Mark在公司门口看见同事Robert.

Mark: Hey Robert…going on vacation? Looks like you’re planning on doing some golfing.

Robert: Yes, I will be playing golf, but I’m not going on vacation. I’m meeting up our New York office’s senior management team. We’ll be playing a few rounds and going over the merger plans.

M: Really? So when did you take up the sport?

R: Around two years ago I began to realize that if I could get on the golf course with other senior executives, it could open a lot of doors for me. At first I didn’t really enjoy it, but now I’m almost a golf fanatic.

Robert要跟纽约办公室的高层主管打高尔夫 play a few rounds,同时讨论并购的事。Mark 问他是什么时候开始打高尔夫球的,这里用的动词是 take up, to take up sth. 意思是开始做某件事情。Robert说,他两年前开始觉得,打高尔夫 could open a lot of doors for me. 可以帮助自己打开很多大门,得到更多机会。Robert说,他刚开始打的时候也不太喜欢,但现在已经快变成 golf fanatic 了。fanatic is spelled f-a-n-a-t-i-c, fanatic 是指对某件事疯狂的人,比如,a jazz fanatic 爵士乐迷,a basketball fanatic 篮球迷。Mark 听后说:

M: I see. So you meet a lot of business executives on the course, huh?

R: Yeah, definitely. It’s a good way to network.

M: Isn’t golf really expensive?

R: To be perfectly honest, golf is a bit of a status symbol…and yes…it can be an expensive game. There are green fees, caddy fees and charges for renting the golf cart.

M: But the business opportunities are worth it.

R: Absolutely. I read somewhere that a high percentage of senior business executives play golf.

M: It sounds like it’s almost mandatory to learn golf if you want to climb the corporate ladder.

Robert说自己在高尔夫球场上能遇到很多商业界高层主管。这里说的 on the course 指的就是 golf course. It’s a good way to network. 打高尔夫球是认识人,积累人脉的好办法,network在这里是动词,意思是建立人际关系。打高尔夫球确实需要钱,要交 green fees球场费;caddy fees球童费,cart rental fees 租车费,但是能认识更多的人,得到更多机会,还是值得的。Mark说,看来,如果想在企业里升迁 climb the corporate ladder 就必须学打高尔夫球。

R: Networking is a big plus….but I think another reason executives enjoy the golf course is that it gives them an excuse to get out in the fresh air and connect with nature.

M: I can understand that. If you turn off your cell phone or Blackberry you can hear birds chirping and enjoy a fresh breeze. It’s a nice break from a hectic office.

R: It is a good way to recharge, but you’re right: golf primarily is a social sport. You get a chance to talk and get to know people on a different level on the golf course than you do in the boardroom.

公司高层愿意出去打高尔夫球,除了建立人脉以外,也是为了能离开 hectic office 忙碌的办公室,投入大自然的怀抱,It’s a good way to recharge. 是个充电的好办法。Robert 觉得,高尔夫主要还是一种 social sport 社交型运动,让你在董事会议事厅以外,换个环境,换个层面,在高尔夫球场上去彼此了解。