It’s Just Golf!

"In golf as in life, it’s the follow-through that makes the difference." – Dr. Seuss

How is it that some of the best golfers on the planet can perform to the highest level one day then the next day be so abysmal. Or Nelly Korda could win 5 tournaments in a row early in the season yet miss a few cuts including the US Women’s Open toward the end of the season. Lydia Ko had a marvelous run from the end of August, winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and winning her third major, the 2024 AIG Women’s Open.

After Ko’s third win, the Kroger Queen City Championship, her words were prescient at the after-match interview, “It’s surreal…. very grateful…. does not mean form continues.” A week later at the 2024 US Women’s Open, Lydia Ko misses the cut at 13 over par. With scores of 80 and 73 it is the first time she has missed the cut at the US Open, her 13 th appearance at this major. Unfortunately for Lydia it is also her highest score for a single round as a professional.

Why Does This Happen?

Golfers like other athletes have various levels of skill. At the very top-level, skills matched with innate talent, moves these athletes’ reputations to legendary status, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Anika Sorenstam, Lydia Ko. Name your own legends from sports of your preference.

Whatever skill level you are at, there are many factors that account for the outcome of your round of golf. These factors could be anything, from the weather, the equipment, skill level, slow play, course management, putting issues, mentally not being switched on. or something entirely unrelated to golf.

Form

Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda are very aware that a win or wins, is no guarantee that form continues all season or from one week to the next. “… just has not been easy here at Lancaster… in fact I cannot remember another big time major championship that we have seen so many of the highly ranked and elite players bow out, and not just bow out early, but shoot really big scores, What does that tell you about this golf course? Yeah, this is an exceptional test of golf, it is exactly what you want in a US Women's Open… if you think of the big names Nelly of course, Lexi, Rose Zhang, Hannah Green, Lydia Ko, none of them making it to the weekend”.

Morgan Pressel, commentator and co-commentator, 2024 US Women’s Open.

It’s Just Golf

Golf is a wonderful sport, for most of us, me included, our form varies from shot to shot. For professional golfers at the pinnacle, many just hope to maintain form for an entire tournament. It is how they make their living, every shot for them, counts. Lydia Ko expresses it so well… “… does not mean form continues.”

It is just golf.