NEWS | Apr 12, 2008 (Source: Thejakartapost.com)
Golf: A passion, obsession, romance

"I have heard people make the comparison between the game of golf and life," World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Se Ri Pak said prior to her participation in the HSBC Women's Champions 2008 in Singapore.

"I can understand the parallel -- in life people make a plan or a strategy for how they are going to deal with things or what they want to achieve; however, it may not actually happen the way they planned, it depends on the environment at the time, the snap decisions made and other external factors.

"This happens on the golf course too. When I play 1 to 18 hole seven if I use the same club, same golf ball, play with the same people and use the same swing; every shot will still be different," she said in a press statement.

Good decision-making skills are essential for both golfers and businesspeople.

Ravi Shreedharan, the head of HSBC Indonesia's personal financial services, said golf could teach people about discipline and consistency.

He said living in Indonesia could do wonders for one's swing.

"Golf courses here are very accessible and you have around 40 alone in this city," said Shreedharan whose favorite golf course is in Sentul.

HSBC also takes the golf factor seriously, having observed the sport's popularity among top executives.

"Golf and business go hand in hand," Shreedharan said.

In a survey conducted in 2007, 79 percent of the 1,500 golfers across Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea who were interviewed said they had clinched business deals on the green. Furthermore, one third of respondents said they closed business deals during golf every month.

Interestingly, of the five countries surveyed, golf has the most influence on business in Indonesia.

Another study on the relation between golf and business in several Asian countries by Martha Hernandez, Chris Lo and Philip Lau suggests that golf in Indonesia is more than just a sport for enjoyment, socialization and health.

The study, which was conducted online, found that golf had become an important platform for networking, doing business and entertaining clients.

Els Ramadhinta, the Ritz-Carlton hotel's public relations director, for instance, said she played golf every weekend and also went away on golf holidays.

"Golf is fantastic; it allows me to build my network and also my friendships," said Els who picked up the sport two years ago.

In the past few years, she said, people had been working golf into their travel iteniaries, whether it was a business trip or a holiday with friends.

Els said the government should pay particular attention to the development of golf in the country.

Establishing international-standard courses in exotic locations would attract tourists, she said.

"In other countries, golf courses are very exclusive in terms of rules and memberships. Here, they are very inclusive," Els said.

"Many people come to this city or Bali just to play golf. Why not promote the idea."

In short, regardless of skill level, golf can be rewarding to all players -- in all sorts of ways.