Vladimir Osipov is well known to golf lovers as a player. Vladimir is the only five-time champion of Russia, as well as a golf professional at the Skolkovo club. In addition, he regularly performs in Russian and international competitions. However, in November we got to know Osipov from a new angle: he was commenting on Masters on the Eurosport TV channel . We talked with Vladimir about new experience, working in a club and much more.
– Vladimir, please tell us how you became a Masters commentator on Eurosport?
– GC “Skolkovo” was the general sponsor of the broadcast and I was invited as a representative of the club for my rather large tournament experience. They gave me this news about three weeks before the start of the Masters. I took it quite positively, but with a certain bewilderment, since I never commented and did not go into the details of this craft, so there was no understanding of how to prepare and what I would have to do. But after reading several articles about commenting and watching the Masters tournaments of the past years, the preparation process became more understandable for me.
What are your impressions of your work? I know that your analytics and discussions have been very warmly received in the golf community. Was it physically difficult to speak for five hours, even if you were paired with Igor Znamensky? Would you like to try again?
– I’m glad to hear that many people liked my comments. After two days of broadcasting, I was left with a lot of impressions. It was a completely new experience for me, and I think I will remember it forever. I was lucky that I was paired with Igor, he is a professional in his field, it was easy to work with him. His positive attitude helped me to adapt to the new environment much faster and to start speaking fluently and naturally. In addition to commenting, I was fascinated by the game itself, so the time flew by quite quickly, but fatigue, of course, was felt at the end. I would be glad if I was invited to comment on such a big tournament again.
– Do you have any idols in the world of professional golf?
– I would say that there are players who appeal to me and whose style of play is close to me. Of course, one of them is Tiger. He is a living legend of golf and a man who has reached incredible heights. I think all fans of this game love it. Of the younger ones, I would name Brooks Cap, whom I am interested in watching.
From the personal archive of V. Osipov
– Tell us, please, what kind of function do you perform in the Skolkovo Group of Companies? What is your typical working day like? How has the pandemic affected your schedule and responsibilities?
– At the moment I am a golf professional at the Skolkovo Group of Companies. I help golfers of different levels to improve their game and share my experience. The working day is very busy, there are quite a few lessons, but at the same time there is an opportunity to develop and improve qualifications as a specialist. All professionals of our club continue to improve their skills and move forward in different areas of this sport. I like it because every day you learn something new and get better. Now is a rather difficult time for everyone, which is making its own adjustments, but we adapt to new conditions and continue to work, believing and hoping that we will soon be able to return to the usual rhythm of life.
– In 2021, two draws of the Strong Figures festival are to be held, in which, in addition to golf, curlingolf and chess tournaments are held. You have already taken part in this festival last year. Do you want to perform at Strong Figures again?
– “Strong Figures” is a rather interesting festival. If I get the opportunity, I would play in this tournament.
“Strong figures”
– In the world of golf, there is a lot of talk about the problem of “truckers” and about the need to introduce a ball that limits the flight range. How do you feel about this initiative?
– I think that this is not necessary. Those who hit far away will continue to do this, just the footage will be slightly reduced, but the situation will not change much, but for those players who hit at medium distances, the situation can become much more complicated. Using the example of best hybrid golf clubs for mid handicappers Bryson Deschambeau, we can see that your distance can be increased through physical exercise and refined technique, almost any person has this opportunity. But distance is not always the key to winning. Long distance strikes directly affect the entertainment of our sport, so I would not want to take a step back in this regard. Improving the technology and fitness of athletes is about moving forward and developing golf. I would like this process to not stop.
From the personal archive of V. Osipov
– What are your plans for the next year?
– Next year I am going to continue working at the Skolkovo Group of Companies, gaining new knowledge and improving as a specialist. In the near future I will move in this direction. I invite everyone to join our club for training to improve their playing skills and move forward.
best hybrid golf clubs for mid handicappers 