No More Guesswork
9. Matchplay: The Lazy Golfer’s Game
PETER ALLIS WITH ARNOLD PALMER.
I’ve known Peter Alliss for almost 35 years. We first met in 1960 Open Championship at St Andrews and then played against each other in the 1961 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham. It was a terrific battle, which fittingly ended in a draw, and from then on our friendship grew.
Over the years, we have often discussed the great game of golf in all its details. We both agree that the average club golfer makes it much more difficult than it is. For one thing, he does not work at it, although in many cases the available facilities are not very generous and that discourages practice. But very few golfers have the right mental approach to the game, which brings success at club level in both medal and matchplay.
This is why this book is so important for the average golfer. Its sound instruction on clubs, swing problems (with ‘quick fixes’) and shotmaking techniques (from driving to putting) is very valuable. Its thoughtful advice on the mental side (especially on course management and matchplay tactics) is invaluable. All in all, it will help any golfer to improve his game quite dramatically.
Arnold Palmer
It is 09.48 on a sunny Saturday; the scene of a typical club fourball, almost anywhere in the world. On the first tee, Doug and Brian have been loitering around for four or five minutes, swishing the odd club and talking sotto voce about share prices. With one eye on the clock, as their starting time is 09.50 (where on earth are Matt and Bob?) they are also wondering if they will finish the round in time for a leisurely drink. The ritual session at the nineteenth is indispensable for all.
The ‘early birds’, an assorted bunch of club members who tee off often at first light (possibly because wives demand they are back in “reasonable” time for shopping, visits or even gardening) are well over the horizon. Moodily they watch the four in front criss-crossing the fairway in the mid-foreground at an agonisingly slow amble.
They turn at the squeak of a trolley behind. Matt puffs up followed closely by Bob, who is struggling into a sleeveless sweater. “Had to stop at the garage,” he says. “Just in time, as usual.”
They toss their balls for partners, the two lying closest together playing together and Bob draws Doug, as he feels he does far too often. They are a well (or ill-) matched pair. Bob habitually slices, while Doug mostly has a horrendous hook (not surprising as you couldn’t hammer a nail in with his right hand under grip).
TOO MANY THOUGHTS CAN FREEZE THE SWING.
Bob, having the honour, tees up first and squints down the fairway. The four figures in front have now advanced some three hundred yards. “Safe enough to drive off, I suppose?” He looks balefully at the shallow bunker to the right, one hundred and seventy yards out. Nine times out of ten that’s where his drives at this hole end up . . . but he ignores it.
Squaring his stance, sucking in his stomach as much as possible, he aligns down the dead centre of the fairway, waggling his driver thoughtfully. Then he freezes for several seconds, swing ‘thoughts’ jostling in his mind.
Hover the clubhead behind the ball (like Greg). Back low and slow (like Nick). Cock the wrists easily (like Seve). Coil fully around (like John Daly). Drive with the knees (like Jack). Finish high (like Matt – who has been telling him to for the last six weeks).
His resulting swing is not a thing of beauty. It is cumbersome, at best. The ball, powdered by the dust of a small divot, squirts off centre-rightish and rolls across the right hand edge of the bunker. Behind him Doug grunts “Shot”. At least the ball missed the bunker.
The others tee off with similarly predictable results. Doug a long way and deep into the left rough; Brian in the right bunker and Matt (who keeps telling them for quite a while after that he’s lifting his head) a topped ‘worker’ centre-right. Happily off without any disasters (as members of the next fourball are approaching the tee) they move after their drives, talking amiably. Another typical weekend fourball ready to enjoy a pleasant round.
ALWAYS TAKE A WEDGE FROM DEEP ROUGH.
But do they have fun? Well of course they enjoy the next four hours or so, after a fashion. Golf is a fulfilling, pleasurable game and around about the sixteenth, with a couple of balls on the match and one pair playing as many indifferent shots as the other, the competition is satisfying. It would be a lot more fun though if all competed better, if all played as
