Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
If you can be very satisfied yet extremely disappointed at the same time I guess this is it. I try to never play the club pro card as an excuse but the truth is I just could not prepare anywhere near as much as needed for this. Scioto and Scarlet were two of the most demanding tournament courses I've ever played. Sprinkle in some pressure and 15-20 mph winds and it was an awesome test. Charlie Wi played fantastic to shoot 9 under but he was the exception. From those who shot one good score there was a mediocre to bad score on the other course. Just too much shot value and demands to not not make a mistake somewhere.
My day started on #10 at Scioto. Paired with Tim Mickelson (great guy), I birdied 11 and then 13, a very long tough par 4. Then 14 kind of sums up my preparation. A 250 yard par 3, I hit a great hybrid right in front of the green. Had a fairly straightforward 70 foot chip. As with guys who don't play much, my technique was great but misjudged the distance. My 7 footer went the other way and I made bogey. Usually if you hit one good shot on a par 3 you make par. I hit 3 and made bogey. I turned in one under and was feeling great. Ripped it off one in front of the gallery
and had an 8 footer for birdie. Here's where the wheels came off. I just missed. #2 is another long open style par 4 which I had 40 feet from the front fringe. I took 3 to get down...awful. Next hole I couldn't beg for an easier 4 footer up the hill which I missed. Couple good pars and I really had the turning point of the day. 265, 248 front edge to a par 5 into a steady wind. I knew I didn't want the long bunker shot to a back pin but thought I could reach. My best 3 wood ever just caught the lip and I had that shot. I haven't practiced a 80 foot bunker shot in years so i didn't get up and down. Next hole I missed another easy left edge 3 footer left edge and so on and so on. I turned an easy 69 or 70 on a tough course into 74. I was pissed.
Scarlet is Scarlet. So demanding off the tee you know you'll make you're share of mistakes, especially if you're me. I started well but missed my first good birdie look on 2 and plugged a mis club(another non player mistake) and made an early double. Fought back with some birdies on good holes to get to one over for the day and made a mistake on 16 that was almost laughable. I had 120 middle of the fairway to a rock hard green where over is death. We thought the wind was down and right and tried to hit SW but it turned out it was into and right so I dumped it short in huge rough. Dumped the pitch in a bunker and made six. Birdied the next and came in with 73.
I'm getting a lot of "good showing" and "good try" and I appreciate it. I'm not totally disappointed bit I wish I was a little sharper with decision making and distance control because I had a legitimate chance. Scrambles, little league and lessons aren't the best prep but that's what I got. Maybe my last sectional but it was fun
My day started on #10 at Scioto. Paired with Tim Mickelson (great guy), I birdied 11 and then 13, a very long tough par 4. Then 14 kind of sums up my preparation. A 250 yard par 3, I hit a great hybrid right in front of the green. Had a fairly straightforward 70 foot chip. As with guys who don't play much, my technique was great but misjudged the distance. My 7 footer went the other way and I made bogey. Usually if you hit one good shot on a par 3 you make par. I hit 3 and made bogey. I turned in one under and was feeling great. Ripped it off one in front of the gallery
and had an 8 footer for birdie. Here's where the wheels came off. I just missed. #2 is another long open style par 4 which I had 40 feet from the front fringe. I took 3 to get down...awful. Next hole I couldn't beg for an easier 4 footer up the hill which I missed. Couple good pars and I really had the turning point of the day. 265, 248 front edge to a par 5 into a steady wind. I knew I didn't want the long bunker shot to a back pin but thought I could reach. My best 3 wood ever just caught the lip and I had that shot. I haven't practiced a 80 foot bunker shot in years so i didn't get up and down. Next hole I missed another easy left edge 3 footer left edge and so on and so on. I turned an easy 69 or 70 on a tough course into 74. I was pissed.Scarlet is Scarlet. So demanding off the tee you know you'll make you're share of mistakes, especially if you're me. I started well but missed my first good birdie look on 2 and plugged a mis club(another non player mistake) and made an early double. Fought back with some birdies on good holes to get to one over for the day and made a mistake on 16 that was almost laughable. I had 120 middle of the fairway to a rock hard green where over is death. We thought the wind was down and right and tried to hit SW but it turned out it was into and right so I dumped it short in huge rough. Dumped the pitch in a bunker and made six. Birdied the next and came in with 73.
I'm getting a lot of "good showing" and "good try" and I appreciate it. I'm not totally disappointed bit I wish I was a little sharper with decision making and distance control because I had a legitimate chance. Scrambles, little league and lessons aren't the best prep but that's what I got. Maybe my last sectional but it was fun
