Phoenix City Amateur - Round 2

A tale of two nines today as I shot 76, 6 over, all of which occured on the front. I went 41-35 and was actually 8 over at one point, but played the last 5 holes 2 under to get it back to even for the side. Wind blew pretty hard on the back and the pins were again tucked in some locations, but overall more fair, not conducive to my scoring, but more fair. Here we go!

Oh, and I found out I wasn't T-3rd after yesterday as one guy shot 69, posted after I left the course yesterday. I think that was the only other score lower, wasn't in the mood to scan the board after the round today.

I don't have a scorecard, so yardages are approximate. Hit it horrible on the range warming up, I literally hooked my first PW 25 yards, yikes. Hit a great tee shot on the par 5 first, ran just through the fairway at the corner, 3 iron just short and a great pitch to 4 feet, canned it for an opening birdie. #2 is approximately 330 yards with water right, hit driver to clear the fairway bunkers and yoked it left. I was able to pitch it around the palm trees but at the last second mentally feared pulling it into the tree so the pitch shot went straight over the bunker, barely cleared it but left me about 12 feet uphill right to left. In the middle of my stroke I thought "wow, this is great, hit it bad on the range and now have a great chance to go 2 under through 2". The putt broke so far left it amazed me. About 3 feet for par and I literally watched the hole the entire stroke, missed it, bogey. 185 yard 3rd, pulled 5 iron pin high left, mud on the ball, tentative chip to 3 feet, downhill left to right, wuss stroke and missed it. Now I'm thinking "great, another day like this" Good thoughts to have moron. Pulled driver on the 4th into the trees and had to punch out with a 7 iron, hit it real well and bounced it in front, but it just skated past the hole, about 30 feet downhill right to left, didn't play enough break and left it 4 feet away. Now I'm thinking "If you are going to ever have a chance to hit a confidence building putt, this is it" 4 feet uphill right to left and I jammed it in there for par. 198 yard par 3 fifth, a little breeze into us and I hit what I thought was a decent 4 iron, but it ended up a bit short, fat part of the green. Literally looks like there is an elephant buried in the green, up the hill to the hole then it drops off sharply, first putt was 4 feet short, hit the 2nd putt with authority but not enough break and missed it high, another bogey.

Sixth hole is about a 420 yard par 4, hit driver and cold blocked it. Ended up about 3 inches away from the fence lining the street. I did the old "aim right with the body and left with the clubface" and hit a phenomenal punch hook PW from the fence into the greenside bunker where I was aiming. Remember all the golf courses that don't have enough sand in the bunkers? Well I found it, all that sand is at this golf course. Ball is buried, I step into the bunker and sink 4 inches. Swung as hard as I could just to get it out, great shot but it went left and rolled off the front of the green. Chip to about 4 feet and missed that putt too, double bogey. Par 3 seventh, only a 9 iron. Thought I put a great swing on it, felt real good, looked up and it upshot into the wind and faded, into the greenside bunker. I almost couldn't find the ball it was buried so bad. Swung as hard as I could again and blasted out to about 15 feet, which was a great shot considering the lie I had, missed the putt but it was a great stroke, another bogey. Par 5 eighth hole, absolutely block fanned the tee shot, but had an opening. I had to cut a 5 iron out of the rough / trench around a very large tree and almost slid it far enough right to make the fairway, but didn't. I had 151 to the stick, hit 8 iron and the ball just mushed off the face out of the very lush weed / crabgrass I was in, barely made the front edge. Probably 50 + feet to the hole, hit the putt and immediately knew it was way short. By the time it stopped rolling I was about 1 1/2 feet left of the hole, hmmm, great putt sir! First guy nearly blows it OB right on 9 (430 yards, into the wind), second guy hits an iron and says he hates this hole. I put a "please don't go right" toe hook driver move on it and bounce it off the fence lining the range left. Free drop from the range fence (it's on the rules sheet) but couldn't make myself hook 5 iron enough for fear of hitting the palm tree 10 feet in front of me. Pin high right, stubbed the chip shot, still in the fringe about 8 feet away for par. I rammed that putt real hard, lipped out low, 3 feet downhill left to right for bogey and somehow made it. 41, 6 over on the front.

10 is a 304 yard par 4, into the wind, first guy landed on the green and bounced over (pin cut right behind the bunker, that was ALL carry, very nice), I'm not carrying it that far so I'm aimed left figuring miss it right if anywhere, and I did, ended up in the greenside bunker. This sand is a COMPLETELY different texture, hit a great shot onto the green, should have been stony, no spin, rolled about 20 feet past, missed the putt low and made par. 161 yard par 3 eleventh, hit 7 iron, at the last second thought "don't hit it over, that's dead!". Let up and landed it right on the front, about 40 feet away. Hit the putt hard but was still 3 feet short, dead in the heart for 3. Par 5 twelfth is probably 550 yards or so, and the wind is kicking up now, dead into us. Hit driver into the right trees, but pretty sparse there. Hit 3 wood about 40 yards short in the left rough. Lined up for another pitch shot and came out of it, left it pin high on the bank short of the bunker. Pulled the pin as this is a chip shot you can make, flat out chunked it, about 8 feet left for par, missed it. 13 is about 410 yards or so, blocked my tee shot into the right rough, dead behind some of the widest and tallest trees I've ever seen. Punched 5 iron under it into the bunker where I was aiming. Fluffed it out of there, 20+ feet left, ran it 5 feet by and made it for bogey.

Pretty pissed off now, 8 over after birdieing the first hole of the day. Not going well. Par 3 14th, 215 yards, wind is howling off the left. I hit one of the best high towering drawing and held into the wind 3 irons of my life, about 12 feet left of the hole. Putt was 3 inches short, dead in the jaws. 15 is 450 yards, playing dead downwind, lake on the left. I aimed right and hit a great tee shot into the right rough by a few inches. Smooth 9 iron up into the wind and rode the fade, ended up about 3 feet left of the hole, canned that for birdie. 16 is only 413 yards, dead back into the wind, hit a good tee shot to the right side of the fairway. I had 167 left and hit 5 iron into the wind, at the last second thinking "wow that's a lot of club" let up on it and ended up a bit short of pin high in the right fringe, 40 feet away. First putt to about 3 1/2 feet, made the putt for par. 17 dead downwind, probably 410 yards or so, good tee shot, but still missed the fairway by 6 inches. Hit GW and it just mushed out of that same type of grass that was on 8. Maybe just under 20 feet, downhill downwind putt, hit it fairly soft and it just kept rolling and rolling, in for birdie. 18 is about the same length, but OB right. I setup to take it up over the trees on the left dogleg and cold blocked it again. I was in bounds by an easy 8 feet or so, moron. Pin is cut right in front, 110 yards to go downwind, hit SW and pulled it a hair but only 10 feet left or so, it takes one hop in front of the green and squirts left on me, ends up pin high about 25 feet away. I about puked my guts out trying to make that putt, but alas it was not to be, but an easy par. 35, even on the back.

So going by the cut of the grass, I hit exactly 1 fairway today, and that one by less than 3 feet. Probably 3-4 that missed by less than 2 feet. Hit 11 greens and had 34 (official) putts. I played 2 through 13 in nine over par, finished the last 5 holes 2 under. Just like the front nine yesterday, I couldn't get the ball in play on the front nine today. Obviously I'm pretty frustrated right now, spoke to my uncle and he suggested that I change my attitude for the rest of the tournament, play pissed off. A little, not a lot, but this tentative "please get in the fairway, please go in the hole" bullshit isn't getting it done. Man I wish I could have that front 9 over again. I'm probably an easy 10 shots back after this fiasco.

Rounds 3 and 4 are this coming Saturday / Sunday, so we'll be hitting a lot of pent up anger laden drivers at the range this week, as well as rubbing chicken bones on my putter. If anyone has any voodoo rituals or sacrificial ceremonies that work, please let me know.

Phoenix City Amateur - Round 1

Played in the first round of the Phoenix City Amateur today, a four round event, first round held at Papago today. I shot 73, 1 over par, which puts me T-3rd, 2 shots out of the lead. 1 guy at 71, 1 guy at 72, and 3 or 4 of us at 73. I believe there was one more group left to post when I left, but that's where it stood when I left anyway. Wind was up a bit, quite gusty at times, and the pins were tucked behind nearly every bunker, really setup pretty strong, as can be judged by the scores. I played out of the trees on the front 9 but put got it around better on the back. Here we go!

Number 1 is a 552 yard par 5, and I didn't remember a single whole all day (played this once 12 years ago). Blocked it right but found it on some hardpan, 5 iron over the junk into the fairway and what I though was a too deep GW, which ended up about 5 feet past the hole, and we jarred it for birdie. We're already stuck on the 2nd tee box, group in front is in the trees in the left searching for all their balls. They clear and I hit 3 wood dead left right where they were. Great, but I actually find my ball, literally stopped from going down the desert embankment by a small rock. I can't move it as it's literally holding my ball on hill, it's about 2 inches by 3 inches, but I have a punch shot. I pull 6 iron and hit it and hope, ball squirts dead left about 30 yards, but still playable. I punch out from there just over, chip and a putt for 5, and a good 5 for nearly losing the ball twice really. Toed the tee shot on #3, right at 150 in, I yanked it but thought it would clear the bunker on the left, nope, dead into it. Pin cut behind the right bunker, sitting on top of a shelf, hit a great bunker shot to about 18 inches, par. 4th was playing about 208 yards, hit a perfect 4 iron to about 5 feet, above the hole, breaking left to right, just pushed it a bit and lipped out low, easy 3. Fifth is 390 yards, yanked driver dead left into the trees, 3 feet from being ok, tried to slide a wedge right of it, nope, dropped straight down. Hit a great Stan Utley pitch shot to 4 feet, canned it for par (I didn't deserve that). Yanked another driver on 6, sitting on some nasty rocks / hardpan in the desert, got cute and "el hoseled" the SW. Another Stan Utley pitch but too far, about 15 feet, lipped it out and made bogey.

Finally hit a good tee shot on 7, 417 yards, 9 iron in, pulled it a bit, left me this ridiculously fast "looking" put up and over a ridge to a pin in the valley, somehow left it 6 feet short, buried that one for par as well. 198 yard par 3 8th, another pin ridiculously tucked behind a bunker, 4 iron to 40 feet and 2 putt par. Par 5 9th, here we go, let's get some! Good tee shot, just in the right rough, 240 out, a little downwind, decided on a chaser 3 iron, worked it all out, cut it around a tree from the hanging lie, fan it a bit, chunk. Great layup to 90 yards though. SW too deep to 20 feet, 2 putt par, out in 1 over 37. Ten is another par 5, ok NOW let's get some! Great tee shot to the corner, great 3 wood to I thought the middle of the green, nope, wind gust knocked it down, just short. Stan Utley pitch to 2 feet, made the putt, back to even. #11 is a 190 yard par 3, over water, over a gaping steep face bunker, just scary and ugly. Pin back right corner, hit a perfect 5 iron 15 feet short left, right where I drew it up, lame ass putt short and low but easy 3. Good 3 wood on 12, 99 yards to clear the high lipped bunker where the pin was tucked, as soon as I hit it I knew the GW uphill into the wind was not going to make it, so I did what any reasonable golfer would do, I begged please. Just made it but hopped left, 25 feet, great speed just didn't see it breaking left at the end, but good par. Great 3 wood off 13, 408 yard par 4 (playing a bit up), pin is accessible, but on a shelf just behind the corner of the front bunker, so I bailed at the last second, 20 feet short right, 2 putt par. Hit the bottom groove of the 3 wood on 14, right into the middle. Yet another ridiculously tucked pin, 142 yards to clear the lip, just a hair over comfort zone for 9, but too much for 8, hard 9 was tugged a hair, cleared the bunker, but kicked straight left and funneled down the slope to 40 feet away. What a ridiculously bad hop. First putt went 8 feet by, yowza. 2nd putt went right in the middle, 2 putts is 2 putts right?

Out of position with my bag leaving the green to go to the par five fifteenth, went back to get another guys towel he left on the green, the other 2 guys went first to let me catch up, out of breath and hurried to hit it, blocked it. The good news is I hit it so bad that I stayed short of the trouble. Pissed off though, and fat/hooked 5 iron into the left rough. 115 to go, perfect GW but the grass was a bit thicker than I thought and it fluffed out. Made the green but about 25 feet short. Ran this putt about 6 feet by, and I swear this green was faster. Not as fortunate this time, the par putt lipped out low and I made bogey. Great tee shot on 16, 8 iron in but the wind caught it a bit and I ended up pin high about 15 feet left, and left the putt 2 feet short, just pitiful really, but a solid par. 17 is a 227 yard par 3, no trouble around the green though, but I hit a lame chicken 3 iron pin high, 50 plus feet away. First putt was about 6 feet short, but that's about as far as I can hit a putter, I think I pulled something there. Anyway, 2nd putt was the purest putt ever, center cut for par. Thought I blocked my tee shot behind the trees in the corner on 18 but got up there and got a favorable bounce left past the trees into the fairway, 140 yards left, a bit downwind, hit 9 iron well, but it started going a bit left, hit pin high about 8 feet away and spun back down the hill into the fringe leaving me about 15-20 feet back up the hill. Great putt hit hard as hell, just missed it left and a tap in par to close the day.

So 37 - 36, and a miracle 37 considering how bad I was hitting it off the tee on the front. I hit 11 greens in a row starting on 7, streak busted with the zipped 9 iron on 18, 2 inches into the fringe. 31 total official putts, but without making birdies and not really missing greens on the back, they add up quick. I hit 1 of 7 fairways on the front and 6 of 7 on the back, swinging much better off the tee as the day wore on. By my count, there were 10 really hard and tucked pins, what happened to 6, 6 and 6? Tomorrow is at Encanto, which I've never seen before, of course I didn't remember anything about today's course either. I heard it's 300-400 yards shorter, but a par 70 instead of 72, and dead flat. On to tomorrow, wish me luck!

Phoenix City Amateur starts 3/29

I entered the Phoenix City Amateur, a four round event that starts tomorrow, 3/29. This event is 2 rounds this weekend and 2 rounds next weekend. Of the 4 different courses, I've only played one of them, Papago. 12 years ago. Should be fun. We play Papago tomorrow, I go off at 8:21 AM. Stopped by after work and hit some balls and some putts, hitting it very well. Worked again on moving my right shoulder under my chin through impact as I'd gotten away from that a bit over the past week or so.

Should be a great weekend, high of about 84 degrees both days. Wish me luck!

Company Founder passed away today

Today, the founder of the company I work for Kurt X (name removed to keep business seperated from personal), passed away after a long bout with cancer. I'd known Kurt for about 6 years, played golf with him several times before going to work for him at my company. Approximately 30 seconds after the notification went out to the company about him, the office went completely silent, it was eerie, all the background noise just stopped. It's just complete bullshit that the good guys get dealt bad hands.

Here's the text from the email that went out from our CEO today:

Good afternoon everyone,

It is with extreme sadness that I write this email.

Kurt X, our good friend, company founder, and all around phenomenal person passed away about an hour ago at his home in Phoenix. As most of you have known for some time, Kurt fought a courageous one and a half year battle with brain cancer. He was 49 years old. His mother, father, daughters, and brother were at his side when he passed. I’m confident he was at peace to have those he loved with him as he entered into Heaven. Like all of you, I am really going to miss Kurt. Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts today.

Services to say goodbye to Kurt are being formulated and I will pass on the information when available.

Respectfully,

Gene

Godspeed my friend, you will be missed.

San Tan Amatuer results - Round 2

So after Friday's putting fiasco, I spent about an hour on my putting green at home, and I must say, putted even worse. I finally just went to bed and said the hell with it. It's not like I can have 41 putts again. Tee times on Saturday, I'm off at 8:40 AM. Here we go!

Started on #10 again (split tees). As yesterday, we're aiming for the right corner rough, oops, blocked it into the fairway on #1. I hit a perfect 7 iron, only to find it was actually pulled and just a bit short. A lame chip to about 10 feet, and a short putt, 3 feet left. Uh oh, remember yesterday? Well I made this one, Yay me. Bogey. Blocked 4 iron on #11 but hit it so bad that I actually ended up in the bunker, dead. Pin is in back, on the other side of this ridiculous slope. Hit it out of the bunker up into the rough, trickled down onto the green to about 3 feet, great shot. Damned if I didn't make that putt too. Sort of ok tee shot down the left side on the par 5 twelfth, but into the wind today, so about 270 in. Decent 3 wood just short, but have to pitch over the bunker up to the back shelf. Thought I hit it short but it bounced hard and ended up about 6 feet long. Got a great read from the first guy to putt nearly on my line and I made mine for 4. Hit another baby cut driver on 13, just a short pitch in. Fatted it a bit but got lucky with a hard bounce, about 12 feet below the hole. Just left it short, knew it as soon as I hit it. I have to think that yesterday had something to do with that tentative stroke. Hit 5 iron on 14 today (4 iron deep yesterday) and got sooooo lucky, hit it like a girl but got a good bounce out of the fringe and had about 15 feet left, uphill right to left. Other guy holes his from about 25 feet, nearly on my line, and I go after mine especially after leaving it short on the last hole. Well too much gas equals not enough break, miss it high left, about 3 feet downhill right to left to go. As I'm taking it back I think "don't hit it too hard in case you miss so you have an easy tap in for bogey". Oh, great swing thought, missed it low and left.

Decent tee shot on the par 5 fifteenth, dead in the middle of the fairway, 250 yards in, and topped the damn thing again. That's twice in 2 days, what in the h-e-doublehockeysticks is that about? 127 yards left, perfect PW, blocked it, left myself 35 feet for birdie. Missed it low, made the par putt. Group behind us is on our ass, and I want to get moving. I stand up on the next hole, look behind us to confirm that the group is pressing us and blocked the tee shot OB. Good job. 3 from the tee is right down the middle, hit GW to the back right top shelf pin and missed the green right, dead. Pitch to 20 feet and 2 putt, triple. Nice 7 dude, really, great course management there. No wind today on 17, hit 7 iron again, about 20 feet right, just past pin high, lame first putt, make the 3 footer for par. I hit a low hooked tee shot on 18, into the left rough, but about 135 yards left, and fatted a 9 iron short of the green. This game isn't that hard is it? F me again. Hit a great chip shot, nearly went in, then went 8 feet by. I was thinking "don't pull this" and missed it right. 39 yesterday and 40 today? I mean come on, who's dog did I run over? I don't deserve this do I?

Didn't hit the tee shot nearly as well on #1 today, but had about the same yardage in. Since we're not into the wind and the pin is in front, I try a little 3 iron chaser, hit it great, but it sat nearly in place when it landed, about 15 yards short. Hit another great chip shot, about 2 feet low and left though, but made it for birdie. Piped the tee shot on #2, 104 yards left. Now this is just a bit much for the ol SW, but I think we can get it there. Been hitting the GW like crap anyway. Pin is all the way left, green is split by a big valley, not much room for error. Thought it was perfect but landed about 6 inches short of flat and spun back down into the valley about 15 feet away. Good 2 putt from that bottom tier. Absolutely yanked the tee shot on #3, but it ran forever and got past the tree on the left. Had nary a SW left into the hole (55 yards farther than yesterday, I'm so huge). Blocked it and had a nasty right to left putt, one of those where the more break you play the more it breaks. Somehow I got it to within 6 inches and walked out with par. Absolutely nutted the tee shot on #4, had only 102 yards left. Hit GW this time (uphill) and 2 putted for another 4. Just a so so tee shot on the par 5 fifth, so so 3 wood just short, and a so so pitch shot to about 10 feet. Got another great read from a guy who was putting nearly on my line and made mine for yet another 4.

5 iron again on #6 but pulled and ended up about 35 feet and a bit short of pin high. This nearly would have been holed for yesterday's pin, hey, small battles right. First putt was tentative and was about 4 feet short. I never felt better over a putt though and stroked it perfectly. Oh yeah, it missed. Hit 3 wood again on #7, perfectly placed, just a nice pitch shot from there, but way too tentative, God forbid I attack the stick from 70 yards or anything. 2 putt from there for my 7th 4 in a row. Hit 5 iron again on #8, beautiful cut just like I planned, I just started it at the hole, ended up pin high in the fringe, felt really good about it, pulled the pin and nearly chipped in, tap in par and my first 3 of the back side!

As we're standing on the tee on 9, we see a guy in the group ahead make the longest walk in all of golf. He hit it OB and had to walk back to re-tee. We told him to take his time, he nutted it and went on his way. As I'm pulling my driver back after the fairway clears I think "you've already hit one OB, let's not be like that guy", hey look at that, I missed the fairway left! 106 yards in, a shade downwind. Hit a perfect SW, I literally was yelling for it to go in. One hop and zipped back a few feet though, about 10 feet left. Pured the putt and made it for a closing birdie and a 2 under 34 on the back. Can we start the golf tournament now?

I walked off after 32 putts feeling like I putted lights out, that's how bad Friday was. So 74 with a triple on day 2, and a lot of missed opportunities to look back on. Breakdown by nines goes 39-40-40-34. Maybe I need to play 27 hole practice rounds or something. At any rate, it's movement in the right direction. I spoke to my instructor and he's got some ideas on drills with a belly putter so we can target some isolation in the stroke. I'm not going to a belly putter, just drills. He and I agreed that perhaps an equipment change with the putter isn't out of order. I've had this putter or 10 years now, and it's not like switching is going to cause me to go out and putt worse than I already have. I'm looking for something now, I just can't find anything I like. I was thinking a mallet, but they just don't look right to me. The search goes on.

San Tan Amateur results - Round 1

I played in the San Tan Amateur last weekend, a 2 round event that also served as one of the Arizona Stroke Play qualifiers. Tee to green I hit it pretty good, but I've never putted so bad in my freaking life. 41 putts Friday, 32 putts Saturday, 79 - 74 respectively. How does that happen you ask? Good question. Here we go!

We started on #10 (split tees) in a shotgun format on day 1. #10 at Las Colinas is a dogleg right par 4 that sets up better if you cut the corner, even if you play out of the rough. Hit it right into the corner, ended up in the rough, right where I wanted it. Thinned PW out of it but bad enough to still leave it on the bottom shelf, pin back left. Hit a tentative putt to about 2 1/2 feet and yoked the par putt left. So bad I had to check the grip on my putter to see if it was crooked. #11 is 190 yard par 3, solid 5 iron about 30 feet left, just past pin high. Hit a great putt, downhill left to right, lipped out on the bottom edge, 3 feet left for par. Yoked it again. Decent tee shot on the par 5 twelfth, had 245 in, pin up front. Downhill lie and I literally topped it. Ok, now we're having fun. I have 150 yards left, solid 8 iron to about 10 feet, missed the putt. My first par though, yay.

Thirteen is a short par 4, hit a baby cut driver right down the middle, 105 left. Hit a smooth GW to about 8 feet, pulled the putt left (again) and then pulled the 18 inch tap in left. Again, I look at the putter grip to see if it's crooked. Still straight. 192 yard par 3 14th, hit what I thought was a PERFECT 4 iron, into the wind, drawing dead onto the stick, landed over the green and I was very fortunate it stopped there rather than rolling down the hill, which is dead. Good chip to about a foot and made the putt. Decent tee shot on the par 5 fifteenth, if just a hair right of where I was aiming. 250 yards in, hit a weak cut 3 wood about 20 yards short, eesh what a bad swing. Hardpan lie, bounced the pitch shot into the ball, ended up just over the green. Straight downhill putt, about 5 feet by, missed it, bogey. Good tee shot on 16, PW in, caught it a big heavy, about 20 feet short, but 2 putted by God. 167 yard par 3 seventeenth, the wind pick up just a bit as I was about to go, but thought I'd just muscle a 7 iron anyway, short. Chip and a putt for par. I swear to God I aimed for the left side of the fairway on 18, a tree, a big ass tree, is planted right in the middle of the fairway here. I cold blocked it, dead into the middle of the right half of the fairway. Phew. Pulled an 8 iron pin high, about 20 feet left. Another 2 putt that had my knee's knocking on the par putt. Out in 39, F me. Now I'm pissed, thirty fucking nine?

Absolutely killed the tee shot on the par 5 first, 250 yards left. Hit a solid cut 3 wood, just onto the back edge of the green. Nearly holed the chip shot, 1 inch tap in birdie. Cold blocked driver on #2, got a drop from casual water, then thinned a PW over the back, dead. The best I could do was 10 feet from there, missed the putt, gave back the momentum. Hit a piss poor weak cut tee shot on 3, 149 yards left. Hit a ho hum 8 iron about 20 feet short, first putt about 4 feet short, missed the putt. (New storyline). So one of the guys we're playing with comes up to me and whispers in my ear that instead of asking one of the other players if he wanted me to move my mark, I should have just looked for myself, rather than letting doubt creep into his mind that my mark might be in the way. Ooookay, sure thing brother.

Good tee shot on 4, about 135 yards left, pulled my 9 iron pin high left. Chip shot took off on me, 12 feet to go for par, missed it (that's 3 bogey's in a row for those keeping score). Not a great tee shot on 5, a par 5, left me about 270 yards in. Hit a decent 3 wood, about 10 yards short of the green. Now Mr. Ball Mark etiquette is in the bunker short about 2 feet in front of me. As I'm walking around the bunker I say to him "hey, go ahead if you're ready" as he's already in the bunker. His response? "I don't give a shit who's ready, who's turn is it?" Ummm, dude, are you going to be ok, cause I think you're about to have an aneurism. "It doesn't matter who's ready, it matter who's turn it is." Ok, now at this point, this guy can officially kiss my ass, as he went first on this same Goddamn hole, and it wasn't his box. Which I remind him of, and he replies with "I was asked to go first". So I fire back "Well I just asked you to go first, how in the fuck is that any different?" It goes deathly silent now, and we don't speak for another 2 holes. More on that later. (Sorry about the language, but this is how it unfolded).

Back to it, ok so I stab the chip shot (big surprise), and miss the 25 foot birdie putt by about a mile. I made the 8 footer for par though, jackass made 4 out of the bunker though, where's the justice in that? Pulled 5 iron on #6, just past pin high, hit the chip to about 4 feet and missed the putt. I pull 3 wood on #7 and as we're waiting for the group in front of us, my man actually apologizes for the outburst earlier, we kiss and make up, all is well. Great 3 wood, if not a little too far, on a downslope now. Hit SW but hang it out to the right, just in the fringe, about 8 feet away. The first putt breaks wildly left, about 18 inches for par, and pulled that one too. For the 3rd time, I check my grip to see if it's crooked, nope, still straight. Great 5 iron on #8 to about 6 feet. Another guy in the group however hits it to one foot, so mine doesn't look so great. I am so out of my mind with the putter that I actually left the uphill left to right putt 6 inches short and low. Great 3 you putz.

We get to 9 and there is a community outreach program of some sort papering the neighborhood with flyers. Well about 15 mothers and children are on the teebox on 9 in the shade, talking and laughing and playing tag. They quiet down enough for the first 2 guys to go, but when I stand up it starts getting loud again. I actually backed away and said "Excuse me" 7 times (yes seven) to get their attention so I could ask them to quiet down. After seeing me ask them, they all got up and walked away, right in the middle of my backswing. My God did I hit that tee shot good, absolutely pured. They should have been talking while I was putting all day. I hit some wedge from there and 2 putted, for the life of me I can't remember now. It was all a blur.

And that folks is how you shoot 79 with 41 putts. Pretty damn easy if you ask me. Somebody shoot me now please.

Entered US Open Qualifier

I have more stuff to post, but I'm too excited to not post this. I signed up for the US Open Qualifier today, and will be playing at Poston Butte on May 7th. Sectional round is in Daly City, CA, of course we need to make it past the first stage before we worry about that. I've already cleared the date on the calendar for work, and we're pretty damn excited!

Hurricane fun round

I played last Friday with Mike at Rio Salado. The forecast was for 35+ mph winds, and Mother Nature did not disappoint. Wow was it windy! Rounds like these are what seperates the men from the boys right? Here we go!

As I said in the title, this was just a round of fun. What it turned into however was a lesson in patience and concentration. Playing in wind this strong requires constant commitment to your shot and nearly perfect execution. I hit what felt like a blocked cut tee shot just to hold it into the wind, which turned into a 25 yard hook. Ended up perfect, just a small little pitch about 8 feet above the hole. I hit what I thought was a light put, ran it about 6 feet by. Yikes. Made the putt. #2 is a 155 yard par 3, dead into the wind. I SMOKED a 5 iron, all over it. Ended up about 12 feet above the hole, a great shot if I do say so myself. Just tapped the ball, downhill downwind, 8 feet by. Made the putt. #3 is a short par 4, now the wind is dead off the right. I hit a really really really low 2 iron that ran forever. Short little pitch to about 5 feet. Just tapped the putt, great distance control, just too lame to have any chance to go in. Tap in par.

The fourth is a 160 yard par 3, just turned a bit downwind, I thought I'd hit a little punch 8 iron below the wind, I think I hit it perfect, just yanked it into the bunker. Blasted out to about 4 feet and missed it. Number 5 is a par 5, but really a par 4, short on the order of like 480-490 yards. Hit a pretty good tee shot and it just ran and ran and ran. Had about 130 yards in, but sitting on some nasty hard pan. I thought I'd hit a little punch, but I don't know what I actually did. At any rate, I ended up right of the green behind a palm tree, but on a sprinkler box. Free drop, good pitch to about 6 feet, and missed the putt, just never broke. Toe'd the driver on 6, but with the wind it just stayed dead straight. Thought I hit a good little pitch shot, but it hit hard and ended up about 25 feet above the hole. This green was hard and fast, my putt went by about 10 feet, but I made the comebacker, even after Mike had announced that I was surely going to 3 putt. He made his 6 foot comebacker as well and said he was thinking if he didn't make his, he wouldn't hear the end of it. You got that right my friend!

I tugged my dead downwind 9 iron on 7, but got a great bounce and was able to get up and down. #8 is a par 4 / par 3 combo. As a par 4 you have to play around a fence constructed to keep tee shots out of the DMV parking lot (city mandate). So we played it as a par 3, I hit the most disgusting 3 iron but ended up just past pin high left. Here's the fun part. As I'm at the top of the backswing of my pitch shot, I see a tumbleweed blowing across the green at me. In an instant I think "Is that a tumbleweed? Sure, it probably is, I mean we're in the desert and the wind is blowing super hard. Jeez, I hope I don't hit it into the actual tumbleweed", thunk, leave it short and up on top of the mound in front of the green. It was actually pretty funny and I'm not sure what I actually made. I think I just putted from the fringe (didn't make it) and either made the next one for bogey or missed it. I was too busy telling Mike what was going through my head and laughing. Let's call it a double to be safe I guess.

Hit a great tee shot on 9 leaving just a short pitch. I even called my shot, that I would leave it right of the hole even if it killed me. Wind howling from the right, bunker short left, hit it to about 5 feet and made the putt. So we turn back and play 1 again. First shot, I actually blocked into the wind hard enough to hit it into the desert. Ah hell, re-tee and try again. Hit this one good, but into the right rough. Hit SW over the tree to about 20 feet and made the putt. The wind is dying down a bit now, so I take 6 iron on #2 instead of the 5 iron I hit earlier. I just let up a bit on this one and put it just below pin high on the right side, about 20 feet away. Missed it low but a good par. I hit another 2 iron on #3, although not as good this time. Had 110 yards and hit a great GW to 5 feet and made it. Back on #4, 160 yard par 4, hit the punch 8 iron online this time, but it ended up over the back of the green, just dead behind this hump. I played about 6 feet of break on this 9 foot putt, nearly made it, but it raced about 8 feet by (literally was about as close as I could get it). Almost almost almost made it, but alas, I did not.

We packed up after that and headed out as the rest of the course was getting backed up. In all, I played pretty damn well for how windy it was. I usually hate playing in the wind, but we approached this with a really good attitude and had really good results for the conditions.

Progress check

I've uploaded the video from another lesson with Jeff today. I must say, and I don't take this lightly, that I am truly hitting it better than I ever have in my life. Today we added the movement of the right elbow moving "deeper" behind my ribcage on the backswing, which adds more flattening elements and consequently more steepening influences, and it made all the difference in the world. Over the past week I've hit some pretty darn good shots, but it's like night and day to where I'm at now. The changes in ball trajectory are significant, extremely penetrating off the face and rising to the apex, dropping softly.

True story, today after the lesson I'm hitting some balls before I headed home, the collection of balls on the range was such that there was a not exactly large area of grass where balls had not collected, making a reasonably good target. I hit somewhere in the range of 6 out of 10 six irons inside that area, all on the same line, same trajectory, same divots, same sound. The 4 or so of the approximately 10 balls were still hit well, just pulled slightly left. Part 2 of the true story is the follow up practice session this afternoon (which I typically do on instruction days). This course near my house has very nice turf, so I enjoy practicing there on the weekends. The left corner of one of the target greens was devoid of any balls so I started hitting 8 iron to that part of it. After 12 or so shots I became aware of the fact that I had again striped every one of them, same trajectory, line, divot, sound, etc. and landed all of them on this left corner of the green. Of course ball 13 got yanked ("you're brain was getting in the way" - Romeo), but the consistency of these shots is bordering on ridiculous.

So that last statement was one that perplexed me as well. Ridiculous? So exactly what in the hell have we been going through for the last 6 months and why if we're going to call it ridiculous? Certainly the wrong word. I believe what I'm looking for is "exceeded expectations". Jeff commented to me that the next few sessions will be 100% focused on short game as the full swing is right where it needs to be. So out of all the times I've come to him with "I'm hitting it great" and he has me change something else, we're finally nearing the point where this is all coming together. Very exciting times.

In the past 2 weeks, I've had a golf instructor use me as a model for his student when giving a lesson, had a group of 3 husbands and wives (snowbirds) watch me hit balls for 10 minutes and ask themselves out loud "I wonder who he is and what tour he plays on?" (haha, if they only knew!), and the father of a college student getting lessons interrupt my practicing to tell me how good my swing looked. None of that means a damn thing at the end of the day, but 6 months ago, noboday cared 2 licks about who I was, I just blended in. Now I can feel people stare at me when I practice, that's pretty damn cool.

This upcoming week should be a lot better in terms of practice time. Now that it's light later in the day, I've been trying to get into a routine of 2 a days, where I practice at lunch and then again on the way home from work. This past week I was scheduled for meetings or lunch appointments every single day. My wife is also out of town, so a couple of days I was unable to practice after work as well. I'd like to get settled in to a full scale twice a day routine, but I'm also toying around with the idea of working out a flex schedule to take a 1/2 day on Wednesday or so to go play. We can't just beat balls, I'm not trying to be Vijay here.