Feature
Q . Do you believe in what is often said that once the mechanics of golf are learned , good golf is 90 per cent mental ?
A . Well almost , I would say 80 percent mental . The swing once grooved needs to be worked on regularly till it becomes muscle memory . One has to be mentally very strong to pull off the greatest of shots that you are capable of especially under pressure . It ’ s the mental part of the game that keeps all the negative thoughts out of your head while playing the sport . And of course let ’ s not discredit the importance of practice .
Q . Is it right to say that golf is all ‘ management ’; if you can ’ t manage your game , you can ’ t play tournament golf ? Your view on this !
A . Course management is the most essential part of tournament play . While playing a tournament one needs to keep the temptation of using different clubs at bay and stick to the game plan that one had made for play that day or the week .
Q . Today ’ s tour players seem to play more mechanically , ‘ according to the book ’. Do you feel the youngsters have lost spontaneity and creativity ?
A . I think we have a great pool of young players who impress me with their technique and mental ability quite often . They are spending a lot of time with their mental and swing coaches . If a player is blessed with natural spontaneity and creativity , then no one can take it away from him .
Q . What technique did you use to visualize your shots to make the ball move in different ways on the course ?
A . I remember my first meeting with a coach at the San Jose State University who asked me a question on the driving range as to what changes I had made in my swing or grip to move the ball in the direction he had asked me to . My answer was that I visualise the shot and I guess the muscle memory takes over and delivers me the flight pattern . The coach was so impressed and said that was the best answer he has ever got and packed up practise immediately and took me around the university campus and offered me a scholarship programme . I guess visualisation is a very important part in getting your swing muscles to respond accordingly .
Q . What sort of things did you routinely compute on every shot ?
A . Like any other pro its yardage , wind speed , wind direction and the type of shot to execute .
Q . In your career there may have been days when you were near-perfect . What would you say was a great day of ball striking when you were in your prime ?
Uttam is the right person for the job . He has the ability to speak well , keep the sponsor happy and deliver the product . PR skills are excellent . The most important thing is that he understands both the sides ... the players and the sponsors as he has been a player himself . The tour has grown since he took over and the future looks bright . All the best to him and am sure he will do good work .
- Jeev Milkha Singh
Uttam was a touring professional golfer and he knows the needs of the PGTI . It is important to have a leader who understands the players and balances them with the sponsors . With golf in India growing in both the domestic and international fronts , I would say the PGTI is moving in the right direction . US ( Uttam ) as we fondly call him , is a good friend and a fine gentleman and I have always wished well for him and his work .
- Jyoti Randhawa
Uttam with legendary Gary Player
A . Each day was unique and different as far as ball striking goes , if one hits 14-15 regulations is deemed good . So I guess one always has good and bad days . A good day would be a few under par score as one always banked on good ball striking and good putting to convert it into a perfect score .
Q . Can you give us one example each which can be termed as a ‘ high ’, ‘ low ’ or ‘ turn around ’ instance in your golfing career ?
A . My high point was the Honda Siel Championship 1996 which was my first professional victory after 4 years of pro golf . I was able to repeat the feat by capturing that title again in 1998 . In 1992 , I had to undergo a knee surgery due to a tumor and was unable to walk for a few months and the entire process of rehabilitation took almost 6 months . I thought that that was the end of my golfing career and I guess that was my lowest point . I felt so good playing the first tournament after surgery and to top it all I finished third which instilled confidence and belief in me . That I guess was a turn-around instance for me .
Q . What ‘ life ’ s lesson ’ has the game taught you ?
A . Integrity and honesty is what this game teaches a person .
Q . Is it possible for long time golfers to still blossom when in the present scenario , hundreds of players are going at it and young talent coming out every year ?
A . Why not ? I feel the long- time golfers have an edge over the new ones in terms of their experience and mental tenacity . It ’ s just a matter of keeping the injuries at bay and keeping oneself healthy and fit .
Q . Would you still call golf a gentleman ’ s game ?
A . Most definitely . There is no room for misbehaviour on the golf course and your honour is at stake as you have to score yourself and call a penalty upon yourself .
Q . Have any of the young crop of golfers made a particular impression on you ?
A . There are a number of golfers who I feel have the ability to take it to the next level .
56 G o l f P l u s JULY 2017