Professional golf is a tough and unforgiving world, says Jeev

By Rahul Banerji

He’s Jeev Milkha Singh. Nearly 47, and a professional golfer for 26 of those years. India’s pathbreaker on all the major overseas money-making circuits – the Japan Tour, the European Tour, the US PGA Tour. You name it, Jeev’s been there and done that.

So when someone like that speaks, you listen very carefully. There’s much to be found and learnt in a conversation with this trailblazer, who still has a healthy appetite for the game that is also his calling.

“The main thing is I enjoy making a living out of golf,” Jeev says with a smile when I ask him how he’s kept going all these years.

He’s won and lost cards to the major Tours, seen good days and bad, been troubled by a wrist injury that has plagued him for years.

Yet, the appetite for it all is undiminished. Yeh dil maange more?

“I’m excited and nervous every time I stand on the first tee. It’s still there, the sort of feeling I had for the very first time from all those years ago,” Jeev reveals.

“For all that I’ve gone through, that I’ve seen and places I’ve been, that tingle down the spine is very much there.

“I have never been complacent about my golf. The day that feeling comes in is the say a golfer stops to learn, and that’s the end of it,” he says with finality.

So how is it like for a young golfer first making his way in an unforgiving environment, where you stand and fall with your daily display, I ask. All without the kind of support team or staff the more established golfer may have.

“It’s tough, it’s harsh,” Jeev says without hesitation. “You have to learn very quickly, learn a path that best suits you. It’s a cut-throat world. There’s no time to feel sorry for yourself if you fail on a day.”

‘Parents are the key’

In preparing young talent for such a knife’s edge career option, what role does parenting play?

“It’s the most important role in a golfer’s life,” Jeev says simply. “At every stage, parents’ inputs are vital. They help create and prepare a child’s thought process.

“A positive environment in the home counts for so much that it’s difficult to explain. Be encouraging. At the same time, there has to be discipline so that a child learns routine is important, and also that bad phases will happen and can be overcome.

“So a combination of the two, creating and maintaining a routine and plenty of encouragement is the key to preparing a young golfer for the future.

“At the same time, there has to be a balance on how much of a role a parent can or will play. Ultimately, players have to go out there and perform for themselves. Parents need to find a kind of half-and-half way because the kids need to learn from their own mistakes too.”

And how important is finding the right equipment?

“This is probably the key. Getting fitted out correctly and by a professional fitter sets you up for the best results. That, and deciding on the correct spread of clubs to suit your game,” Jeev underlines.

What does he tell young golfers who come up to him for advice and suggestions?

‘Be honest with yourself’

“Practice, practice, and more practice. But quality, not quantity. You’ve got to be honest with yourself about this.

“Next is creating a routine and a process. Nothing is a given in golf. You have to prepare and visualise. And stay in the moment. Don’t try and look too far ahead.”

Jeev also spoke about the Indian pro tour’s inclusion in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and what it was like to be back playing in India.

“It’s great to be back on the PGTI and competing with all the Indian youngsters. The tour has grown by leaps and bounds over the years and there is a lot of depth in talent.

“Youngsters now have a lot of avenues to gain knowledge about the game now. They need to take advantage of that.

‘Set small goals’

“PGTI’s inclusion in the OWGR system from next year is also excellent news for Indian golf. Our players now have to take advantage of this new development and not get complacent.

“World ranking points will give PGTI professionals opportunities to play abroad. So they should now set their sights on higher tours. They need to keep pushing themselves and get out of their comfort zones if they want to become world-class players.

“The key should be to start by setting small goals which are achievable and then keep moving ahead.”

Gagan is tied eighth

At Incheon, Gaganjeet Bhullar was 4-under through eight holes but finished the day at 3-under 68 to improve his position from overnight tied 15th to T8 at the end of the third round of the 34th Shinhan Donghae Open on Saturday.

Bhullar is now 8-under for 54 holes but six shots behind the leader, Korea’s Sanghyun Park (66).

Park put together a bogey-free display on moving day, marking his card with five birdies before signing for a 14-under-par 199 total at the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club.

Of the other Indians who made the cut, Rashid Khan (72) slipped to T33, while Shiv Kapur (68) was T36 and Khalin Joshi (70) T54.

Also read: Indian Teenager Hitaashee Bakshi wins at Hong Kong Golf