Everyone who has played the game of golf knows
how challenging the sport really is and that
consistency is always something to strive
for. Furthermore, no one is exempt from
having a bad round, especially in
competition. Even the greatest players in the
world struggle at times and shoot scores in
the 80s.
So why is it then that some junior golfers who
post high first round scores have a tendency
to withdraw from tournaments? Other than
being embarrassed for shooting a high score,
one might think the player is concerned with
how this poor performance will affect his or her
national ranking and eventually his or her ability to
be recruited by college coaches. Keep in mind
that there will always be “justified
withdrawals” in cases where the player is
injured or has a family emergency. The AJGA
and other tournament organizations have
systems in place to protect a player who
withdraws for a legitimate reason. Most would
agree that playing poorly is not a legitimate
reason and that players should finish
tournaments they start.
College coaches pay particularly close
attention to those who tend to “manage
rankings” by withdrawing from tournaments
or “no-carding” after bad rounds. They frown
upon these actions and would be less likely to
recruit those players. Coaches know that
their players will struggle at times in
college events and therefore will expect them
to have what it takes to manage their games
and their emotions in an attempt to shoot the
lowest score they possibly can on a given
day. Quitting or withdrawing is not an option
at the collegiate level.
Instead of withdrawing, junior players who
post high first round scores should realize
that they have an opportunity to make a great
comeback in subsequent rounds. I remember
initially recruiting one of the best players I
have ever coached immediately after he shot 85-
67 in the first two rounds of a junior
tournament in Florida. I had never watched
him play before, but once I saw his ability to
bounce back from a very poor first round, I
knew he was a player I should consider
recruiting. He turned out to be an excellent
Division I player and someone who demonstrated
a lot of character on the golf course,
especially in tough situations. He never quit
or gave up after a bad start to a round or a
tournament.
Parents should always encourage their children
to do the best they can and to never let one
bad round cause them to worry about how it
will affect rankings or college recruiting.
Part of the learning process for junior
players is to know how to come back after
shooting a high score or to deal with
adversity during a round. Unless a player is
sick, injured, or has an emergency to deal
with, he needs to complete the tournament.
And always remember, coaches will be impressed
with the player who demonstrates he can bounce
back after a bad round!
Coach Brooks
Red
Numbers Golf® |