Golf Channel Amateur Tour - Whirlwind Championship

Desperately trying to find more competitive golf and stumbled across the Golf Channel Amateur Tour, a series of events played for gift certificates and points throughout the year. They are down to the last 2 events of the year in Phoenix, so I decided not to sign up for the yearly membership ($199 per 12 months) as signing up now would just leave me 2 events short at the end of next year. They were gracious enough to let me enter as a guest, so a discount on the entry fee, although I'm not eligible for the gift certificates or points. I'll live.

It's being played at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, a phenomenal track with 2 courses, we are playing Devils Claw at 6,998 yards, a bit shorter than normal as the 12th hole is being played at 191 yards rather than the standard 222 yards. All other holes are being played from the back tees as expected. I love 200+ yard par 3's, they make you feel like you earned your par, but I may be in the minority there. I played Devils Claw 5 years ago or so, I remember it being a great track, with several par 4's over 400 yards (just counted, there are 7 of them). I'm so sick of playing 360 yard par 4's I can't see straight. Hmmm, I better be hitting my driver well...

Anyway, we get to the golf course and guess who pulls up front, Jim Furyk. He heads up to the range just as we're headed up there to warm up. There are 2 people at the far right of the range, Furyk sets up at the far left. Guy I'm playing with sets up in the middle, I pull up a spot right next to Furyk. Man, I was absolutely striping it. I remember hitting a 7 iron particularly well and thinking "oh, Furyk is certainly going to compliment me on that shot". Yeah, um, I'm not even sure he even noticed I was there. Here I am hitting it as good as I can, and I can't even get a "nice swing" out of a guy on his day off. Wow, tough crowd.

At the time, I was playing with the guy I worked for (a really good stick) and we came into 17, a 551 yard par 5 all tied. I hit a decent driver, then absolutely killed a 3 wood just short of the green. I hit this pitiful thin chip onto the green that went in for eagle, just killed my man's concentration and I won one up. Haha, good times. Mark, if you are reading this, I still remember that look of exasperation on your face, good times.

I hope to get out there for a practice round Saturday, at the very least I'll be playing in a skins game with a bunch of the guys from the Chandler City event Saturday afternoon at Bear Creek, although I'd like to do both. Birdies or better, after that just pick it up. Maybe that will get me to start rolling putts to the hole. At any rate, I have another lesson with Jeff Ritter Saturday morning, so if I have a lesson, play a practice round, skins game, and then the tournament on Sunday, I should be ready to be admitted to the local Urgent Care for dehydration by then. Maybe I'll call ahead and get them to warm up an IV of saline solution for me.