Sujit Dasgupta is a regular golfer at the Poona Club Golf Course. Sujit is a tall, lanky guy, clean-shaven, with a full head of hair. Sujit loves to talk and share his experiences and is very warm and engaging in an aggressive sort of way. A few weeks ago, I was enjoying a beer with Sujit at the Golf Course clubhouse when he said something to me that was incredibly perceptive, and sums up the character building aspect of golf very well. Sujit’s exact words were “Golf strips you naked”.
Golf is different from other sports in a couple of significant ways. Firstly, two people with very different playing abilities can, and do compete against each other very meaningfully, often fiercely. This is enabled by the handicapping system in golf, which gives a person with lesser ability a head start. It is like me competing with Carl Lewis in a 100m sprint, with the stipulation that I start from the 60 metre mark, while Carl starts from the 0 metre mark! The handicapping system levels the playing field for everyone.
Secondly, barring professional tournaments, golf is played without any referees or umpires. It is largely a self-regulated game based on trust. The very large playing area means that playing partners/competitors are often widely separated depending on where their ball lies.
These factors create opportunities and motivation to cheat, whatever the stakes. Consider a situation where I am the competitive type and want to show my regular playing partner that I am playing better than him. The game gives me ample opportunities to cheat by kicking the ball out of a rough, count strokes incorrectly, take an illegal drop and so on. However it is not hard for a playing partner to see through this type of behavior. Therein lies the beauty of the game – it really does strip you naked.
There are other personality traits that come out loud and clear. For example:
- How do you react when you are not playing well, while your playing partner is having a good day? Are you generous enough to appreciate his good play?
- How do you react when you are playing well, while your playing partner is having a miserable round? Do you gloat about your shots, or encourage your partner?
- Do you call out the fact that you hit the ball twice when no one else saw it, and it might lose you the round?
I have learnt a lot of things about myself while playing golf – some good, some not very pleasant. However, it has given me an opportunity to become a better person. Playing with others has also given me insights into their minds and motivations in a two-hour period, things I probably won’t discover in two years of business interactions.
All in all, Sujit absolutely hit the nail on the head – Golf does strip you naked!
