Sometimes you just need to challenge yourself

After finishing strong last year with my worst round of golf since i was a little kid (115 at Oakmont), actuall sorry, my worst round sine 2 years ago (108 at Thundering Waters), I decided to carry over the solid play into the new season. For whatever reason, i've decided to test my skills in the Ontario Mid-Am at Bond Head this may.

I recieved an email from Matt about playing in it, and after he (probably joking) asked me if i wanted to play in it, i said fuck it, i'm in. Didn't put to much thought into it, which could be god or bad.

The mid-am is for players with a handicapp as high as 8, so sitting at a 5.4 I figure to be the middle of the pack. Probably more near the back of the back since I doubt many 7's of 8's would think of trying to qualify for this tourny.

IF anything, it will be good experience for me. No, i don't think i will qualify. 81 was the qualifying score there last year and considering the talent I assume is in this tourny, the course must be tough. I eventually want to be good enough to compete in any tournament I enter and one of the biggest hurdles for me is the nerves of playing in a tournament. although I've played in more tournys over the last few years then ever before, and starting to feel comfortable, i'm still not quite there. BUt theres no other way to get over it then to keep playing them. So i will. And eventually I'll do well in some of them.

So heres my intense schedule for the start of the season.

April 28th, Mens Betterball a the Brantford Golf and CC. This one is a team game, Matt and I will test ourselves again after a strong showing last year at Bridgewater. I think we even surprised ourselves last year when Matt posted a 74 and I shot 79 to just miss the cut. Neither of us have played Brantford before so it will definitly be a bigger challenge.

May 3rd or 4th, Niagara Mens Tour Qualifier at Penn Lakes in Fonthill. Last year I completly bombed in this qualifier. I should have made the cut but with a few costly errors I mised by 2 or 3 strokes. I've played this course a 100 times and find it actually pretty easy. Again, the tourny nerves got to me last year. This year will be different....I hope.

May 6th, Ontario Mid-Am at the Club at Bond Head. Tought looking track with a 146 slope. Very traditional course, described as a Northern Ireland type of course. I haven't looked to much into the course, but I hear it's long and firm. I've wanted to play this course for a few years since it opened maybe 3 or 4 years ago, what better time then a major tournament. Oh ya, Matt has the hooks up and will be getting us on there for a few practice rounds for the best price ever, FREE.

What does all this mean? It means I basically have a month, if the weather cooperates, to get my game into July form when I was a 3.9. So i hope that groundhog either sees its shadow or doesn't, whatever ones means spring come sooner. At the very least I will get out and hit some balls as soon as possible. Some crappy range here in St. Kitts is open year round, as soon as the weather is slight warm enough I'll be out there working out the winter kinks. Unfortunatly I won't have the weke of Arizona golf I had last year, although that didn't help much either.