Justin Rose and Adam Scott may well be looking up to Tiger Woods with more than the usual amount of envy this week, but they can learn a priceless lesson from the world No 1.
Rose and Scott have both occupied lofty positions in the game in recent years, being seen as potential challengers to Woods before suffering career slumps from which there seems no easy recovery.
Ranked No 4 in the world in 2006, Scott has slipped to 55th place in the standings while Rose, ranked No 6 in 2007, is also residing in the wrong neighbourhood at No 57.
The pair are potential major winners, and Scott's extra length off the tee gives him an edge, as big hitters find it easier to shoot really low scores.
I remember him racing to a 10-stroke European Tour win in the Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles in 2002 when he played the par fives in 22-under that week.He has a solid technique, but like Rose has struggled to come to terms with the reality that there is no such thing in golf as a perfect swing.
Even when their swing is not at its best, a top player should still be able to find a way to score well.
No-one illustrates this point better than Woods. If he had won only when he was swinging well his haul of tournament victories would have been far less impressive.
At times during his career, and this was the case during this year's British Open at Turnberry where he missed the cut, Woods' swing has been all at sea.
But when his "A" game is missing he hits big cuts or low draws off the tee, or uses his "stinger", to keep his ball in play. And he will not hesitate to employ similar tactics with a seven iron if that is what is needed on any given day to give him some control over where his ball is going.
This is the lesson that Rose and Scott have to learn if they are to turn things around and fully cash in on their great potential.
I caught up with Scott during the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in July and at that time it looked as if he was getting his act together.
So I was expecting to hear how his game as a whole was coming around, but instead he talked only about how his swing was improving. In my mind you could give an average Adam Scott swing to most professional golfers and they would use it to mount a serious challenge to Woods.
For some reason Scott seems to seeking perfection.
What he needs to understand is that learning to play the game is an art and from time to time it is easy to forget what you are trying to achieve, which is to have control of the golf ball, play shots, be creative and develop a great short game.
How can you do that if the only thing on your mind is your swing?
Scott's relationship with tennis star Ana Ivanovic, who has also been going through a bad patch in her career, means he has a lot going on off the course at the moment. I do not know if it is his pride which prevents him from accepting anything less than perfection in his swing, but if he can get over that barrier he has the ability to get out of his slump.
On the positive side, Greg Norman has given him a wild card into the Rest of the World team to play the US in the President's Cup next month.
This could be just what he needs, as the matchplay team format places an even bigger emphasis on scoring and may help drum into him that there is more to golf than just technique.
Like Scott, Rose has been spending too much time working on his technique to the detriment of his game.
He has a swing which is good enough to win tournaments, but when a player thinks too much about technique he is using the conscious part of his brain to put his swing in motion and that brings restrictions.
To get the best out of himself a golfer needs to relax his thought process, concentrate only the shot he wants to hit, and let the subconscious mind take charge.
Throughout his career, there has been one aspect of Rose's swing that has worried me, and that is the movement of his hips through impact.
This can be improved by adjusting his address position, although the main change I would like to see in his game is a commitment to accept technical imperfections and rediscover the talent he has to play great golf.
This is the key to Woods' success. An eight-shot victory in the BMW Championship last weekend, which took him to the top of the FedEx Cup play-off standings, suggests there is not much wrong with his game at present. In fact, a good deal of his victories have come when he has struggled with his swing, but found a way to get the ball around the course and capitalise on a magnificent short game.
I believe it will eventually dawn on Scott that, rather than looking for something that is unattainable, he already has what it takes to be one of the world's top players again.
And I am also tipping Rose to make Europe's Ryder Cup team next year because he is a great golfer, although he may not currently realise how close he is to playing great golf again.
Former Tour player Philip Parkin is a golf commentator with the BBC in Europe and Golf Channel in the US.
pparkin@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
