“GREAT GOLF IS ABOUT HOW GOOD YOUR BAD SHOTS ARE”

The challenge that golf poses carries with it a curious contradiction. That is, to play well you need to develop a solid technique, but to perform your best when it matters most you need to rely on your natural feel. Put simply, having a great swing does not necessarily make you a great player.

Striking a balance between developing your technical skill without losing your instinctive talent is possibly the biggest test for those at the highest level. One player who seems to have navigated this dangerous path better than most is Justin Rose. The Englishman is now in his 22nd season on tour and over the last half dozen or so years has become one of golf’s most consistent performers. At the heart of this lies his incredible ball-striking which has become the envy of many of his fellow competitors, and yet his instinctive, competitive skill remains as strong as ever.

Here, Rose talks about the lessons he’s learned, his work with Sean