[Kim Maengnyeong's Golf English Conversation] "Kim Siwoo and the Sucker Pin"

Directly targeting the striker near the penalty area is extremely risky.

"Don’t be a sucker (don’t be a foolish golfer who attacks the pin blindly)."

This is a famous quote from Greg Norman, the "Great White Shark" of Australia. A sucker pin refers to a flagstick that is positioned perilously close to OB (Out of Bounds), penalty areas, cliffs, bunkers, or deep rough (A sucker pin is a flagstick that is positioned perilously close to a bunker, a water hazard, out of bounds, a steep drop-off, or any area of extremely heavy rough).

Norman said, "I am an aggressive golfer. I want to seize opportunities. But no matter how confident I am, I don’t go for sucker pins. Because I’m not a fool." The sucker pin is located in a dangerous spot near the edge of the green (the sucker position is any pin cut near the right edge of the green).

Directly attacking the pin is foolish. If you miss, you can get into serious trouble (Going for these pins is foolish because if you miss them by a little, you can put yourself into major trouble. The risk far outweighs the reward). Golf legend Ben Hogan (USA) was also a strategic golfer who aimed for the center of the green (Ben Hogan, the most accurate ball-striker of his time, was famous for such strategy).

Si Woo Kim (26, CJ Logistics) collapsed with a 10-over-par on the 11th hole (par 3) of the 4th round at the FedEx St. Jude Invitational. His ball went into the water five times in a row (Si Woo Kim dunks five balls in the water and makes a 13 on a short par 3). It is rare for a golfer to make a decuple bogey on a single hole (In professional golf, the record of 10 over par for a hole itself is unfamiliar).

A: Where is the pin placement? (Where is the pin located?)

B: The pin placement is cut close to the penalty area. It’s a sucker pin. (The pin is placed near the penalty area. It’s a sucker pin.)

A: What is a sucker pin (placement)? (What does sucker pin mean?)

B: A sucker pin is a pin placement that invites you to take a dangerous or unnecessary risk. (A sucker pin is a location that encourages golfers to take a risky or unnecessary gamble.)

Written by Kim Maeng-nyeong, Golf Columnist