What Makes a Player Great Under Pressure?

Bobby Jones once said, " there is golf and then there is tournament golf. "  Having taught golf for 20 years  I can't agree more with this quote.  A casual game of golf with friends is usually relaxing and enjoyable but competition for most players is a stressful and nerve wracking experience.

It has taken many years of study and experience to finally understand competitive golf and what makes up a good tournament player.  Primarily, a consistent player has a different set of priorities than other golfers.  For example,  most golfers put the emphasis of the practice on their swing or some other physical part of the game.  Perhaps for you its chipping or putting, but never the less most players work mostly on some part of their game that involves hitting the golf ball.

Champion golfers, however, work more on the mental aspects of their games.  Specifically, they work on their pre-shot routines more than they do their swings.  By investing time in your routine you will be building good habits that translate directly to the golf course and will help you shoot lower scores. 

A good, practiced, and familiar routine is vital to success in competition because it is the only part of your game that is truly under your control.  The wind might howl or your swing might feel out of kilter, but your routine can be good each and every round.  This good routine will help you minimize the damage caused by your missed shots and keep you calm and relaxed during the round.

Competitive golf can be summed up by saying, " the winner of the tournament will most likely be the one who was able to stay with their routine from this first round to the last, no matter what was happening around them."  This is evident in all great players and something we can all do regardless of skill level or experience.

How to Set Up for Good Putting

Consistent putting starts with a good set up.  Specifically, how your putter is sitting on the ground has a major influence on where the face of the putter is truly aimed.

This is due to the loft on the putter face.  In the picture below it is easy to see that an iron that is sitting properly with the sole flat on the ground will be aimed true, directly at the hole.

 

It is also easy to see that if the same club is sitting in a toe-up position it will be aimed left of the hole due to the loft on the face.

In contrast to an iron most putters have only 4-5 degrees of loft which can be  difficult to see. Make no mistake though, if your putter is not sitting flat on the ground that small amount of loft is enough to affect the line on which your ball will start.    

If your putter is sitting in a toe-up position as shown in the picture below, your ball is likely to start to left of the hole.

 

The fact that the loft affects alignment  can be confusing for the player who sets up to the ball with a putter that  appears to be aimed correctly but is actually misaligned due to its placement on the ground.

 

Before you head out play your next round, take a look at your set up in a mirror and specifically how your putter is sitting on the ground.  Make sure it is flat on the ground and you will be sure to make more putts.  

How to rate your game.

When it comes to rating a good round of golf it is common to have players rate only a low score as good and only a high score as bad.  This rating system may be correct for some of the rounds they play, but for other rounds it may be flawed.

For example, if you shoot a low score by having 3 tee shots hit trees and stay in bounds, chip in twice and hole 4 putts from over 50 feet, you might convince yourself that your game is great.  To an objective observer, however, you hit the ball all over the place and just happened to get every good break imaginable.  This might be a low score, but duplicating it will be nearly impossible.

On the other hand, if you had a higher score while doing several things right such as sticking to your game plan, staying with one key thought for the day, and committing to your shots, you will find this process easy to duplicate.  This process will also lead to lower scores because you are following a game plan which puts you in control. 

Learn to rate your rounds of golf by your ability to stay committed to your goals for the day and not only by the score you shoot.  Be sure that your goals are process oriented, such as picking a target on each shot, or doing your routine properly.  Outcome oriented goals such as having a top 10 finish or 28 putts are not always within your control, and thus usually serve only as a distraction or to increase pressure.



Copyright & copy; 2008 - 2011, Mike Wilson Golf. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to Brianna Do!

Do Wins 2011 Women’s Amateur Public Links

By Christina Lance
July 2, 2011

Brianna Do became the second UCLA player in three years to win the Women’s Amateur Public Links. (Copyright/USGA John Mummert)

Bandon, Ore. – Brianna Do only led for three holes. Luckily for her, she led the one that counted most.

Do, 21, of Vietnam won the 2011 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, defeating Marissa Dodd, 17, of Allen, Texas, 1 up, in the 36-hole championship match, which was conducted at the 6,098-yard, par-71 Old Macdonald layout at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

In victory, Do became the second UCLA player in three years to win the Women’s Amateur Public Links, joining Tiffany Joh, who won the title in 2006 and 2008. Mary Enright, also a former UCLA player, won the title in 1981.

“I don't really know what it feels like right now,” said an overwhelmed Do, a UCLA senior. “I don't think it's hit me. But it feels good as of right now. I don't really know how to describe it.”

By reaching the finals, Do and Dodd are fully exempt into the 2011 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, which will be conducted at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, R.I., August 8-14. Do also is exempt into the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur and receives a 10-year Women’s Amateur Public Links exemption.

While Do ultimately took the victory, it was Dodd, an incoming freshman at Wake Forest University this fall, who dominated much of the morning round, holding the lead for 10 of the first 11 holes.

However, Dodd’s early run was halted when she bogeyed the par-3 12th to square the match. Another Dodd bogey after a tough run-in with a bunker on the par-4 16th gave Do her first lead of the match.

“It was a couple of unlucky kicks,” said Dodd, whose only previous match-play experience was a first-round loss at the 2010 U.S. Girls’ Junior. “But that’s the way the course works and you’ve got to come back from them.”

And come back she did. Dodd was able to capitalize on consecutive Do bogeys on 17 and 18 to take a 1-up lead into the lunch break.

In the afternoon, Dodd came out on a tear, carding birdies on three of the first four holes to take a 3-up lead, the largest of the final. But the lead evaporated with consecutive bogeys on holes 23-25, squaring the match once again.

“I just kind of took my time,” said Do of her mindset in fighting back from the deficit. “I was patient and kind of chipped away at it.”

Do briefly regained the lead when Dodd bogeyed the par-4 29th hole. But her own bogey on the ensuing par-3 30th quickly squared the match again.

Dodd took the lead back with a well-timed birdie on the par-4 32nd hole and carried the advantage until the par-5 35th. But when Dodd’s approach landed 9 feet past the hole, Do put hers even closer and won the hole with a birdie, squaring the match going into the 36th hole.

“I got back to all square, one up, one down,” said Do, who was born in Lakewood, Calif., but represented her parents’ home country this week. “The last two holes is where it counted. My putting kind of showed up today in those two holes.

“Going to 18 all square was a lot better than going in one down knowing you have to birdie to keep it going.”

What Do coined as a “perfect” drive on the 36th set the tone for the finish. While Dodd found a fairway bunker, Do’s clean approach from the fairway gave her the chance to safely reach the green in regulation. With her short par putt conceded, Do watched Dodd fail on her par attempt and give Do the title.

“I played and I hit some really good shots after I was 3 down, and I had some really good opportunities,” said Do. “I just took advantage.”

In winning the national title for female public-course golfers, Do was also able to take some consolation for not participating in UCLA’s NCAA Division I title run this past spring. While she is a member of the UCLA women’s golf team, she was not part of the five-woman squad that went to College Station, Texas, for the championship.

“I am a Bruin, and I'm representing [as] a Bruin this week, but this is kind of my national championship,” said Do, who added her name to past Women’s Amateur Public Links champions such as Candie Kung, Michelle Wie and Yani Tseng.

As a relative unknown before this championship, Dodd admitted to exceeding her own expectations with her performance. With her father, Mark, as her caddie and her mother, sister, grandparents and many other family and friends in the gallery after making a last-minute trip from Texas, Dodd did shed a few tears after missing her final putt.  

“Happy tears, sad tears,” said Dodd. “It was all really good, though. I had so much fun. I had a blast out here with my dad and everybody who came out here to watch me. I really appreciate it all and had a great time.”

The U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. This year’s championship was conducted concurrently at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort with the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, which was won Saturday by Corbin Mills in 37 holes over Derek Ernst. That match was also conducted on Old Macdonald. 

Christina Lance is a coordinator of championship communications for the USGA. Email questions or comments to clance@usga.org.

Bandon, Ore. – Results from Saturday’s 36-hole championship final at the 2011 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, conducted at 6,098-yard, par-71 Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort:

Brianna Do, Vietnam (155) def. Marissa Dodd, Allen, Texas (154), 1 up

The Endangered 3 Wood

In the past few years we have seen 1 and 2 irons disappear from the game of golf.  Now even 3 and 4 irons are becoming dinosaurs due to the influence of Rescue clubs.  This year the #2 Rescue is on the scene and with rave reviews. 

It is a combination club possessing great versatility due to the modern design.  It is as forgiving as a normal Rescue, but can be modified either by face angle, loft or lie.  This means you can set it up just like a normal fairway wood with around 15 degrees of loft.

Because of this amazing design, I believe we may see 3 woods disappearing from golf bags, joining the 1,2,3 and 4 irons as relics from another era, and thankfully so.  Today's club designers are helping us enjoy golf by building great clubs that make the long game easier than ever before. 

Hats off to TaylorMade and their R & D department.