KIM Swan believes that young golf pro Michael Sims will eventually make it.Sims, who has been struggling on various pro tours since coming out as a highly- touted amateur from the University of Rhode Island, just needs to give it time and keep believing in himself, said Swan.

“This is why I always encourage Michael whenever I see him. I have been there. I spent three years on the European Tour (from 1980 after turning pro) and I was still learning my trade three years later. I learned how to qualify for tournaments but I had not learned how to make the cuts. It takes a while to learn these things.”

Swan said looking back now he realises he did not give himself enough time to learn that golf is a business. “Playing golf is a business. Once you shake off the glamour of it, you have to learn how to be stingy with strokes — not waste them which Tiger Woods is the best at in the world — Tom Kite was just like that.

“You have to learn how to hit shots that do not cost you money. It is the mental side of the game which takes the time to learn.

“Michael has the game — that I can assure you of. My hope is that he will stick it out — and that can be the toughest thing to do.”

Swan said staying when things are not going your way is so important for Sims.

“One thing Michael must do is surround himself with positive people because there are enough negative people around who don’t believe in themselves never mind you. You have to believe in yourself. Once you do and practise and practise and work at it, then you have a chance.“I have seen Michael play and I have looked at his results and I know he can do it. He has to ride it out.”

And Swan said that the pro golf world is a lot tougher for Sims that it was for him 25 years ago.

“It is a lot tougher for him than it was in my day because there are more people playing golf these days. Golf is one, if not the most, competitive sports around today. But once you learn your trade and you have the ability, which he certainly has, there will come a time when there is a shift in your fortunes. And you have to give yourself the time to feel that shift. He will understand what I am talking about.

“And then when the momentum starts running in your favour, and you start believing in yourself, you will see those scores start going down. My advice to him will be to stick it out and hang around positive people. If someone starts talking negative to you get away from them. When you go out to dinner with players, go out with positive people — you do not need to have dinner with negative people.”

Staying away from negative people in Bermuda is one things Swan has learned over the years.

“Bermuda is the hotbed of negativity. That’s why I have to get out of here and play. The mindset here is not conducive to producing great professional athletes. There is a amateur and novice approach to what it takes to be a professional in Bermuda — I don’t mean that badly because I respect amateur sport.”

Swan said those who want to be professional athletes have only to look at the example of football player Shaun Goater. “He is the best example of pro sport in recent times in Bermuda. Shaun has had the worst year ever for him which wasn’t of his doing. Certain things were beyond his control. A lot of it was due to football politics and money decisions. But he still remains positive. That is what a professional athlete is trained to do.”