Von Nida’s Advice Ignored

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 15

Von Nida’s Advice Ignored

“The Press” Special Service

NEW PLYMOUTH.

They came, they listened and then, after a few weeks, they made up their own minds what to do—regardless of advice received.

This sums up the effect of the Norman von Nida golf coaching school held to Wellington early this year.

The school was attended by the top young golfing prospects in the conutry, a number of whom are playing- in the 1968 Freyberg Rose Bowl tournament in New Plymouth. Much was said at the time that the coaching school was a success and this was, and still is, undoubtedly true. But there is the belief that no coaching school can be an unqualified success if there is no provision made for continuity.

This is clearly apparent in comments made by those who attended the school. They

have no one to fall back on now for advice.

A school will be held again next year, but this does not satisfy the continuity question.

It was also said at the time that the members of the school should not play competitive golf for six months. This has been disregarded by one and all and has definitely reduced the effect of von Nida's coaching. Some golfers have retained his suggestions, others have compromised, other have rejected. And this surely indicates that had competitive golf been ruled out and the players had time to consolidate their games, they would have retained much more of vou Nida’s acute golfing knowledge and advice. G. E. Clarke, named by von Nida as the No, 1 prospect in the coaching school, said he had changed the advice given on the position of his hands but otherwise he had retained suggestions made by von Nida;

Von Nida’s No. 2, B. C. Rafferty, said he was still

using entirely the suggestions offered. “He did tell me that it might pay to adopt a different chipping action but I have not done this,’* Rafferty said. “Every firm suggestion he made has been adhered to.”

R. Barltrop, also highly rated at No. 5 in the school, said he was sticking to the suggestions given him. “I have never hit the ball as well off the ground as I am hitting it now,” Barltrop said. But M. Osman, another one of von Nida’s top eight in the coaching school, said that he had retained little of what he had been taught. “There is no one to turn to to seek the continuity of advice which is what I needed after I started trying to practice the new methods,” he said.

“I went back to my old methods in the main.” P. Adams, the talented young left-hander from Southland, is another who has retained little.

“Apart from a change in my grip which Bob Charles told

me about late last year, 1 have reverted to my old style,” Adams said. “I got into far too much trouble with the new methods that I returned to my old game, but am still not yet functioning properly.” H. Kennedy, the youthful Hawera carpenter, said he had become more accurate with his golf and had retained about half of the suggestions made at the school. “Had I continued with the suggestions I would have continued to hook the ball rather badly and there was no one to help me get out of this predicament,” he said. D. R. Hope said he was trying hard to keep with the new ideas given by von Nida, but he had given some away. “It’s not easy,” Hope said. Players cannot expect to change overnight and become top golfers. It takes time, but is there anyone in New Zealand prepared to give the competitive side of the game away for a period and concentrate on development? Regrettably, it does not seem so.