Strategy 4 Saturday Blog (<4 minute read)

Bandon Dunes Golf: Tradition matters

On the first night of the Heiney Invitational, my brother-in-law Ben leads the opening ceremonies. In the early years, it was simple recognition, years attended, stories told, hands shaken. Over time, it has evolved.

Engraved golf balls. Custom towels. Hats. And yes, a logo.

“Pissman.”

You can use your imagination on how that originated.

This year marked the XXV Heiney Invitational, and I brought the commemorative mug, complete with the Pissman logo and the inscription: “Ask Me About My Blow-Up Hole.” During my portion of the ceremony, each golfer shared a horror story from years past.

I have several.

But Hole #12 at Bandon Dunes has been a recurring nightmare. Wind. Trouble. Poor decisions. A running theme.

This year? A miraculous long putt off the green for birdie.

Redemption tastes better when it’s delayed.

The 25th Heiney Invitational

We arrived expecting sideways rain all week. Instead, most rounds stayed dry, almost deceptively so, until the final day when two hours of torrential rain shut everything down.

Which leads to the lesson.

The Plan Is the Plan… Until It’s Not.

One moment you’re executing.
Next moment, the plan is irrelevant.

That’s not just golf. That’s business.

I’ve attended this event for years not as a host, but as a participant. The Heiney isn’t about elite scores. It’s about tradition, shared history, quiet competition, and honoring something bigger than one round.

In business, culture and continuity often outperform flash and novelty, especially when conditions turn.

My Coach: A Caddie

After two years away from golf following double-hernia surgery, I made one small change.

I hired a caddie.

I was rusty. Tight. Managing every swing. Thinking mechanics instead of target.

AJ, my caddie, did something deceptively simple:

He reduced noise.

No swing theory. No over-analysis.
Just the right club. The right line.
And the confidence to commit.

I stopped managing myself and started executing.

Tee shots were long and in the fairway. My scores were better than normal. More importantly, I was calmer.

That’s the strategy lesson.

The right coach doesn’t add complexity. They: 

•  subtract it.
• don’t swing the club for you
• help you see the course
• remind you where not to miss

When to play conservatively.
When to take the calculated risk.

Most leaders don’t need more information.
They need clearer priorities and fewer decisions at the moment.

In our CAPTAIN framework, this is the difference between reacting and navigating. Clarity. Alignment. Priorities. Timing. Accountability. Navigation. Just 40 hours of insights per year, to change the direction of your company.

You still have to swing the club.

But you don’t have to read the wind alone.

Excellence Without Excess

Bandon itself reinforces this principle.

No carts.
No distractions.
Just wind, weather, and walking.

Excellence without excess.

The businesses that endure often look the same, strong foundations, trusted relationships, and advisors who have seen storms before.

Execution improves when noise decreases. Confidence rises when roles are clear.

Stewardship Over Ego

The Invitational also carries deeper meaning. It honors those who came before us, founders, mentors, teammates who set the standards we now inherit.

Strategy isn’t just forward-looking. It’s stewardship.

You don’t abandon the course because the weather shifts.
You adapt. Respect the conditions. Keep moving.

This year, I left sharper than when I arrived.

Not because I played more holes.
But because I paused, accepted help, and trusted experience over ego.

A Special Thank You

A quick note of gratitude.

Our friends Dave and Christina Noel, and clients at S2 Imaging, produced our XXV annual mugs in less than 24 hours. Impressive turnaround.

They also handled the signage for our 40 Strategy Growth Workshop last year, and the quality was exceptional. We’re grateful for partners who execute with that level of precision.

My Challenge to You This Saturday

Create space.

Find your coach.

Reduce the noise.

When the storm hits, and it will, clarity beats control every time.

And if you’re navigating heavy wind right now, maybe it’s time to stop reading it alone.