US Open sectionals

[Gavin]

Anyone watch the coverage on the Golf Channel?

My buddy made it through the Newport Beach qualifier. Actually won it! Pretty happy about that!

Anyone else know people that tried to qualify? One of the really cool parts about the Open; anyone can qualify.

[fan_since79]

"Anyone"? Not me. I've never broken 90.

 

Actually, I don't play anymore. Bad shoulder is a good excuse at my age.

 

 

Oh, perhaps they could move this thread out of the hockey forum.

[Gavin]

"Anyone"? Not me. I've never broken 90.

 

Actually, I don't play anymore. Bad shoulder is a good excuse at my age.

 

 

Oh, perhaps they could move this thread out of the hockey forum.

 

That was my mistake.  Long day.  My fault.

[Adam]

Not anyone can qualify. You have to have a 2 handicap or better I believe to enter the qualifying events.

[Adam]

**Moved to proper forum

[Gavin]

I think it's a 1.2 handicap.

What I meant is that it is open to the public to try to qualify. Obviously there are some restrictions, but I like the fact that there are amateurs in the field of a major like the Open.

[Adam]

I think it's a 1.2 handicap.

What I meant is that it is open to the public to try to qualify. Obviously there are some restrictions, but I like the fact that there are amateurs in the field of a major like the Open.

 

 

Gotcha. Yeah it is always cool to see some 55 year old club pro from BFE Wyoming qualify 

[stevestevens]

That is awesome! Most everyone was watching Hossler from that site. He completely blew up in the afternoon

[Gavin]

What's even better is that in his interviews he throws one of my close friends who caddied for him under the bus! Haha. Hilarious!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-20130604,0,5255251.column

I guess my friend gets the last laugh, though, because he's going to Merion to caddy for him.

[Gavin]

Has anyone played Big or Newport Beach CC?

Big Canyon is really difficult, but a great golf course. Newps is meh for me.

[Adam]

Newps? You must be a sub 10 handicap

[Gavin]

Yeah, I'm right around scratch. When I played in college I was around a +2. I definitely miss competitive golf when I see friends/people I know doing well.

How about you, Adam?

[Adam]

I'm not registered with the SCGA yet. My last few rounds would have hurt my handicap. For the 6 months prior I was playing at about an 18-22. I suck, but no one has more fun sucking than I do, except for soccer fans.

[nate]

lol...

 

My 25+ handicap doesn't stop me from having fun either.  Just love being out there.

[Gavin]

The USGA/SCGA really like holding qualifiers at Big Canyon and Newport Beach CC.

I've played in a few US Am qualifiers at Big, and let me tell you 36 holes of tournament golf in one day is such a grind.

I never made it to medal play for the Am, but one year at Big I finished double, triple to miss the Am by three. I was exhausted and just fell apart.

Do you guys ever play in any tournaments, club championships, or anything similar?

[stevestevens]

Adam - get a handicap. It is cheap and if you play with a group of friends you can always play a fair match by giving the difference in strokes on the hardest handicap holes. That is why golf is awesome. You could essentially play tiger Woods and make it an even match.

Gavin- I am a 5.8. I usually fluctuate in the 6's but I had two really good rounds last year that brought my score down. I have played a couple fun scrambles but nothing serious. I am caddying for my 16 year old nephew in the us pub am links next week. Kind of sad that pub am links is going away. My nephew is a 2. He is pretty good.

[Adam]

My wife and I are selling our condo and buying a house. Once we're done and settled I will be A.) Joining a Men's Club somewhere and B.) Registering with the SCGA and taking the game more seriously. 

[stevestevens]

Men's leagues are fun. Playing with your son when he gets older is where it is at. My oldest turns 8 next year. I will start entering him into tourneys next year. He had his first baseball game last Saturday. After the game I asked if he had fun. He said sure but he would rather just go Golfing with me. I hope he continues to like it.

[Gavin]

Tyler: I bummed that the Pub Links is going away! That's another tourney I always tried to qualify for as well. I know there's a min handicap for entry to that as well, but I can't remember it. Honestly, the Pub Links was just another form of the US Am, though. Only the best amateurs would win. If your son wants to play competitively I would highly recommend that he starts playing in tournaments as early as possible. The earlier he gets in the more normal he will feel under pressure. The other tip would be to get him to practice the right fundamentals. Golf is always about perfect practice, not just practice. People may have different backswings and follow throughs, but at impact almost every touring pro is at a very similar position.

Adam- do it! Once I get my career established I will be jumping head first back into competitive golf. Hopefully I'll be able to join a CC somewhere in the area. Do you have any courses in mind?

PS I hope I'm not coming off as a golf snob, especially to you Tyler. I just really like to see young golfers develop, but see a lot of them practicing the wrong things. If I was their age, I wish I had someone tell me what I know now. Things may have been different. Signed, Uncle Rico.

[stevestevens]

Not snobbish at all.  I really have no desire for my sons to do anything more than make the high school team and have a group of friends.  They will easily make it because we already play a couple of holes every week.  Boys golf is just way too competitive and there are not a lot of schollies.....now title IX and girls on the other hand.  My oldest girl is three.  I will start taking her at around 5 every week.  I hope she can stay interested.  She always wants to go right now.  The main reason why I like golf so much is that it is something that I can do with my kids now and in the future.  Good way to spend quality time together.

 

The biggest problem junior golf faces and especially the junior girls are all the morons who get pissed when they are on the course.  If I ever feel my sons are slowing me down, which is pretty much never, I make them pick up the ball and get in the cart. 

 

And totally agree, point of impact is where is at.  The David Leadbetter mechanical school of swings needs to be shown the door.  

[Gavin]

Good ole title IX. It effected me. I think it's ridiculous that they only give men's golf 4.5 scholarships. Also, you are right about it being competitive. Some of the parents were horribly overbearing to their kids when I played with them. That's why you see so many junior standouts that explode in college. They lose that parent always over their left shoulder. Overall, the talent at such young ages now is just crazy. I played a few times with some of the younger tour player when I was a junior (Fowler, Kyle Stanley, and a few others) and they were just ridiculous. Now there are kids going even lower at younger ages. It's insane.

Girls definitely have an easier time getting rides (no pun intended, especially for your sake) to college. I remember a lot of the walk ons and older teammates of mine were a bit resentful because of the imbalance.

Happy to hear about you spending quality time with your kids playing golf. When I get a bit older I definitely want to do the same.

[Adam]

Adam- do it! Once I get my career established I will be jumping head first back into competitive golf. Hopefully I'll be able to join a CC somewhere in the area. Do you have any courses in mind?

 

 

I'm not sure. I think it will depend on where we move. Our  target area is MV or Laguna Hills. Maybe Aliso. I'm not ready to drop $5K a year on a club, so cost will be a factor. I've got a few friends belonging to different clubs. A lot of it depends on our business too. Things are good right now, but they could be amazingly fantastic a year or more from now. We have some really exciting things we're launching before the year is over. If they take off we might be talking Oak Creek or Coto. If not, San Juan Hills might be the most logical choice. 

 

Golf has really helped me deal with frustration. I love the pursuit of getting better. 

[halobob]

I'm not sure. I think it will depend on where we move. Our  target area is MV or Laguna Hills. Maybe Aliso. I'm not ready to drop $5K a year on a club, so cost will be a factor. I've got a few friends belonging to different clubs. A lot of it depends on our business too. Things are good right now, but they could be amazingly fantastic a year or more from now. We have some really exciting things we're launching before the year is over. If they take off we might be talking Oak Creek or Coto. If not, San Juan Hills might be the most logical choice. 

 

Golf has really helped me deal with frustration. I love the pursuit of getting better. 

I've been thinking about joining a club as well.  Done tours at both Dove Canyon and Aliso CC's.  Dove has a pretty solid program for junior golfers (under age 40).  60% of dues from age 21-30, 70% from 31-35, 80% from 36-40.  Aliso CC comes with a Clubcorp membership which allows 2 free rounds per month (only pay cart fee) at 4 courses in Palm Springs, 2 in Las Vegas, 3 in Phx/Scottsdale area in addition to many others around the US.  It'd be a no brainer for me to go with Aliso except for the fact that they do not have a full driving range (you hit into nets like 20 yards away).  I need a full range so I actually know where my ball ends up going since I'm not very good. 

 

I looked into Coto but that was well out of my price range, but with Aliso u get to play Coto at a 2 for 1 rate twice a month so thats pretty cool.

 

Anyone else have any other suggestions of clubs to look into?

[Brandon]

I hope you're Korean, Tyler, so your daughter has a chance.

A family friend of ours who used to be a very well known online poker pro posted earlier today about qualifying or.trying to qualify....I was confused because he talked about shooting.the second best round of the 36, but then mentioned how The Morning Drive talked about him in their morning show and his chances at qualifying. I'll name drop as maybe people here have played with him or heard of him (he either used to or still holds a couple youth or amateur records in California), Dusty Schmidt.

I guess he was destroying from a young age and was the next big thing after Tiger, but just never took off and then was making about 30k a month playing poker.