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Raise Your Game: Why golf?

Rhys Enoch: My Mum wanted a sport that she, my brother and I could play together. It went forward from there.

RYG: Were you always successful at sport in school?

RE: Yes, I played football, rugby, cross country, athletics and hockey in school. I have always loved and been good at sport.

RYG: In 2007 you took up a scholarship at East Tennessee State University. How's it going?

RE: College life in America is great. School in the morning, golf in the afternoon. It's a nice balance and allows student athletes the time to excel at their sport. The facilities at ETSU are second to none and it is quite sobering to realise what college sport means to Americans. It is a great proving ground and there is nowhere to hide when you play - you must play well or you sink.

RYG: How do you deal with pressure?

RE: Deep breaths, clear thoughts and repeating your routine. Experience helps a lot as well.

RYG: What is your routine before a match?

RE: If I am playing early, I make sure I am up at least two hours before I play because that is how long it takes the body to properly wake up. After that, I move through the clubs in my bag starting with my lob wedge then moving to 8 iron, 4 iron, 3 wood and driver.

I then spend 10 minutes on the putting green, 10 minutes on the pitching green and then I am ready to tee off. I have recently started working out before I play if possible in order to get my muscles ready for activity. If there is no gym in the hotel, press-ups and stretching suffice.

RYG: What tips do you have for remaining disciplined and focused?

RE: Practice visualising good shots off the golf course, that way it becomes easier to see the shot at the ball and makes you focus on something simple. Other than that, know what you want to achieve and have the process written down so you can focus on that. Discipline is definitely learned and gets better with practice.

RYG: How important is maths in golf?

RE: It makes life easier because quick and correct calculations are handy with yardages and your scorecard.

RYG: Is golf a thinking game?

RE: Very much so, simply because of the amount of time golfers have to think. Bob Rotella teaches that golfers should aim to react more to the target instead of over analysing it, and that is what most golfers don't do. Thinking through the shot is necessary. However, negative thoughts are the problem. You just have to stay positive with your thoughts.

RYG: How do you link mind and body skills in the game?

RE: The mind can sometimes get in the way of letting the body do what it is capable of doing. You have to analyse the shot - then see it, feel it and do it.

RYG: What skills have you have gained from golf?

RE: Patience, time management, commitment. Golf does a lot for you as a person, I think it is a great sport.