Links Golf Ruining Chances Of Scots Making It In Professional Golf

Douglas Lowe talks to Richie Ramsay about the negative influence of growing up a links tournament player, and what he's doing to hit the ball higher.

I caught up with the 25-year-old Aberdonian last week on the range at the Tolcinasco Castle course near Milan where he was preparing for the Italian Open with a row of some 20 different drivers behind him.

His shots were being assessed by a radar device that was designed originally to track missiles but which has been subsequently modified for golf balls.

"I am trying to hit the ball higher and this kind of technology helps," confirmed Richie, who learned his game on the Royal Aberdeen links and made his way right through the international ranks to the Walker Cup. "I can change my swing a little bit to achieve that, but altering the shaft and the weights in the clubhead can do the same."

Ramsay was a Walker Cup contemporary of the Americans Anthony Kim and JB Holmes, both big-hitting, high ball-flight winners on the PGA Tour this year. While such victories are inspiring, he was quick to point out that any suggestion that he and Lloyd Saltman are slower developers is not entirely fair.

"These guys are coming from college golf where they play top-class courses week-in, week-out," said Ramsay. "Then they go on tour and they play the same courses. People sometimes don't realise that when we played amateur golf, it was on courses like Royal Lytham and Royal Aberdeen. Then you come out here and it's completely different.

"For players like me who were brought up on links, it is a total change. I have to learn to hit the ball higher, especially with the driver. I also need a better flight for approaches to tight pin positions. That's the stuff I've been working on. I had a good result at the US amateur, but since then it's been a case of re-learning what I'm doing."

Sigh. What have we done to the game when growing up playing firm, windy links isn't the recipe to making you a better player?

Comments

[F.T. Jacobs]

Or, perhaps Ramsay is just offering an unsupported excuse for his lack of progress.

[Bill V]

F*cking moron. If you can hit the shots to play links golf courses, you can play anything.

Pick a number hit a repeating high shot, WOW! - that's talent.Anyone can hit it high.

"I am trying to hit the ball higher and this kind of technology helps," ... Helps? the irons make it impossible to keep it down.Greg Norman never reached his potential because he never learnt to hit low wedges. Maybe he should talk to Greg. Look inside Richie - you embarrassment for Scotland.

"These guys are coming from college golf where they play top-class courses week-in, week-out," said Ramsay. "Then they go on tour and they play the same courses. People sometimes don't realise that when we played amateur golf, it was on courses like Royal Lytham and Royal Aberdeen. Then you come out here and it's completely different.

F*cking moron


Lastly:
Who is playing top notch golf courses?

"Depends on what your definition of 'is' is".
-William Jefferson Clinton

[Some guy]

Ramsey says he needs to hit his irons closer.

Translation: he ain't making putts.

Good ball striking translates to any course.

Oh, and Doug Lowe needs a new haircut.

Because, damn.

[BillV Fan]

Bill V, wow you are quick to criticize a world class amateur golfer, must make you feel better about your 14 handicap and your inability to beat even the worst golfers at the muni you play at...you feel better after that rant?

[Traveler]

I was gonna say....BillV, you can't be serious. Are you serious? Really, it was the low wedge that got Greg Norman? Not the choking in the final round with a six shot lead? Not the high right shot on the 72nd hole? Not the misfortune of getting holed out of 2 majors by guys who basically never won anything significant later?

As to the article, and Geoff's lament: should playing in wind on links be a recipe for becoming a great golfer? Don't think there's a specific recipe either way. Great golfers have sprung from calm, parkland or mountain backgrounds (Nicklaus, Woods, Snead, Jones) as well as windy, fast, linksy backgrounds (Trevino, Hogan, Nelson).

Maybe BillV is right after all - maybe it is just whining by Ramsay.

[Bill V]

Ramsay was able to win the US Amateur yet he now complains that others are so lucky to play top class courses. He only won it on a dog track, poor fellow.


The one truth is that I know when I play like a choking dog that it's my own fault, not the course's.

[kgmaximus]

I don't see why people seem so amazed that Ramsay would say such a thing. Doesn't it stand to reason that a golfer who learns to hit the ball low and play the ground game would tend to succeed on links courses? How many of the courses that you find on The Tour reward players who are best at keeping the ball low and playing the ground game?

[cgar]

excuses eccuses.... recognize it for what it is...btw it will be interesting to see how he does in the british open.

[chico]

Ramsay does have a point but no doubt like many top amateurs he is finding the move to pro golf much harder than he thought.I learned my golf at Lytham and theres no doubt that when I tried the European I had to alter my ball-flight cos a low draw over water to a green doesnt work!Ramsay played an awful lot of his amateur golf in the States so he should know what to do and top Europeans such as Clarke and Harrington have adjusted very well so lets see if he is as good he hopes to be.

[Square Deal]

Right on, Billy V. Parklands always seems easier after links vacations.