Finding himself eight strokes over par just three holes into the second round of the Rutherford Intercollegiate tournament last Saturday, Penn State golfer Greg Pieczynski began to lose his composure. The mild-mannered Pieczynski looked to open the tournament in style, but multiple strokes of bad luck had undermined his wishes.

After overshooting a green, Pieczynski, in a Happy Gilmore-esque moment, released his bottled-up aggressions on his defenseless golf bag, landing a powerful hit.

With his poise restored, the golfer went on to finish the tournament at even par. Focus and concentration are difficult to obtain and nearly impossible to maintain, but are necessary and vital to a golfer's success.

The greatest golfers have it. As PGA golfer Tiger Woods lines up a putt, the golfer is standing in a crouched position with his hands shielding the sun from his eyes. He is thinking of nothing other than sinking the putt, in a zone that cannot be invaded. When tunnel vision occurs, nothing short of atomic warfare can cause a commotion.

Even Woods, however, is prone to distraction at times, most notably during the 2002 British Open, when an invasive photographer caused the golfer to slice into thick rough 20 yards from the fairway.

Disruption, which can ruin concentration faster than a slice right on a dogleg left or a three-putt on a birdie try, is usually caused by outside influences, said Penn State golfer Ted Neville.

"Focus is determinant on the attitude that is brought to the course," said Neville, adding, "Concentration is ruined when you bring something on the golf course that you shouldn't have." The first tee is often the most hectic location on the course, with the initial shot setting the tone for the entire day. Different golfers have various ways of overcoming the nervousness. Penn State golfer Jim "Jimbo" Fuller will write down suggestions and comments and read them to mentally prepare, while other golfers will calmly take two practice swings and address the golf ball. Penn State golfer Jason Totin considers the first hole the most important.

"If you get off to a bad start, it gets tough to bounce back," Totin said. "There's a big difference between birdieing on the first hole and getting a bogey."

With so much riding on each individual shot, golf is a high-pressure sport with giant swings in momentum.

The greatest golfer needs each club in the bag to be cooperative, but more importantly, the participant needs to respond to minor setbacks and remain composed.