The Mind Game

A lot of guys count their money as a way to win the psychological battle.

A Suki — the type who looks to unnerve you, to skew your rationality.

 Guys like that will give you a nickname.

Take the first letter — say your name’s Michael.

 He won’t use it.

 He’ll call you Max.

These real estate guys — you have to watch out.

 They rely on your reaction.

 You’ve got to let a man like that show his hand first —

 to understand what he’s assuming.

Front nine — bunt 3-wood off the tee.

 Pad the man’s ego.

 He’ll tell you how great he is — a rehearsed story every tee box.

How much money his wife spends.

 How he once found a stack of cash and returned it.

 Who he knows, and how prominent he is.

Talk driven not out of fascination with composition or articulation of ideas —

 but to claim superiority.

Stay on guard. Play your game.

 Play the course in this circumstance.

The back nine?

 You only need the driver once.

That walk down the fairway after —

 that’s when you see what a man like that is really made of.

Linear-success guys — the monetary type —

 they surround themselves with yes-men.

 It’s common.

When you’re forced into agreement, make it so you’re not disarming your psychology.

 Otherwise, you’ll be thrown off your game.

Last time I sat in a room with Suki,

 he didn’t know, I didn't know — Phinda is my dad.

I’ve wondered recently —

 what nickname he’s given me.

Will he use it when we play?