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Overconfidence, continues Sun, is a specific example where professional advice can be of particular benefit. “When a golfer makes a hole-in-one they by and large realise there’s little chance of repeating it at the very next hole. There is skill involved but there’s also a lot of luck. It can be the same with investing,” he says. “If a client makes a 200 per cent gain on a short-term investment, overconfidence can be a danger. They might think they can keep repeating that kind of return. That could be a lack of judgment, and this is where a professional can help.” Losing sight of the reason why you’re playing golf or investing can be where the connection is most apparent. “The reason I play golf – my goal in the game, my plan – is to have fun,” says Sun. “I take one hole at a time and I always enjoy myself regardless of my score. In investing, you shouldn’t allow your emotions to get the better of you. You must stick to your plan and stick to the reason why you started investing in the first place.”
Golf & Investment
Academy
Haney Golf Tip Putting is the most unique part of the game. Even on Tour you see many different styles and strokes. But despite this, there are certain dos and don’ts that apply, and making sure you have the correct fundamentals will certainly better your chances of holing more putts. The first thing to consider is your grip on the putter. Every pro removes his or her glove when putting because it helps give them more feel. You should do this too. I favour a standard grip, which is also known as the reverse overlap. This is where the first finger of my left hand overlaps the little finger of my right hand (as I’m a right-handed player), with my thumbs pointing straight down the shaft. This makes it easier to keep the clubface square at impact, which in turn enables you to set the ball off on the intended line. The second point to note is the ball position. This should be forward in your stance, inside your left toe. This allows you to strike the ball at the start of the upswing, giving you a better roll. Finally, and just as importantly, keep your eyes over or inside the ball. There has never been a good putter who has his eyes outside the ball. It simply doesn’t allow you to strike the putt with any consistency. Follow these three fundamentals and you’ll be well on your way to making a few more putts!
"There has never been a good putter who has his eyes outside the ball."
For those investors out there, you might find golf and investing share a lot of similar attributes. Both require careful planning, patience, and discipline, to site a few examples. Charles Schwab, Hong Kong, Ltd., a financial services firm serving investors in Asia, certainly believes so. #8 Shared Principles
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here have been many financial companies that have sponsored golf tournaments over the years but there has surely never been one that can rival Charles Schwab in terms of its dedication to the game. The corporation, which is the Official Investment Firm of the PGA Tour in the U.S., has long held the belief that golf and investing share a lot of the same principles, which has led it to support the sport on both a global and local level through platforms as diverse as the Champions Tour’s Charles Schwab Cup and the Hong Kong Golf Association’s annual Rules Seminar. Golf, says James Sun, managing director of Charles Schwab, Hong Kong, Ltd., is at the very heart of the company. “Our founder, Chuck Schwab, understood the strength of the connections between investing and golf a long time ago and is 22
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passionate about the game,” says Sun, who took up playing seven years ago and has been hooked ever since. “We, as a corporation, have a lasting commitment to golf, one that continues to grow and expand, particularly now in Asia where the sport is becoming more and more popular.” Sun, who takes to the fairways at both Fanling and Discovery Bay when time allows, cites the emotional control required to be successful in either endeavor. “Golf and investing both ask you the same question: how good do you want to be? How much of your own time can you devote to getting better but, more importantly, what are your goals and how do you plan to reach them? Controlling your emotions, keeping both greed and fear in check, is key, which is why both disciplines benefit from the perspective of a professional – whether it be a golf coach like Hank Haney or an investment consultant.” HKGOLFER.COM
Hank Haney is a PGA Teaching Pro and a Charles Schwab client in the US To learn more from Hank, visit: www.ijgtasia.com. Hank Haney and the IJGT: Driving junior golf in Asia.
About Charles Schwab Charles Schwab Corporation’s Founder and Chairman, Mr Charles Schwab, is an avid golfer himself. Over the years, he has found both golf and investing are tough games and that there’s no short term fixes. His firm, which is the Official Investment Firm of the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, strives to guide investors along their investing journey, formulate plans, and provide resources to help investors be successful. When Schwab first opened its doors in 1971, the HKGOLFER.COM
company knew that the key to success would be For more on the connection getting the fundamentals right. By focusing on the between golf and investing, basics, the firm managed to take an early market visit: schwab.com.hk/golf lead, offering a combination of low prices with fast, efficient order executions, and soon became the United States’ largest discount broker. Today, the company is one of the US’s leading financial services firms with around US$1.92 trillion in client assets. Charles Schwab, Hong Kong, Ltd. is a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation. HK Golfer・JAN 2013
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