I get asked all of the time why we have so many players from the University of Georgia who not only make it to the PGA Tour, but also have success there. First of all, those guys are similar to a lot of other players in college golf that have the potential to make it and play on the PGA Tour. A couple of things, however, set them apart: They love to compete, and they do it fearlessly. Yes, I am a big believer in competition. We compete as a team against each oth- er almost daily. When we start qualifying at the beginning of the year to see who goes to the first tournament, everyone attempts to qualify and no one is pro- tected or exempted. Each player must earn his spot, no matter what. This keeps everyone wanting to stay sharp because with a schedule like ours – Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Kaanapali, Cabo – no one wants to stay home. Who can blame them? Those are some great places to go, so learning to compete is vital. And this kind of fierce competition strength- ens our players for the season ahead and the challenges to come. The second part of the equation, for a coach, is to get his or her players to play without fear! Everyone is going to hit bad shots and make mistakes, but you can’t be afraid to make a mistake and, ulti- mately, not commit to your swing. By trying to cozy one out there or guide a shot, you inevitably end up in the wrong spot more times than not…so be commit- ted to the shot. Great players also get to 2 or 3 under par and try to go even deeper to 6 or 7 under. They’re not afraid of the possible conse- quences; this doesn’t enter their mind. On the other hand, a scared or timid player gets to 2 under and starts thinking about making it to the house without any mis- cues. Great players are never afraid to shoot low numbers; the lower they go, the bolder they get. So don’t play scared. Now is the time to develop good habits that stay with you for your entire career. Learn to play and compete without fear and you will see yourself getting better and shooting lower. This is why you play golf; dare to be the best you can be. Learn to play and compete without fear and you will see yourself getting better and shooting lower. This is why you play golf; dare to be the best you can be. Chris Haack has been the head men’s golf coach at the University of Georgia since 1996 and has guided the Bulldogs to two NCAA championships and eight South- eastern Conference crowns. Be Your Best in Everything You Do BYJIMANDERSON I f you are working to land an op- portunity to play golf collegiately, accept challenges away from the course to prepare you for success. College coaches see players come in every year with a mindset to be an All-American and future PGA Tour Professional. Our goal is to help them on that path. That said, I challenge young people to be complete in all areas of their lives. Great athletes, and winning golfers, find the right balance. They strive to be a trusted and reliable friend, teammate, sib- ling, parent, spouse and more. Great- ness cannot be compartmentalized. Excellence is a habit that carries through all aspects of life. In college, the challenge is similar. Very rarely can student-athletes turn off their competitiveness when they leave the field, the court or the golf course. This is why the best golfers are often outstanding students and team leaders, healthy and physically fit and, often times, enjoyable people to be around. We challenge our team to be great in every part of life. The first place we need our player’s best is in his attitude. Treating others with respect is key, along with being responsible, reliable and consistent. Before you can respect others, you must first respect yourself and your body. If you are competitive and want to win in a team environment, go the extra mile to be that teammate you would want to have. In addition, we encourage players to be exceptional students because academic success works in harmo- ny with your performance as a stu- dent-athlete. Your grades, no matter the class, are yet one more measure of your competitiveness. What’s more, academic challenges present adversity, which is something all golfers face on the long journey to playing at the highest levels. By committing to be your best in ev- erything you touch, you learn to keep the proper perspective, both on and off the golf course. You learn to deal better with success and you learn from failures, too. After you develop a great attitude and do what you need to do in school, you can turn your efforts to being an outstanding golfer. Choos- ing to pursue excellence in all areas of your life will make you a more complete player. LearntoCompeteandPlaywithoutFearBYCHRISHAACK COLLEGE COACHES’ CORNER Jim Anderson is the head men’s golf coach at the University of Arizona. He played collegiate golf at the University of New Mexico, where he lettered for all four years. 10 | June 2017 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net