Well Tournament golf for 2014 is underway after what seemed like an endless winter.
My first tournament was the “Big I Trusted Classic Qualifier” held at Barre Country Club on June 21st .
Not a real good start to the season had 3 – 3 putt holes and a 4 putt hole to finish with an 84 and finished in 11th place, hopefully not a portent of things to come.
All that was about to be put behind me as I played June 26th in a qualifier at Orleans Country Club in Orleans VT.
This was my 1st attempt to play in the Vermont Amateur which is not bracketed for age so everyone, big, small, young, old, all play the same yardage etc.
I had an 11:20 tee time and was paired with Alex Giroux and Tyler Smith both from Newport Country Club, being only 13, I was the youngest player in the field, as far as I know.
Quite noticeable when you see me standing with my fellow competitors as we get our instructions about local rules etc.
L~R Me, Alex, VGA Official, Tyler
Started Out playing smooth and relaxed with a nice drive on 1st hole.
I hit a quality second shot exactly where I wanted, but I hit my approach wedge fat, short into the left bunker, but made a nice up and down from there to start with a par.
Smooth play continued until the 4th hole which I three putted for a bogey and rattled off three straight bogeys because of lost concentration a bit I suppose.
Pared the 7th and 8th holes but I hit my approach shot short on 9, chipped on long, my downhill putt also went long left (which is the worse spot to miss on this green), but I made a great comeback Bogey putt, if there is such a thing.
On to the back 9 The 10th hole is a challenging par 3, 205 yd’s, bunkers left and right, and berm’s around the remainder.
I hit my tee shot to about 6 ft and made a nice birdie putt to start me off nicely on the back, and negating one of my bogeys on the front.
Got in my cruise mode again and almost rolled in another birdie on 11, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with tap in pars.
Made routine pars on 11 through 15 and things were looking good, I hit a nice drive down the right side, over powered my 3 wood left under a large pine tree and did not have a clear shot at the green. I tried to hit a low runner there but it came up short, I chipped on and two putted for another bogey.
Made a nice par on 17, so on we go to the 18th.
Hit a nice drive on 18, then over swung again with my approach shot, which went left almost in the pond and short of the green, then chipped on long and two putted again for a finishing bogey. I ending up at five over par for a 77, and I was not sure at this point what the cut line was, which is top 15 players and ties.
It turned out I finished tied for 5th and qualified for the Amateur which is early in July.
So all in all it was a good day, the round is never as good as you expect it to be, yet it was good day, and I'm very happy to be playing in the Amateur on my 1st attempt, regardless of how that turns out.
Congratulations after the round.
Left to right Dad, Alex, Me, Tyler
Both guys are very nice, and polite and which made the day a lot of fun.
Next event is the Junior Pro-Am Monday in Williston
&
Wednesday July 2nd which is a Coca Cola Tour event at Country Club of Barre.
Stay tuned for all that.
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Scoot Dawg Over'n Out
