I'm back with the blog! (well maybe) I have to admit I'll be sporadic over the next month as I prepare for the CFA exam on June 5, a long study process. Thanks to my best friend Mike getting married in Miami last month (April), I had reason to pull out the golf clubs earlier than expected. My plan all long was to play as many events as possible on the Minor League Golf Tour (MLGT) (www.minorleaguegolf.com). Its a mini-tour in Southern Florida for aspiring professionals. As more and more mini tours fell off the scene in the recession and player budgets further tightened, MLGT's popularity has skyrocketed. Its an afforable tour for guys chasing a dream of playing on PGA Tour. It attracts club professionals, experienced PGA Tour players (Guy Boros, Ken Duke), Nationwide Tour experienced players, amateurs (must be a 6 handicap or better) and more.
So what was I thinking trying to play against these guys? The winning score is usually 5 or 6 under par for 18 holes! Most of the time you have to shoot par or better to finish in the top 15. Well, this is exactly why I was playing. I wanted to be front row and center against some of the best professional players. In fact, some of these guys that regularly played out here, I played against in college. I wanted to learn how they get around the course. I wanted to hear their stories. And most of all, I wanted to measure my own game against theirs.
I played three events over four days. Each event is 18 holes. First two days, I blew up with rounds of 85 and 89. Oh man it was rough. I made a '10' on the third hole of my first event. Talk about setting yourself back. The thing about these first two days was that I actually hit a lot of good shots. My score was hurt by penalty strokes and very poor play inside 100 yards. Part of the problem was playing new courses and lack of practice coming off the winter. I hit around ten water balls in the first two rounds. I didn't look at these rounds as complete failures. Each of the two rounds had one bad nine. I shot 46 on the front nine of round 1 with a 10 and I shot 49 on the front nine of round 2. Taking those away, my other four nines were 39,40,37, and 38. My best stretch was on the back nine of round 2 at Links at Madison Green (7,000 yards, rating 73.6, slope 144). Starting on number 10, I went birdie, eagle, par, par. You think I'd shoot low?, I followed that with bogey, bogey, double, bogey, double. At the Links at Madison Green, the winning score was 68, an incredible round given the high winds and course rating!
In my last event, I pulled myself together and shot 75, beating both pros in my group. I played steady, smart golf and showed great improvement inside 100 yards. I felt like a professional, strategically placing myself around the course, making good approach shots and recovering from trouble. The short game was better. I made 2 birdies and 5 bogeys. I finished one shot out of the money. Ending on this note was a great feeling and is driving me to come back again.
Reflecting on the experience, I learned a lot about whats its like to play golf day and day out. All of my playing partners were decent guys and each one had a different story. I played with one guy who has experience on the Canadian Tour, South African, and Asian Tour. He had sponsorship from Taylor Made and private investors. Another guy was an amateur and said he was going full time professional after he played his club championship. One guy who worked in membership sales at a private club and recently got significant encouragement to play full time, so he quit and here he is playing the MLGT with plans to compete on the Tar Heel tour in NC over the summer. Then, a club professional who left the day-to-day golf operations in Florida to play full time. Each one of these guys has a dream to make it to the big stage. Its a lot of time and money with very few making it. I admire their courage to take a chance.
Watching these guys play, I realized even more than before that I can make shots just like this guys, but the difference is that they do it more consistently and with more confidence. A good example was on par-5 at Abacoa Golf Club. I hit my drive past my playing partner (the guy sponsored by Taylor Made). I had about 260 yards to pin, he had 270ish. The options were lay up to the right size, with anything from an 8 iron to 6 iron or to go for the green, entirely protected by water on the front side. Maybe obvious what happened, but I laid up with an 8-iron. My playing partner waited for the green to clear and ripped 3-wood on the green. That's the difference! On a short par 4, 320 yards on paper, about 270 in a direct line, again green protected by water, this guy rips 3-wood just over the water leaving a chip shot. I hit hybrid safely to the right. Most pros are not afraid of the consequences of a risky shot because they know they can recover and believe its well worth the chance. And the result is many birdies, a must on the tour.
Another proven lesson is that short game is a momentual skill. All of the pros have it. It is a differentiator when you get to the highest level.
Every guy out here has a laser measuring device. Its huge for tournament play. I'm there pacing off yards from the 150, so old school. I'm getting myself a device ASAP!
I could continue to go about this experience and what I learned. If you have an opportunity to compete at a higher level, even if its just a small taste like I got, go for it, you won't regret it!
This won't be the last time I play with the pros...
Giddy up,
Kurt
