Monday, May 25, 2009

Popped my cherry

It's early monday morning and I could hardly sleep thinking about getting this post out. This past weekend was my best weekend for golf for the season. So heres the quick recap.

Saturday I woke up early to get to the range before my 7:30 tee time. Didn't go crazy on the range but got warmed up at least. I thougt it would help my game but after starting 3 over on the first 2 holes I thought it may have been a waste. Then something clicked in my swing. I stood a little more upright, slowed the swing way down, and actually started seeing some results. All of a sudden i was hitting lasers at the pins. No fade, nothing, just straight percise shots. I couldn't believe it, one good swing after another. Felt great. After starting 3 over on the first 2, I started parring every hole. I would par 4 and 5, bogey 6, and then didn't see another bogey till the 17th hole. Ended up shooting a 78, breaking 80 for the first time this year, and felt great heading into the second event for the Niagara Mens tour.

Sunday I woke early to have breakfast with Sarah in preparation for the tour event at Grand Niagara. I've played there many times over the last few years. Course it pretty wide open. I'd say the majority of difficulty in the course is the greens and the green side bunkers. Lots of crazy undulation on the greens, multpile tiers, and very large. They look quick but were actually pretty slow. Seemed like everyone thought that yesterday.

Anyways, I started off better then I could ask for. I hit a gorgeous drive down the middle to about 159 yards, then proceeded to hit a 8 iron to 2 inches for a tap in birdie. No better feeling for me to start. With my nerves in check for now, I would go on to actually continue playing well. I would par the next hole, find a little trouble on the 3rd to make bogey. Not to interested in breaking the whole round down. I kept things in check on the front and was able to card a 39 after a solid par on the 9th. I'm feeling great right now. Playing my best golf on tour in 3 years and ready for the back.

10th hole is a little scary for some with water all the way up the left hand side. Luckly I don't hit left due to permanent fade. I would find myself a little to far right, but made a great shot to the back of the green and a 2 putt for par. I bogey the 11th after a poor putt for birdie up to the second tier left me 6 feet short, and then i would leave that one short. All day long. The greens were so slow and I just refused to adjust. I left a lot of birdies on the course if I had just got the ball to the hole.

The 12th hole is a very tough par 3. With the pin tucked way in the back right corner I would hit an awful 4 iron short and right of the green, and thankfully the huge green side bunker. Made a great flop shot to about 10 feet and drained the putt for par. After this the wheels fell off a litte. I would make 3 bogeys in a row from here. The first sucked cause I only made bogey due to a rushed second putt from a foot for par. Second was poor club choice on a short par 3, although I almost made a nice putt for par. And the third was on a longer par 5 that I was sure I was going to birdie. I made another mistake here by stepping on the tee and changing what I was doing for the previous 14 holes. I swung a way with the driver instead of smoothing it up the middle, went for the big cut over the corner of the dog leg and found myself in the bunker.

I was able to compose myself for the last 3 holes. Althought I limped in due to nerves, I was able to par the last 3 to shoot a 40 on the back and 79 for the round. First off, I was very happy to have broken 80 for the first time on tour in 3 years. Felt like a victory to me, it's been my minimum goal for every tourny. I was close to the first group, so I posted my score and decided to have a beer and see how I finish. A few groups come in, scores were high, I'm sitting in the top 10. Can't leave now, so i stick around a little longer. Long story short, all the groups come in, 1 guy in the last group (tour champ every year) comes in with a 76, pushing me to 10th overall. My first ever top 10 in a tour event. Amazing for me. I don't believe I've even finsihed in the top 30 in the past. So i've popped my cherry, I broke 80 and I got a top 10. I'm sure Cal would be happy here since he doesn't believe in setting goals, but not me. Next goal, top 5. And of course, my usual goal of actually qualifiying for the next year is still in place. This should help, but I'll need to continue playing well for that to happen.

3 Comments:

Blogger Matt said...

Mozel Tov

That's the right term for this I think!

Well done for shooting a great number yesterday. Knew you had it in you.

9:06 AM

 
Anonymous Jordana said...

good for you.

10:13 AM

 
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