Monday, May 11, 2009
The US Open
Tomorrow my caddie and I head to St.Louis to try and get through the "locals" of the US Open qualifying process. This year there were 9048 entries into the event, and at this time there are 63 fully exempt players into the field. That basically means that the 9048 dreamers and PGA Tour professionals will be teeing it up in a series of qualifing tournaments trying to earn one of the other 93 places in this year's tournament.
Friday, May 1, 2009
I've managed to resist the whole "hybrid" movement for quite some time now, but caved today. Agfter hitting a dozen shots with the new club I could kick myself for not doing this sooner. I hate the way they look, but these clubs perform pretty well. Lets face it...if the best players in the world use them, they can probably help the rest of us to some degree.
This one is a couple of years old, but is exactly what I was looking for. It's a 2i hybrid. I normlly don't play with a 3 iron and carry a 5 wood. But tring to take something off of a 5 wood can be tricky, especially in wind. This 2i thing should be easier toback off of when I need a 3 iron distance. I was able to dial it down and hit it about 2oo by choking up on it, and got a couple on the green at about 237 by swinging away. That's a pretty handy spread to be able to hit a club.
So, about 2 weeks out from my first qualifying tournament, here's what's in the bag.
Ping G10 9 degree driver
Cleveland High Bore XLS 3-wood
Cleveland duo 2i hybrid
Cleveland CG2 irons, 4iron-PW
Cleveland CG12 Black Pearl 52 Wedge
Cleveland CG12 Chrome 56 Wedge
Cleveland CG12 Black Pearl 60 Wedge
Ping Isoforce Darby F (prototype, 1999)
This one is a couple of years old, but is exactly what I was looking for. It's a 2i hybrid. I normlly don't play with a 3 iron and carry a 5 wood. But tring to take something off of a 5 wood can be tricky, especially in wind. This 2i thing should be easier toback off of when I need a 3 iron distance. I was able to dial it down and hit it about 2oo by choking up on it, and got a couple on the green at about 237 by swinging away. That's a pretty handy spread to be able to hit a club.
So, about 2 weeks out from my first qualifying tournament, here's what's in the bag.
Ping G10 9 degree driver
Cleveland High Bore XLS 3-wood
Cleveland duo 2i hybrid
Cleveland CG2 irons, 4iron-PW
Cleveland CG12 Black Pearl 52 Wedge
Cleveland CG12 Chrome 56 Wedge
Cleveland CG12 Black Pearl 60 Wedge
Ping Isoforce Darby F (prototype, 1999)
Time to write again
Ok, so I've taken several months off from blogging about my golfing adventures. Time to start back up...I'm playing for real here in about 3 weeks.
I quit writing for a while because they were all sounding the same. Get up. Practice. Work out. Go home. Sleep. Repeat.
Here's what's new.
Charlie (Chuck) Farley is going to caddy for me some this summer. Charlie worked for me when I was a Store Manager for Dillards. Actually, his wife and parents worked there too. One of the most genuine and caring families I've ever been around. Chuck graduated from college in December, so hopefully we can earn both of us some money this summer before he goes to work teaching and coaching. He grew up around the game and has caddied before, which is a big advantage for me. He's also a fierce, spirited competitor of a person who will be able to keep me fired up and shooting at flags.
On May 13th we're playing in the local qualifyer for the US Open in St. Louis. Locals are held at about 100 courses around the country. A few players from each local tournament site will make it to the next level, called sectionals. That's when it gets tough. The sectionals not only consist of the players who made it through locals, but also PGA Tour players who are not exempt into the US Open already by way of winning tournaments or being high enoughon the money list. Sectionals separates the men from the boys. Get through sectionals, and you're playing in a major championship. Around 8000 people will enter the US Open. About 70 of those will earn spots into the field. The competition is brutal.
After that we're trying to play our way into the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. PGA Tour events are even harder to qualify for, with 150 or so guys playing for 4 spots in the field. It takes flawless golf to pull it off. You might get away with a mis- hit shot once or twice...maybe. But make an actual mistake...like miss a green on the short side or hit a shot into a water hazard and you'd might as well keep walking all the way to the car.
After that I'm going to try and Monday qualify a few times on the Nationwide Tour before going through q-school in the fall. Most likely I'll try in Ft. Smith, Springfield, Chattanooga and a couple of others.
I've been playing very well for the past several months, and am still grinding hard every day looking for any improvement I can find. I'm looking forward to getting the first tee jitters again. I'm sure I'll be horribly nervous, but I'm still looking forward to that first tee shot.
Watch for several posts a week from now on!
John
I quit writing for a while because they were all sounding the same. Get up. Practice. Work out. Go home. Sleep. Repeat.
Here's what's new.
Charlie (Chuck) Farley is going to caddy for me some this summer. Charlie worked for me when I was a Store Manager for Dillards. Actually, his wife and parents worked there too. One of the most genuine and caring families I've ever been around. Chuck graduated from college in December, so hopefully we can earn both of us some money this summer before he goes to work teaching and coaching. He grew up around the game and has caddied before, which is a big advantage for me. He's also a fierce, spirited competitor of a person who will be able to keep me fired up and shooting at flags.
On May 13th we're playing in the local qualifyer for the US Open in St. Louis. Locals are held at about 100 courses around the country. A few players from each local tournament site will make it to the next level, called sectionals. That's when it gets tough. The sectionals not only consist of the players who made it through locals, but also PGA Tour players who are not exempt into the US Open already by way of winning tournaments or being high enoughon the money list. Sectionals separates the men from the boys. Get through sectionals, and you're playing in a major championship. Around 8000 people will enter the US Open. About 70 of those will earn spots into the field. The competition is brutal.
After that we're trying to play our way into the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. PGA Tour events are even harder to qualify for, with 150 or so guys playing for 4 spots in the field. It takes flawless golf to pull it off. You might get away with a mis- hit shot once or twice...maybe. But make an actual mistake...like miss a green on the short side or hit a shot into a water hazard and you'd might as well keep walking all the way to the car.
After that I'm going to try and Monday qualify a few times on the Nationwide Tour before going through q-school in the fall. Most likely I'll try in Ft. Smith, Springfield, Chattanooga and a couple of others.
I've been playing very well for the past several months, and am still grinding hard every day looking for any improvement I can find. I'm looking forward to getting the first tee jitters again. I'm sure I'll be horribly nervous, but I'm still looking forward to that first tee shot.
Watch for several posts a week from now on!
John
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's COLD!
Not much practice going on this week. Temperatures here are frigid. Plus, I've had a serious fight with a head cold this week. Two days ago I spent about an hour on the practice green, but the wind chill was about 20 degrees and I don't think that helped my cold any. I was in bed all day yesterday, and today the wind chill is in the teens. Tonight the temp will dip into single digits, and the wind chill will be below zero...pretty unusual for Arkansas. There is an indoor facility in Memphis (about an hour away) with a large Southwest Green in it. I may go over tomorrow and spend the day putting. It's supposed to be back into the 40's and 50's on Saturday.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The new irons...
I've been wanting to try some actual blades again, and I recently found a set of Cleveland CG1 clubs at a used sporting goods store. I felt like they were overpriced, so I went onto Ebay and bought a set for about $150. I've been using them for about a week and a half, and just could never get things going with them. I was hitting a lot of shots left, and had experimented with moving the ball around in my stance to straighten it out. The shafts are a bit stiffer than what I had, but it shouldn't cause me to miss the ball to the left anyway.
I'm probably an idiot for switching to begin with...I've been practically knocking the flag down with my old ones, but I'm really not happy with the longer irons and feel like I need a switch.
Today was the last straw. I was 138 out, and with the breeze it was just a solid 9 iron to the pin. Everything felt great at address. I fully expected the shot to be within 6 feet of the hole. I made perfect contact, and looked up to see the ball flying 50 feet left of my line.
I went to the cart and called my father and had him meet me with my old sticks. I swapped them out and then thought...wait a second. I wonder... So I took the two 9 irons and held them together. Yep, my new clubs were over an inch longer than my old ones. It was almost a sense of relief...I'd done everything but break out the video camera to see what was going on with my swing. I have some new grips coming Monday. Guess now I'll trim them back an inch and then see what happens.
I'm probably an idiot for switching to begin with...I've been practically knocking the flag down with my old ones, but I'm really not happy with the longer irons and feel like I need a switch.
Today was the last straw. I was 138 out, and with the breeze it was just a solid 9 iron to the pin. Everything felt great at address. I fully expected the shot to be within 6 feet of the hole. I made perfect contact, and looked up to see the ball flying 50 feet left of my line.
I went to the cart and called my father and had him meet me with my old sticks. I swapped them out and then thought...wait a second. I wonder... So I took the two 9 irons and held them together. Yep, my new clubs were over an inch longer than my old ones. It was almost a sense of relief...I'd done everything but break out the video camera to see what was going on with my swing. I have some new grips coming Monday. Guess now I'll trim them back an inch and then see what happens.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Happy New Year.
Happy 2009 out there. I'm really getting exciting about the spring. It's still a ways off, but it'll be here before I know it.
I played 5 rounds last wqeek and got some other practice in as well. It was a pretty good week. I put new irons in the bag this week, and so far I really like them. They're a bit heavier than what I was using and are a true blade, which feels really good in my hands.
I'm taking a couple days off to take my daughter to Texas to see her other grandparents. Actually, I'm there now and will be returning to Arkansas on Sunday. Back to work on Monday.
I played 5 rounds last wqeek and got some other practice in as well. It was a pretty good week. I put new irons in the bag this week, and so far I really like them. They're a bit heavier than what I was using and are a true blade, which feels really good in my hands.
I'm taking a couple days off to take my daughter to Texas to see her other grandparents. Actually, I'm there now and will be returning to Arkansas on Sunday. Back to work on Monday.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to anyone reading/following this thing. I've gotten quite a bit of work in over the last couple of weeks, despite the crappy weather. I got out on Christmas Day for a while and hit balls and worked on putting & chipping. Today I got out and shot a respectable 69 in a pretty good wind. Lately it seems that at least once in every round I knock something in there rediculously close to the pin. Today's shot of the day was a punch 7 iron into the breeze. It hit 6 feet behind the pin and backed up to within 8 inches.
There is a set of blades from about 2 years ago that caught my eye a couple if weeks ago. I found a set of used ones here in town for $400, which seems steep for what's probably going to be nothing more than an experiment. I bought a set off of ebay today for $155...much better. They already have s4oo TT shafts in them, which is slightly stiffer than stiff. I used this shaft in my irons in college with some success. I can't wait to get these things on the course.
I also added another wedge to the bag. I put in another black pearl Cleveland...this one a 60 degree with only 4 degrees of bounce. I LOVE THIS WEDGE!!! I've carried L wedges for years but rarely found one that I really liked. I think it's the bounce that's making it easier for me. I took out a Black Pearl 58 degree, which had way too much bounce at 12 degrees. This new wedge is probably going to be in my bag for a very long time.
There is a set of blades from about 2 years ago that caught my eye a couple if weeks ago. I found a set of used ones here in town for $400, which seems steep for what's probably going to be nothing more than an experiment. I bought a set off of ebay today for $155...much better. They already have s4oo TT shafts in them, which is slightly stiffer than stiff. I used this shaft in my irons in college with some success. I can't wait to get these things on the course.
I also added another wedge to the bag. I put in another black pearl Cleveland...this one a 60 degree with only 4 degrees of bounce. I LOVE THIS WEDGE!!! I've carried L wedges for years but rarely found one that I really liked. I think it's the bounce that's making it easier for me. I took out a Black Pearl 58 degree, which had way too much bounce at 12 degrees. This new wedge is probably going to be in my bag for a very long time.
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