Range Visit

February 24 - Hit up McGolf Driving Range in the snow/rain with my new 913 D3, 6 iron, and PW.  I couldn't see the ball past 50 yards, but it was well worth the trip to swing and feel the feedback.  I continue to find I hit it the best when I am fresh and unhindered by near-term experiences...need to bring this relaxed concentration to the tournament scene.  Ran into my friend Tony and he told me his wife Lisa was expecting their first baby!  He was excited to be swinging his new Nike driver and was jealous of my upcoming Texas trip.  The game brings so many good people together and always makes me smile.  The weather is looking like low-to-mid 60s in Texas.  I'm off this weekend to Horseshoe Bay!

Namaste

Back Injury

Hurt my back on January 5th playing basketball.  Its believed to be pinched nerve.  It took a solid two weeks to get through very uncomfortable days and spasms.  Now I'm moving good, but the injury is still present.  No gym or exercises yet.  Glad its the winter time and not golf season!  Hope all my golfing buddies are having a healthy, fun, and active winter.

Everyone take care of their backs.  A little strengthening and stretching everyday helps!  Also, I recommend Genius of Flexibility in Boston if you are looking for a new direction in health and fitness.  Its pricey, but worth it in my opinion.

Kurt

Innisbrook - Humbling end to 2012

Dec 1-2: Trip to Innisbrook Golf Resort in Tampa, FL

Innisbrook is home to 4 championship golf courses including the Copperhead, host of the annual PGA Tour event called Transitions Championship.  The second most notable course is Island, host of an LPGA event.

I was in town to compete in the Golf Channel Am Tour Winter Championship at Copperhead and Island.  The format was 36 holes stroke play.  I arrived to the resort at 11pm on Friday November 30 with little time to prepare for my 813am first round tee time at Copperhead.  I geared up as best as I could, rising at 6am, having a full breakfast, hitting the driving range and practice putting green.  My first tee shot was a 3-wood right down the middle, setting up an 8-iron to the green and 2 putt par.  On the second hole, a tight par 5, a ripped 3-wood down the middle (not worth hitting driver but tempting given its a par-5, i was smart about it), laid up with a 6-iron, hit a wedge to pin high and made par.  The third hole has the signature copperhead logo cut out from bushes (you see on TV for the PGA tour), a 380 yard par 4 that requires a 200-yard shot to avoid water.  I hit 5-iron right down the middle then hit a solid 7-iron, but pulled it over the green (hit cart path).  With a chance to hit a flop shot and save par, I proceeded to thin the shot into a bunker.  Okay my bunker play is good, so I hit a great bunker shot to 5 feet.  What do I do? 3 PUTT!!  Ran the first putt by 5 feet and missed it coming back.  UGH! TRIPLE BOGEY, +3 after 3 just like that.

Copperhead course is a narrow track, however if you miss the fairways you can still play a shot back to fairway or possibly to the green.  Its a long course too.  We played at 6,800 yards, par 71.  This is long considering 5 par 3s.  Its got a lot of elevation changes.  You need to accept hitting 3-woods on par 5s and sometimes hybrids on long par-4s.  You will have long irons in your hands.  No gimmie holes.  The challenge for me was not keeping the ball in play, it was the short game.  If you were on the wrong side of the green, the putting was very challenging.  I had 6 three putts, 40 putts in total.  I did not lose a ball all day and shot 91.  I couldn't figure out the speeds (must have been the grain!) and I had no feel with the Florida rough chip shots!  Most greens were well surrounded by bunkers, making precision iron shots important.  I was hitting them greenside all day, but couldn't get up and down or I would three putt.

Day 2 at Island.  Folks were telling me this was the harder course!  Great, coming off a 91 and I have to deal with a harder course.  I was ready for a challenge.  Here we go!  First tee shot - COLD TOP at 730am.  Okay really, do you know how to play golf anymore!?  I made a nice bogey and then birdied number 2; phew.  Some momentum?  Nope.  Missed a 5 footer for par on 3, then 3 putt number 4 for bogey.  I shoot 87.  Another disaster day on the greens, 39 putts, including one 4 putt.

Island Course had many water hazards and thick wooded areas with Cypress trees.  If you went in there, you weren't finding the ball or if you did, you were not playing it.  See picture.  Greens were nicer than Copperhead.  I didn't get a bad lie in the fairway on either course.

I would recommend this place.  The resort was very peaceful, good food, very nice staff and service, and great courses.  I didn't see the other 2 courses, but were told they are each unique, one of them actually being wide open.

The weather was perfect, 80 and sunny both days.

Very humbling golf experience.

I'll tell ya, I got my money's worth on the course and even a little bit of a tan at the pool.  I hope to be back next year!

This wraps up my 2012 season.  Time to recharge.

Happy Winter,
Kurt

Bentley Battle

Nov 4 - First weekend in November, turn back the clocks, sunny and 50 degrees, and playing golf with my college teammates Bates and Richards.  Makes me extra happy I chose to play golf in college, an unbreakable bond of teammates and good friends for life.  That said, when it comes to our annual/bi-annual/other matches, a simple $5 Nassau, automatic press on the back, automatic presses after 2 down, and $1 junk brings as much motivation and pressure as tournament golf, especially in a tight match.

Bates and Richards vs. Flionis and Leary (Batesy's buddy from Marlborough)...Flionis/Leary win the front 1 up after Flio drains a 10 footer for par on 9...Flionis/Leary take a 2up lead on the back side through 13 (birdie by Leary on 11 and Flionis on 13), automatic press hits and Bates/Richards see the green light, they make par on 14 for a win, halve 15, Bates birdies 16 and 17 to win the press, square the overall match, and take the lead on the back nine, S&%T...all comes down to 18...Flionis makes par on 18, which squeaks out the win after Bates's slick downhill 10 footer rims out.  Squash the back nine, Bates/Richards win one press, Flionis/Leary win front nine and overall, Bates/Richards win the dots..net damage to Bates/Richards is $3...Bates beats Flio in side match 2 and 1 (crap)

Couple of key memories:

• Bates uses belly putter and drains multiple big putts, including a dagger on 17 for birdie (sharp right to left breaker from 15 feet), which he follows by saying "these greens are very similar to Marlborough"...nice of him to soften the blow...great putting...hopefully these things are illegal soon so I have a better chance of winning next time
• Bates brings half of his closet in his bag...very fashionable, alongside Richards with the lightly checked slacks
• Flionis/Leary win match 

Course was in great shape.  Looking forward to the next Bentley Battle.

Lata,
Flio

2012 Norfolk County Four Ball

October 13-14 – Another year at the Norfolk County, a 2-day best ball tournament with approximately 80 two-man teams.  The field is always strong and showed no different this year, with a number of the Massachusetts Tri-State players joining off their 9^th straight victory at Old Sandwich.  Its like when the PGA Tour says how many Ryder Cup players are showing up for a tour event.  Added competitive juices and hype.

My focus was to put up a better showing at Presidents, a course that doesn’t fit my eye and gives me problems every year.   That, or either my ball striking is off, and the wind plays havoc with poor ball striking here.  The tournament got off to a slow start.  There was a 90 minute frost delay, pushing back my tee time to 2:15pm off the tenth tee.  Weather was sunny, but cold…mid 50s and dropping by the hour.  Paired with good friends S.Keegan and D.Brennan

Murphy and I gave ourselves a number of opportunities, but failed to make putts all day.  I swear the greens were bumpy from the morning frost followed by a lot of golfers walking over them in the morning, couldn’t get a good roll.  My best shot was a 5-iron to 10 feet below the hole on 13.  Missed the putt.  Fifteen killed us, Murph hit his drive and third shot in the water, I hit a perfect drive, had 180 yards and plunked it…we made double (thanks Keegan and Brennan for still giving us the hole with your 8).  Only one team birdie on 5.  +2 thru 16 holes, then darkness hit.  We had eight and nine left to play.  After Dana calculated most of scores, the cut was projected at +2.  We had to finish our round in the AM and have balls in the air at 730, so the course could be cleared for 10:30 shotgun.  What!?  730!  We needed to wake and make two pars cold turkey or we are going home.   Keegan and Brennan were in good shape with even par. 

Next morning we wake up to sideways rain and cold!  48-50 degrees, windy, rainy.  No warmup.  Eighth tee Murph goes first, cold top…I hit it in 6^th fairway; Murph out of hole after 3 shots, I hit a 7-iron into the wind from 160 to front of green, great spot, wet green, slow right to left putt, right?  Nope, blew it by 6 feet.  Left to right putt downhill to make par, gotta have it.  Made it!  On nine, I missed a 10 footer for par, Mike has 20 feet for birdie, manageable speed, right?  Think twice, blows it by 6 feet.  This is a must make.  Got it!  I can’t remember working so hard to make two pars as a team.  We used up a lot of energy to avoid going home.

Two hours later we start on the 12^th hole with D.Evans and R.Friel.  Good guys.  Weather is cloudy, cold, windy, rainy…temperature rises and falls, rain starts and stop, last 6 holes are sunny and decent weather in 60s…we make birdies on 16, 2, 4, and 8; bogeys on 12,15,1,6, and 11.  My two shots of the day: 1) #4 – 6 iron to 8 inches above hole, ball stayed in its own ball mark; 2) #15 – another perfect drive, 190 yards to pin, I plunk 4-iron in water, drop and hit next shot with 5-iron plunk in water…Mike gets on green in 5 after two water balls…as we walk up to green, spotter marks my second ball in the water, half underwater; Hit it? Okay you never know – I take off my right shoe and sock, right foot is fully underwater, thinking Bill Haas, I play like bunker shot, I open the 60 degree and swing just like a bunker shot, don’t see anything and I hear Murph say that’s great, high lofting shot lands 12 feet past pin, then I make the putt half barefoot for bogey!!!  I went from disgust to excitement making a freaking bogey. 

We shoot 71.  Team Total = 143.  Brennan and Keegan shoot 65.  Excellent. 

Higgins and Falcucci dominate.  See below.

Great to see Swen and B. Murph!  Parka and Stova were the best of Bentley crew.  Thanks to my Dad for caddying in Round 1.  

This year the putter let us down as well as inability to hit a good second shot on 15.  No doubt we will be back next year.  Awesome event.

Fli

Results:

1st Brian Higgins-Dan Falcucci 62-64-126
2nd Andy Drohen-Chris Congdon 63-66-129
T-3rd Andrew Diramio-Ryan Riley 65-65-130
Paul Mitchell-Sean Fitzpatrick 64-66-130
Mike Riley-Arthur Fitzgerald 66-64-130
T-6th Jim Forsgard-Mark Elbery 65-66-131
Matt Bianchini-John Arcure 63-68-131
Greg Chalas-Steve Neidermire 64-67-131
T-9th Michael Haglof-Andy Loconto 68-64-132
Herbie Aikens-Bob Mancini 69-63-132
Steven Kuhn-Michael Butts 67-65-132
Michael Willock-Dan Najarian 67-65-132
Bob Avellino-Ron Harwood 64-68-132

Kurt Flionis - Mike Murphy 72-71-143

Member Member

Oct 6, 2012 - J. Flanagan and I posted an 8 under 63.  We are 4 shots off the pace going into the final round (T2 of 23 teams).  This is a net best ball at 90% tournament.  We had a solid day with 2 net eagles; I birdied 4 (right after John made 5 net 3) and John birdied 11 for net eagles...we also had two net bogeys on 18 and 10.  John putted amazing.  I give him a read and hits it exactly to the spot.  He shot an 89, good round for a 23 handicap.  The weather conditions were very good given its the first weekend of October, mid-70s and sunny with breezy conditions on the back nine.  It is great to be contention for tomorrow!  We played with R. Piccieri and D. Furey, two great guys.  Gotta love the Lex! Ran into M. Champagne and his wife at Tavern in the Square with my parents.  Good to see you Matty!

Final round update coming manana.

KFly

2012 Dennis Four Ball

Sept 15-16:  This year, Mike and I, had to make the 85 mile drive back and forth to Dennis Highlands.  We typically stay at his in-laws house in Dennis, but this year the house was unavailable due to renovations (we drove by and the place is looking awesome, almost done).  So we got plenty of talk in, food in, and traffic on our road trips.  Actually, round 2 was a 750am tee off.  I was up at 430am and in front of Mike's house at 535am!  Mike took me to Mercantiles Cafe in Dennis; if you are ever in the area, its amazing, they make their own bread and voted best sandwiches in Cape Cod.

Our tournament was respectable.  We shot 73-68.  Total 141 (-1).  Its unclear what our finish was, but we should be in the Top 15.  In the first round, the low score was 65.  Mike played great in the first round.  I played terrible.  In the second round, I played very good and Mike didn't play well.  I guess we picked each other up, but I would prefer both of us playing well!  Round 1 - 35-38; 2 birdies and 4 bogeys.  Mike almost holed out two bunker shots (on 2 and 13).  He birdied 1 and 3.  We played with the Curran brothers.  Round 2 - 32-36; 6 birdies and 3 bogeys.  I birdied 3,4,8,13, including a chip in on 3.  Also, made a ridiculous right to left downhill swinger on #4 from 12 feet.  The putt went up a hill, and u-turned back down the hill into the hole.  Mike birdied 1 and 12.  We played with B. Malcolm and R. McCarthy (Bentley grad!).

Dennis Highlands greens were fantastic.  Fast and rolled true.  The weather was high 60s, low 70s and sunny both days.

Next year we need to reduce our overall bogeys and increase our birdies on the par-5s.  We had one birdie on the par-5 eighth in Round 2, nothing else.

Good swing thoughts this week: Stable lower body, slow takeaway, and full turn.  Putting was excellent - very good feel for speed and was using a slow takeaway.  Also, most drivers I have ever hit in 36 holes - 14 the first day and 13 the second day.

Keep the good weather going!
Kurt