COMMUNITY

Congrats on your round. No matter what the conditions, you gave it your best and you never know what can happen as if few more things went your way you might have qualified. Now how cool would that have been. It really is amazing how good those players really are compared to the rest of us mere mortals. Keep on trying.

In football they say "any given Sunday"
In golf you have to do it four days in a row.
From time to time I can "get it done" for one hole, maybe two holes. To do so for 18 seems like a huge mountain to climb. To do so for 72 is like climbing an entire chain of Mt Everests.

As a youth I was into skateboarding. I fell a lot, but so did the pro's. The difference was they knew how to fall and avoid injury, I did not. Golf pros make a few mistakes, but not consecutive ones. They miss close, get out of trouble, and move on to the next hole.

Yes, they are "that" good.

I'm the monkey with a type writer, give me enough time and I'll write something. They can write a best seller on the back of a napkin.

My best tournament score is 78 (twice) which came last August and September in high school tournaments on courses that were 6400 and 6900 yards respectively. The 6900 yard course happened to be my home course, so that's got a * next to it, and the other course I had played like 3 times before, and it wasn't overly long, so that also deserves a notation.

But last year I started to figure it out in tournaments. I had never done overly well in tournaments, but last year I really improved, which I concluded was because I like playing when it really means something now. See the progress:

2009 scores: 92 (Par 64), 92 (Par 63), 97, 90 (Par 64)
2010 scores: 104, 100
2011 scores: 98, 100, 85, 88, 89, 88, 91, 90, 36 (Par 34), 43 (Par 36), 36 (Par 34, also my 1 win in a junior event), 80
2012 scores: 94, 88, 83, 80, 85 (HARD GOLF COURSE), 84, 79, 86, 89, 81, 81, 78, 82, 78, 79

I'm looking at playing 6 tournaments this summer, and 2 of those are qualifiers to get into 2 of the other 4 which I should be able to get into without much drama. Then I've got high school tryouts in August which will be tougher this year as a senior since I've gotta finish in the Top 5. But I'm really looking forward to competing this summer. I feel like my game's getting to the point where if I don't do anything stupid, I can give myself chances to win more. That one win I listed in 2011 is a bit sketchy because it was in a JV field, but I still finished with the lowest score so technically that's a win.

Goynes, congrats again on posting an impressive score. I personally think its well done, given the conditions. If you want to test your skills as a golfer, play tournament golf and see how humbling it is. This isn't summer golf league stuff at the local muny, it's nerves on each tee box stuff.

Haven't played a state or national qualifier in a while, but I think you inspired me once I get my wrist in order. I play a few events with the local mini tours and played on scholarship in college. It's been 20 years since college so I need to refocus on competitive golf again.

I love playing the TPC courses and PGA Tour courses in my travels. Really gives you good perspective on how playing tough courses can really hone your game.

Definitely. Tournament golf requires 100% concentration on every single shot, from a full drive to a 1-foot putt. Any lapse and the course will make you pay for it. And one or two dropped shots are hard to get back in a tournament. You have to assume that everyone else is playing very well.

Here's some stuff I can pass on to you guys...it applies to tournament golf, but it also will help you in your casual rounds or money matches.

1: Be smart. Whether on the tee, in the fairway, in the junk, or wherever, don't attempt a shot that you can only pull off 10% of the time. Choose the smart club and the smart line, then swing away. Play to the fat part of the green, or the widest part of the fairway. There are no points for style in a tournament. You just need to be making a bunch of pars and the occasional birdie. If the putter gets hot and you go low, great. But you can't try to FORCE birdies out of the golf course by playing super aggressive all day, especially in a tournament.

2: Take extra care in your setup. I'd be willing to say that the majority of bad shots can be traced back to a poor setup. Make doubly sure that you are aimed properly for the shot you want to hit. I only had 2 bad drives this round, and 2 bad iron shots, one right and one left. That's not just because I was swinging well, but because I was doubly sure that I was set up correctly before hitting. It doesn't take long, but you have to do it.

--On that note, I'd like to see weekend golfers lose the endless practice swings and instead spend that time setting up. I can almost guarantee their shots and scores will improve.

3: Give every putt a fighting chance. I missed a good number of putts in my round, which is the ONLY reason I shot 77 and not 71. BUT if you were watching me play, you would have noticed that every putt I hit--even the ones I missed--looked like it could go in. That's not to brag, but to illustrate a point: I have worked a lot on my putting stroke so that I very rarely mis-hit putts (very few pulls or pushes), and I take the time to read the green to establish the right line. I still miss plenty, especially the tricky subtle ones where you don't know if it's going right or left. But the point is, take the time to establish the correct line before you putt and make sure you get your putts to the hole.

4: Treat pitches and chips with great care. Figure out the best spot to land the ball, and what SPEED you want the ball to be going to get it right up to the hole. Understand what the ball does off of different lies and different clubs. You've GOT to get those shots into "make" range. Something inside 6 feet is a perfectly good goal for most players. Practice in your back yard and get rid of those damn chili-dips and cold-tops. Those can never be in your mind. If you're thinking "Don't chunk it," you're not thinking about hitting it close.

First of all, congratulations on your tournament play. I have great respect for anyone who would try what you've done.

I absolutely concur that the gap between 'we' low handicappers and pros at the top level is HUGE. I often get asked (or more often TOLD) that I should join the Champions Tour. Even happened today. But I am VERY aware of the gap between my abilities and theirs. It has often been stated that the pros would generally have a handicap of around +7 to +8 compared to ours. That means a scratch golfer should expect to lag the AVERAGE pro in a tournament by 28 to 36 shots! Note: That is the average finisher, not the guy who won!

As far as tournament play, at this stage of my life I play in tournaments for fun. I don't want or need to play in tournaments that add stress to my life--my life has way too much as it is. But I have in the past. Here are a few things that have helped me.

1. PREPARE - Do everything prior to the event to help you feel comfortable when tournament time comes along. Play the course multiple times if possible. Schedule plenty of practice time working especially on those aspects that give you trouble under pressure or are generally weak.

2. PRESENT - Give yourself way more time than usual to warm up. I want to do everything I can to create a calm, prepared atmosphere. Surprises usually happen and if you don't allow extra time, before you know it you'll be rushing to get warmed up and you'll already be amped up for the day. What I want is to calm myself down and warm up without skipping any steps or at any point feel rushed.

3. PACE - During the round I try to get to my next spot (tee, ball on fairway or green) quickly. Then I make sure I go through my routine religiously and at my usual pace. Don't skip or shortcut any steps! If it doesn't feel right, start over. Briskly getting to my ball means I should have plenty of time to go through my usual routine without feeling rushed. If something happens with a playing partner to slow us down, put it on them to 'catch up'. Don't take it on yourself.

Congrats on your effort, and you're right the difference between those guys and us is real, and real wide. Keep playing. You'll get in one of these eventually.

SL

Agreed! Even the bad rounds are fun on those courses. It's always mind-blowing to look back to the tee box 80 yards behind you and see where the pros hit from...