Putting like a Pig

I have played in 2 tournaments in the last week and what normally is the strength of my game, putting, has been atrocious. I have been driving the ball very well and hitting my irons OK but my short game has been rather weak. Below is a quick recap of the 2 events.

Lynnewood Hall Invitational

I was invited to this event at Huntington Valley Country Club (Philly) based on qualifying for the USGA Mid-Am last year. Looked like a good event and there were some things for Emily and the girls to do in Philly so we decided to make it a family trip. Golf course is off the charts good. Really well maintained with very fast slopey greens. A lot of fun to play. Not really much to say about this tournament. I shot 78-74 and was obviously never a factor. Over the 2 days I had 7 3 putts which is completely unacceptable. This doesn't even consider the stretch I had in round 1 when I had birdie putts inside of 15 feet on 5 of 6 holes and didn't touch the hole once!! In round 2 I played rock solid but the putter just wouldn't cooperate. Hit it to:

• 15 feet on 1
  
• 6 feet on the 230 yd par 3 3rd
• 4 feet on 4
• 8 feet on 6
• 15 feet on 7 and 8

Obviously none of those went in or I would have had a different title to this entry! Finally I hit it to 6 inches on 9 and even I could handle that. Then I 3 putted 10 & 11 and kind of limped in for a 74. I did feel like I hit some good putts in those stretches but just can't get the damn ball in the hole.

Oh well we had a good weekend and it was good to get back into tournament conditions. I haven't played a lot of tournament golf this year so I think that is part of the problem.

MD Open

This year's MD Open was played at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown. I almost didn't play since it was so far away but I need the competitive rounds and after my pathetic play in the MD Am I wanted to redeem myself. Fountain Head is an old course that was designed by Donald Ross (Pinehurst, Pine Needles, etc) and may be the only Ross course in MD (not sure about that). It is short and relatively tight with very good, although small, green complexes. On Monday (Round 1) I hit it really, really well and walked off with a 75. Again I hit a lot of good putts that just wouldn't go in. At one point early in the round I had 5 very make-able birdie putts (inside of 15 feet) and made exactly 0 of them. Gets pretty frustrating after three str8 tournament rounds. Anyway I polished off this gem of a round by making bogey on the 9th hole (my 18th) when I failed to make par from 110 yds out off the tee. I shot about as high as I could have shot without question.

The second round got off to a good start when I almost canned a 115 yd wedge shot on the 2nd hole and had a kick-in birdie. But I backed it up with a bogey on the 490 yd par 5 3rd hole. That was bad. Almost felt like a double bogey. Anyway it was more of the same and I was 2 over through 12 holes when I came to the 380ish par 4 13th. I striped a drive and had 105 to the pin. The green on this hole slopes VERY VERY hard from back to front and the pin was back left. There really is nowhere to hit my approach. If I hit it at the pin it may well spin and feed off the front of the green. So I elect to hit it 20 feet right where it is a bit flatter. This, however, leaves me with a 20 footer that breaks 5 feet right to left and is basically str8 downhill. I run it 4 feet by and miss it coming back. Now I am 8 over par for the tournament and I am pretty sure +7 makes the cut. So I need to make a birdie with a balky putter. Try to jam one in close on 14 and short side myself and make bogey. I par out and am finished at 149 (+9) with no chance of making the cut. Funny thing is I wasn't all that disappointed. I am striking the ball really well and I am sure that my putter will return soon.

Over the next 4 weeks I have the following events:

• USGA Amateur Qualifier
• USGA Mid-Am Qualifier
• Hayfields Club Championship
• MD Mid-Am Championship

Plus a few other one day events I have a lot coming up. Will be practicing pretty hard over the next 2-3 weeks and hopefully something good will come up. The USGA events are important to me because I have loved playing in the Mid in the past. The USGA runs phenomenal events so getting into 1 or both of these is my real focus right now. I also have had a couple of high finishes in the MD Mid the last couple of years (top 10 and a T-5th) so I would like to be prepared for that event and see what I can do.

First Golf Post

I haven't had any posts about golf at this point but the reality was I didn't haven't anything to write about. But that has changed as of this Monday when I paired with the teaching pro at my home club, Damon Lucas, to tie for first in the MAPGA Pro-Scratch (Middle Atlantic PGA). This is their biggest Pro-Am event and featured most of the best club pros and best amatuers from throughout the Middle Atlantic. The event was played this year at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, MD which for the last 4 years has been the host of the LPGA Championship. here is a quick rundown.

We started at 10 and were the first group off at 7:30.

On 10 I drive it in the right rough and have a horrible lie and make bogey. Damon gets on in regulation but three putts so we start with bogey 5.

Holes 11 & 12 I sort of scrape it around to the green and have to make 8 footers on both to save par.

Hole 13 (420) is a really hard hole that requires a very straight drive followed by a precise second shot into a well protected green. I kind of wiffed my drive but str8 and ~175 into the green. Pured a 6 iron right at the flag and checked up to 4 feet. Unfortunately I shoved the hell out of the putt and walk away with a shitty feeling par.

Hole 14 (375) is a good birdie opportunity and I hit a good Driver-Wedge to 10 feet and canned the putt.

Hole 15 (500-par 5) Pured my drive and followed with a decent 3 wood just left of the green. Hit kind of a mediocre pitch to 8 feet and missed. Bad par there.

Up till this point my pro has been struggling with his driver but that was about to change in the nick of time.

Hole 16 (400) Good drive right down the middle then absolutely butchered the hole from there barely making bogey. Fortunately Damon popped up with a solid par.

Hole 17 (180) I played it conservatively and hit a 6 iron in the middle of the green to 20 feet. Damon took that as a green light to try and hit it close and he knocked to 6 feet and made the putt. We are finally in the RED!!! -1

Hole 18 (440) Stripe another drive but then slap it around a bit. Damon makes a solid par and we turn in 35 (-1)

It gets fun on the second nine!

Hole 1 (375) I hit a poor 3 wood off the tee followed by a real solid 9 iron to 20 feet and make it for birdie. -2

Hole 2 (550) Hit a great drive and lay up to 120. Then skank a wedge to approx. 20 feet and leave my birdie putt on the lip.

Hole 3 (165) Damon and I both make solid pars.

Hole 4 (420) Whiff my drive again then hit a perfect 8 iron from ~160 to 15 feet and can the putt for another birdie. -3

Hole 5 (440 str8 up hill) Hit a good drive followed by a pure 4 iron and make a routine par.

Hole 6 (420) Driver-Gap wedge to 20 feet. Nothing but net!! -4

Hole 7 (165) Hit a poor iron but Domon stuffs it in tight and basically has kick in for birdie. -5

Hole 8 (545) Rip a driver and have 265 to the middle. Take out my new Taylor Made Steel Head 3 wood (god I love this club) and smash it up the hill into the middle of the green 20 feet or so from the hole. Really like the line I get on the hole and hit a great putt that stops 1 foot short right in the center. How can I leave an eagle putt short in that situation???? Tiger wouldn't leave tat putt short....Oh yeah he is good and I am a 38 year old accountant. Anyway -6

Hole 9 (425) Damon and I both hit really good drives, although he is 20 yds or so closer due to him biting offf more of the dogleg. I hit a mediocre second shot but Damon hits a really nice wedge to 8 feet or so. I don't make my birdie but Damon has a really good look. I really think this putt is for the win...65 will be hard to beat on this course. I read the putt as inside left and he reads it as str8. Hits a good putt but just misses on the right. Wasn't an easy putt.

So we finish at 66 (-6) and put it on the board. Ends up that 2 other teams shoot the same. For some reason, however, the MAPGA does not playoff in this event so it is just a tie. Kind of sucks but oh well... Once Damon got through he first 5 or 6 holes we both played really solid the rest of the way. On a lot of holes we had 2 good looks at birdie which always makes it easier to score well.

Glad to play well. I have been close for a few weeks but just can't seem to get it done. Bunch of 72-73-74 type rounds but nothing low. This round was good (71) on a hard demanding golf course and I drove it REALLY well. Now if I can just get my irons back on track I could start shooting some low scores. Always something though with this insane game.

I have a bunch of tournaments and qualifiers coming over the next 6-8 weeks so expect more golf related updates in this period.