TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018
As the PGA Tour moves to New Orleans this week, players have chosen partners for the four-ball format at the Zurich Classic, where Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith defend. To give us an inside look at this type of play, we connected with College Golf Fellowship’s Matt Van Zandt, who has twice qualified with partner Drew Allenspach (also with CGF) for the USGA Amateur Four-ball Championships, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2016. This year’s USGA Four-ball will be competed May 19-23 at Jupiter Hills in Florida.
What do you like about team play?
“I think that there is a different level of experiential joy you get out of playing with somebody and the difference in camaraderie. It’s just nice to have somebody’s back and for somebody to have yours. It’s also fun because it helps cover some of your golf sins.”
Do you feel that there is a weight to carry when playing with your partner?
“Yes. Especially if your partner is out of the hole or something. It could be doubly the pressure. But as competitors, that is something we look forward to in being able to come through when you’re needed. It’s really fun, and in some ways you kind of get to serve your partner whenever they are or not in a hole and you get to come through in the clutch. It not only gives you the energy, but also gives your partner a lot of positive energy.”
If I’m in a team game, how can my partner and I be better four-ball players?
“Never say, ‘I am sorry,’ because we both know that we’re not trying to hit bad golf shots, so there is no reason when you hit a bad one to say you’re sorry. [Another] thing is that you just feel you need to contribute 50 percent and your partner needs to contribute 50 percent. But that just puts an enormous amount of weight on both parties. Sometimes one person is going to be absent and one is going to be present, or both are going to be present, or both are going to be absent. So, you just go and have a lot of grace while encouraging one another. Celebrate the other person and try to stay focused. I think it can be easier to lose focus because you can rely too much on your teammate. As a whole, I think just enjoy it and encourage one another.”