Josh Beckett Reminds Me Why Hiring Golf Nuts is a Bad Idea

Veteran pitcher Josh Beckett ruffled some feathers in Boston when he recently played golf on his off day.  Beckett was scheduled to start the night before, but was a late scratch with a sore lat.  This may not have been a major issue in the Boston media if Beckett wasn't the perceived ring leader of a pitching staff that played video games, drank beer, and ate fried chicken while the Red Sox burned last September.

Beckett then compounded everything by sucking against Cleveland on Thursday and being defiant with the media when they asked about his golfing exploits.

The Beckett situation in Boston reminded me of something I believe to be true; no matter the line of work, never hire too many golf nuts.  You will need a few golfers, as golf can be the catalyst for many business deals.  However, golf nuts will find any excuse to ditch the office for the links.

If you're the boss you can play all the golf you want because YOU'RE THE BOSS!!!  However, when trying to manage employees the last thing you want is people who will swap the Blackberry for a nine iron at the drop of a hat.  Productivity will go down, and the bottom line will be affected.  If you do take a chance on a golf nut make sure he only golfs when you ask him to, or on the weekends.

Even though Beckett doesn't work a traditional 9 to 5, he certainly could have put in work instead of golfing on his off day.  Rather than rehab the sore lat muscle that caused him to miss a start, he put more stress on it by playing 18 holes.

Golf is an amazing game!  It's a game for a lifetime, but if you want to maintain maximum productivity at the office don't hire golf nuts.