Introduction to Business 101: Golf with THE Chuck
A Tribute to Enduring American Grit
January 16 – January 19, 2026
Dedicated to Americans who understand that real leadership doesn’t punch a clock, borders aren’t suggestions, families aren’t optional, and strength isn’t negotiable—especially when the noise is loud, the takes are hotter than a cart path in July, and the stakes are global.
(Best enjoyed with a properly built Col. Mike Ford Old Fashioned, a Deployment Freedom Cigar burning slow and honest, and the quiet confidence that somewhere—against all odds—an adult is still minding the store while everyone else is updating their LinkedIn headline.)
Cold-Humor Opener — Workcation, Real Work
I started writing this week’s column during a workcation with my wife Chrisi in Southern California—splitting time between Coronado and San Diego. Sunshine, golf, ocean air, Navy jets overhead, and the subtle reminder that freedom is expensive, professionalism is quiet, and none of it runs on hashtags.
It’s the kind of setting that makes people assume you’ve “checked out.” What they miss is that leadership doesn’t stop because the weather’s perfect or because someone decided work-life balance means no work at all.
While most people think leadership means podiums, applause lines, and professionally distressed jeans, the real work happens quietly—between meetings, between tee boxes, and sometimes between flights where the Wi-Fi barely works but decisions still do.
That contrast matters.
Because between January 16 and January 19, 2026, the White House wasn’t coasting. It wasn’t vibing. It wasn’t “circling back.” It was closing out a year.
So grab your clubs. Stretch first. Let’s tee it up.
WEEKEND LESSONS TEED UP
(January 16 – January 19, 2026)
Lesson 1 — Leverage Is a Strategy, Not a Soundbite
Thursday, January 16
President Trump marked the eve of his one-year return to office by doubling down on a principle every business leader eventually learns the hard way: leverage only works if you’re actually willing to use it—and not apologize for it afterward.
That showed up loud and clear in the renewed push to acquire Greenland, framed unapologetically as a national security imperative. Trump made it plain that allies who block U.S. objectives shouldn’t expect unlimited access to American markets, floating reciprocal tariffs as the enforcement mechanism.
Translation: friendship is great. Freeloading is not.
He also issued a Religious Freedom Day Proclamation, a subtle reminder that values—like leverage—aren’t self-executing. They require someone willing to take the heat while everyone else debates fonts.
Business Translation: Negotiation without leverage is just a meeting that could’ve been an email.
Golf Translation: You don’t aim for the pin if you’re terrified of sand.
Leadership Takeaway: Clear positions create movement. Vague intentions create task forces.
Lesson 2 — End the Year by Showing the Receipts
Friday, January 17
As the administration rolled into its one-year anniversary window, the White House leaned hard into what it called “365 wins in 365 days.” No mood boards. No interpretive dance. Just numbers.
Among the highlights:
- Eight straight months of zero catch-and-release (apparently enforcement works when enforced)
- 1.9 million illegal immigrants voluntarily self-deported
- Reciprocal tariffs generating $297B in revenue
- DOGE-driven cost savings totaling $215B (yes, with receipts)
- Gas prices at their lowest level in more than four years
- Best military recruitment numbers in 15 years—turns out purpose still beats perks
Trump also issued a full endorsement of Rep. Barry Moore in Alabama’s U.S. Senate primary, reminding everyone that political capital, like money, does no good sitting idle in a drawer.
Business Translation: If you don’t track results, you’re just telling stories.
Golf Translation: The scorecard doesn’t care how pure that practice swing felt.
Leadership Takeaway: Results silence critics faster than explanations—and with fewer follow-up questions.
Lesson 3 — Order Still Matters
Saturday, January 18
Saturday underscored a theme woven through the entire term: structure still matters, even when chaos is trending.
Trump announced plans for an executive order protecting the Army–Navy football game from postseason and NIL and NFL interference—one rivalry where duty still outranks dollars and tradition hasn’t been replaced by sponsorship patches. Some things, once sold, can’t be bought back.
The day also included events marking the renaming of a major Palm Beach roadway to President Donald J. Trump Boulevard—a symbolic reminder that impact leaves a mark, whether people clap, complain, or furiously post about it.
Meanwhile, immigration enforcement continued at full throttle, even as federal judges in Minnesota imposed temporary limits—proof that resistance doesn’t disappear just because policy starts working.
Business Translation: Culture collapses when standards get optional.
Golf Translation: You don’t rewrite the rules because the round got uncomfortable.
Leadership Takeaway: Institutions survive when someone is willing to protect them—and take the after burner heat.
Lesson 4 — Finish Strong, Then Get on the Plane
Sunday, January 18
Sunday was about closing loops, not victory laps.
Trump marked the eve of the one-year anniversary of his second term, then gaggled with reporters in Palm Beach before departing for the World Economic Forum in Davos—preparing to lead the largest-ever U.S. delegation. No victory cigar yet. Still work to do.
Foreign policy dominated the forward look:
- Continued pressure on NATO allies regarding Greenland
- Ongoing oversight of Venezuelan stabilization efforts following Maduro’s removal
- Advancement of the proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza reconstruction
All of it building on a year that already included:
- Operation Midnight Hammer targeting Iranian nuclear facilities
- A ceasefire between Israel and Gaza
- Operation Absolute Resolve, successfully extracting Nicolás Maduro
Business Translation: You don’t celebrate the quarter until the contracts are signed.
Golf Translation: You play the 18th like it still counts—because it does.
Leadership Takeaway: Momentum is built by finishing, not by pausing for applause.
Bonus Lesson — When the Crowd Stands, It Matters
Monday, January 19 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day & the National Championship Game
The long MLK weekend capped off not just a major holiday but a moment few expected: President Trump stood at the Miami vs. Indiana College Football National Championship, and as the national anthem played, the crowd erupted — cheering his presence with chants of “USA! USA!” and applause that carried well beyond the stadium walls. The moment wasn’t about politics, it was about Americans united in one voice for the anthem, the flag, and the simple pride that tends to rise up when the stakes are big and the crowd is invested. In an era where sporting events are increasingly fractious, this one held a moment of real, spontaneous appreciation — a reminder that large national gatherings sometimes translate to large national sentiment.
Golf Sidebar — What the Foursome Really Means
Who Trump played with matters far less than why he plays. The golf course remains one of the last places where conversations are unfiltered, phones stay quiet, and nobody pretends a bad shot was “strategic.” Deals don’t always get signed there—but trust often does.
One-Liners from the Tee Box
- “Leverage isn’t rude—it’s necessary.”
- “Results don’t argue back.”
- “Some games shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder.”
- “Finish strong or don’t bother starting.”
- “Mulligans are for golf, not leadership.”
Wrap-Up — A Proper Finish
I wrapped part of this column still in Southern California at cigar-friendly McP’s Irish Pub, Chrisi nearby, a solid cigar within reach, and the familiar realization that real leadership—like a good golf swing—depends on fundamentals, discipline, and actually following through.
From January 16 through January 19, 2026, the message was unmistakable: borders matter, leverage works, traditions deserve protection, and leadership doesn’t coast into anniversaries—it earns them.
— Chuck Cordak
“Life’s too short for weak pours, weak swings, or leaders who confuse comfort with competence.”
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