Smaldino focuses on 1 simple thought
PENN TWP — Anthony Smaldino’s rounds of golf are focused on trying to maintain one simple thought.
That’s the mental approach Smaldino developed from working with PGA Professional Devin Gee at Oakmont County Club.
Smaldino, who is 19 and a Penn Township resident, hopes that will help him settle in at the Pennsylvania State Amateur Golf Championship Monday at the Country Club of Scranton in Clarks Summit, Pa.
While Gee works with Smaldino on a plethora of matters, once he tees off there’s always a plan to zero in on one aspect of his game.
“I think about one simple thing. The most important thing,” said Smaldino, who graduated from Vincentian Academy and now plays at Grove City College. “So for example, transferring my weight or moving my hips to a certain point. If I keep it simple and think about one thing, that’s when I hit the ball best.”
Smaldino qualified for the state championship during an event at Treesdale Country Club in June. He shot a 74 to tie for 12th, grabbing one of the last spots.
It’s the first time Smaldino has qualified for the event.
The closest he came in the past was missing the cut by three strokes.
Adopting that mental approach helped Smaldino keep improving.
“I feel like my swing becomes too quick at times,” Smaldino said. “When that happens, I mishit the ball a little right. If I stay behind the ball and have the right tempo I strike the ball well.”
Wolverines men’s golf coach Melissa Lamie always observed Smaldino being a very deliberate golfer.
At times, Smaldino’s teammates would tease him about his pace.
“He’s a very deliberate and thoughtful golfer,” Lamie said. “He’s never in a hurry or in a rush.”
After a slow fall, Lamie felt that Smaldino settled in during the spring season.
He finished 22nd at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament and helped Grove City place third. Playing in the amateur, Lamie believes, will give him another boost.
“I love it,” Lamie said. “I think the biggest transition comes when kids come in as freshman. The game doesn’t change, but everything else changes around them so it takes a while to settle down.”
Smaldino was able to get in a practice round in at the Country Club of Scranton last Sunday and spent the last week preparing for the speed of the greens.
“It helped me out a good bit,” Smaldino said about the practice round. “The course looks a lot like Oakmont and the hardest part is going to be the greens. The rough is going to be long and I need to keep the ball on the fairway and hit the ball straight. It’ll be a good test.”
For the state tournament, Smaldino wants to make the cut after 36 holes. The one simple thought will be focused on tempo.
There’s no reason to worry about anything else.
“The thing we were working on was counting 1,000 then 1,001 then impact,” Smaldino said.
