Jun 16, 2006

Golf update

Had the first big tournament this week - the state Mid-Am. Some of you may have noticed that I ballooned to an 86 in the first round. I regained some dignity with a 77 in the 2nd round, and jumped 30 places or so to a tie for 61st.

The course was set up tough - the greens were running at 11 on the stimp; the fairways were tight and the rough, while not at US Open proportions, was penal. In some cases, I was 5 yards off the fairway and had to use a 7 iron to advance the ball.

I'm trying to figure out what happened in the first round- I did seem a bit jittery and tense; it doesn't help that I'm trying to make some minor changes in the swing. Add the swing changes to a tournament atmosphere and the tightness of the course, and that's a disaster.

The stats did improve for the second round, however:

Rd 1 Rd 2
Fwys hit 6 9
GIR 7 8
Putts 36 31
Up and downs 2/9 5/9
"others" 2 0

I also feel good since I left some strokes out there - I bogeyed 3 of the easiest holes out there (3 holes that I parred during the 86!) and had a 3-putt. And - only 8 players in the field (state amateurs over 25 years old) broke 75 that day.

So I feel like that round was a step forward. Derek "Bobby Knight" Zahn thinks different, and has said the score is unacceptable. He'll whip me into shape this weekend when he caddies at the US Publinks qualifier on Monday. Rain may be in the forecast, so it will be a fun day of me throwing clubs, towels and umbrellas at Derek to see if he can juggle all of that and keep it all dry.

3 comments:

Other Brad said...

I would like to see Derek holding your clubs when he is approached by another exotic cat.

Good Luck on Monday.

dzahn07 said...

Thanks for telling me it was going to rain after I'm packed and on the way.

skeetskeet11 said...

Beware of Derek's motivational techniques. I credit Derek with the stunning rise and fall of our college intramural softball teams. We were in the championship game all four years, and got blown out all four years.