Felt great about my game coming into this one after a good ball striking round (74) at the Year UP Corporate Event at Weston GC on Monday. My Dad and I woke up at 430am and made the 1 hr 45 min ride to East Longmeadow. The weather was excellent, mid 70s and a mix of clouds and sun. I teed off on 10 at 824am with my 3 wood down the right side into the rough, leaving only a sand-wedge shot to a front middle pin. I made my best wedge swing of the day, knocking it right below the hole to 6 feet and drained the putt for birdie. What a start! I made bogeys on 12 and 13, missed a 3 foot birdie putt on 14, and then unfortunately doubled the par-5 15th after knocking a hybrid into an unplayable lie over the green. +3 thru 6. After the double, I felt I lost 4 shots in 2 holes. The rest of the way I made a mix of pars and bogeys, then doubled 18 for a 78, 5 shots off the cut line. My lag putting was excellent. I made some awesome recovery punch shots from the woods, including a punch 5 iron to 6 feet from woods 100 yards out. (missed the birdie putt :( ). I left very disappointed because my swing is good right now and my putting is good. The pressure still got to me on my many shots, just enough to miss greens, fairways, and chips. That said, I did hit many good shots and continue to see improvement in my tournament play. Golf course was in great shape. My best swings continue to be those with a quiet lower body, relaxed shoulders, and a compact back swing.
Perseverance,
Kurt
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sherrill Cup 2012
June 6, 2012 - The "Big Four" were back, not to be confused with Celtics big four, determined to win the Sherrill Cup, a 36-hole competition against 24 other private clubs who send their best players. The day before, Dan, Steve, Rob, and I played a practice round at Essex CC. The Scottish starter sent us off at 3pm into what I call the 'field of dreams' of golf. We had the whole place to ourselves. The young guys won the match! The shot of the day (and maybe year?) came from me on the par 3 11th. I was a few yards short right of the green in the first cut of rough, the pin was about 7 paces on the front right, at the bottom of a severe right to left slope. I say to the guys, 'watch this, Tiger Woods, (referencing Tiger's recent chip (high flop) in at the Memorial Tournament from a treacherous spot on 16)'. I flopped it high into the air, carrying most of the slope and landing it a few feet to the right of the pin, it rolled and stopped on the edge. Couldn't believe it, I paused watching and then started walking to the cup, when I got halfway it dropped in!! Birdie 2, called it!
Okay, moving to tournament day, we teed off at 750am and 230pm with Pinebrook CC. The weather was overall good, some showers in the morning and a fair wind. Rob and I played both rounds together, with Lee S. and Andrew B. on the bags. They were excellent!! I played well, a few breaks off of the tee, birdied 14, and shot 78. My only bad hole was 16, when I made double bogey from the 15th fairway; not a hard place to make par from. That carried over to a poor bogey on 17, then parred 18. I stumbled in, which was disappointing. My other bogeys came from lack of up and downs or three putts. Essex CC does not allow you any breaks around the greens, you have to study every putt, as you can easily leave yourself 5-10 footers all day for par. Course was in phenomenal shape...greens were perfect. It was wet from overnight rain and a lot of rain the previous days.
Rob had 78, Steve 78, and Dan 77. We finished the morning at 311, 5th place and 9 off the lead.
In the afternoon, Rob took the odd holes and I had the even (alternate shot). We started nicely with par on 1, bogey on 2, and par on 3. When we got to 4, the wind was howling down wind, exact opposite as the morning when I hit hybrid (note: wind was exact opposite on every hole in the afternoon!). I was debating between the 4-iron and hybrid. I couldn't get myself to hit 4-iron on a 238 yard shot, even though short of the green is a very good spot to be. I hit the hybrid, trying to take off some of the distance, and blocked it so far right in the fescue...LOST ball. Rob played a nice iron to just short of the green and we made 6. Two years in a row, this hole crushed us. The good news was instead of falling apart, we bounced back quickly with an EAGLE on 5! I hit a hybrid to 6 feet from 218 yards, dead into the wind. Thank you thank you for making a shot! It was a risk to go for it. We parred through eight. On nine, Rob hit his drive left off of the trees. I had 215 yards to the green, needing to hit a draw to get in on. I confidently swung a 4-iron, hitting the branches of a tree on the backswing (and downswing) and MISSED the golf ball, 3 inches above the ball. WHAT THE HECK! It became more laughable, then embarrassing. Rob had to step up and follow that! Calmly, he hit a nice shot greenside in the rough, and we got up and down for bogey! Phew...bogey okay, but my confidence a bit shaken.
We birdied 11 and then had a mix of pars and bogeys, finishing at 77. Two disappointing bogeys to finish on 17 and 18, after perfect drives. Steve and Dan shot 80.
Afternoon total of 157. Team Total of 468. We finished 4th place, one shot out of third.
This is one of my favorite golf days of the year. Love the course. Love the team aspect. Can't wait for next time.
Cheers,
Kurt
Okay, moving to tournament day, we teed off at 750am and 230pm with Pinebrook CC. The weather was overall good, some showers in the morning and a fair wind. Rob and I played both rounds together, with Lee S. and Andrew B. on the bags. They were excellent!! I played well, a few breaks off of the tee, birdied 14, and shot 78. My only bad hole was 16, when I made double bogey from the 15th fairway; not a hard place to make par from. That carried over to a poor bogey on 17, then parred 18. I stumbled in, which was disappointing. My other bogeys came from lack of up and downs or three putts. Essex CC does not allow you any breaks around the greens, you have to study every putt, as you can easily leave yourself 5-10 footers all day for par. Course was in phenomenal shape...greens were perfect. It was wet from overnight rain and a lot of rain the previous days.
Rob had 78, Steve 78, and Dan 77. We finished the morning at 311, 5th place and 9 off the lead.
In the afternoon, Rob took the odd holes and I had the even (alternate shot). We started nicely with par on 1, bogey on 2, and par on 3. When we got to 4, the wind was howling down wind, exact opposite as the morning when I hit hybrid (note: wind was exact opposite on every hole in the afternoon!). I was debating between the 4-iron and hybrid. I couldn't get myself to hit 4-iron on a 238 yard shot, even though short of the green is a very good spot to be. I hit the hybrid, trying to take off some of the distance, and blocked it so far right in the fescue...LOST ball. Rob played a nice iron to just short of the green and we made 6. Two years in a row, this hole crushed us. The good news was instead of falling apart, we bounced back quickly with an EAGLE on 5! I hit a hybrid to 6 feet from 218 yards, dead into the wind. Thank you thank you for making a shot! It was a risk to go for it. We parred through eight. On nine, Rob hit his drive left off of the trees. I had 215 yards to the green, needing to hit a draw to get in on. I confidently swung a 4-iron, hitting the branches of a tree on the backswing (and downswing) and MISSED the golf ball, 3 inches above the ball. WHAT THE HECK! It became more laughable, then embarrassing. Rob had to step up and follow that! Calmly, he hit a nice shot greenside in the rough, and we got up and down for bogey! Phew...bogey okay, but my confidence a bit shaken.
We birdied 11 and then had a mix of pars and bogeys, finishing at 77. Two disappointing bogeys to finish on 17 and 18, after perfect drives. Steve and Dan shot 80.
Afternoon total of 157. Team Total of 468. We finished 4th place, one shot out of third.
This is one of my favorite golf days of the year. Love the course. Love the team aspect. Can't wait for next time.
Cheers,
Kurt
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