Happy Father’s Day, Stefan Schauffele: Teamwork makes the dream work!

Would you say happy Father’s Day to an ogre?

I do. Every year.

Just so we’re clear, my team calls my dad The Ogre because we see him as a man-eating giant. His personality and physical stature make him seem like he could devour the world.

But he wouldn’t do that. He just wants to take a big bite out of it occasionally. So he’s kind of like a large cookie monster. … Smoking a cigar.

A lot of the guys on the PGA Tour like to joke that our team is more like a traveling circus than Sesame Street. And my dad is the ringmaster, walking around during tournaments, goofing off, and having fun with everyone. But that’s probably because he’s not their coach.

I also get to see the other side.

He was always a strict father — for example, he wouldn’t let me watch my swing until it was perfect. Which it’s still not, by the way.

But he’s also a very lighthearted dad. And as our relationship has evolved since he became my swing coach after college, I want that ogre. I need it. The whole team does.

We need that guy who can provide levity when the pressure is on. But we also need him to lay down the law.

Teamwork and agility

Speaking of teamwork, my dad also likes to remind me that no one can be a pro golfer by themselves. And he speaks from experience.

You see, for a while there, the entire team was me and him. So, he’s worn a lot of hats. Over the years, he’s been everything from caddy to coach, manager to travel agent. All with a certain style.

I think that gave him the sort of complete view he needed to see how to grow our ogrenization — I mean organization — successfully. It gave him the vision to help me surround myself with the right people. And ever since I was a child, it’s been all about a positive mindset.

Literally, if you want to be on this team, you must have a positive outlook.

Having a strong, optimistic team in place helps us to be agile and adapt to new environments. For example, when playing a tournament, one day, the wind’s 15 North. The next day, it’s 25 Southeast. If we want to win, we have to adjust quickly to that. There’s no sense in complaining.

The key is agility, which gives us the ability to successfully adapt to those constantly changing environments. Each team member is so crucial in terms of me being able to adapt on the fly. If I break down each team member’s job, it really drives home why I need a team around me.

“Once Xander is on the course, he can let go of everything else,” my dad said recently. “He knows everything has been taken care of. He can focus on the moment to hit the shot that gives us the best possible outcome.”

The ogre: our ultimate X factor

I owe my dad a lot. It took a lot of hard work on his part for me to become a professional golfer. And through it all, he’s also been my mental guru.

Can he be a bit abrasive at times? Sure. But he keeps me focused on being positive, so I can be more free flowing. That helps me stay loose and play my best game.

I think it’s the same thing in the business world. You want your employees to be positive, passionate, and armed with the information they need to play at their top level. If the business climate changes abruptly, like the wind shifting from 15 North to 25 Southeast, they need to know.

Immediately.

While I might be the one out on the course making the actual shots, there’s a whole team behind me — from Austin helping me choose the right club, to my dad coaching my on my swing and life, to my mom keeping us all in check. It takes all of us, working together at our top levels, to win.

And I thank my dad for putting it all together.

Would you tell an ogre he’s your best friend? I do. All the time.

So, dad, I’d like to wish you the happiest of Father’s Days.