Summer is the time for many contractors to get production from their crews. It's also time for golf whether playing the sport or just watching. Golf has a lot in common with construction. It is very much a game of skill, and risk versus reward. Here are some takeaways that contractors can learn from the game of golf.
The Biggest Is Not Always the Best
In golf, the longest drives do not always translate into winnings. During the 2022 PGA season, Scott Stallings had the longest drive at 460 yards. He was followed by Adam Shenk, Adri Arnaus, Grant Forrest, and Steven Gallacher. These men are all world class golfers but those long drives did not contribute to any tour wins in 2022.
Throughout my career, I have seen contractors regularly chase big projects. Potential profits, busy crews, equipment and name recognition are often valid reasons for pursuing these mega contracts. Unfortunately, they often do not result in wins either. Large projects bring about tremendous risk. These projects often take more time than anticipated, and are frequently over budget. Many factors contribute to this including price escalations, weather, employee turnover and increased scope of work.When the project is fixed priced, it is the contractor who often pays the price.
Even when these big projects go successfully, they rarely make the kind of profit the contractor was expecting. Worse, they can tie up a contractor’s resources that may be spent on better opportunities. It is always tempting to be the big hitter, but that rarely wins in golf or construction.
Consistency is Key
Matt Fitzpatrick won the 2022 U.S. Open by shooting 68, 70, 68, and 68. That is remarkable consistency on a tough course. Interestingly, every one of the other top 5 finishers had a better round than Fitzpatrick. In fact, Hideki Matsuyama shot 65 on his final round, three strokes better than any round for Fitzpatrick. Consistency matters in golf. Eagles and birdies are exciting, but they are quickly nullified by bogeys or worse. Too many bogies and a golfer is quickly out of contention, no matter the amount of exciting shots.
Construction is no different. Contractors often focus on the profitable projects while ignoring the losers as long as they are making money overall. However, it often takes many winning projects to make up for a single loss. Improving controls such as estimating, accounting, project management and supervision can more than pay for itself by eliminating losses. It also improves a contractor’s reputation and relationships. The focus on constantly making profit is what separates the best contractors from the field.
Watch the Scorecard
Golf is a very strict sport when it comes to scorecards. Players are responsible for signing a correct scorecard for each round. If they do not, they can be disqualified. This happened to Kamaiu Johnson in 2023 at The Arnold Palmer Invitational and to Y.E. Yang at the 2021 PGA Championship. Both men signed their scorecards. Unfortunately, they signed incorrect scorecards and were disqualified.
Getting signatures on important documents matters in both golf and construction. Talk to any construction attorney or surety bond claims person and they will tell you that it is one of the most litigated items in construction. Contractrators routinely perform significant work without getting signed change orders. The result is often disagreements, lost profits and disputes. Change orders provide an effective tool to give construction projects flexibility. Unfortunately, without detailed, signed change orders, it is often one party’s word against another. Take a lesson from golf, if it's not signed, it does not count.
Many contractors enjoy the game of golf. Like construction, it involves skill and hard work. Hopefully, the game can also serve as a reminder of some best practices to ensure success.
