2612:What a 12-Year Break from Golf Taught Me: Change Is Where the Opportunity Is

 

What Surprised Me After 12 Years

I recently played a round for the first time in 12 years, and quite a few things had changed without my knowing.

1. You No Longer Have to Pull the Flagstick

You can now putt with the flagstick left in. The regulations had changed. Before the round, a member asked me, “You might not know this, but...” and that was how I found out. If no one had told me, I’d have pulled the flagstick on the green and putted as I always used to.

2. You Don’t Have to Keep Score Yourself

You enter scores on the iPad mounted on the cart, and after the round they are tallied and printed on paper for you. Putts are counted separately too. The day before, I’d gone to a 100-yen shop looking for a pen that writes well, and checked whether my old scorecard holder would still work. None of it was needed. The course handed me a locked scorecard case at the start, but whether to keep score yourself is now up to each player.

3. The iPad Does the Caddie’s Job

The iPad also shows the remaining distance and the distance to the group ahead. Almost unmanned, it performs the same functions as a traditional caddie. Unmanned carts existed before, but they couldn’t help with pace or tell you the distance remaining, so players bought their own watches or rangefinders. Unless you’re very particular about distances, the cart display now tells you enough to enjoy the game.

When Something for the Wealthy Becomes Available to Everyone

This round reminded me of something. New things and services are often reachable only by a wealthy few at first. Then, gradually, they come down to ordinary people. That moment can be a business opportunity.

Today, a private car with a driver is one example. And in the near future, AI and robots will bring things that are out of reach for most of us now within everyone’s grasp. Think of a personal secretary who manages your schedule and handles your research, or live-in household staff who cook, clean, and do the laundry. Until now, both have been available only to a wealthy few.

When times change, or rules and laws change, what matters is noticing the change and seizing the opportunity. The flagstick rule was the same: without knowing it, I’d have stuck to the old way. Keeping up with change and adjusting your approach to the situation is also at the heart of project management “tailoring.”

The Score

My front nine was a mess (62 on the IN course), but on the back nine (51 on the OUT course) my old feel returned, considering it had been 12 years. I’ll do my best next time.