FROM THE ROUGH BY JOHN MABRY
One of the best golf tips I ever received was from a wise friend who suggested that the best way for me to get my score down was to play fewer holes.It works. But seriously, folks, here are some great tips from a bunch of the best golfers in town – the Huskers. Members of the NU men’s and women’s teams were kind enough to share a few bits of wisdom as we all get in the swing of a new season.“I personally like ‘aim small, miss small,’” said Mark Foelbaek, a senior from Denmark. “It is easy to see a 60-yard-wide fairway and just step up and hit the ball without a specific target. I always try to find the smallest possible target in the horizon and aim for that.“Another one would be to grip the club lightly,” Foelbaek continued. “I always tell people to imagine the grip is a bird who must not fly away from you, but you can also not squeeze it so hard you kill it. Light grip pressure helps to stay relaxed and loose.”
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Excellent advice. Here’s what some of the other Huskers recommended for winning lessons to keep in mind.Kirsten Baete, senior, Beatrice: “Realizing and learning that getting mad at yourself never does you any good. The more upset you get with yourself, the worse you will play. You have to figure out strategies to refocus your attention and move on to the next shot. It’s one shot at a time.”Reed Malleck, sophomore, York: “Never get too up or too down on the course. Everyone is going to hit great shots, and everyone is going to hit horrible ones. The next shot is the most important, so stay calm and focus on that.”Branden Meyer, senior, Gilbert, Arizona: “Just focus on the process rather than the result. It’s important to do everything you can to execute good shots, but once you hit it, that shot’s over and you have to move on to the next one.”Michaela Vavrova, sophomore, Slovakia: “Every single shot counts. It sounds like a cliché, but it helps me be present on the golf course.”Megan Whittaker, junior, Elkhorn: “Be committed to the shot before you begin standing up to your shot.”Tristan Nelko, senior, Plymouth, Minnesota: “You shouldn’t be thinking ahead past the next shot you’re about to hit. Golf can be a mental grind for 4 ½ hours if you get ahead of yourself or let holes that are already behind you affect your decision making.”Tom Westenberger, senior, Germany: “The best golf tip I have gotten is that everyone has their own swing, and it is not going to be worth it trying to swing exactly like someone else.”And do not, under any circumstance other than trying to pad your handicap, try to swing like me, friends. Not a good approach.U.S. Kids tour timeNebraska Golf Hall of Famer Steph Kolbas wants to make sure everyone knows that U.S. Kids Lincoln Local Tour registration is now open. The first event is April 10 at Woodland Hills, and the deadline to register is April 5.The eight-event tour is for boys and girls ages 5-18 and ends with the championship at Beatrice Country Club on May 22. Caddies are welcome, and you do not have to play in all eight events, but you sure can.Kolbas said it’s a great time for older girls to keep their games sharp while the boys are having their high school season.“Spring 2022 will be a great experience for high school girls to have eight tournament opportunities to improve their games, compete in April and May and qualify for Teen World Championship at Pinehurst,” Kolbas said. “There will also be raffle prizes drawn for those who play in at least four events.”For more information, go to https://foundation.uskidsgolf.com/foundation and type in Lincoln in the Search window, or contact Kolbas at stephkolbas@outlook.com.Chip shots• The men’s and women’s state amateur championships are both in Lincoln this summer. The men play July 25-28 at Firethorn, and the women play Aug. 1-3 at Wilderness Ridge.• If you are struggling with ideas for a charity golf event, I recommend a visit to www.golfstatus.org, a local company now helping to run thousands of golf fundraisers all over the country. My experiences with their events have been all good.• If you are not sure who you want to be on the golf course, be Zach Johnson. Great choice for U.S. Ryder Cup captain. Class act all the way, even if he is from Iowa.
John Mabry actually loves Iowa, really. You can find him in the nearest bunker or at johnmabry47@gmail.com.
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