‘In golf, it’s important to acquire skill not scores’

Jonathan Yarwood, former coach to New Zealand’s Michael Campbell who won the US Open in 2005 , believes to succeed “varying the way of practice not variable practice” is the key.

It was under Jonathan Yarwood that New Zealand’s Michael Campbell won the US Open golf in 2005 and rose to world No 11 by winning 15 times worldwide during their long association. But as coach, Yarwood too came away with some lessons. One of them was that “great people do great things at the right time”.

Renowned golf coach Jonathan Yarwood (L) during the IJGA ((International Junior Golf Academy) -Albatross Junior Tour coaching camp in New Delhi. (HT Photo)

“The difference between Major winners and a Tour player is the unbelievable grit and will to win as their worst fear is failure. It’s the quality not quantity of practice that matters,” says Yarwood, and that’s what he tried to impress upon youngsters during his visit here for the IJGA ((International Junior Golf Academy) -Albatross Junior Tour coaching camp. “Scores are a byproduct of the right processes; if one takes care of that, the outcome takes care of itself.”

Based in Hilton Head, USA, Yarwood, director of golf at IJGA and former coach to PGA Tour winners like Alex Cejka, believes to succeed “varying the way of practice not variable practice” is the key. “Since golf is a “problem-solving game, it is important to acquire skill not scores.”

Impressed by the turnout at the camp here, especially the number of girls lining up for lessons, Yarwood was happy to note that “an elitist game was filtering down to the middle class. The scene sure is vibrant in India,” he said.