Andrew Coogan is not letting mental challenges get him off his game.
By ALEX SCHELLDORF
Published August 7, 2003
BROOKSVILLE - Andrew Coogan is not having a good round.
He is competing on the first of two days of the 2003 North Suncoast Junior Golf Association Tournament of Champions at World Woods.
On the 11th green of the Pine Barrens course, 17-year-old Coogan of Spring Hill tosses his putter in the air in frustration after missing a seemingly sinkable putt, another in a line of near-misses.
Two years ago, he says, he would have "snapped the club in half." But on this day, he quietly taps the ball into the hole because he "doesn't dwell on things like that anymore."
Coogan describes golf as a mental challenge. He says in his past, bad tournaments led to mental blowups because he expected too much of himself. Now he looks at tournaments from a different perspective.
"Mentally I have come a long way," Coogan said. "Just the little mental mistakes can change everything.
"If you hit one bad shot, it turns into three or four bad shots," he said. "(The mental aspect) is the difference between a 75 and an 85."
Coogan started playing golf when he was 10 or 11.
"I hit those little plastic balls in the back yard," he said. His father, Kevin, 46, inspired him, he said.
He was drawn to the sport because of the competition.
"It's harder to play than any other sport. It's much more challenging," he said.
Coogan prepares for a round of golf by getting quiet.
"I generally black out everything and everyone," he said. Even if someone approaches him, he tries to make as little chit-chat as possible.
His style on the course is admittedly unorthodox. He describes himself as a "scrapper."
When he is on the links, he says, he tries to be calm.
"I hum or I sing. I try to think about everything but golf."
Even though he has been playing for only seven years, Coogan has come a long way and has caught the eye of many elders. Ross Kuntz, 65, a golf professional of 38 years, describes Coogan as an "outstanding role model.
"He's a very polite gentleman He's very courteous and very helpful, even to his opponents."
Robert Traylor, 17, of Inverness was one of Coogan's playing partners for the North Suncoast tournament. "I always have fun playing with that kid," Traylor said. "He's a fun guy."
Coogan finished fourth in the two-day tournament at 155.
The Central grad now moves on to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.
Like many junior golfers, he has dreams of one day playing on the PGA Tour. In five years, he sees himself playing on a mini-tour, such as the Nationwide Tour.
Although Coogan says he would love to play golf for a living, he does have a backup plan. He intends to study forensic science.
