BUSINESS DRIVING FORCE
ON AND OFF THE FAIRWAY

Enthusiastic golfers have great potential as businessmen and vice versa, according to a recent sports study.

Research by Professor Craig Mahoney, on behalf of Michelob, suggests that successful golfers and businessmen share many of the same transferable qualities, such as the nerve to take risks, uncompromising motivation and unswerving concentration.

Professor Craig Mahoney comments: "Both golfers and businessmen are good decision makers and they have well-developed mental rehearsal skills, excellent for reducing stress and improving the chance of success."

Mark Stancer, golf operations manager at De Vere Slaley Hall in Northumberland backs the reports findings. He comments: "The similarities between golfers and businessmen are remarkable. The skills involved in playing golf, such as judgment, determination, ambition and focus, are very similar to the skills required in making a success of business and this is very much reflected in players on the courses at Slaley Hall.

"As a golf professional myself, with business responsibilities, I can particularly relate to the study findings. Many skills that are used on the golf course directly apply to an office environment, for example, the decision to play it safe or to gamble, depending on your assessment of what the outcome will achieve.

Mark adds: "In particular, I have found in my own experience that golfers and businessmen alike tend to employ a method of systems and execution. Both golf and business rely upon the execution of a system to move forward – in golf to improve play and lower handicaps and in business to run efficiently and effectively.

"Just as businessmen form the fundamental strategies to successfully complete a business operation, golfers develop the fundamental skills to hit good shots. Businessmen have a great ability to look at the overall game when playing golf, rather than individual holes, and plan their play accordingly."

Mark concludes: "However, although a large population of golfers are typically from the white collar management sector, we have found that membership at Slaley Hall is certainly broadening and that players from varying job sectors are also finding certain skills that are transferable from their work roles onto the golf course."

De Vere Slaley Hall can be found west of Newcastle, set in 1,000 acres of prime Northumberland forest and moorland and surrounded by two championship golf courses. While the hotel includes many original Edwardian features, it also provides a broad range of four-star facilities such as a leisure club and health and beauty spa.