flight in your minds eye. 💫⚙️Feel it: approach the shot and step into the setup being mindful of the mental picture you drew. I.e. You’re hitting into a 15 mph head wind, you’ve taken one extra club, you recall the muscle memory to flight the ball lower. Dead hands, ball slightly back in your stance, abbreviated finish. You’re feeling with physical triggers as you step into your setup. ♾️🔒Trust it: now that you’ve seen the shot in your mind, you’ve felt the body acknowledge the requirements, the last “do” is to LEAN IN. Trust the repetitions, trust your assessment of the situation, trust the athletic ability, trust the hours and hours of range work, trust your body… have absolute trust in your process. When I get lost in the sauce on the golf course, this framework gets me right back on track. It starts by first hitting a fairway, then it’s hitting the green, and then before you know it you’ve strung 4-5 pars together and given yourself chances to make birdie. The same thing applies to the doors. Over the coming days and weeks I’ll be developing my process based on this framework- the idea is filling the mind with do’s and trusting the systems we implement. I’m excited to share how this translates to the doors in an industry that I’ve been in now for about 4 days. 😛 Happy Monday!! Let’s go get it!

The unstoppable golfer. Trust your mind and your short game. The golfer has two opponents, the golf course and themselves. Winning in golf is winning the battle with yourself, by producing the best game that your talent permits on the course you're playing. The only person stopping you from doing this is you. If you can master yourself during a round of golf, if you can get the most out of your ability then you are indeed unstoppable. To win this battle with yourself you must have a good short game. Few of us can blast the ball 300 yards but literally all golfers have the physical ability to pitch the ball, to chip it and to putt it. If we're not doing those things it's because we're somehow stopping ourselves. We need a great mind to have a great short game and to become unstoppable. If you're winning the battle, you're believing in yourself.. You're playing without doubt, without fear or whatever anybody else thinks about your game. you pick targets and react to them without conscious thought. you play patiently, you let things happen without trying to force them to happen. You're allowing yourself to perform the skills you know you already possess. You may find you can perform at a higher level than you ever knew or thought possible. Well nobody can stop you but yourself. I's also true that nobody can do it for you. Imagine this. We don't know how the ball knows what a player is thinking, but it does. What I mean is that golf gives a player honest feedback. It tells the player how well they have mastered the challenge. It's a great opportunity to learn self reliance, independence and self control. It's a chance to exercise free will and personal responsibility. It's a chance to hold yourself accountable. Every time you play golf you get to choose whether you do those things. The true joy of the game comes from finding out how good you can be, it comes from enjoying the journey of improvement. You don't have to win championships to discover this, it can simply happen in your regular Saturday 4 ball. Whatever level the golfer plays at the ultimate satisfaction is the same. At the end of a round the unstoppable golfer can look himself in the mirror and grin, because they played the game as good as they could play it and found out how good they could be. What could be more fun than that?

Taking a Swing at Life (and Golf) 🏌🏼♂️ With 40 creeping up (just a couple of years away), I’ve been thinking about a new challenge. 🎯 So, why not take up G.O.L.F.? Game Of Lifetime Fulfillment That’s my definition, anyway! I relocated to near Lytham St Annes, home to some of the finest courses in the UK, including the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club —a world-renowned course that’s hosted The Open Championships and the Ryder Cup. With courses like these right on my doorstep, I figured now is the perfect time to give it a go! Plus, a lot of my friends from around the country play golf, so it’s a great way to stay connected, socialise, and enjoy a sport that’s definitely age-appropriate as I get older! If you’re also new to the game, here are a few things I’ve learned so far: 📝 Top Tips for New Golfers: 1. Master the Driving Range – It’s your training ground. The more time you spend there, the better. Plus, fewer people to watch your questionable swings! 🎯 2. Invest in Quality Lessons – A great coach makes a difference. The quicker you nail the basics, the better. Kind of like having a solid mentor in your career—getting it right early saves you a lot of headaches later. 3. Tackle Pitch & Putt – Think of it as golf’s version of training wheels. A great confidence booster, and to be honest, nothing beats the satisfaction of actually putting the ball! ⛳️ 4. Play with People Who Push You – Surround yourself with better players who’ll challenge you, but make sure they’re encouraging too. That balance helps you grow. 5. Focus on Body Movement First – Forget about hitting it far right away. Start with grip, posture, and movement. Golf is all about hitting it right, not just hard. My first few swings? Let’s just say, not the best! 6. Embrace the Setbacks – Not every shot will be great. Trust me, most won’t be. But sometimes, taking a step back is actually progress. It’s like that quiet progress that sneaks up on you. 🧐 7. Consistency Beats Distance – Early on, a smooth, steady swing is worth more than trying to launch the ball 250 yards. 8. Get the Right Gear – Golf shoes and fitted clubs make a huge difference. Of course, you could borrow some, but investing in the right gear sets you up for long-term success. 9. Have Fun and Stay Humble – Golf is just as much about your mindset as it is about your swing. Don’t dwell on the bad shots—every pro winner started out as a beginner. And if all else fails, at least enjoy the fresh air and time away from the daily grind. 🏞️ Taking up golf has been a refreshing new challenge for me. I’m ready to tackle it (and eventually master it!) while also embracing the opportunity for both physical and mental growth. Here’s to trying new things and stepping out of the comfort zone—because that’s where the growth happens. What new challenge are you taking on? #GolfJourney #NeverStopLearning #LifeAndGolf #BeginnerTips #Sports

I just returned from a golf outing with several of my Corporate Visions colleagues and friends. While you probably don’t want to hear about my golf game—no one does—the three days and four rounds of golf we played triggered some thoughts that do equate to business, especially selling. Over a year ago, I was with Jay Livingston on the golf course (I actually do more than just play golf), and I was struggling. Jay asked me, “Are you playing golf, or are you playing golf swing?” It was a simple and powerful question that I wrote about shortly after I heard those sage words. So, I’m reprising my comments from 18 months ago because they are as relevant today as they were then. Golf is hard enough without filling your head with unnecessary thoughts. Yet that’s what most golfers do. They think about all the technical aspects of their swing and they end up thinking too much and playing poorly. The best golfers do all their swing thought stuff on the driving range and in their practice rounds. Once they get on the course, they just “grip it and rip it.” Witness Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 Masters Champion. In the heat of the battle, when the tournament was on the line, he looked calm, cool, and collected. His swing didn’t change; he trusted it in the most stressful situation a golfer would face, and he won going away. He played golf, not golf swing. Too often, sellers get caught up in playing “sales technique” instead of “sales.” They get to a meeting with a prospect or customer and think about what stage of their sales process they are in or what technique they should be applying. In the heat of the battle, it is not the time to think about technique. If you have to try and figure out if what you’re doing is the right thing, then you’re in big trouble. The time to play “sales technique” is before you get in front of your prospect or customer. It’s in your 1:1 coaching sessions with your manager—wait, you do have a manager who coaches you, don’t you? And you don’t think you’re too good or too experienced to need coaching, do you? It’s in your account planning meetings and account strategy sessions with members of your team - wait, you do have planning and strategy conversations, don’t you? It’s in your role-playing opportunities, either with colleagues or with AI. Don’t think AI can coach, then you need to look up Carmen Simon, and her recent research on the topic. Bottom line, are you playing sales or sales technique? There is a time for both, and playing sales technique on your sales calls can lead to another game—not nearly as fun—playing “looking for a new job.” #sales #salecoaching #leadership

“Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character.” Arnold Palmer Despite living within miles of some of the finest golf courses in North Carolina (Pinehurst, Southern Pines, etc.) and attending a university known for its Pro-Golf Management program with 8 PGA professionals on staff – I never picked up golf. After classes, when most were lugging their clubs to the on-campus course, I’d head off on a bike ride or go for a long run. I lacked the athletic skill needed to hit the ball consistently and keep it in the fairway. But I have a deep appreciation for the game. During my time in school, I followed the big names on the tour – Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Vijay Singh, and the 1991 “Rookie of the Year” John Daly. The golf world was captivated by newcomer Tiger Woods in 1996 and I followed his career as he amassed numerous records and went on to become widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. A few things that impress me as I watch the pros play: -  The consistent ability to place the ball precisely on the course. To do so is a product of athletic ability and years of fine-tuning, arduous work. Like life, winning takes work. -  The ability to adjust to changing conditions. No hole is the same. Weather conditions, terrain, and environment require assessment, judgment, and a decision. Remain adaptable if you expect to overcome challenges and succeed. - Every swing matters. You can muff a serve in tennis, miss a strike in baseball, or throw an incomplete pass in football and still have another chance to redeem yourself. In golf, every swing counts against you. No matter what happens – never quit. -  Golf requires incredible strength – both physical athleticism and mental acuity. Golf demands the best of the entire person. What am I doing to develop and sustain my mental and physical health and abilities? I volunteered at an event at The Player’s Championship in Ponte Vedra yesterday. The energy on the course was electric – the players and crowds eagerly anticipated a week of exciting competition. I’ll never experience the thrill of a long drive and a short putt for a birdie…but I certainly appreciate the skill and ability it takes to achieve it.