A WORD FROM THE TEAM PRINCIPAL; CAMP CONFIDENTIAL

This weekend we launched our first episode of 'Camp Confidential', our behind-the-scenes documentary mini mini-series filmed at our pre-season training camp in Orlando this winter. Majesticks GC didn’t have the best season on the course in 2023, and we felt it was important to bring everyone together to reset, re-examine, and reconnect with each other ahead of the 2024 season.

We made the decision to invite cameras into our camp: we wanted to be open and show the work that goes into preparation for a season, both on and off the course.

In a game of such fine margins, every shot counts. Last year we finished 11th out of 12 in the overall team standings, but the margin of difference between us and first was 1.96 shots per player per counting round. This is by no means insurmountable, but as with any performance gap it is important, we break this down into digestible and realistic targets for the future.

Our team is comprised of three co-captains and co-owners of the team: Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Henrik Stenson, and then Sam Horsfield, who is our rising star. It can create an interesting dynamic, but we’re very clear that we want to create a supportive, respectful and open atmosphere.

One of the things you’ll see in this first episode is myself and Ollie Banks, my Co-Team Principal, taking the players through the stats and season review, and taking an honest look at what’s happened, why it’s happened, and what we all think we should do differently to get the best out of ourselves in 2024.

This is something that I believe strongly in both in sport and in business: we cannot improve, and we cannot succeed without honesty, that extends to looking at ourselves as well as each other. If someone sees something that can add value, they should feel comfortable enough to share it, and team mates should know that this is always with respect and positive intention. Equally, we all need to look internally and think: what do I want, and how am I going to get there. If everything stays the same, it’s fair to expect that the outcomes will stay the same too.

Not performing to our own expectations on the course gives us the opportunity to make changes, come together as a team, and I believe the ultimate motivator can be having a point to prove. How many of us have succeeded after being told we can’t; harness the negativity, silence the noise, and turn it into your greatest triumph.

Success comes from choosing to learn, choosing to change, and choosing to be honest.

Whilst off the course we’ve been very successful this year, through developing our partner programming and launching four partners to date, being the most-followed team on social media, and topping the LIV leaderboard for our charity and community work, we know we can’t afford to stand still. You have to constantly innovate to stay successful, or as one of my first bosses used to not so bluntly put it ‘evolve or die!’.

With that in mind, this week I’ve asked my (off-course) team to also have a look at how they want to work in 2024, by identifying one thing they want to stop doing, one thing they want to start doing, one thing to do more, and one to do less.

If you were to set these goals for yourself, what would they look like? And how often would you review and reset these goals?

This week I have five takeaways that could be applied to any business or your own role:

1. Don’t give up: turn disappointment into success through learning and change.

2. Incremental gains make all the difference: you don’t need to reinvent everything overnight.

3. Have confidence: you may not be the oldest or most experienced person in your team, but you are there for a reason, and your experience, knowledge and perspective are valuable.

4. Create an open and honest environment where you and your team have confidence and trust to speak openly without fear of judgment. Sometimes someone’s else’s perspective is just what you need.

5. Never stop learning: even if you’re successful, or you’re at the top of your game, you still have something to learn.