This is a fun time of year when the tournament schedule shifts to team competition:
September 21, 2014: LGC Fall 2-Man
Course: Lexington GC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,100 yards
Best Ball - 1 Net Plus 1 Gross: 138 (T5)
Brief Recap: Mikey K and I teed it up with S. Keegan and D. Brennan. We battled, but did not have our best. Due to a scorecard mistake by my great friend S.Keegan, we were knocked out of the money. Good day of golf and laughs.
October 4-5, 2014: LGC Member Member
Course: Lexington GC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,100 yards
Best Ball Net: 68-70 = 138 (T18)
Brief Recap: Todd K and I teed it up and played with Mannings (both Peters). Todd and I have done very well together in the past, but this time was not going for us. I did not hold up my end, making few gross birdies. I shot gross 76-74. Todd's game was not his typical play and he did not make as many net birdies. We enjoyed the company of the Mannings and was good to catch up with Todd.
October 11-12, 2014: Norfolk County Four Ball
Course: Presidents GC
Scorecard: Par 70 - 5,800 yards
Best Ball Gross: 71-74 = 145 (T43)
Brief Recap: Mecke and I were first time teammates. Under rainy and cold conditions (got called off course for 60+ minutes during round, it felt close to cancelling whole day), we pulled together a marginal Day 1. On Day 2, we started on the tough #6 with a bogey, then I birdied #7. We got to the 10th tee at even and then the wheels fell off. We proceeded to go bogey, bogey, bogey, double, par, bogey, bogey, bogey on holes 10-17. +8 thru 12 on best ball! It was so bad. Not sure what turned, but the flip switched "on" after 17. On 18, I stuck a 9-iron to 6 inches and made birdie. On 1, Mecke chipped in from short left of the green to front left pin for birdie. We just missed birdie on 2 and 3 and then I birdied 4 and Mecke birdied 5 to go 4 under on last 6 holes and avoid the basement of the leaderboard! Where was that all weekend! Really enjoyed competing with Mecke and hope to do so again in the future. Also, Alberico brothers are cool dudes. My individual gross scores were 73-78.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Season Finish Recap 1 - 2 events
August 21, 2014 - Massachusetts Mid Amateur Qualifier
Course: Marlborough CC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,500 yards
Score: 83 (T43 of 80)
Brief Recap: I felt great about my game coming into this event and the results were very weak. My energy level was so depleted, physically and mentally, which led to poor tee shots and I recall about seven three-putts! It was so sluggish out there! I grinded and couldn't pull it together. It was great to enjoy dinner with my good friend C. Bates (he shot 80) and his Dad after the round.
September 13-14, 2014 - Dennis Four Ball
Course: Dennis Highlands GC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,464 yards
Best Ball Gross Scores: 69-69 = 138 (T9 of ~40 teams)
Brief Recap: M. Murphy and I had a solid showing against a very strong field, with USGA qualifiers and MGA champions. We were happy with two rounds under par, especially on Day 2 when the winds were blowing hard. One of my best birdies was Day 2 on Hole #7 Par 3, pin on right side of green and front, leaving little room to get to the hole. I hit a 6 iron to 10 feet above pin. Always a great weekend and well run tournament! I've lost count, but we are probably over 7 consecutive years in this event.
Course: Marlborough CC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,500 yards
Score: 83 (T43 of 80)
Brief Recap: I felt great about my game coming into this event and the results were very weak. My energy level was so depleted, physically and mentally, which led to poor tee shots and I recall about seven three-putts! It was so sluggish out there! I grinded and couldn't pull it together. It was great to enjoy dinner with my good friend C. Bates (he shot 80) and his Dad after the round.
September 13-14, 2014 - Dennis Four Ball
Course: Dennis Highlands GC
Scorecard: Par 71 - 6,464 yards
Best Ball Gross Scores: 69-69 = 138 (T9 of ~40 teams)
Brief Recap: M. Murphy and I had a solid showing against a very strong field, with USGA qualifiers and MGA champions. We were happy with two rounds under par, especially on Day 2 when the winds were blowing hard. One of my best birdies was Day 2 on Hole #7 Par 3, pin on right side of green and front, leaving little room to get to the hole. I hit a 6 iron to 10 feet above pin. Always a great weekend and well run tournament! I've lost count, but we are probably over 7 consecutive years in this event.
LGC Club Championship - Rd 3 and Rd 4 - 5 time
Aug 2 - 3:
18 hole lead: 1 shot
36 hole lead: 2 shots
54 hole lead: 4 shots
Final: 2 shot victory
Scores: 69-78-74-76 = 297 (+13)
I won my 5th club championship, which I believe is one off tying the club record! It was no easy feat as I struggled in the final round. My 4 shot lead was cut to 1 within the first few holes. I never relinquished the lead and the tension was high as ever during the tournament. My championship moment when I truly felt like I was in a dream, everything around me was still and non-existent, as I made a hard swinging right to left 20 foot putt to save par on 16 (back right pin putting from crest of ridge). As I prepared to putt, I envisioned making a very similar putt years back when I previously won in front of friends (Brandin) and family and at that moment the meaning of the putt disappeared and it was laser focus on making a good putt. This penultimate putt came after my tee shot went into the trees on the 17th tee box, barely giving me enough room to punch out. It was an incredibly emotional hole, I was shaking after. I went on the win by 2 shots over S. Keegan and B. Douglass. Keegan and I played head to head the whole final round. He is a true competitor and a great friend. What a rush and I am honored again to have my Dad caddying for me again (and for all the victories!).
And to do it wire-to-wire is special. You go through so many ups and downs in 72 holes. My Dad and I are pushing and pulling so hard. From an almost flawless 69 in Round 1, to battling to shoot mid-70s tests resolve and determination. We drew on experience and teamwork. I'll leave it to an excerpt from Pacino to Any Given Sunday (I added golf),
"You find out life's this game of inches, so is football (golf). Because in either game - life or football (golf) - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step (swing) too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the f*&king difference between winning and losing!"
As the golfers say on Tour, its culmination of a lot of work that puts you in a position to win. With a combination of skill, luck, and positive attitude, anything is possible.
Feeling grateful,
K
18 hole lead: 1 shot
36 hole lead: 2 shots
54 hole lead: 4 shots
Final: 2 shot victory
Scores: 69-78-74-76 = 297 (+13)
I won my 5th club championship, which I believe is one off tying the club record! It was no easy feat as I struggled in the final round. My 4 shot lead was cut to 1 within the first few holes. I never relinquished the lead and the tension was high as ever during the tournament. My championship moment when I truly felt like I was in a dream, everything around me was still and non-existent, as I made a hard swinging right to left 20 foot putt to save par on 16 (back right pin putting from crest of ridge). As I prepared to putt, I envisioned making a very similar putt years back when I previously won in front of friends (Brandin) and family and at that moment the meaning of the putt disappeared and it was laser focus on making a good putt. This penultimate putt came after my tee shot went into the trees on the 17th tee box, barely giving me enough room to punch out. It was an incredibly emotional hole, I was shaking after. I went on the win by 2 shots over S. Keegan and B. Douglass. Keegan and I played head to head the whole final round. He is a true competitor and a great friend. What a rush and I am honored again to have my Dad caddying for me again (and for all the victories!).
And to do it wire-to-wire is special. You go through so many ups and downs in 72 holes. My Dad and I are pushing and pulling so hard. From an almost flawless 69 in Round 1, to battling to shoot mid-70s tests resolve and determination. We drew on experience and teamwork. I'll leave it to an excerpt from Pacino to Any Given Sunday (I added golf),
"You find out life's this game of inches, so is football (golf). Because in either game - life or football (golf) - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step (swing) too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the f*&king difference between winning and losing!"
As the golfers say on Tour, its culmination of a lot of work that puts you in a position to win. With a combination of skill, luck, and positive attitude, anything is possible.
Feeling grateful,
K
US Mid Amateur Qualifier - Southwick, MA
July 28 - Ranch GC - Par 72 - 7,174 yards
Score - 74 (T12 out of 60)
It was my third consecutive day of tournament golf! One day after a disappointing 78 in the second round of the LGC club championship, I had a chance to erase those thoughts. The day was humbling because I was expecting a wash out (forecast was scattered thunderstorms all day) and it made me realize how excited I was to play and fortunate to have these opportunities. My ride along the Mass Pike for 90+ miles included consistent, heavy rain, some torrential enough to ruin vision beyond a few yards. I pulled over in Charlton to call The Ranch about tee time status. The lady in the pro shop says, "On time, 8am off 10 and 1. Thanks."
What!? Okay? I thought in disbelief. When I pulled into the Ranch at 745am, there was no rain and partly sunny. It stayed that way all day! I took advantage making birdie on the Par 5 1st and then going out in 37. I was in the hunt with a strong back nine!
Bogeys at 11 and 12 set me back but I held strong and came in with 37. I battled all the way to the last putt. I missed the cut by 3 shots. I missed 8 putts inside 10 feet. It is a very fine line out here; if my putter was hot I was in. Great experience. Great golf course. My playing partners J. White and K. Harrington were fun to walk with. Me and K. Harrington talked a lot of hoops, given his bro is the former trainer of Kevin Durant!
Good luck to the qualifiers at Saucon Valley. I will be rooting for you.
Savor each experience (good or bad),
K
p.s. Reflecting on a confident mind set, more aggressive play on long 4s and par-5s.
Score - 74 (T12 out of 60)
It was my third consecutive day of tournament golf! One day after a disappointing 78 in the second round of the LGC club championship, I had a chance to erase those thoughts. The day was humbling because I was expecting a wash out (forecast was scattered thunderstorms all day) and it made me realize how excited I was to play and fortunate to have these opportunities. My ride along the Mass Pike for 90+ miles included consistent, heavy rain, some torrential enough to ruin vision beyond a few yards. I pulled over in Charlton to call The Ranch about tee time status. The lady in the pro shop says, "On time, 8am off 10 and 1. Thanks."
What!? Okay? I thought in disbelief. When I pulled into the Ranch at 745am, there was no rain and partly sunny. It stayed that way all day! I took advantage making birdie on the Par 5 1st and then going out in 37. I was in the hunt with a strong back nine!
Bogeys at 11 and 12 set me back but I held strong and came in with 37. I battled all the way to the last putt. I missed the cut by 3 shots. I missed 8 putts inside 10 feet. It is a very fine line out here; if my putter was hot I was in. Great experience. Great golf course. My playing partners J. White and K. Harrington were fun to walk with. Me and K. Harrington talked a lot of hoops, given his bro is the former trainer of Kevin Durant!
Good luck to the qualifiers at Saucon Valley. I will be rooting for you.
Savor each experience (good or bad),
K
p.s. Reflecting on a confident mind set, more aggressive play on long 4s and par-5s.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Club Championship at Lexington GC - Rounds 1 and 2
July 26 - 27: First two rounds of 72 hole gross stroke play tournament
Scores: 69-78 = 147
Someone (not close to me) recently said golf seemed very important to me and wished me good luck in the tournaments ahead. The LGC club championship has a different vibe and meaning to me than others because its "home." I go through a similar routine each year in preparation (e.g. sleep pattern, pre-round off-site routine).
In Round 1 and Round 2, it was disappointing to see that a few familiar faces were not playing; R. Lynch and L. Smith. I was paired with S. Keegan and J. Harding. My Dad was on the bag, a celebrity in his own right at LGC and not even a member. On the first hole, I scrambled from the rough on the far side of the right greenside bunker to a front left pin to save par. From there, I rolled along with three consecutive pars, bogeyed #5, birdied #6 and #7, and barely missed birdie at #8. On the back nine, I birdied #14, #16, and #18 to shoot 69! S. Keegan shot 70 including a 135 yard hole out on #9 for 3 and a 40 foot birdie on 18 from back fringe to middle pin. Two incredible shots! What a fun day. Weather as mid 70s and sunny. It was an easy, free flowing round for me. Good luck was spurred by my Dad's friends Maury and Tommy. Motto: To beat par; Result: 2up on par and 1st place by 1 shot
Day 2: I felt fantastic and was amped up. I came out with a shaky bogey on #1 (made a 12 footer); then went par, par, birdie. After that, the wheels started to loosen...4 bogeys over the next 5 due to bad tee shots on 5,6, and 7. I was still feeling confident at the turn, making a solid par at 10 and placed a perfect drive at #11; boom here we go. I proceeded to hit a 4-iron into the right fescue and made 7 :(. I was up and down the rest of the way for a 78. The golf course was interesting with the white tees back on #3 (par 4 - 450 yards) and blue tees on fifth tee box for hole #12 (par 4 - 485 yards). The 12th tee was an idea of a golf course architect who recently visited. I birdied #12 with a chip-in! Wish there were skins. It was the first birdie in LGC history on that hole. Overall the course was get-able and I felt solid so results were disappointing. Still, my lead was 2 shots.
Another heroic hole by S. Keegan on #10. After shanking his second shot into the right woods and declaring a lost ball, he stiffs his next shot and makes bogey. There was hard rain over the last 5.5 holes. We barely finished before conditions were deemed unplayable. The Ladies Club Championship had to cancel its final 18.
My take away after Round 2 was to not become overdefensive after a good round, push even more for a great score. Too much thinking of where not to be, then where I want to go.
Kurt
Scores: 69-78 = 147
Someone (not close to me) recently said golf seemed very important to me and wished me good luck in the tournaments ahead. The LGC club championship has a different vibe and meaning to me than others because its "home." I go through a similar routine each year in preparation (e.g. sleep pattern, pre-round off-site routine).
In Round 1 and Round 2, it was disappointing to see that a few familiar faces were not playing; R. Lynch and L. Smith. I was paired with S. Keegan and J. Harding. My Dad was on the bag, a celebrity in his own right at LGC and not even a member. On the first hole, I scrambled from the rough on the far side of the right greenside bunker to a front left pin to save par. From there, I rolled along with three consecutive pars, bogeyed #5, birdied #6 and #7, and barely missed birdie at #8. On the back nine, I birdied #14, #16, and #18 to shoot 69! S. Keegan shot 70 including a 135 yard hole out on #9 for 3 and a 40 foot birdie on 18 from back fringe to middle pin. Two incredible shots! What a fun day. Weather as mid 70s and sunny. It was an easy, free flowing round for me. Good luck was spurred by my Dad's friends Maury and Tommy. Motto: To beat par; Result: 2up on par and 1st place by 1 shot
Day 2: I felt fantastic and was amped up. I came out with a shaky bogey on #1 (made a 12 footer); then went par, par, birdie. After that, the wheels started to loosen...4 bogeys over the next 5 due to bad tee shots on 5,6, and 7. I was still feeling confident at the turn, making a solid par at 10 and placed a perfect drive at #11; boom here we go. I proceeded to hit a 4-iron into the right fescue and made 7 :(. I was up and down the rest of the way for a 78. The golf course was interesting with the white tees back on #3 (par 4 - 450 yards) and blue tees on fifth tee box for hole #12 (par 4 - 485 yards). The 12th tee was an idea of a golf course architect who recently visited. I birdied #12 with a chip-in! Wish there were skins. It was the first birdie in LGC history on that hole. Overall the course was get-able and I felt solid so results were disappointing. Still, my lead was 2 shots.
Another heroic hole by S. Keegan on #10. After shanking his second shot into the right woods and declaring a lost ball, he stiffs his next shot and makes bogey. There was hard rain over the last 5.5 holes. We barely finished before conditions were deemed unplayable. The Ladies Club Championship had to cancel its final 18.
My take away after Round 2 was to not become overdefensive after a good round, push even more for a great score. Too much thinking of where not to be, then where I want to go.
Kurt
US Amateur Qualifier - New York
July 14 - U.S. Amateur Qualifier at Trump National Golf Club Westchester - Briarcliff Manor, NY
Par 72 - 7,291 yards
Score - 80 (T44 of 83)
Typically I would not travel far for a qualifier but when I saw the opportunity to play Trump National I decided to make a mini trip (3 hour drive). I packed the bags, booked a Holiday Inn in Mt. Kisco, NY, enjoyed a Kobe steak at the Village Social Kitchen & Bar (excellent restaurant), and went cold turkey to a course with 154 slope and 78 rating!
I reserved a Trump caddy named Ricky from Miami. When I told him I never played the course, he looked at me like your "F*$*@?." Then he gave me a lesson on the greens, dropping balls in the best spots for me to learn pace and said we will get you around. Well, I came out smashing with par, birdie, par, par, and par. This course had every look off tees and approaches to greens; streams, ponds, major bunkers, ravines, out of bounds, and tree lined bowling alleys.
After a strong start, the rest of my round was up and down. I reached the 14th tee at +3, a number that would get me to the afternoon for sure. My tee shot was hit down the right tree line, along scattered trees, rough, and a drain, and we never found the ball! (caddy thinks it went down the major drain hole haha). I re-teed and made a double. That was the end of me. I shot 80 and missed the second 18 holes by 3 shots.
Taking a pro caddy was a huge plus because I never had to read a putt (thankfully because the greens were very tricky) and I didn't lift a finger on a range finder, borrowed the caddy's rain jacket, received accurate yardage adjustments on elevation changes, and spot on recommendation on what side of the hole to be on when approaching greens. If you are swinging well, this is a major advantage. My driver got erratic on the back nine which cost me any of this advantage. I played with 2 high schoolers, including C. Daly who was coming to Winchester the following week for the NE Amateur.
It was a superb day (mostly sunny and hot, a 15 minute hard rain on back nine) and experience. On the long drive home I realized it was somewhat fortunate I didn't make the cut because Round 2 got postponed due to rain until the next day and I have to work!
Treat yourself to a mini golf trip,
Kurt
Wyndham Cup
July 7 - Stepping off the golf course and returning to my world left me thinking many thoughts, both backward and forward looking. Backward looking, such as "I wish I was that age again," "why wasn't I that good at that age (and now haha)"; Forward looking in that I would use the feelings of inspiration, determination, and focus to continue improving my golf and other areas of my life. I did also leave with extreme admiration, some jealously, and feeling like I could be a parent and coach. Would it be fun to coach golf? In five plus hours at the AJGA Wyndham Cup hosted by Old Sandwich with the Top 12 high school boys and Top 12 high school girls from each coast of the U.S. competing Ryder Cup style over 3 days, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Pro-Am and was paired with an OS member as well J. Seiple (West Team - Colorado) and R. Dai (East Team - Atlanta). What amazing talents, but more importantly I held high respect for their maturity, attitude, and appreciation toward others. Not sure I will have this opportunity again, a special day!
p.s.: got smoked by Seiple from the back tees; if I had my "A" game I would have challenged his "C" game
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Worcester County Amateur - Kettle Brook and Wachusett
July 5-6: Round 1 at Kettle Brook (Par 72 - 6,912 yards) and Round 2 at Wachusett CC (Par 72 - 6,587 yards). Results 81-80 = 161; T33 out of 90.
My Mom came to watch Round 1 at Kettle and she rode in the golf cart with me! The first time we have done this since most tournaments rules are too strict for spectators in carts. This tournament is fan friendly and families are often seen watching, a unique characteristic that is my favorite part and makes it a regular on my schedule. I was a bit fatigued after the July 4th holiday and nervous with my Mom closely watching. I got off to a very slow start with bogeys on 4 of my first 5 holes. Later, I turned it around with a solid middle round to shoot 81 in difficult conditions (30 mph winds!). No one broke par and only a handful broke 75.
On Day 2, I played well coming out par, par, par, birdie. On the 5th hole I made a quad (9), then went par, par, bogey, par, birdie, par, birdie...before struggling in for an 80. It was still windy conditions, but calmer than Day 1.
Putting together a flawless 18 is very rare, birdies are needed and avoiding doubles or higher is critical. Another good tournament. Well run. Solid course conditions and competition. Congrats to the winner. And a big thanks to my Mom's support.
Cheers,
K
1st Place - M. Leger 73-73 146
2nd Place - R. Riley 76-72 148
3rd Place - F. Vana 73-76 149
My Mom came to watch Round 1 at Kettle and she rode in the golf cart with me! The first time we have done this since most tournaments rules are too strict for spectators in carts. This tournament is fan friendly and families are often seen watching, a unique characteristic that is my favorite part and makes it a regular on my schedule. I was a bit fatigued after the July 4th holiday and nervous with my Mom closely watching. I got off to a very slow start with bogeys on 4 of my first 5 holes. Later, I turned it around with a solid middle round to shoot 81 in difficult conditions (30 mph winds!). No one broke par and only a handful broke 75.
On Day 2, I played well coming out par, par, par, birdie. On the 5th hole I made a quad (9), then went par, par, bogey, par, birdie, par, birdie...before struggling in for an 80. It was still windy conditions, but calmer than Day 1.
Putting together a flawless 18 is very rare, birdies are needed and avoiding doubles or higher is critical. Another good tournament. Well run. Solid course conditions and competition. Congrats to the winner. And a big thanks to my Mom's support.
Cheers,
K
1st Place - M. Leger 73-73 146
2nd Place - R. Riley 76-72 148
3rd Place - F. Vana 73-76 149
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
2014 MGA Father Son Tournament
June 23 - MGA Father Son Tournament @ Willowbend GC (Bay and Bog Course)
18 Holes Modified Alternate Shot; Score = 83
The Cape Cod setting was exciting given my family used to spend a lot of time in the Mashpee area. A two-day experience gave us a chance to enjoy some old favorites, including Bobby Byrne's pub where I had excellent nachos and a good baked salmon. We played a practice round with great, longtime friends Mike and Chuck Murph. I made a very memorable eagle on the 18th hole with a blind 5-iron approach to the peninsula green. On tournament day, my Dad and I didn't hit the stride/momentum you want for alternate shot. The score was below expectations. Willowbend is a tricky golf course, with some challenging greens, intimidating tee shots, and well placed hazards. The 16th tee shot has a crazy blind lay up area (in front of marsh), nearly blind 'go for it' over the marsh fairway, and a blind green. Never seen anything like it. Golf course was in great condition and weather was sunny and high 70s.
Willowbend Villas are a treat for lodging as well as providing a nice swimming pool, tennis courts, gym, and food options.
Can't beat another chance to compete with my Dad, the athlete I grew up admiring most.
To Father-Sons,
Kurt
18 Holes Modified Alternate Shot; Score = 83
The Cape Cod setting was exciting given my family used to spend a lot of time in the Mashpee area. A two-day experience gave us a chance to enjoy some old favorites, including Bobby Byrne's pub where I had excellent nachos and a good baked salmon. We played a practice round with great, longtime friends Mike and Chuck Murph. I made a very memorable eagle on the 18th hole with a blind 5-iron approach to the peninsula green. On tournament day, my Dad and I didn't hit the stride/momentum you want for alternate shot. The score was below expectations. Willowbend is a tricky golf course, with some challenging greens, intimidating tee shots, and well placed hazards. The 16th tee shot has a crazy blind lay up area (in front of marsh), nearly blind 'go for it' over the marsh fairway, and a blind green. Never seen anything like it. Golf course was in great condition and weather was sunny and high 70s. |
| 16th hole approach |
Can't beat another chance to compete with my Dad, the athlete I grew up admiring most.
To Father-Sons,
Kurt
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Mass Amateur Qualifier - Bass Rocks
June 19, 2014
Mass Amateur Qualifier - 18 Holes Stroke Play - Score: 83
Coming into this round, my game was progressing very nicely with solid play at the Hornblower and Sherrill Cup. I made multiple swing changes over the spring/winter that developed quickly. My brother was caddying, always a special time together. I have played a few times at Bass Rocks in tournament conditions, including past success qualifying for the Mass Mid-Am. I thought the course would be the least of my worries. The result was exactly the opposite as I forgot how difficult their greens could be. I mean firm and fast and probably running at 12 on the stimpmeter! (at least it felt like it) At only 6,000, you are ready to be hitting a lot of wedges into greens, but the course forces you to go for accurate tee shots over distance and puts a number of mid-irons in hand. Between the greens and a few mental miscues (including hitting an 8 iron from 130 yards after taking the laser's distance to a rock wall behind the green), I felt apart after a 1 under start through 4 holes and shot 83. I had 4 three putts and 37 overall. The weather made it a perfect day to play; light winds, sunny, and mid-70s.
The Mass Am continues to escape me, but never gets old trying. Thanks to my brother for being there with me and sharing lots of great stories.
Bro Time,
K
Mass Amateur Qualifier - 18 Holes Stroke Play - Score: 83
Coming into this round, my game was progressing very nicely with solid play at the Hornblower and Sherrill Cup. I made multiple swing changes over the spring/winter that developed quickly. My brother was caddying, always a special time together. I have played a few times at Bass Rocks in tournament conditions, including past success qualifying for the Mass Mid-Am. I thought the course would be the least of my worries. The result was exactly the opposite as I forgot how difficult their greens could be. I mean firm and fast and probably running at 12 on the stimpmeter! (at least it felt like it) At only 6,000, you are ready to be hitting a lot of wedges into greens, but the course forces you to go for accurate tee shots over distance and puts a number of mid-irons in hand. Between the greens and a few mental miscues (including hitting an 8 iron from 130 yards after taking the laser's distance to a rock wall behind the green), I felt apart after a 1 under start through 4 holes and shot 83. I had 4 three putts and 37 overall. The weather made it a perfect day to play; light winds, sunny, and mid-70s.
The Mass Am continues to escape me, but never gets old trying. Thanks to my brother for being there with me and sharing lots of great stories.
Bro Time,
K
Sunday River - 12 Man Team
 |
| Golf Clubs drying off from Friday's round at Old Marsh GC |
Can't wait for next year!! We expect to move it from US Open weekend to PGA Championship weekend.
 |
| Sweet swinging, hole-in-one man B.Murph |
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Lake Winni Golf Channel Event
June 7 - Today was a Golf Channel Am Tour event at Lake Winnipesaukee GC in New Hampshire. A one day 18 hole scratch event. When I saw this on this schedule, I made it a point to get here. I played it in 2013 with my friends on our annual Sunday River trip and loved it. This course meanders through the woods, up and down significant elevation changes, with holes cut in many different shapes and it demands good placement off the tee and a solid short game. The weather was excellent, sunny and 70s; course conditions were solid (especially given most courses struggled from a harsh winter); greens were not running fast but rolled well.
My ball striking/putting led me to a 74 (+2) and a seven shot victory. I hit 12 greens and 10 fairways. Aside from two three putts, my putting remained hot. I drained multiple putts over 15 feet, including a 35 foot birdie putt on the par 3 4th hole. I was 2 under through 8 holes then had a hiccup mid-round with a 4 over stretch on holes 9-12.
The first hole is memorable to me. With over a 100 foot drop from the tee to green, I drove the green last year from 340 yards. This year, the tee was set up at 380 yards. I like to think I can it far, but no chance reaching it this year. I decided to hit driver anyway and got to about 45 yards away. I pitched it to 10 feet and rolled in the birdie! (Note, one of my playing partners drove it greenside...kid was crushing the ball all day, but had difficulty keeping the ball in play...he withdrew mid-round given the struggles; hitting it long without some accuracy is not a good formula; if he straightens it out, than potential is high)
My fellow competitor G. Barton and I commuted from Charlestown together and shared a lot of golf and business stories. G, I hope to see you at a future event soon and maybe Kiawah next year!
Play aggressively smart,
K
My ball striking/putting led me to a 74 (+2) and a seven shot victory. I hit 12 greens and 10 fairways. Aside from two three putts, my putting remained hot. I drained multiple putts over 15 feet, including a 35 foot birdie putt on the par 3 4th hole. I was 2 under through 8 holes then had a hiccup mid-round with a 4 over stretch on holes 9-12.
The first hole is memorable to me. With over a 100 foot drop from the tee to green, I drove the green last year from 340 yards. This year, the tee was set up at 380 yards. I like to think I can it far, but no chance reaching it this year. I decided to hit driver anyway and got to about 45 yards away. I pitched it to 10 feet and rolled in the birdie! (Note, one of my playing partners drove it greenside...kid was crushing the ball all day, but had difficulty keeping the ball in play...he withdrew mid-round given the struggles; hitting it long without some accuracy is not a good formula; if he straightens it out, than potential is high)
My fellow competitor G. Barton and I commuted from Charlestown together and shared a lot of golf and business stories. G, I hope to see you at a future event soon and maybe Kiawah next year!
Play aggressively smart,
K
2014 Sherrill Cup
June 4 - The annual Sherrill Cup at Essex County Club lived up to its usual greatness - excellent golf course conditions, good food all day long, high level but friendly competition, and great tournament staff. A couple of different highlights this year included a new tee box on the 16th hole (perched about 50 feet high and I'd say added 30 yards to the hole), less fescue!, my best club caddy yet in S. McLean (read every putt well), and my morning and afternoon partner was S. Keegan (recent years have been with R.Lynch). We played with Concord CC throughout the day; good group of guys that manage to play well while enjoying multiple beverages! I couldn't do that for sure. Hope to set up a Concord-Lex Battle someday in the near future.
Team LGC - myself, S. Keegan, R. Lynch, and S. Geldart couldn't quite break through in the afternoon; always difficult to stay steady through 18 holes alternate shot. I generally find we have one, bad 4 hole stretch, that loses us 4 or 5 shots. We finished T6 at 466. The winning team of Old Sandwich won by 6 shots. The weather forecast was very bleak coming into the day, with heavy rain expected. Fortunately, there was only minor rain before 9am and than a few showers in the afternoon round that were gone in less than 10 minutes. During that 10 mins of heavy rain, Steve and I made a disappointing 7 on the second hole; consecutive chips that rolled back to our feet above the greenside bunker. I think the 2nd green is one of the hardest on the course given it falls off on both the back and front.
In my morning round, my putter remained pretty hot. I had one three putt and 30 putts overall. I made long putts (over 10 feet) on 18, 3, 5, and 8. My most adventurous hole was 18. I hit a driver, right, into the fescue. I had a decent lie, but it was downhill and ball above my feet. I foolishly (in hindsight) slashed a PW and the club was grabbed shooting the ball left and low. It cleared the front stream (about 25 yards shot of green) by inches. I hit a poor chip to 30 feet above the pin and drained the putt for par! I got away with par, but double would have easily been in play 8 out of 10 times with that strategy. It was my 'no reason to complain for the rest of the round' shot of the day.
My Dad walked the morning 18 with us. His first time seeing the entire Essex course! Thanks Dad!
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Team LGC - myself, S. Keegan, R. Lynch, and S. Geldart couldn't quite break through in the afternoon; always difficult to stay steady through 18 holes alternate shot. I generally find we have one, bad 4 hole stretch, that loses us 4 or 5 shots. We finished T6 at 466. The winning team of Old Sandwich won by 6 shots. The weather forecast was very bleak coming into the day, with heavy rain expected. Fortunately, there was only minor rain before 9am and than a few showers in the afternoon round that were gone in less than 10 minutes. During that 10 mins of heavy rain, Steve and I made a disappointing 7 on the second hole; consecutive chips that rolled back to our feet above the greenside bunker. I think the 2nd green is one of the hardest on the course given it falls off on both the back and front.
In my morning round, my putter remained pretty hot. I had one three putt and 30 putts overall. I made long putts (over 10 feet) on 18, 3, 5, and 8. My most adventurous hole was 18. I hit a driver, right, into the fescue. I had a decent lie, but it was downhill and ball above my feet. I foolishly (in hindsight) slashed a PW and the club was grabbed shooting the ball left and low. It cleared the front stream (about 25 yards shot of green) by inches. I hit a poor chip to 30 feet above the pin and drained the putt for par! I got away with par, but double would have easily been in play 8 out of 10 times with that strategy. It was my 'no reason to complain for the rest of the round' shot of the day.
My Dad walked the morning 18 with us. His first time seeing the entire Essex course! Thanks Dad!
50th Annual Hornblower Memorial - Putting Display
May 30-31: A bit to my surprise, I was accepted to play in the 50th annual Hornblower! It has been at least 5 years since I tried to play in the event. What was I thinking!? This event is top-notch. The field attracts the best amateurs in the state, top ranked collegiate team players, and out-of-state competitors. You see school bags from Texas, Wake Forest, UConn as well as Mass Amateur champions. Golf course is fantastic with greens that will drain all your energy and focus. At 6,300 yards, you think the course will be very scorable, but it plays long with only one par-5 (par-69). We had warm weather with healthy winds and the winning score was +5! Not a single player in over 150 rounds played in two days broke par!
My goal coming in was to make the cut. I made the cut and I finished T19! This is one of my top amateur finishes and I can't wait to come back. My ball striking was okay, but my putting was pro-like. Over the two days, I had 58 putts including 27 putts on Day 2. The way I was putting on Day 2 I should have shot par. I made putts of 10ft, 15,7,12,8,15,16,10. I stood over every putt thinking I could make. I'm not sure the reason, but I attribute a lot of it to taking time to practice on the putting green after Round 1. When you play greens this slick, you have to find such a fine tuned rhythm that gives you full confidence in your ability to match speed and break. I got it and the hole looked like a bucket.
Good to see J. Burke and good to see fellow Bentley players A. Jeffers and J. Stoddard finish near the top of the leaderboard. Bentley represented well !
Thanks to my Dad for caddying on Day 1. Can't wait for next year! Below are pictures of random scores, a flag they had all the participants sign, and Top 20 scores. Cut after Day 1 was 76.
My goal coming in was to make the cut. I made the cut and I finished T19! This is one of my top amateur finishes and I can't wait to come back. My ball striking was okay, but my putting was pro-like. Over the two days, I had 58 putts including 27 putts on Day 2. The way I was putting on Day 2 I should have shot par. I made putts of 10ft, 15,7,12,8,15,16,10. I stood over every putt thinking I could make. I'm not sure the reason, but I attribute a lot of it to taking time to practice on the putting green after Round 1. When you play greens this slick, you have to find such a fine tuned rhythm that gives you full confidence in your ability to match speed and break. I got it and the hole looked like a bucket.
Good to see J. Burke and good to see fellow Bentley players A. Jeffers and J. Stoddard finish near the top of the leaderboard. Bentley represented well !
Thanks to my Dad for caddying on Day 1. Can't wait for next year! Below are pictures of random scores, a flag they had all the participants sign, and Top 20 scores. Cut after Day 1 was 76.
BETTS, William - Longue View Club 72 4 5 3 4 4 3 5 3 4 35 3 4 5 4 4 3 5 5 3 36 71 143
MCLAUGHLIN, Nick - Wentworth BTS 70 4 4 3 4 3 4 5 3 5 35 2 4 7 6 4 3 5 4 4 39 74 144
CLAPP, Doug - Old Sandwich GC 76 5 4 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 34 2 4 4 4 4 3 6 4 4 35 69 145
SPITZ, Ben - Unaffiliated 76 4 5 3 5 4 3 3 3 4 34 3 3 5 5 4 3 5 4 3 35 69 145
AIKENS, Herbie - The Pinehills GC 71 4 4 4 4 5 3 3 5 4 36 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 38 74 145
PARZIALE, Matt - Thorny Lea GC 74 4 5 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 34 5 5 4 3 4 3 5 4 4 37 71 145
STODDARD, Jonathan - Plymouth CC 74 5 4 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 34 4 4 5 5 3 4 5 4 4 38 72 146
JOSEPHSON, Kevin - CC of Farmington 73 4 5 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 35 3 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 5 38 73 146
WILLOCK, Michael - Cohasset GC 72 4 4 4 3 5 4 4 3 4 35 4 4 6 4 4 3 5 5 4 39 74 146
GRENUS, Evan - TPC River Highlands 70 4 4 3 4 5 3 6 4 5 38 4 4 4 4 5 4 5 4 4 38 76 146
HIGGINS, Brian - Franklin CC 74 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 5 33 4 4 5 5 4 3 5 5 4 39 72 146
WALTHOUSE, Billy - Longmeadow CC 73 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 37 3 5 5 4 4 4 3 4 5 37 74 147
PELLETIER, Ryan - Pawtucket CC 72 3 4 4 5 4 4 5 3 4 36 5 4 5 3 4 3 5 5 5 39 75 147
HEFFERNAN, Paul - Oyster Harbors CC 74 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 33 4 5 6 4 4 3 6 5 4 41 74 148
BURAK, Steve - Thorny Lea GC 72 4 5 3 4 5 4 4 4 4 37 4 6 5 4 5 3 5 4 3 39 76 148
JEFFERS, Alex - Woodland GC 75 4 3 3 4 3 3 5 3 5 33 4 3 5 4 4 5 6 4 5 40 73 148
LACAMERA, Paul - Plymouth CC 74 4 4 4 5 4 4 4 3 5 37 3 5 5 3 5 4 4 4 4 37 74 148
HADGES, John - Thorny Lea GC 73 3 4 3 4 5 5 4 3 5 36 5 5 5 4 4 3 5 5 4 40 76 149
KUHN, Stephen - Plymouth CC 73 5 5 4 4 4 5 3 3 5 38 3 4 5 5 4 3 4 6 4 38 76 149
GUISE, Danny - Griffith Harris 73 5 5 3 3 4 4 5 4 5 38 3 3 5 4 5 4 5 4 5 38 76 149
CARLSON, Brian - Clinton CC 72 4 6 3 4 4 4 5 3 4 37 3 5 4 4 5 3 5 5 6 40 77 149
FLIONIS, Kurt - Lexington GC 75 5 4 4 5 3 4 5 4 4 38 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 36 74 149
GATELY, Kevin - Unaffiliated 70 4 4 4 4 5 4 7 3 4 39 3 4 5 4 7 3 5 4 5 40 79 149
CAREY, Kevin - Dennis Pines 74 4 4 3 6 4 4 5 2 4 36 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 39 75 149
Friday, June 6, 2014
Braintree Municipal
May 25 - Tee'd it up at Braintree with my brother and friend Josh H (home is Michigan - go State!). The weather turned out excellent, sunny and high 60s, and the golf course was in great condition. Greens were on the slower side, but very well maintained and the fairways did not draw a bad lie. One of the best municipal courses in the area. I'd consider it almost in the category of Wachusett CC, another gem of a municipal course. My brother is working on his swing through lessons and took it to the course with good progress, most notably the Mashie club (makes me think Francis Ouimet) and destroyed the #11 hole, number one handicap with a solid ball striking display from tee to green! Braintree is a tight course to challenge yourself and he managed very well. Josh played his low cut driver off the tee and showed good touch around the greens. #18th was a great finish for all; Derek hit his best drive with a three wood, Josh hit an 80 yard shot to inches from the hole, and I just missed birdie; keeps you coming back for more! Unexpectedly, we came face to face with a handful of goats. Apparently there is a goat farm? They were separated by wire fence, but we got a close first hand look at their big ole' heads. I went around in 74, two birdies (#10 and #13), two bogeys, and one double.
Fun day and great value. $38 for 18 holes walking! I recommend this course for those in the area. Its a great value play!
Thanks for a great day bro and Josh a.k.a Tank.
To family and friends,
KFly
Fun day and great value. $38 for 18 holes walking! I recommend this course for those in the area. Its a great value play!
Thanks for a great day bro and Josh a.k.a Tank.
To family and friends,
KFly
Friday, May 23, 2014
2014 Norfolk County Classic
May 17-18, 2014
Year after year I like this tournament more and more. I wish my scores would get better in the same fashion. Despite shooting a 79 and finishing T62, I took more out of a 79 than I ever have. I didn't walk away frustrated, tense, or de-motivated. It was the exact opposite. I only remembered my good shots, felt like I shot 72 and was confident about my game. I finished my round even on the last five holes, with great ball striking. I hit 7 out of 9 greens on the back nine. My swing is coming around after some great work with G. Parker at CityGolf over the past few months. My putting felt great too. I'm confident the scores will come in lower throughout the season.
Round 1 was unfortunately cancelled due to heavy overnight rain, which setback the golf course from being able to handle carts and get the entire field through 18 holes. Its too bad because Saturday ended up being one of the best weather days of the year. Sunday's weather was nice, relatively calm winds for Presidents, sunny, and mid-60s. When I prepared for my opening tee shot at 1247pm with C. Carlson and B. Mahoney, I knew the best score was 65 by M. Parziale. Wow, an incredible score. My quest to come close to that score was squashed with doubles on 1, 4, and 6.
My parents and uncle came to watch when I reached 14th green. They lit a fire under me, which led to a par, par, birdie, bogey, par finish. My most memorable shots were my hybrid off the 15th tee (crushed, so good it ended up in fairway bunker...i didn't have the guts to go for it from 177 and played left) and sandy birdie on 16 (from first part of the right greenside bunker). Strategy to hit hybrid off #12 tee worked well and 4-iron off #11 didn't work well as it reached the first bunker near the green (will adjust next year, depending on weather and course conditions). Oh, and being left of the pin on #14 is ridiculously hard; that green is brutal in general. Hardest on the course?
Nice playin by Mr. Guthrie who I tee'd it up with last year as well buddies Mr. Falcucci, Mr. Riley, and Mr. Burke. Congrats to M. Parziale. Special thanks again to the staff at Presidents; they put on a great course and tournament.
2014 Norfolk County Classic
Final Results
Championship Flight
Individual Stroke Play
1 Matt Parziale Thorny Lea G.C. 65 -5 PGC
2 Daniel Falcucci Cyprian Keyes G.C. 68 -2 PGC
J.C. Guthrie Wedgewood Pines C.C. 68 -2 PGC
4 Ryan Riley Thorny Lea G.C. 69 -1 PGC
Kyle Kelly Franklin C.C. 69 -1 PGC
Jordan Burke Needham G.C. 69 -1 PGC
Michael Willock Cohasset G.C. 69 -1 PGC
8 Eric Daniel Presidents G.C. 70 E PGC
Frank Vana Andover C.C. 70 E PGC
Andy Drohen The Ranch G.C. 70 E PGC
11 Sean Fitzpatrick George Wright G.C. 71 +1 PGC
Vin Bucci Old Sandwich G.C. 71 +1 PGC
Phil Smith Vesper C.C. 71 +1 PGC
John Gilmartin Indian Ridge C.C. 71 +1 PGC
Learn something from every round,
Kurt
Year after year I like this tournament more and more. I wish my scores would get better in the same fashion. Despite shooting a 79 and finishing T62, I took more out of a 79 than I ever have. I didn't walk away frustrated, tense, or de-motivated. It was the exact opposite. I only remembered my good shots, felt like I shot 72 and was confident about my game. I finished my round even on the last five holes, with great ball striking. I hit 7 out of 9 greens on the back nine. My swing is coming around after some great work with G. Parker at CityGolf over the past few months. My putting felt great too. I'm confident the scores will come in lower throughout the season.
Round 1 was unfortunately cancelled due to heavy overnight rain, which setback the golf course from being able to handle carts and get the entire field through 18 holes. Its too bad because Saturday ended up being one of the best weather days of the year. Sunday's weather was nice, relatively calm winds for Presidents, sunny, and mid-60s. When I prepared for my opening tee shot at 1247pm with C. Carlson and B. Mahoney, I knew the best score was 65 by M. Parziale. Wow, an incredible score. My quest to come close to that score was squashed with doubles on 1, 4, and 6.
My parents and uncle came to watch when I reached 14th green. They lit a fire under me, which led to a par, par, birdie, bogey, par finish. My most memorable shots were my hybrid off the 15th tee (crushed, so good it ended up in fairway bunker...i didn't have the guts to go for it from 177 and played left) and sandy birdie on 16 (from first part of the right greenside bunker). Strategy to hit hybrid off #12 tee worked well and 4-iron off #11 didn't work well as it reached the first bunker near the green (will adjust next year, depending on weather and course conditions). Oh, and being left of the pin on #14 is ridiculously hard; that green is brutal in general. Hardest on the course?
Nice playin by Mr. Guthrie who I tee'd it up with last year as well buddies Mr. Falcucci, Mr. Riley, and Mr. Burke. Congrats to M. Parziale. Special thanks again to the staff at Presidents; they put on a great course and tournament.
2014 Norfolk County Classic
Final Results
Championship Flight
Individual Stroke Play
1 Matt Parziale Thorny Lea G.C. 65 -5 PGC
2 Daniel Falcucci Cyprian Keyes G.C. 68 -2 PGC
J.C. Guthrie Wedgewood Pines C.C. 68 -2 PGC
4 Ryan Riley Thorny Lea G.C. 69 -1 PGC
Kyle Kelly Franklin C.C. 69 -1 PGC
Jordan Burke Needham G.C. 69 -1 PGC
Michael Willock Cohasset G.C. 69 -1 PGC
8 Eric Daniel Presidents G.C. 70 E PGC
Frank Vana Andover C.C. 70 E PGC
Andy Drohen The Ranch G.C. 70 E PGC
11 Sean Fitzpatrick George Wright G.C. 71 +1 PGC
Vin Bucci Old Sandwich G.C. 71 +1 PGC
Phil Smith Vesper C.C. 71 +1 PGC
John Gilmartin Indian Ridge C.C. 71 +1 PGC
Learn something from every round,
Kurt
Monday, May 12, 2014
Golf Course or Apples??
May 3 - Lyman Orchards GC - Jones Course
I made the 2 hour drive from Boston to compete in the Golf Channel event. I envisioned a high end public track on a vast piece of land with apple orchards, retail market, horses, frisbee golf; basically you name it farm lifestyle in a box. The result was a vast piece of land with a full retail market of freshly baked apple pies, chicken pot pies, and many other local products. In addition, there was a nice learning center with a short 9 hole course, pitching and sand green, putting green, and a nice range with ample targets. The golf course was a disappointment, with some consideration given to the fact they were still recovering from the long winter; greens were sanded and punched and fairways/rough were saddled with leftover rain (poor drainage topography). In top condition, it would play much better and possibly change my opinion. On this day, I left with a couple of large apple pies and chicken pot pies for the family and friends and not wanting to return; weak layout and bad condition. My score didn't help either: 82.
Temperature was mid-60s and partly sunny.
As I write this, the weather is heating up and golf season is picking up!
Enjoy every moment on the course and play with a purpose,
Kurt
I made the 2 hour drive from Boston to compete in the Golf Channel event. I envisioned a high end public track on a vast piece of land with apple orchards, retail market, horses, frisbee golf; basically you name it farm lifestyle in a box. The result was a vast piece of land with a full retail market of freshly baked apple pies, chicken pot pies, and many other local products. In addition, there was a nice learning center with a short 9 hole course, pitching and sand green, putting green, and a nice range with ample targets. The golf course was a disappointment, with some consideration given to the fact they were still recovering from the long winter; greens were sanded and punched and fairways/rough were saddled with leftover rain (poor drainage topography). In top condition, it would play much better and possibly change my opinion. On this day, I left with a couple of large apple pies and chicken pot pies for the family and friends and not wanting to return; weak layout and bad condition. My score didn't help either: 82.
Temperature was mid-60s and partly sunny.
As I write this, the weather is heating up and golf season is picking up!
Enjoy every moment on the course and play with a purpose,
Kurt
Sunday, April 27, 2014
6 & 4
April 27, 2014 - The fearsome foursome of Flionis, Lynch, Keegan, and Brennan had a Sunday morning showdown. The three of us tee'd off around 745am. I say three of us, because my partner Rob was still waking up. He joined us on the 2nd tee after I carried the team to a win on the first hole. Rob proceeded to make a stellar birdie on 2 to give us the 2-up lead. We never looked back. 10 team birdies, 9 under par best ball (62). A 6 & 4 thrashing that will always be 'chirped' at Keegan and Brennan throughout the 2014 season and maybe longer.
Weather was cold for late April; runny nose and cold hands. You wouldn't know by the drastic difference in apparel. I had a under armour and a full rain suit. Rob was in shorts and a light jacket. Temp may have hit 50 degrees.
My day was sweetened by a victory in the Paul Revere Cup, an 18 hole 100% NET MAJOR at the club. It is very rare for a low handicap to win. I shot 68 gross, 66 net for a one shot victory. One of my best rounds at LGC, with a career high 7 birdies, running off 4 in a row on the back nine.
Unfortunately (as this is so much fun), this will be the last battle of Flionis/Lynch vs. Keegan/Brennan until the fall season. Well, maybe not so bad for them, they could use some practice time....
What a start to tournament season at the Lex!
Cheers,
Kurt
p.s. (I think this 2-0 Lynch/Flionis since we started the new match record...see "1-0" blog post)
Weather was cold for late April; runny nose and cold hands. You wouldn't know by the drastic difference in apparel. I had a under armour and a full rain suit. Rob was in shorts and a light jacket. Temp may have hit 50 degrees.
My day was sweetened by a victory in the Paul Revere Cup, an 18 hole 100% NET MAJOR at the club. It is very rare for a low handicap to win. I shot 68 gross, 66 net for a one shot victory. One of my best rounds at LGC, with a career high 7 birdies, running off 4 in a row on the back nine.
Unfortunately (as this is so much fun), this will be the last battle of Flionis/Lynch vs. Keegan/Brennan until the fall season. Well, maybe not so bad for them, they could use some practice time....
What a start to tournament season at the Lex!
Cheers,
Kurt
p.s. (I think this 2-0 Lynch/Flionis since we started the new match record...see "1-0" blog post)
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Houston Trip in 65 hours
April 3-6, 2014: Flio, Bates, and Richards; a flow, a beard, and a buzz from Boston, New Hampshire, and South Shore. Our flight to Houston on Thursday afternoon got delayed at least 3 times prior to driving to the airport, making us wonder if our trip would ultimately be cut short. During our wait, we walked to Galleria Umberto pizza in the North End (greasy, but excellent) and Kyle/Chris lectured me on how to check-in to a Southwest Airlines flight. I had no clue.
4-hours later than expected, our flight boards at 6pm. I sit indian style with a 10-K and finance magazine next to friend and my former Rola Language Spanish teacher Ed (so random he was on the same flight), Bates locks into Bose headphones, laptop, and wifi, and Kyle chills to a mystery playlist (what is he listening to?). The three of us along with surprise guest Ed start an unforgettable, fully packed in trip. Did we even sleep!?
Our trip included meeting a 2-time major champion Mark O'Meara (really nice guy, told us he was headed to Chipotle, and making final preparations for Augusta!), Bates seeing PGA tour winner Johnson Wagner, and hanging out with Annie, former Lexington GC member turned professional. Thank you Annie for introducing us to Mark and getting us out at River Oaks! Additionally, we went to the Toyota Center to watch playoff contenders Rockets vs. OKC Thunder. Toyota Center is a massive, modern arena with an exciting atmosphere and lots of Shiner Bock beer! James Harden-led Rockets defeated Thunder with a strong fourth quarter performance.
We de-iced from cold Boston and teed it up at four different courses, including River Oaks (private), Wildcat - Highlands, Cypresswood - Tradition, and Tour 18. Weather was great; low 70s; mix of sun and clouds. 36 holes on Friday and 36 holes on Saturday with many bets going on between the three of us. Every meal, mostly BBQ and Tex Mex, was excellent with maybe the exception of the Houston Rockets BBQ food served by a very intimidating woman...albeit it was still decent, especially the cornbread! BBQ food included lots of brisket, pull pork, jalapeno sausage, beans, and mac/cheese. Bates chewed none of this food, finishing each meal in warp speed. Also, he methodically eats each food independently on his plate. We
recommend Tin Roof BBQ (true local restaurant), Beck's Prime (quick service; chili cheeseburger), and El Tiempo Restaurant (sit-down service; fajita nachos).
Golf courses:
4-hours later than expected, our flight boards at 6pm. I sit indian style with a 10-K and finance magazine next to friend and my former Rola Language Spanish teacher Ed (so random he was on the same flight), Bates locks into Bose headphones, laptop, and wifi, and Kyle chills to a mystery playlist (what is he listening to?). The three of us along with surprise guest Ed start an unforgettable, fully packed in trip. Did we even sleep!?
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| Kyle, Chris, Kurt - River Oaks CC |
Our trip included meeting a 2-time major champion Mark O'Meara (really nice guy, told us he was headed to Chipotle, and making final preparations for Augusta!), Bates seeing PGA tour winner Johnson Wagner, and hanging out with Annie, former Lexington GC member turned professional. Thank you Annie for introducing us to Mark and getting us out at River Oaks! Additionally, we went to the Toyota Center to watch playoff contenders Rockets vs. OKC Thunder. Toyota Center is a massive, modern arena with an exciting atmosphere and lots of Shiner Bock beer! James Harden-led Rockets defeated Thunder with a strong fourth quarter performance.
We de-iced from cold Boston and teed it up at four different courses, including River Oaks (private), Wildcat - Highlands, Cypresswood - Tradition, and Tour 18. Weather was great; low 70s; mix of sun and clouds. 36 holes on Friday and 36 holes on Saturday with many bets going on between the three of us. Every meal, mostly BBQ and Tex Mex, was excellent with maybe the exception of the Houston Rockets BBQ food served by a very intimidating woman...albeit it was still decent, especially the cornbread! BBQ food included lots of brisket, pull pork, jalapeno sausage, beans, and mac/cheese. Bates chewed none of this food, finishing each meal in warp speed. Also, he methodically eats each food independently on his plate. We
 |
| Tin Roof BBQ |
Golf courses:
- Round 1 - River Oaks CC - Exclusive private club in the heart of Houston. Members include owners of Houston Astros and Houston Texans. The clubhouse speaks Donald Trump, surrounding homes look like castles, and the locker room has a bar, food service, and a barber shop! We got an excellent caddie named Andrew. The course itself was a nice layout with good greens. All three of us broke 80. Flio - 74, Kyle - 75, Bates - 79. Amazing experience! This is where we met O'Meara.
- Round 2 - Wildcat Highlands Course - This is like the Granite Links of Houston, built on an old landfill with views of the city and Houston Texans stadium. The wind blows hard, blind shots, elevation changes, and silly holes. I hit 5-iron, 3-wood to reach a par-5. 400 yard+ par-4s where a 200 yard drive was all you could hit. We battled. I shot 78. None of us think we would play there again.
- Round 3 - Cypresswood Tradition Course - Host of the 2014 Shell Houston Open Monday Qualifier. The leaderboard included the likes of journeymen Tag Ridings, Omar Uresti, Bubba Dickerson, and many more. I thought the course was a mix of Augusta Pine and Cape Cod, tricky greens, waste like bunkers, and generous fairways. Kyle did not like the bunkers. Chris was an almost flawless machine out of the bunkers all weekend. Solid course; great greens, high quality condition. Would definitely recommend.
- Round 4 - Tour 18 - A replica collection of famous holes throughout the U.S. including Amen Corner, Doral 18th, Sawgrass 17th, and Bay Hill 6. We played double money skins as well as continuation of a birdie pool, weekend long 72 hole stroke play, longest hole out, junk, and match play. There was a lot of money on the line. I felt some tournament pressure! The most notable section of the course was Amen Corner. I played it two under with a chip-in at 11 from 100 feet right of the pin and a birdie at 13. Both Bates and I birdied 13. I had my best round of the trip with a 73.
- Golf Games - I played well throughout the weekend with the exception of my driver. I hit it maybe 6 times over 72 holes. The 3-wood was money and my swing felt good. Most memorable was chipping-in twice (one time to make a big money steal on Bates and Kyle at Disney par-3) and birdieing the last hole (Doral 18) at Tour 18. Bates was a master bunker player and very sharp with his irons. Not the usually deft putter, but if you take out his Dustin Johnson like numbers (see DJs round 1 card at Shell Houston), he may have the most impressive scorecards. For example, after making a quad on the first hole at Tour 18, he still broke 80. Kyle was hitting great hybrids and rolling in putts from everywhere, probably the most 'polies' on the trip. With the exception of one round, Kyle played well and will not be getting strokes from me in the summer :)
Special thanks to Chris for doing all the driving and dealing with difficult Houston highways and hooking us up at the Marriott. And Kyle for finding Tin Roof BBQ and telling Bates I would make the birdie putt at Inverness #18.
Can't wait to do this all over again next year! In Houston??
Lets go 2014 golf season!!
Flio
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
December in the Desert: Part 2
Dec 10-15: Marana, Arizona (Tucson) - Golf Channel Amateur Tour Arizona Open (12/14-12/15)
Day 1 Practice: Dove Mountain - Wild Burro and Saguaro nines with my Dad. The Tortolita nine, where the tournament would be played, was closed due to recovery from frost conditions! Dove Mountain's grounds crew was very sensitive to course conditions given the WGC was coming in February: corporate tents were already under construction. We had frost delays during the tournament. My ball striking was very good during this round, hitting 11/14 fairways; had 3 birdies and shot 76. I told my Dad during warmups that I typically swing well early in my 'defrost' from New England; then as I swing more I get too big and reach for "extra".
Day 2 Practice: Gallery - North Course with my Dad, friend and competitor Gavin from Massachusetts, and new friend and competitor Bob from Denver. On the practice tee, my swing started to feel forced and hard working, getting stuck at impact. I hit 8 fairways and made 3 birdies on my last 6 holes to shoot 80. It was a struggle until the final 6 holes. The group dynamic was so much fun. My Dad and Bob ('the old guys') teamed up against me and Gavin ('the young guys') on the last five holes. It was non-stop heckling and seriously focused team strategies. On 14th hole, Bob birdies. On the 15th hole, my Dad birdies. What the heck, two down. On the 16th hole, I made birdie. We are 1 down with 2 holes to go. On the par-4 17th, Gavin and Bob are out of the hole, leaving me with a 12 foot par putt and my Dad with a 10 foot par putt. I missed my putt slightly outside the left edge. My Dad runs his putt down a slippery slope into the cup for birdie. We lose 2&1. Ahhh the old guys win! My Dad goes 1 under on final 5. I birdied 18. Best ball of the four was 5 under on last 6. Great golf and strong competitive juices were flowing. We enjoyed a beer together and laughed about all the in-round memories. Bob and Gavin are great guys.
Part 2:
Day 2 Practice: Gallery - North Course with my Dad, friend and competitor Gavin from Massachusetts, and new friend and competitor Bob from Denver. On the practice tee, my swing started to feel forced and hard working, getting stuck at impact. I hit 8 fairways and made 3 birdies on my last 6 holes to shoot 80. It was a struggle until the final 6 holes. The group dynamic was so much fun. My Dad and Bob ('the old guys') teamed up against me and Gavin ('the young guys') on the last five holes. It was non-stop heckling and seriously focused team strategies. On 14th hole, Bob birdies. On the 15th hole, my Dad birdies. What the heck, two down. On the 16th hole, I made birdie. We are 1 down with 2 holes to go. On the par-4 17th, Gavin and Bob are out of the hole, leaving me with a 12 foot par putt and my Dad with a 10 foot par putt. I missed my putt slightly outside the left edge. My Dad runs his putt down a slippery slope into the cup for birdie. We lose 2&1. Ahhh the old guys win! My Dad goes 1 under on final 5. I birdied 18. Best ball of the four was 5 under on last 6. Great golf and strong competitive juices were flowing. We enjoyed a beer together and laughed about all the in-round memories. Bob and Gavin are great guys.
Day 3 and 4: Tournament Rounds at Dove Mountain (Gallery North and Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita). Good weather, mid-60s, sunny, light to medium winds. My swing slipped to an over-the-top, weak shots to the right, most notably in the tee shots with the driver and long irons. I was able to work okay with wedges and mid-irons. No ability to pull trigger freely after hitting multiple shots in the desert on the same hole! I had some very big numbers, including a 12 on a par-4. When you are teeing up your 4th tee shot on the same hole and the group behind you pulls up watching, its more nerve racking then most golf situations. The desert won. I hit 3 fairways each round. I hit 12 greens and 9 greens and did not break 90. Pic to the Right: #3 Par 3 210 yards at Dove Mountain (Saguaro). Pretty nice, right? Look for the Top 64 players in the world here in February 2014!
The take away from my tournament experience was that I must work on an in-course adjustment plan if my driver goes bad and I must be reflective on my feelings experienced during a round so I understand myself better the next time. If I pull back to a hybrid or 3 wood early, would I have hit more fairways and kept myself away from large numbers? Taking a risk to make an adjustment is a difficult step when you think the next swing you make will be the good one. Next time, I will try picking out a target a few feet in front of my ball and I will set the expectations of hitting the shot at 50% of the max distance. I expect this would improve my alignment and shorten my backswing.
Once you finish a round, make sure you reflect on what you did well and poorly during it (for both swing mechanics and mental mechanics). I am going to make a point of doing this in 2014 to improve my game.
Happy 2014!
Kurt
December in the Desert: Part 1
Dec 10-15: Marana, Arizona (Tucson) - Golf Channel Amateur Tour Arizona Open (12/14-12/15)
Part 1:
My Dad and I traveled to sunny, dry Tucson AZ for a mix of leisure and competitive golf and relaxation. It was a father-son bonding time. It was a chance to get away from the New England cold. It was a chance to play golf in the desert. Tucson is a golfing destination, retirement spot with temperatures in mid-60s during December, mountains, cacti and other spikey vegetation, wild animals, and good hospitality. We were lucky to get sunshine everyday. The mornings were cold enough to layer up (low 40s) and the afternoons warm enough to sit by the pool (high of 70). We played Dove Mountain, home of World Golf Championship Accenture Match Play tournament, and The Gallery, a highly-respected private course nearby Dove. Personally, I thought The Gallery was the better of two courses; beating Dove in condition, layout, and overall experience.
During the trip, we made it a point to experience activities beyond the golf course. Our trip included a visit to Biosphere 2, which is the world's largest facility to study Earth systems. In other words, the team at Biosphere works to recreate Earth life under a fully enclosed roof, with different climates and plants; studying water; air quality, plant science; etc. We listened to a native Hohokam brave play a flute that echoed throughout the mountain. I was accidentally stabbed by a jumping cactus bush after looking for my golf ball! A bird flew into my hotel room; that was not easy getting it out, when it was stuck, flapping around in the blinds (yikes). I spent time watching a 9 year old tortoise from Africa named Wambi eat grass and apples. She was 30 lbs. She started out the size of a silver dollar and will likely live to 100 and grow to 100-120 lbs! Fat and slow! We saw a Javelina (not friendly). We ate at a local steakhouse called Li'l Abner's that served Mesquite wood smoked steaks. Saloon atmosphere; we stuck out like sore thumbs.
The hotel we stayed at inside Dove Mountain was as good as it gets from a service standpoint. The staff was friendly, attentive, professional, accommodating (after being stuck with only a king bed on our first night!), and knowledgeable. One exception was a recommendation to try a local Italian restaurant. The staff member said it was the best in town, even Sicily certified. If it was the best in town, it would be the worst in town in Boston. Bad bad bad. CORE Kitchen Restaurant was very solid; its very pricey, but if you have one nice meal in your budget, this is a good choice. Excellent salmon and mac/cheese. My Dad had a nice steak too. They don't shy away on portions out here and they like to offer a burger/shake combination.
Golf courses we played were beautiful. Dove has 27 holes and Gallery offers 36 holes. The two pictures are from Gallery GC - North Course. The greens were in almost perfect condition and running at 10-11 on the stimpmeter. The bunkers are not filled with much sand which gives you easy escapes from the fairway, however, the challenges lie in the pure quantity of bunkers (everywhere) and the deep faces. The desert is in your face and mind all day; on your tee shots and for your general observation. Keep your tee shots in the green grass! The Golf Shop picture is at Dove Mountain Golf Club.
Good practice facilities included grass tees, chipping greens, putting greens, and fairway bunker practice spots. The Gallery driving range was special. The hitting area was carpet-like and the green targets were ample at varying distances and looked like real manicured greens.
Part 2 will cover our practice and tournament rounds.
Brrrr its cold in Boston,
K
Part 1:
My Dad and I traveled to sunny, dry Tucson AZ for a mix of leisure and competitive golf and relaxation. It was a father-son bonding time. It was a chance to get away from the New England cold. It was a chance to play golf in the desert. Tucson is a golfing destination, retirement spot with temperatures in mid-60s during December, mountains, cacti and other spikey vegetation, wild animals, and good hospitality. We were lucky to get sunshine everyday. The mornings were cold enough to layer up (low 40s) and the afternoons warm enough to sit by the pool (high of 70). We played Dove Mountain, home of World Golf Championship Accenture Match Play tournament, and The Gallery, a highly-respected private course nearby Dove. Personally, I thought The Gallery was the better of two courses; beating Dove in condition, layout, and overall experience.
During the trip, we made it a point to experience activities beyond the golf course. Our trip included a visit to Biosphere 2, which is the world's largest facility to study Earth systems. In other words, the team at Biosphere works to recreate Earth life under a fully enclosed roof, with different climates and plants; studying water; air quality, plant science; etc. We listened to a native Hohokam brave play a flute that echoed throughout the mountain. I was accidentally stabbed by a jumping cactus bush after looking for my golf ball! A bird flew into my hotel room; that was not easy getting it out, when it was stuck, flapping around in the blinds (yikes). I spent time watching a 9 year old tortoise from Africa named Wambi eat grass and apples. She was 30 lbs. She started out the size of a silver dollar and will likely live to 100 and grow to 100-120 lbs! Fat and slow! We saw a Javelina (not friendly). We ate at a local steakhouse called Li'l Abner's that served Mesquite wood smoked steaks. Saloon atmosphere; we stuck out like sore thumbs.Golf courses we played were beautiful. Dove has 27 holes and Gallery offers 36 holes. The two pictures are from Gallery GC - North Course. The greens were in almost perfect condition and running at 10-11 on the stimpmeter. The bunkers are not filled with much sand which gives you easy escapes from the fairway, however, the challenges lie in the pure quantity of bunkers (everywhere) and the deep faces. The desert is in your face and mind all day; on your tee shots and for your general observation. Keep your tee shots in the green grass! The Golf Shop picture is at Dove Mountain Golf Club.
Good practice facilities included grass tees, chipping greens, putting greens, and fairway bunker practice spots. The Gallery driving range was special. The hitting area was carpet-like and the green targets were ample at varying distances and looked like real manicured greens. Part 2 will cover our practice and tournament rounds.
Brrrr its cold in Boston,
K
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