fit tips
Photo by Katie Cardner
One of HAC’s
golf teams at the
2015 HAC Golf Outing.
Join us on August 15th
for the 2016 event at
Hartfeld National
Golf Club!
Gift of the Game:
3 FINANCIAL PLANNING LESSONS
LEARNED FROM GOLF
by Lisa LaMarche CFP®, CPA
I took up golf about five years
ago and have been surprised by
the many lessons I’ve learned.
Foremost, I never would have
dreamed I could find time to play
or would even enjoy the game
if I did play. Now, I don’t know
what I would do without golf
to occupy a significant portion
of my leisure time. As a wealth
manager, I quickly discovered
many parallels between golf and
managing personal finances
and investments. Like golf,
investing and personal
finance can often be an
elusive challenge for many
people, but it doesn’t have
to be. Consider the following
guidelines and you’ll have a
much greater chance at success
with both.
Lisa is a Partner and Certified Financial Planner™ of
Milestone Wealth Advisors. Milestone Wealth Advisors is
a comprehensive wealth management firm that provides
honest, independent advice that always serves the best
interest of each client. Lisa’s goal is to ensure that clients
feel in control of their finances and can confidently make
decisions regarding their retirement, investments, risk
management and estate planning.
BE PATIENT
AND PERSISTENT
Consistent improvement with your golf game
takes time, and it’s not a linear process. I
can’t count the number of times I’d practice
diligently on my swing and start to see
improvement, only to be followed by a series
of bad rounds. Believe me, I wanted
to bail on the whole thing, but
players who really improve
don’t blow up the strategy
after a few bad shots. Just
like the markets, there
will be lots of ups and
downs and you may
want to quit. A really
bad day of putting can
be quite humbling. Just
remember: you can’t
grow if you don’t play the
game. It will be worth your
while to stick it out.
TAKE LESSONS OR
HIRE A COACH
Is it possible to learn golf on your own?
Absolutely, but the quicker route to success
is typically by consulting a professional
who can better educate you and help you
avoid some disastrous mistakes. You see
where I’m going with this. As an advisor,
I routinely help my clients by educating
them about the complex world of finance
– offering strategies to reach their goals
while navigating potential challenges and
obstacles. When you land in a hazard, you
need to assess your options: do you try to
hit out, or take a drop and penalty stroke?
You might not even know the right questions
to ask. A coach will help identify where you
are now and develop a plan to improve your
short and long game. They will also help you
maintain the discipline to stick to your plan.
I know that after seeking professional
guidance, I made significantly
more progress in my game
than I would have been able
to achieve on my own.
PLAY YOUR
OWN GAME
I think the most
important lesson that
golf teaches is to play
your own game – not
the game our neighbor
is playing. Everyone is
an “expert” these days,
especially when they seem to
be winning big with a strategy they
swear is the secret to their success. Too
often people let the performance of others
affect how they play their own game. Yes, we
definitely can learn from great players, but
adjusting our approach to imitate theirs often
leads to problems. Investing is just the same.
Your friend’s appealing stock tip may not be
the right fit for your risk tolerance or time
horizon. Your financial situation, your goals,
and your plan are all uniquely yours so it’s
imperative that you stick to your own strategy
for achieving the best outcome for you.
enhance magazine | JULY 2016
15