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 John Merrick tied for sixth at the 2009 Masters. This year marked the 19th time I was fortunate enough to attend the Masters. It was a trip made especially sweet because one of the tour professionals we work with, John Merrick, was making his first visit to the tournament. Merrick, a Long Beach native, has all the tools. He’s strong. He can shape and control the ball. He has soft hands, a delicate touch and a good mind. He earned his way into the field with a tie for sixth at last year’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.. He showed that he could duplicate his good play and elevate his game on the biggest stages with a tie for sixth at Augusta. He is growing and flourishing as a professional because of his ability to stick to a successful game plan. “You have to be able to control your ball at Augusta,” he said. “You have to be able to move it both ways. You have to have four or five shots around the greens. Even with all that, you have to be perfect.” Every PGA Tour stop is an exercise in navigating a minefield of trouble, but Augusta takes it to a different level. “Being a first-timer, I was a clean slate,” Merrick said. “About three weeks before the Masters, we went to Augusta and mapped out a game plan. We played a practice round and took a lot of time around the greens. We tried to find a place where we could miss it on every hole and focused on keeping the ball below the hole. Augusta is one of those golf courses where if you miss your shot in the wrong spot or hit your approach above the hole, you just can’t recover.” There comes a point in every golfer’s life where you grow weary of wasting shots on the course — like those times where you choose the driver for no particular reason or try to squeeze too much out of an iron when a smooth approach would have sufficed. The sooner you recognize the need to manage your game, the better you will play. It’s no different for the pros. “When I was a junior golfer, I just tried to rip it,” Merrick said. “I played a big sweeping hook because that’s how I could get the most distance. I hit everything with maximum effort. When I turned pro, I knew I would need to learn to hit every kind of shot. On Tour, there are so many places you just can’t recover from. I don’t like to get so detailed that I’m scripting every shot. Our game plan is more general in terms of where I want to leave my ball to set up the next shot. If you want to score, you have to have a game plan.” For any player, success is skill paired with the ability to stay relaxed so that the game comes out naturally. Think about the circumstances surrounding your best rounds. They likely felt effortless, almost casual. It’s the atmosphere that the tour professional strives to create for every round. It’s an essential part of the game plan. “This is my third year on Tour, so I’m starting to find comfort out there,” Merrick said. “I’m getting more familiar with the golf courses. I remember the hotels and the restaurants. You learn your way around the locker room. “At the Masters, I was fortunate, my manager is from the area and we had a great setup in Augusta that allowed me to be comfortable both on and off the golf course. It all came together in a way that allowed me to relax and play well. It all worked out.” Jamie Mulligan is chief operating officer and a PGA professional at Long Beach’s Virginia Country Club. He has twice been recognized as Teacher of the Year by the Southern California PGA. |
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