Patience & appreciation: Golf taught valuable lessons to Allcargo Logistics Chairman

April 13 , 2022

Source: Economictimes:

“Playing golf, to me, is a serious leisure,” says Shashi Kiran Shetty, Chairman, Allcargo Logistics. He says that while life of a leader is usually all about meetings, managing priorities and complexities round-the-clock, going to the Bombay Presidency Golf Club (BPGC) is his weekly ritual whenever he is in Mumbai. But that’s just one of his favourite places to play golf at.

“Apart from BPGC, Prestige Golfshire Club in Bengaluru and Classic Golf & Country Club near Gurugram where I participated in the World Corporate Golf Challenge and Aamby Valley Golf Club near Lonavala, Maharashtra where I played a few times during my brief stay in the hill station in 2020, are my favourites,” he shares.

In India, the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad and Oxford Golf Resort in Pune are special to him.

When it comes to international greens, Shetty has been lucky enough to play golf around the world. “Internationally, from my experience of playing at various golf courses in the US, Singapore, Dubai and Europe, Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, Richmond Park Golf Course in London, and Pine Valley Country Club in North Carolina top my list of favourites,” he tells ET Panache.

But, he’s not done yet and has quite a few courses on his bucket list. “The challenge for me is to block off time for those priceless experiences,” says Shetty. Leading his list is St. Andrews Old Course in Scotland and Augusta Masters as he considers it one of the most sought-after tournaments which attracts the who’s who of golf. “Another unforgettable experience for me would be to play in Mission Hills Club in China,” he shares.

Work & Play
Shetty says that golf has been his go-to game for years and says that it’s important that business leaders need a non-work passion to focus on and credits sport to helping with mental health. “Pursuing serious leisure in the form of non-work passions prevents business leaders from feeling overwhelmed with the increasing responsibilities. Golf gives me the much-needed space to defocus and refocus amidst overlapping demands,” he shares.

And the sport has also taught him some life skills. “Being an extremely disciplined game, it teaches you to develop patience. Over the years, golf has become a part of my life, giving me immense joy and offering opportunities to meet and get to know many interesting people across geographies,” shares Shetty.

However, the most important lesson golf has taught Shetty is the ability to appreciate the joys of life. “It’s taught me to enjoy life with what you have and find ways to make it better. Just like life, it takes you through a variety of emotions and teaches you to take life as it comes, especially when you cannot do much about it. You may play some holes quite well, but suddenly things can completely change. While playing with players who are more competent, more competitive, and knowledgeable, you learn to accept reality and push yourself. The rule of calling a penalty on oneself demonstrates how to be gracious in accepting mistakes,” he explains.

And it’s also helped him with his professional life. Shetty shares, “As you compete with yourself in golf to emerge as a better player, the process helps you explore new facets of your strategic decision-making ability. Golf taught me to become more focussed during critical decision-making processes involving multiple stakeholders, experts and analysts and their viewpoints.”

While the top boss has played with many top professional golfers, one game stands out for him. “Playing golf with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was a mesmerising experience for me in more ways than one. I would surely love to have the privilege of playing with him again,” says Shetty.

Some of the golfers he admires (and by his own admission, there are a lot!) include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Anirban Lahiri, Udayan Mane, just to name a few. “I am also especially impressed with the emerging young talents in India. We are supporting three extremely promising women golfers - Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs and Sneha Singh. I have played with them, and I admire their skill, hard work and determination,” says Shetty

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