I have putted horribly for 2 days. I had 34 putts in the 2nd round and 33 in the first - that's 67 putts in two days. Through 36 holes I've had 5 three putts! It's pretty easy to figure out why I'm 10 shots behind the leader.
Tomorrow we play 36 holes so I've got plenty of holes to make up some ground.
Neil
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wisconsin State Open
Bad start, but it happened because of my bad attitude. I don't play golf well when I'm angry and frustrated, which I was during most of today's round. I'll need to have a better attitude tomorrow, but luckily I have 3 more rounds to catch up and get back into contention.
Unfortunately the course we're playing this year is not in very good shape. Severe floods tore through Milwaukee about a month ago and this golf course got hit hard. I heard that they completely lost the 17th green - it washed away with the floods! They have since re-sodded, but the green isn't much better than putting on a fairway. The rest of the course shows signs up over-saturation. Many fairways are scattered with brown spots and dead areas - ground under repair is somewhere on almost every hole. Everybody is playing the same course and under the same conditions, but it's disappointing to see mother nature still affecting this course weeks later.
Leaderboard
Neil
Unfortunately the course we're playing this year is not in very good shape. Severe floods tore through Milwaukee about a month ago and this golf course got hit hard. I heard that they completely lost the 17th green - it washed away with the floods! They have since re-sodded, but the green isn't much better than putting on a fairway. The rest of the course shows signs up over-saturation. Many fairways are scattered with brown spots and dead areas - ground under repair is somewhere on almost every hole. Everybody is playing the same course and under the same conditions, but it's disappointing to see mother nature still affecting this course weeks later.
Leaderboard
Neil
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Arrowhead Pro-Am - Rapid City, SD
I don't have regular internet this week so here is a link to the leaderboard.
Also check my twitter page for updates.
Neil
Also check my twitter page for updates.
Neil
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Hillcrest Invite - Getting Caught Up
I'm six rounds behind and I'm going to do it alphabetically. Let's flashback to last Friday, July 30th:
Mitchell, SD -
Back-to-Back wins. I won last year in Mitchell, but I also won 2 straight events (Marshall and Mitchell) this year. This year in Mitchell I played lights out for 18 holes. I birdied my first hole - #6 - by making a 16 foot birdie putt. My birdies on 9, 11, 13, and 16 were all 5 foot putts or less. The real fun began on #1. I made a 40 foot birdie putt on 1, a 15 footer on 3, saved par with an 8 footer on 4. On #5, my final hole, I had an eagle putt that stayed on the lip. I tapped in for an "easy" 63.
Fox Run -
Fox Run is one of the easiest courses we play on the Dakotas Tour. It's wide open and they put a lot of the pins in the middle of the greens. My 69 on day 1 was not good. I played in the morning with very little wind and needed to shoot somewhere in the mid-60's. Day 2, I had to battle some wind but played much better. A 6-under 66 put me in a tie for 5th.
Hillcrest GC - (1st 3 rounds)
It's been a great first 3 days at Hillcrest. I've made a lot or birdies/eagles. Both of my eagles have come on #5.
The hole plays about 340 yards when you caught off the dogleg. On day 1, I had a little helping wind. I drove it on the green and made a 15 footer for eagle. On day 2, it was into the wind. I drove it left of the green and had about 52 yards to the hole. I flopped it over a tree, landed it just onto the green, and it just trickled in.
My scores for the first 3 days have earned me some funny money. Each day, this event pays out a little money to the daily low pro scores. I tied for the low round on day 1, then tied for 3rd on day 2. My pro-am team played great on day 2, so I won more funny money there.
Sunday is the final round. Pros begin playing around 1pm. I'll twitter results, but you can also follow them here.
Neil
Mitchell, SD -
Back-to-Back wins. I won last year in Mitchell, but I also won 2 straight events (Marshall and Mitchell) this year. This year in Mitchell I played lights out for 18 holes. I birdied my first hole - #6 - by making a 16 foot birdie putt. My birdies on 9, 11, 13, and 16 were all 5 foot putts or less. The real fun began on #1. I made a 40 foot birdie putt on 1, a 15 footer on 3, saved par with an 8 footer on 4. On #5, my final hole, I had an eagle putt that stayed on the lip. I tapped in for an "easy" 63.
Fox Run -
Fox Run is one of the easiest courses we play on the Dakotas Tour. It's wide open and they put a lot of the pins in the middle of the greens. My 69 on day 1 was not good. I played in the morning with very little wind and needed to shoot somewhere in the mid-60's. Day 2, I had to battle some wind but played much better. A 6-under 66 put me in a tie for 5th.
Hillcrest GC - (1st 3 rounds)
It's been a great first 3 days at Hillcrest. I've made a lot or birdies/eagles. Both of my eagles have come on #5.
The hole plays about 340 yards when you caught off the dogleg. On day 1, I had a little helping wind. I drove it on the green and made a 15 footer for eagle. On day 2, it was into the wind. I drove it left of the green and had about 52 yards to the hole. I flopped it over a tree, landed it just onto the green, and it just trickled in.
My scores for the first 3 days have earned me some funny money. Each day, this event pays out a little money to the daily low pro scores. I tied for the low round on day 1, then tied for 3rd on day 2. My pro-am team played great on day 2, so I won more funny money there.
Sunday is the final round. Pros begin playing around 1pm. I'll twitter results, but you can also follow them here.
Neil
Friday, August 06, 2010
Hillcrest Invitational - Yankton, SD
I've got some catching up to do - including a victory in Mitchell - but it's late and I have an early tee time. For now, I'm only going to post a link to this week's leaderboard.
I'm near the top after 2 rounds.
I play early Saturday morning and I'll try to update everything that's happened in the last week.
Neil
I'm near the top after 2 rounds.
I play early Saturday morning and I'll try to update everything that's happened in the last week.
Neil
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Marshall - Final Round
Winner in Marshall. Fun words to write.
3-under 68 in final round, won by two shots.
I'll comment more later.
** UPDATE ** Finally a major win on the Dakotas Tour. Every event that is 3 or 4 rounds on the Dakotas is considered a major. It feels great to finally break through and win one. I've been in contention nearly a dozen times - 10 top tens in the last three years - and it's awesome to get that first win behind me.
It wasn't easy, but it certainly was satisfying. I had a hot putter and that was the difference in a win and yet another top 10. Here's a list of all the putts I made today:
20' on 3 for birdie
9' on 6 for par
10' on 7 for par
18' on 8 for birdie
20' on 12 for birdie
15' on 16 for par
Those were the lengthy putts made. I made at least 4 other tricky 4 footers to save par. Marshall's greens have a lot of slope so it isn't uncommon to have a 4 foot putt break 6 inches.
Looking back, it's easy to say that the 15' par putt on 16 was the putt of the day, but at the time it only maintained my 1 shot lead with two to go. I still needed to play 17 and 18.
I had a one shot lead on 18 tee, which was a downwind par 5. I hit my drive slightly into the rough. Josh Persons was further into the rough and had to hit his 2nd shot first. He hit a 5-iron from 225 that never left the flag. He was very unlucky that the ball rolled 30 feet above the hole on the green.
I hit a 6-iron from 204 yards that bounced just onto the front edge of the green. That left me a 10' uphill eagle putt with a one shot lead. Persons tried to make his eagle, but just ran by and after he missed his birdie putt I was able to lag my eagle putt up to 6" and tap in for the win.
Tim Ailes also finished two shots back, but he was in the group in front of me and I had no idea where he stood so I don't know if he had an eagle putt to reach 8 under.
What a wonderful week.
I've got Thursday off and then I play a one day event on Friday in Mitchell, SD.
Feel free to ask any questions about the victory in the comments. I'll answer them.
Neil
3-under 68 in final round, won by two shots.
I'll comment more later.
** UPDATE ** Finally a major win on the Dakotas Tour. Every event that is 3 or 4 rounds on the Dakotas is considered a major. It feels great to finally break through and win one. I've been in contention nearly a dozen times - 10 top tens in the last three years - and it's awesome to get that first win behind me.
It wasn't easy, but it certainly was satisfying. I had a hot putter and that was the difference in a win and yet another top 10. Here's a list of all the putts I made today:
20' on 3 for birdie
9' on 6 for par
10' on 7 for par
18' on 8 for birdie
20' on 12 for birdie
15' on 16 for par
Those were the lengthy putts made. I made at least 4 other tricky 4 footers to save par. Marshall's greens have a lot of slope so it isn't uncommon to have a 4 foot putt break 6 inches.
Looking back, it's easy to say that the 15' par putt on 16 was the putt of the day, but at the time it only maintained my 1 shot lead with two to go. I still needed to play 17 and 18.
I had a one shot lead on 18 tee, which was a downwind par 5. I hit my drive slightly into the rough. Josh Persons was further into the rough and had to hit his 2nd shot first. He hit a 5-iron from 225 that never left the flag. He was very unlucky that the ball rolled 30 feet above the hole on the green.
I hit a 6-iron from 204 yards that bounced just onto the front edge of the green. That left me a 10' uphill eagle putt with a one shot lead. Persons tried to make his eagle, but just ran by and after he missed his birdie putt I was able to lag my eagle putt up to 6" and tap in for the win.
Tim Ailes also finished two shots back, but he was in the group in front of me and I had no idea where he stood so I don't know if he had an eagle putt to reach 8 under.
What a wonderful week.
I've got Thursday off and then I play a one day event on Friday in Mitchell, SD.
Feel free to ask any questions about the victory in the comments. I'll answer them.
Neil
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Marshall - Second Round
Played early Tuesday morning, but it wasn't early enough to beat the wind. It was blowin' about 20 mph when I teed off at 9:50 and stayed that windy all day.
I hit the ball very solid and was able to control the ball into the wind or with the wind. Finished with a 2-under 69, 33 on the front and a 36 on the back.
My lag putting was good today and it was tested. I had 30 feet on #4 and #5, then again on #9 - all of them basically tap ins for par.
My only mistake of the day came on 14 (which was my only bogey in round 1). I hit a 3-wood up the left side and it came to rest directly behind a tree. I thought about hitting a herculean shot, but decided to play safe and chip out. After hitting my third shot onto the green I got a little overzealous with the putt and ran it by 6 feet. I missed the come-backer and made a double bogey 6.
Besides my double on 14, I had 13 pars and 4 birdies.
I'm one shot back of the leader with the final round on Wednesday morning.
Neil
I hit the ball very solid and was able to control the ball into the wind or with the wind. Finished with a 2-under 69, 33 on the front and a 36 on the back.
My lag putting was good today and it was tested. I had 30 feet on #4 and #5, then again on #9 - all of them basically tap ins for par.
My only mistake of the day came on 14 (which was my only bogey in round 1). I hit a 3-wood up the left side and it came to rest directly behind a tree. I thought about hitting a herculean shot, but decided to play safe and chip out. After hitting my third shot onto the green I got a little overzealous with the putt and ran it by 6 feet. I missed the come-backer and made a double bogey 6.
Besides my double on 14, I had 13 pars and 4 birdies.
I'm one shot back of the leader with the final round on Wednesday morning.
Neil
Monday, July 26, 2010
Marshall - First Round
A clear mind goes a long way during a golf tournament. Sunday in Aberdeen, my mind was racing with too many thoughts. Monday in Marshall, I had very simple and quick thoughts that did not clutter. My pre-shot routine was quicker because I made decisive club choices and more specific aiming points.
I shot 4-under 67 and find myself 2 shots behind the leader.
Tuesday morning is round 2. My mind needs to be quiet and then hopefully I'll play another solid round of golf.
Neil
I shot 4-under 67 and find myself 2 shots behind the leader.
Tuesday morning is round 2. My mind needs to be quiet and then hopefully I'll play another solid round of golf.
Neil
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Aberdeen Final Round
Tough day on the course. Despite a lot of recent rain, the golf course played very fast and firm today - and we had a lot of wind.
I failed to adjust to the adverse conditions and shot a disappointing 76. Too many poor swings that were brought on by an overall lack of decisive choices. My mind was trying to be too perfect and I wasn't able to comfortably make a swing.
No break; I'm back on the course Monday in Marshall, MN for another 3 day tournament.
Leaderboard
Neil
I failed to adjust to the adverse conditions and shot a disappointing 76. Too many poor swings that were brought on by an overall lack of decisive choices. My mind was trying to be too perfect and I wasn't able to comfortably make a swing.
No break; I'm back on the course Monday in Marshall, MN for another 3 day tournament.
Leaderboard
Neil
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Aberdeen Second Round
Yesterday's post had a goal - hit the ball more consistent.
Mission Accomplished. Today I hit every green on the front nine and only once did I have a birdie putt over 15 feet.
1 - 8 feet
2 - 10 feet
3 - 12 feet
4 - 15 feet
5 - 3 feet
6 - 12 feet
7 - 10 feet
8 - 35 feet
9 - 2 feet
I found a little bit of trouble on #12. I drove it into the trees and punched it just short of the green, but I managed to chip it to 4 feet and made the par putt.
My two bogeys were both 3-putts, but I still only had 29 putts for the whole day.
Final round is Sunday afternoon. I tee-off at 1:45. There might be live scoring throughout the afternoon, but I can't guarantee that. Check the leaderboard for updates.
Neil
Mission Accomplished. Today I hit every green on the front nine and only once did I have a birdie putt over 15 feet.
1 - 8 feet
2 - 10 feet
3 - 12 feet
4 - 15 feet
5 - 3 feet
6 - 12 feet
7 - 10 feet
8 - 35 feet
9 - 2 feet
I found a little bit of trouble on #12. I drove it into the trees and punched it just short of the green, but I managed to chip it to 4 feet and made the par putt.
My two bogeys were both 3-putts, but I still only had 29 putts for the whole day.
Final round is Sunday afternoon. I tee-off at 1:45. There might be live scoring throughout the afternoon, but I can't guarantee that. Check the leaderboard for updates.
Neil
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