Sports & technology.

29.7.2009.

When the US multiple Olympic Champion swimmer lost a race recently in a world meet won by someone considered his inferior, the blame was quickly put on his swimming suit. When world-class tennis professinals talk of the modern game, the racquets and shoes are found guilty of the changing types of play. When pro golfers hit the now 1.64" multi-layered ball (it used to be 1.62, and zero-layered) a mile from the tee and spin it high and recoiled from 15 meters from the pin, it's the trampoline effect of the club-face and the shape of the grooves that are the culprits. And so it goes. Well, bad luck, you old crows ! It's technology !

I always maintain that, as I struggle with whatever remains of my 23-year old golf addiction, if you can't buy skill, you might as well buy the technology. So, in my bag you'll find 5 woods, 2 utility woods, 3 irons, 3 wedges and a "Yess" mallet putter, all together the maximun 14 allowed. What's remarkable is that "traditionally" I should carry only 4 woods instead of 7, 7 irons instead of 3, 2 wedges instead of 3, and of course the putter. What's the deal ? In golf terms, my iron shots are now 3 clubs shorter than 10 years ago, and only my high-tech driver can help me carry my drive to 200 meters. 

So all these new-fangled utility clubs are helping me hit the ball higher and straighter. If I want to keep the game competitive, I should forget about changing my driver (how much further do I want to hit it ?) and concentrate on making my fairway shots easier and straighter to hit. Malaysian sportsmen ( embracing sportswomen - you've to be politically correct, nowadays, but don't take "embrace" literally), should give serious attention to technology, just to keep up. I would put sports science into the bag. Just watch how international sportsmen ( embracing sportswomen ) think through their competition, showing mental strength and focus. Misbun lost to Lim Swee King in Stadium Negara (with home advantage, before the days of  illegal Indonesian workers flooding the country)when he was leading 14 - 1 in the ancient scoring system where only the server score a point. That's the mental part of all world-class sports.

Of course, controlling the sports regulatory body is also technology. Since the Europeans control IBF, they've made sure now the scoring system doesn't favour the smaller, defter Asians. Of course they are very clever and say it's to make the game more attractive. 

Training is also technology. To become world class, Malaysian sportsmen ( embracing sportswomen ) have ample examples in just the South-Koreans. They "learned" badminton and field hockey from Malaysia, and we used to give tough fights to them in football (that's soccer to you Americanised kids). Not any more. South-Korea is miles ahead of Malaysia in all the sports that Malaysia used to lead them, and out of sight in the remaining others. In the LPGA, all the recent youthful winners have been South Koreans, and one of the under-20 world top male golfers is also South-Korean. 

You might say it's all in the genes because many top golfers who call themselves Americans are also, male and female, South Korean-Americans. But that's groundless, and it's not the point. Studies would show that it's the training, including early exposure to professional help and tons pf match-play experience.

My nephew is technically already a good golfer, a 19-year old boy who is probably already the best player in the local club. Without proper advice (his father's greed isn't one) last month he turned professional. If you play with him, and talk to him, as I've done, you'll know he's not ready. What will now happen is, without sufficient foundation, without sufficient winning experience at the amateur level, he'll lose confidence and eventually falter and disappear into the 18th hole sunset.

Like all Malaysian sportsmen (embracing sportswomen) available technology is not accessed, and they will all founder and fail unnecessarily. 

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