Golf and Coaching by Jim Masters, FocalPoint Business Coach

The Business Golfer….Chapter Ten.
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha Nebraska.


Today’s Installment: The Act of Giving Back

Recently, my wife and I attended a funeral for Steve Hogan, founder of “Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes”. Steve created the organization back in 1990. (You can learn more about the organization and what it does for kids at “www.thefirstteeomaha.org”.) The funeral was a touching tribute to a man who had devoted much of his life to helping at-risk inner city kids find a better path.

To understand why Steve founded Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes, it’s important to understand his background. Steve grew up in Omaha’s inner city and took up golf at an early age. As a young African-American, growing up in a rough area, Steve realized he faced a lot of tough moral decisions. Interestingly, he always found that the game of golf and its focus on respect, integrity, honesty and attitude helped give him a solid moral compass from which to weigh his actions and consequences.

He so embraced the game of golf that he decided to make a career out of it, becoming the first Nebraska African-American PGA professional. He returned back to his old neighborhood and its inner city course to become its pro. He realized things had not gotten better in the area….if anything, the conditions and temptations were even worse. It was then that he reflected on how fortunate he had been and he owed much of his success to the game of golf and what it had taught him about life.

Steve Hogan then made a decision….a decision which would change his life and the lives of so many at-risk inner city kids. If golf had been such a good life teacher to him, why wouldn’t it work just as well on these kids? So, Steve decided golf would be his “hook” to work with kids and teach them there are so many opportunities to pursue with their lives. Enlisting the help of city and business leaders, Steve turned his dream into a reality…the program now reaches out to more than 650 youth annually.

An important fundamental of the program is the “warm-up” drill taught to all the participants enrolled in the program. It is called the “Divine Swing”, and goes like this:

1. Feet Together... (Have a firm foundation which is Jesus Christ)
2. Shoulder width apart… (Stand tall and be responsible)
3. Bend your knees... (Pray Always)
4. Bend Your Waist… (Bow to no man but bend to respect and help every man)
5. Hold the ball… (Hold on to God and your dreams)
6. Bring it Back… (Remember where you are but never forget where you came from)
7. Toss.. (Take a swing at your dreams)
8. One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three… (Wait on the Lord and stay on course)
9. Watch the ball fly… (And one day you will fly)


Steve is an example of a professional golfer who chose to “give back”. There are countless others. Consider this: The PGA leads all professional sports in terms of charitable contributions. In 2007, alone, the PGA gave $123 million to charity and has raised more than $1 billion raised since 1938. Many golfers support specific charities or even establish their own. Since its inception in 1996, the Tiger Woods foundation has raised and dispersed more than $30 million toward communities nationwide through grants, scholarships and the Tiger Woods Learning Center. More than 10 million young people have been touched by the Tiger Woods Foundation

During this Holiday season, as business people and/or golfers, it is important to reflect on our good fortune and ask the question, “What am I doing to give back”. Some equate giving back with giving money. While so many could indeed use financial help, giving of your time, energy and talents in service to others, may make an even greater impact. So, just like Steve Hogan, you too can be a “hero” to others….just make a commitment to give back…starting today!


ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters AT focalpointcoaching DOT com