Not only is the game of golf big business, but it's big IN business too. Millions of business transactions happen on the golf courses of the world nearly every day of the year. From sales negotiations to legal settlements, the golf club is as mighty as the pen when it comes to getting business done.

It's hard to separate the social from the business aspects of a workday spent on the links, and perhaps its better that way. You see, conducting business on the golf course is just as complicated as conducting business in the boardroom. only the environment and clothing are different.

While nearly everyone can grasp the obvious benefits of playing golf in business sales and negotiation situations, fewer people understand how to find other ways to use golf in business to drum up new customers.

While anyone who plays can invite a colleague, vendor, or co-worker for a round of 18 holes, how can the lone golfer benefit from the magic powers of golf in business?

It seems that Portsmouth, N.H business woman Dianne Durkin has found a unique approach. According to Durkin, she has snared a number of new clients for her business consulting firm by simply approaching the first tee alone and then getting matched up with others players who need to round out a foursome. Sometime during the game the talk always turns to business, and Durkin gets a chance to make her low-key sales pitch. Now that's one smart golfer!

There are other ways to ride the golf in business success train even if you've never touched a set of clubs yourself. one Long Island business executive, who had no interest in the game himself, hires salespeople who play and lets them entertain prospective clients on the area's courses. The end result is more sales, with a higher average dollar amount per sale, and another example of a clever way to make money from playing golf in business.

No matter what size community your business is located in, there are advertising, marketing and sponsoring opportunities tied to golf in business as well. You can sponsor local golf tournaments, or even start a tournament yourself that carries your company's name. If your business is oriented towards school-age children, donating golf shirts to the high school golf club is a great way to reach prospective customers and grab some golf in business publicity at the same time.

custom-printed golf towels, golf balls, golf hats, and other golf accessories make fine golf in business gifts as well. There are plenty of advertising speciality companies that can print these golf in business items up in any quantity that you need.

The key to leveraging golf in business is to think outside the box. You don't have to be a player to reap the benefits. You just need a golf in business strategy that's capable of getting your name on to the links even if your body remains in the office.

Richard Myers is a keen golfer and his web site http://www.thinkandreachpar.com and http://www.golfforleftys.com contains many free tips and great golfing advice plus training videos and DVDs to help you to improve your swing and lower your score using some very simple exercises.

John Hight, external production director for SCEA, is the overseer of PS3 games' digital distribution program, E-Distribution Initiative. He claims that this new distribution project will benefit Sony and open opportunities for game developers. Hight explains that online distribution erases inventory risks while being cost-effective. He asserts that this is Sony's contribution in the anti-piracy drive because online distribution will curtail the sales of used games and software transfer.

As added benefit for the developers and aspiring developers of PS3 games, the difficulties of breaking in the game publishing industry is minimized by the online platform. through the online platform new games by big and new developers can be tested with low risks in a medium that encourages quick feedback. There is no need to publish the game and get reviewers to test it. The prototype of the game is uploaded in the online platform where actual PS3 gamers can play it and post their own reviews. Hight asserts, in another dig at microsoft, that their company is committed to game development in the circle of its own studios. He reminds that microsoft relies on third party game developers to supply their live arcade with games. He even added that Sony opens platform doors for independent publishers who funded their own games. But not just any game can make it to Sony's online platform. Hight stresses that despite the openness of their platform, Sony is only looking for new and fresh ideas to benefit from the influence of the PS3.

Sony Computer Entertainment's Ken Kutaragi, amplifies the cost-efficiency of their online platform. He states that they expect high returns from the sales of downloadable PS3 games. He also denies reports about added fees and charges for playing and networking through the E-Distribution Initiative. He explains that all basic services from Sony's online platform will be free except for the downloads.

SCEA also confirms reports that some of their PS3 games, downloaded or not, are not compatible with Xbox 360. The company gives hardware demands and game designs as reasons behind the incompatibility. This confirmation coincided with the announcement of new game titles developed exclusively for Sony.

From these, Sony makes it clear that it is taking steps to compete with microsoft even in the online arena. Though the initial information released by SCEA is vague, the online platform clearly has two primary functions: PS3 games download and player interaction. Its basic functions are much like that of Microsoft's online platform. The PS3 games console is facing a tough challenge from xbox 360 because of its delayed launch. Whether the E-Distribution Initiative will face the same challenge remains to be seen when it collides with the more established xbox live arcade.