Taking a chip shot: Golf techniques for precision plays in business

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About this Website

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The content of this Website (including microsites) has been prepared by Cape Capital AG, with its registered address at Utoquai 55, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland (“Cape Capital”), duly registered at the commercial register of the Canton of Zurich with number CHE-109.617.147. and contains the views and opinions of the particular individuals and is for general information and marketing purposes only. All copyrights and other rights, included but not limited to logos and registered trademarks relating to the entire content of the Website are reserved exclusively to Cape Capital or the specifically designated right holders. Any use, in particular the reproduction or publication in full or in part is permitted only with the prior written consent of Cape Capital. Cape Capital may from time to time suspend the operation of this Website for repair, maintenance or improvement work, or in order to update or upgrade its content or functionality. Cape Capital may also change the format, content and/or access of this Website at any time at its sole discretion without notice. Although Cape Capital believes that information provided on this Website is based on reliable sources, content on this Website is presented only as of the date published or indicated, and may be superseded by subsequent market events or for other reasons. Therefore Cape Capital cannot assume responsibility for the quality, correctness, timeliness or completeness of the information contained herein. Unless otherwise stated, the numbers/figures on the Website are unaudited.

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Cape Capital is a regulated asset manager of collective assets according to the Federal Act on Financial Institutions of 15 June 2018 (FinIA) and supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, Laupenstrasse 27, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland (FINMA). The Website contains information about various collective investments (“Funds”) which may have been registered or otherwise notified for distribution and marketing in the jurisdiction you have selected. Please note, that such registration or notification does not mean that the Funds are suitable for all investors and their investment objectives, financial situation and risk profile. As an asset manager of collective assets, Cape Capital is, among others, subject to the rules under the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA), the Swiss Collective Investment Schemes Act (CISA) and the Swiss Financial Institutions Act (FinIA).Cape Capital is affiliated to the following Ombudsman according to FinSA: Finanzombudsstelle Schweiz (FINOS), Talstrasse 20, CH-8001 Zurich, Switzerland. For further information, please refer to the General Client Information Document available on the Website which forms an integral part of these Conditions.

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Nothing contained on this Website constitutes a solicitation, an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any Cape Capital Funds or other financial instruments, nor does it constitute any form of personal investment advice which takes into account your personal circumstances. Cape Capital does not provide investment, legal, tax or other advice through this Website and nothing herein should be construed as such advice. Cape Capital does not represent that any Cape Capital collective assets or financial instruments mentioned on this Cape Capital website are suitable for any investor. Investment or other decisions should be made solely on the basis of the relevant product and/or service documents (prospectus/offering memorandum, fund contract/articles, key information documents, financial reports) of the respective collective investment. If not a Cape Capital client, it is strongly recommended to contact a professional financial advisor, tax consultant or other qualified expert in order to determine whether an investment in a Fund or other financial instrument corresponds to the specific requirements and preferred level of risk of the investor.

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Risk Considerations

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The provision of financial services and investments in Funds and other financial instruments involve opportunities but also bear risks, including the risk that the value of investments and the income therefrom may fall or rise and investors may not get back the full amount invested or may even lose all of their investment. Investors should ensure to have fully understood such risks before taking any investment decisions. Cape Capital strongly advises to consult the brochure “Risks Involved in Trading Financial Instruments” of the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) as well as the relevant documents of the respective Fund or financial instrument and to seek professional investment advice before taking any decision to invest. Investors should note, that these Conditions do not represent a complete statement of risks associated to a Fund or a financial instrument. Past performance is no indication of current or future performance. Performance data do not include commissions and costs incurred by investors when subscribing or redeeming Fund shares.Investments, in particular collective investments in private equity, venture capital and other illiquid assets involve an above-average degree of risk, including the risk that losses may even exceed the original investment and should be seen as long-term in nature.

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The access and use of this Website, and these present Conditions are governed by substantive Swiss law with the exclusion of the conflict of law principles. The place of jurisdiction is Zurich, Switzerland.

Last Update: October 2024

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Golf coach Simon Holmes talks strategy, performing under pressure and risk management.

Golf and business have long been linked, and not just because playing a few rounds with clients was traditionally seen as a networking opportunity. In fact, the two have a surprising number of parallels. From leadership to planning and how to perform well under pressure, there are many techniques that translate from the bunker to the boardroom – as respected British golf coach Simon Holmes who has taught over 100 tournament pros can attest.

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A junior golfer who pivoted to coaching after a serious hand injury in the early 90s, Simon started out working with Nick Faldo at the height of his career (other big-name players he has trained include Bernard Langer, Nik Price, and Seve Ballesteros). Fast forward to today, and, alongside coaching the likes of Colin Montgomerie, he has an eponymous golf academy aimed at all abilities, regularly appears on the Sky Sports presenting panel, and holds seminars for global tech and finance companies.

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‘At a certain point I began meeting CEOs and saw that many of them were completely unprepared if, for instance, the stock market crashed,’ he recalls, of when he realised that sports strategy could be successfully applied to the world of business too. ‘They led in a very chaotic, stressful way. Why wouldn't you have a document that details three possible stock market scenarios? If it does crash you can refer to the plan, rather than having a complete panic. The way they prepared their teams versus how incredibly precisely sportsmen are prepared was so different. Coaches don’t want peaks and troughs: we strive for consistency.’

Central to having a long-term vision is, he says, focusing on the process itself rather than immediate results. ‘Sometimes a ball goes in the hole, sometimes it doesn’t, but as a player the needle shouldn’t move either way. Success and failure are only outcomes: they’re not to do with process.’ In other words, wins and losses need to be built into a wider blueprint for success – a future-forward outlook that benefits business too, whether the aim is to achieve sustainable growth or expand market share.

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Firstly, Simon believes that as a leader it’s impossible to implement change quickly or for a team as a whole. Instead, it’s about honing in on the skills, strengths and weaknesses of each individual. ‘In my experience, often the expectations of business managers around how much their employees can change is way too big. Think about a football team: you train each player and upgrade their skills. Then when they come back together, they should work more efficiently to achieve their collective goals and communicate better as a unit. It’s the same in business. To expect change overnight is setting everyone up to fail.’

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He believes that sportsmen are very good at concentrating on specific areas of their game that need improving. ‘As a former player, I’ve always been conscious of the bandwidth that someone can handle when they are trying to win a big championship under the spotlight,’ he says. ‘It’s a case of simplifying as much as possible, and isolating one or two skills to upgrade. That way, whatever’s going on around them, they can keep going with those two thoughts.’

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The same process is applied whether someone is about to take their first putt or the winning shot of the game. ‘I build a routine, a step-by-step process. Perhaps they always take their gloves off while they reset and work out how they’re going to execute their next move, so that even when performing under pressure, nothing changes,’ he says. Such a methodical approach could, of course, be equally useful in business during key decision-making moments or when handling high-stakes negotiations.

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Alex Vukajlovic, Cape’s Founder and CEO agrees with Simon’s sentiments, and as an avid golfer himself draws his own parallels between golfing and industry;

“Golf is a great leveller – there’s no place for egos on the golf course, just as there isn’t when you’re managing other people’s money. Making an error of judgement for the sake of riding a trend or looking to find a moment to shine, is a big mistake and will be hard, if not impossible, to come back from. Golf, like investing, is a game of consistency, staying the course and remaining humble.”

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While both golfers and those in business can better their own performance, there are many external factors that can’t be controlled, from opponent strategies to shifting landscapes (both literally on a golf course, or in, for instance, market conditions). ‘Golfers who play well, evaluate the situation in a tournament and adapt by choosing the best option available. If my opponent has three birdies in a row, I can’t do anything about that. All I can do is adjust my game in a calm, considered manner and navigate the changing environment,’ he says.

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Much like in circumstances where markets are volatile and there is financial risk, ‘golfers are managing risk all the time, playing against an unknown outcome.’ And it’s the job of the coach (or business leader) to ensure that his team or players have the diagnostic toolkit they need to do that. ‘As a leader, your decisions impact the team below that you're trying to support. A stable process gives confidence all the way through the chain,’ continues Simon.

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‘We don’t move quickly in sports but we really take care that we are going in the right direction; I don’t necessarily see that as a thread in some corporate organisations.’

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Perhaps most of all though, he thinks that it’s important to be mentally present, whatever industry you’re in. ‘Where you've come from is not as impactful as where you are going. If someone is stressed about a previous loss, they aren’t going to be efficient now. Golfers are very good at forgiving their successes and failures, and coming back the next day with the same attitude.’

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