Golf update

Golf notes:

1) My game is slowly coming around, although I'm not nearly where I need to be. Played a couple of times at Kaiwah on vacation and last week in Iowa and thought I had some things with the driver straightened out - I hit an average of about 8-9 fairways per round; then I played Saturday and was down to 3 fairways. Shot 77 on saturday on an easy course. Got to go to the range and work on the driver. The good news is that the irons are much better and close to where I want them. If we work on the putting and the driving we will be fine.

2) Tournament schedule: I did not play in the state qualifier because of vacation, travel and my game sucking. So, the next tournament is next week!
June 12-14: State mid-Am
June 19: US Publinx Qualifier (36 holes; Derek the mule will be caddieing)
June 26-30: City championship

3) We went on vacation to Kiawah Island; I had a chance to play the Ocean Course. I'm speechless. What an experience. 18 holes situated between the ocean and a vast marshland. On the front nine, you can't see any sign of civilization except for the rest of the couse. Sand dunes and/or marsh on either side. The holes - each one - was memorable.
I played the blue tees (around 6700 yds); there was a gold tee box laid out (around 7250) that I would have played if my game was better. On several holes there was an additional tee box hidden even behind the golds; the course can stretch to 7600 whenthe PGA Championship comes to Kiawah in 2011.

I shot an 86 with two 9s on the front; on the back,I shot 40 with a double on the last. On #17, a long par 3 over water (some readers here may remember this hole from the 91 Ryder Cup), the blue tee was at about the 200 yd mark; it was all carry over water (and water right) to a narrow green with a huge bunker on the left. Oh, and did I mention the 15 mph wind in our face? So I took a 3wood - and with my draw I started it 5 yds right of the green at the lake. Wow. It did hit the green on the fly but one-bounced into the popular left bunker. At least I got it over the water, unlike Mark Calcavecchia.

4) Today is US Open Sectional Qualifying for most folks - as there are 13 sites around the US that will send several golfers to the US Open in two weeks. Michelle Wie is one who is playing today - she got past local qualifying and could advance to the US Oen with two good rounds today. She has finished her first 18 at -2; another round of 2 under would be pretty close to qualifying.

We will also see who gets the Eric Zahn award for today; this award is for the golfer who is good enough to get out of local qualifying but has the highest score in sectional qualifying. It is named after my performance in 2003, where I shot a 69 to get out of local qualifying, but was completely overmatched by the course and conditions and shot a cool 162 at Sectionals, missing a qualifying spot by just 23 strokes.

5) Don is on fire; he is an alternate for the state championship in July, and he now owns an (unofficial) course record after Satruday's round. The local muni had to redesign the back nine due to some.......um.......CEO largesse (long story); so Saturday was the grand opening of the new course. We were the 5th group off; I'm sure Don's even-par 70 was the low round at that time.