Why Golf and Business Development Go Hand in Hand (and Not for the Reasons You Think)

Originally published in New Jersey Law Journal: Why Golf and Business Development Go Hand in Hand (and Not for the Reasons You Think)

As the weather gets nicer, lots of attorneys throughout the tri-state area and beyond are starting to dust off their golf clubs. Across the legal profession, everyone thinks golf is great for business development. The logic goes something like this: You play a round with a prospective client or referral source, build some rapport, maybe crack a few jokes, and by the 18th hole, you’ve landed a new deal.

And sure, sometimes that happens.

But if you’ve spent any real time in the game, you know there’s something much deeper at
work. The real power of golf in business development lies not in dealmaking but in mindset.

It’s Not the Scorecard. It’s the Psychology.

Most attorneys think golf is a business tool because of who you play with. But the truth is, golf is a business development tool because of who it forces you to become.

Golf requires you to develop a gritty, resilient mindset. You have to focus. You have to recover. You have to stay composed under pressure. And you have to keep going even when things aren’t going your way.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly what business development demands, too. The process of building a book of
business rarely moves in straight lines or delivers predictable outcomes. Attorneys face canceled meetings, slow responses, shifting priorities, and lost engagements. Just as in golf, setbacks are frequent, and progress is earned incrementally.

The attorneys who develop sustainable books of business are not merely persuasive or
extroverted. They are resilient. They view business development as a long-term discipline rather than an immediate return. And they keep showing up.

The Business Development Mindset, One Hole at a Time

Here’s the thing about golf: It’s humbling. Especially as an amateur.

On any given round, you might par the 3rd hole, bogey the 4th, birdie the 5th, only to follow with a hook into the woods, a chunked shot into the sand, and the next thing you know you’re carding a snowman (an 8) on the 6th.

The question is: What do you do next? Do you spiral and let it ruin your round? Or do you put it behind you, refocus, and grind out a par on the 7th? The great players don’t let a bad hole define the rest of their game. And great business developers don’t let a lost opportunity define their momentum either.

Because just like golf, business development is unpredictable. One day, you get a yes. The next time you get ghosted. One meeting goes great. Another one gets canceled. You crush a pitch.

Then lose the engagement to a competitor. Wins and losses arrive unpredictably, regardless of effort.

And yet, you keep showing up. You keep swinging.

Golf Isn’t a Shortcut, It’s a Metaphor

Let’s be honest: Dragging someone out to a golf course just to pitch them is a terrible strategy.

People see through that. It feels transactional and forced. When used solely as a tactic, golf loses its value.

What matters more is who you become by playing the game consistently.

• Golf develops habits that transfer to your professional life:
• Patience: Because success takes time.
• Resilience: Because bad shots and bad days happen.
• Focus: Because the next shot always matters more than the last.
• Optimism: Because even after a double bogey, the next hole is a fresh start.

Those are the same traits that fuel long-term business development success.

You don’t just “play a round and get a client.” You play dozens of rounds, develop hundreds of relationships, show up in countless ways, and eventually, the business follows.

It’s the Inner Game That Matters

Attorneys often ask, “Is golf really worth the time?” The answer depends on what you think you’re doing out there. If you’re chasing immediate ROI, probably not.

But suppose you’re using golf as a discipline, a practice in mental fortitude, relationship building, emotional control, and long-term perspective. In that case, it may be one of the best business development tools you have. And not because of who you’re playing with. But because of what it demands of you.

Golf requires you to compete with yourself, commit to the long game, embrace discomfort, and let go of bad shots while still bringing your best to the next tee.

That’s exactly the attitude it takes to build a book of business that lasts.

Final Thoughts: It’s the Bounce Back That Builds the Book

There’s something inspiring about the golfer who cards an 8, shrugs it off, and comes back with a par on the next hole. Even more inspiring? The one who cards back-to-back 8s and still finds the discipline to reset and finish strong.

That’s the real business development mindset. It’s not about perfection. It’s about resilience. So yes, keep playing golf. Not because it’s a secret handshake or a client acquisition trick. But because it trains your mind to keep showing up, especially when things don’t go your way.

And when you master that?

The deals and cases will take care of themselves.