E-mail
your questions to Justin Rose here
Justin Rose will write newspaper columns for The Times throughout this year,
and exclusively for Times Online every day during the majors, giving the
true picture from inside the ropes in his daily diary.
But that's not all: Justin also wants to hear from you. Each day the world No
9 will pick the best of your questions and answer them here.
Hi Justin, I have been following your career with great interest over the
years and I am pleased to see you reaching the heights you deserve. If you
find yourself in the same position you were in last year on the 17th tee
will you take a 3-wood rather than a driver, hit it 270 down the middle then
a nice easy iron to the green? (Please). Good luck and don't worry about
Tiger ... he has peaked too early!
Chris Coombes, Chiang Mai Thailand
Justin: Chris, no. The problem with that tee shot is it is such a
narrow target. They have planted another tree behind Eisenhower tree and I
can't carry that tree with my driver. So it is forcing me to go up the right
half of the fairway. It is a narrow tee shot and I think you have to accept
it is a narrow tee shot and put a good swing on it.
Are there any players that you would rather not get drawn against for any
particular reasons?
Oliver, London
Justin: Oliver, my view is that it is a long career out here on tour
and it is best if you have a run-in with someone to let it go because you
never want to be in a situation when you are teeing up in the first two
rounds of a major and you don't like your draw. It is such a bad place to be
mentally that I honestly do not have anyone I would be disappointed to play
with.
Is there anything that you purposely do differently in preparation for the
week of the Masters?
James, Nottingham
Justin: James, the point of having a routine is that you stick to it
and that is really important the week of a major championship when the
temptation is to do things differently. If the routine works at an ordinary
tournament then why change it at a major.
Dear Justin, a friend of mine maintains that your greatest achievement is
not winning the Silver Medal in The Open as a teenager, or finishing in the
top ten of each of last year's Majors, or indeed winning the European Order
of Merit. Rather, he thinks beating him in the “Laddie Luca” Spoon schoolboy
competition c.1992 should be your epitaph. Do you agree?
Good luck this weekend, Rob
Justin: I certainly remember the Laddie Lucas Spoon at Prince's. It was
one of the most tough days I have ever experienced on a golf course with
wind and rain. I think that as a kid and growing up on those tough golf
courses and competing has helped me become the player I am today. Those
formative years were important and at the time that would have been my
biggest win, I am sure.
Rob again: (My friend Daniel is now adamant that he beat you. I'm
very impressed that you were able to work through this disappointment to
become a member of the World Top ten golfers, whereas Daniel decided not to
become a respected multimillionaire sportsman, but follow a career in
journalism. You must be very jealous.)
Is the media pressure greatest at the Masters? Can media attention spur you
on or does it become too exhausting during a tense week? Good luck Justin.
Liz Saxon, Coventry, UK
Justin: Time management becomes crucial at majors, Liz. Make sure you
get your work and your practice done first and foremost and then spend time
chatting to whoever needs to be chatted to. Media attention at the Open for
a British player is more intense and there may be more pressure that week. I
find the Masters is a week where there is a unique and quite relaxed
atmosphere.
The pressure will be on every shot at Augusta, what are you thinking when
you are standing over a make or break shot what advise would you give to an
amateur, to execute a pressure shot in their monthly medal?
Tim, Guildford
Justin: For me a make-or-break shot is not in the first round of a
tournament or the third round, Tim. It is literally at the very end and it
is a shot that needs to be taken on. Every shot you hit has a risk-reward
calculation attached to it and you run the plays in your mind, What are the
chances of me pulling this shot off? There are very times when a
professional golfer will be reckless and hit a 1 in 10 shot. You might hit
that shot if you need to make the eagle to force a play-off. A make or break
shot to me is very rare. For an amateur you have to avoid the bg mistake.
Damage limitation. By taking on a make-or-break shot you may chip one stroke
off your score but if it goes wrong you could be adding to your score.
Sometimes the up side is not as big as the downside. It is a shot you only
one or two times a year. Keep yourself in the hole and trust your short
game.
Find out what goes through the mind of a leading golfer at a grand slam
tournament: what makes him tick, how he spends his time away from the
course, what he likes to eat, to read, to watch - everything.
Then tee him up with your questions: whatever you want to know, E-mail
Justin here and we'll do the rest.
