[This is an updated version of the May 2019 edition of Resolution Strategies, which has always been one of my favorites!]
As they do every April, the world’s greatest golfers gathered in Augusta, Georgia last month to compete in what many consider to be the sport’s most prestigious tournament — the Masters. Virtually every one of them had a flawless and effortless swing, and most were able to hit the ball 300 yards or more with their driver. Every one of them was also proficient with the other woods, irons, wedges and putter in their bag.
So what distinguished Scottie Scheffler — who, at age 27, became the 4th youngest golfer to win his second Masters Tournament (only Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods reached that milestone more quickly) — from the rest of the field?
The championship trophy and green jacket usually go to the golfer who formulates — and most consistently executes — the best strategy for dealing with the unique challenges presented by Augusta National’s undulating design and difficult pin placements over the course of the entire four-day tournament.
After posting a 6 under score of 66 in the opening round to put himself in a two-way tie for second, one shot behind the leader, Scheffler shot an even par 72 in the second round to stay at 6 under, earning himself a share of the lead. In the third round, Scheffler posted a 1 under score of 71, placing him alone atop the leaderboard, at 7 under, with 18 holes left to play.
A birdie on the 3rd hole of the final round dropped Scheffler’s score to 8 under, giving him a 2-shot lead over his final-round playing partner, Collin Morikawa, but a bogie on the 4th hole dropped him to 7 under and a 1-shot lead. After a bogey on the 7th hole, Scheffler found himself back at 6 under, in a 3-way tie with Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg. Minutes later, Max Homa birdied the 8th hole and suddenly there were four players tied at 6 under par in the final round of the Masters Tournament!
Scheffler and Morikawa both went on to birdie the 8th hole while Aberg, playing one hole ahead, birdied the 9th — all lowering their scores to 7 under to retain a share of the lead.
It was the last time in the 88th Masters Tournament that Scheffler would remain tied with anyone.
Scheffler birdied the 9th and 10th holes, and then waited patiently for the others to succumb to the siren song of Augusta National’s 11th, 12th and 13th holes, affectionately known as “Amen Corner.”
First, Aberg found the water on the 11th hole, leading to a double-bogey. Next, Morikawa made the same mistake, also resulting in a double-bogey. Then, Homa hit an unplayable shot on the 12th hole that led to his own double-bogey.
Scheffler made it through Amen Corner with a bogie, par and birdie and went on to record additional birdies on the 14th and 16th holes, on route to an 11 under, four-stroke victory over Aborg and an invitation to join Jim Nantz in Butler Cabin for the third year in a row, where in 2022 he received his first green jacket from reigning champ Hideki Matsuyama and in 2023, as defending champion, presented the green jacket to Jon Rahm, who, of course, returned the favor this year!
For years, I’ve posited the thesis that the best golfers and best negotiators share much in common. They tend to be especially polite. They are skilled at managing risk and they approach their task with carefully considered strategies designed to pursue their objective as aggressively as possible, while also limiting — to the fullest extent possible — any unnecessary exposure to the obstacles, traps and hazards they are likely to confront. They know when to and when not to take chances, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents.
Golfers arrive at every hole knowing, in advance, exactly where it will end. With that ultimate destination in mind, professional golfers “reverse engineer.” They analyze each hole in reverse to pinpoint the precise location from which they are likely to be most effective hitting their next shot. Working backwards, they determine where they want their approach shot to land on the green, which dictates the location they will want to be in the fairway when they hit their approach shot, which, in turn, will govern how far to hit and where to land their tee shot. Ordinarily, a golfer’s first shot covers the greatest distance, with each successive shot progressively shorter. Of course, golfers may find it necessary to make mid-course corrections depending upon how well they and their opponents execute their respective plans.
Those who are masters at negotiating tend to approach negotiations in a markedly similar way. They first identify the target and then design a strategy to reach that target, calculating how much distance they will need to cover. Working backwards, they, too, plan out a series of separate and increasingly smaller moves. Whenever necessary, they make adjustments to account for changed circumstances and/or the actions of their opponents.
Approach future negotiations the way Scottie Scheffler approached Augusta last month. Fix your sights on your target; determine how much distance you’ll need to cover; design a plan to get there, making successively smaller moves. If you find that you need to make corrections along the way, don’t hesitate to do so. Be patient and take advantage of any opportunities to improve your position. By the end of the day, there’s a good chance everyone will be shaking hands.
For those who master the art of negotiation, settlement is par for the course.
As always, it would be my pleasure to assist you and your clients in the dispute resolution process. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of service.
Best regards,
Floyd J. Siegal