If you ever play golf with your significant other, you need to know a few basic “rules” before you ever hit the links.

Guest writer, Dayne Gingrich of CoachYourMind.com has some great advice for playing golf with your partner!

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“Nice Shot, Sweetheart.” by Dayne Gingrich

 

Playing With Your Significant Other

This is a topic I’m very familiar with. Until I learned how to play golf with my wife, I regularly brought her to tears. I didn’t verbally abuse, or try to analyze her entire game. Instead, I played the round as if I was playing a tournament – ultra focused and quiet … the exact opposite of why she was playing. I quickly learned that our reasons for playing were quite different, and if we wanted to continue in the future, I needed to adjust. She wanted to have fun, socialize, and simply spend quality time with her husband. Conversely, I wanted to improve my score, work on my course management, and increase focus levels.

I had to realize that our priorities were different, and it was o.k. to simply “play for fun,” and enjoy the time with my wife. After looking at golf through her eyes, I immediately ripped up my scorecard, and made her enjoyment the priority. Ironically, this increased my enjoyment level, as well. The solution came down to the simple fact that I wanted my wife to have fun, more than my need to play perfectly.

Before stepping onto the course with your significant other, understand each other’s goals for playing. Men, allow her to simply play and have fun, regardless of outcome. It’s this fun that will bring her back. Explain to her, before hand, the value of proper etiquette, but don’t worry so much about “how” she’s playing … unless, of course, she asks for advice. Women, know that a man’s competitive drive often overrides his compassion and understanding for anything else at the moment. It’s very easy for him to lose focus on the “enjoyment” of the round. Nicely remind him why you’re both spending those 4 ½ hours together, and give him room to “remember” again.

Respect each other’s motivation for teeing it up, and understand you both view golf through different lenses. Knowing this, and talking about it prior to the round, will alleviate friction and potential trouble couples face on the golf course.

Have fun, and remember to say, “Nice shot, sweetheart!”

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This guest post  submitted by Dayne Gingrich of CoachYourMind.com