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1st Amateur Golf Tournament. TheGrintTour.

Alright we are at the tee box and my warmup went well.

The putting green is rolling at about a 20. The Valspar qualifier is here in 2 weeks so the course is definitely ready. Open faced chips and it’s rolling past the pin. Windy day but here we go!

I’ll check back in after the turn.


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Fairways and green!!! Best of luck to you today!
 
Best of luck today. This sounds like an awesome experience.
 
Hole 7 the 3 putt bogey.
Hole 9 the 4 putt double.

The leader is in our group and playing well.

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3rd place in the birdie flight. We are set to watch the sudden death playoff for our flight champion.

Pars on 4 and 17. 4 doubles. The rest bogeys.

I can’t even say if I putted better or this or that because to be honest Perez should’ve won running away, he just had a cold putter. 59 year old man who crushed the ball off the tee and compressed the hell out of the ball, he was really really good.

I’ll post more on the experience later this evening.

Thumbs up!


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Congrats, sounds like a really fun time!
 
Heck of a go out there for your first am tournament. I'd say a lot of positives to walk away with.

Bigger question though, more to come?
 
Great job man, glad to see it was a good time. Next time I am in with you.
 
Great job Steve. Hopefully this is the first of many for you.
 
Well that was a lot of fun. Although playing a Pete Dye designed course in windy conditions was pretty tough, even the guys in the lower flights were saying how much they struggled but that’s golf. This course is hard enough without wind.

What I first want to say is credit to those of you who play real Golf, by the rules and no gimmies. It surely isn’t easy but it tests your ability and that’s a great challenge. I’m happy with how I played, but pressure 4-5 footers, tough chips that are deep in the rough, it was tough.

It’s no surprise 3 times in the next 2 weeks Southern Hills will be having Valspar Championship Qualifiers, and that’s from 7500 yards hah!!

The best things I can say is I didn’t have any nerves or uneasy moments, and I played the same Z-Star for 18 holes. I putted way more than I do prior to the round, and even though 38 putts is quite a bit, including an epic 4 putt to go along with two 3 putts, I did have two 1 putts and the rest 2 putts. These are greens and slopes I’m not accustomed to playing. Left to right sliders killed me today, so many left short and right but able to clean it up for a 2 putt, lag putting was tough because of the slopes, and factor in the speed it was championship greens.

On the range I felt fantastic and walked off way earlier than I usually do to go back to chipping and putting. Chipping was tough because of how much release these greens had, you can yell bite all you want for your shot or a playing partner and it wasn’t happening.

We have our foursome on the tee box and the other guy in our flight went off two groups ahead of us, the Live Leaderboard was a really cool feature to see the guy ahead of us and of course our scores.

Starter calls my name and well here we go, I’m teeing off first with tailwind. I blocked a drive so far right I was in the 2nd fairway 175 out. I knew you couldn’t miss left and I accomplished that haha. The next guy was a player, 59 year old stick. A great swing, he had a small wedge for his 2nd shot, he made divots on full swings and chips, it was really nice compression. I hit a 7iron short of the green, chip up and have myself a Par putt, walk off with bogey and exhaled.

This though is where I was immediately humbled. A player in our group bladed his 2nd shot into the water followed by shanks and bad everything leading to a 12.

He shot 99. 87 won our flight. He had 6 pars. 2 birdies. 2 bogeys. 10 holes at Even Par. He made an 11 on 17. His birdies were the only ones and he took all the skins. He wins our flight if not for 2 horrible holes. It can happen to anyone and unfortunately that’s the dark side of golf.

Hole 2 I smash the long drive in the group but had trouble deciding which club to hit in this wind. 9i to the center of the green and a 2 putt par. Nice!

I’m not going to go hole by hole but Hole 7 hit a good drive. I was within 1 stroke after 6 holes. Top a hybrid but it rolled down 2 hills and I was in the right rough, I could only see the top half of my golf ball. Stuck the wedge and then 3-Jack. I really wanted the birdie for a skin and #1 handicap hole and crushed it past. Greed!

Next hole I miss the green on my approach but had a downhill chip. Zero comfort. I chutted and smacked the middle of the flagstick and it spat the ball out leaving me a 8 footer for Par. Walk off with bogey.

Hole 9 is when my implode occurred. It’s a short Par 4. I didn’t hit a good wedge and had about 20 feet for birdie. Crushed it past. Then my Par putt misses left and keeps rolling left and the wind takes it more left, I’m still away. Miss the bogey and tap in for a 4 putt double, brutal.

I was very happy with my drives today I just couldn’t get comfortable with having downhill or side hill lies from the fairway, it’s just not what I’m accustomed to playing but it was a challenge.

I stayed with bogeys and 3 doubles on the back 9 but did make a Par with my shot of the day.

Par 3 hit a fat 9iron landing in the hazard, ahead of the water. My ball is literally in front of a small plant. I can’t move any impediments in the hazard but the practice strokes did nothing for me because of this plant. I grab the AW and just smacked the ball out giving me a look at Par, I couldn’t believe it. Hit the putt in the middle of the flagstick and it drops in.

Stupid double on 18 but whatever. So while I lost by 5 strokes I was stoked to be around. And like I said earlier, the 59 year old guy should’ve been sub 80 had he been able to putt, that killed Him, including a 3 putt bogey in the playoff which cost him.

Nice to key in my score and see my trending handicap stay at 11.8! I just didn’t want to throw up a 110 by playing for real and get exposed.

Competitive Golf is very different. I’m glad I did it, and am not against doing this again. Some cool giveaways and I won a free swing evaluation from GolfTec in the raffle.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and words of encouragement prior to, during, and after today’s round. That means a lot to me and nice to have some internet friends on THP who care enough to post in this thread.

Thank you!!





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Congrats Cobra! Most players will never put themselves through tournament conditions so congrats to you!
 
Pretty cool. I'm a member of Grint too but have never gotten an email like that. Wish they had something like that near me!
 
Congrats! Sounds like a fun experience! I’m sure you will shoot better next time after getting this first tournament experience under your belt. Now you know what you’re walking into, what to expect, how people react out in the fairways with you. There was a lot of unknown and much different than finding your ball out in the rough and giving it a little roll for a better lie.
 
Congrats and glad you had a good round.
 
Congrats, sounds like a fun experience and a pretty good showing for your first time in tournament golf!
 
Awesome! Sounds like a good time
 
BigDill said:
Every Grint event I have played in has sent that email, and every one has finished over 5 hours. I actually have a funny story about the last time it happened, which involved me having to send a round of drinks to the group behind me, which were not in the event (we were the last threesome).
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Please tell it. Maybe in another thread but I want to hear the story!
 
@CobraX51 Nice job and thanks for the write up!
Glad you enjoyed the day.
 
Sounds like you had a great experience and result....congrats!
 
PatsFan said:


Please tell it. Maybe in another thread but I want to hear the story!
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My group was the last group of the event, and we were a threesome. The event had over 40 people, so basically every tee time from 9 am to noon was taken by us. We were on hole 11 which is a par 4 and has water that cuts the fairway at about 220 yards from the tee, and an elevated green. I have played this hole a bunch and usually have a good plan, but my two partners never played it. Miss left and you are on hole 10’s fairway, miss right and you are in bushes, a small creek or a train track.

They each have 3 woods in their hands. I have a 6 iron. We are waiting for the fairway to clear, about 3-4 minutes. First guy hooks his ball about 150 yards to the tree-lined rough splitting holes 10 and 11. Second guy hits it to the same side, but a bit shorter. I hit a 6i in the fairway to about 200 (with roll) and have a good second shot onto the green.

By this time the foursome behind us is on the box. A group of bro’s that are playing fast, but are also liberally taking gimmies (I was watching them as we waited for our shot in a few holes). Us, being in the event, had to putt everything out. We have a bit of trouble finding the balls because of the rough and someone from 10 being in the same place. Finally we find player 2’s ball and he hits it along the rough again and behind a small tree next to the water, no window to hit to the green. I find Player 1’s ball that likewise is against a small bush. While they are thinking about their shots, I hit a pitching wedge onto the green.

Player 1 pitches out to the right, but short. Player 2 (my cartner) also pinches out to the fairway. So now they are both lying 3 before the water, and still in the way of the group behind from teeing off. Player 1 (the best player in our group) is slow, but hits his 4th onto the green. Then we get to Player 2.

He surveys the shot, he looks at his GPS, then grabs a wedge. We are about 80 out to an elevated green. I just hit a PW from there. I think he has a 52. Swing, chunk, into the water. Guys behind us shout “let’s go!” and waive their arms, like we forgot they were there. Walks to cart, grabs another ball. Drops at the divot. Swing, chunk, into the water. Group behind us now whistling and shouting. Walks back to cart, grabs ball, more shouting, drops and a thinned wedge is hit to the right of the green in a playable but not great position. Group behind it still yelling because there is another group on the tee box with them.

I two putt and make par. Player 1 does the same for a bogey. Now we are standing on the green about 100 yards away from the group behind that teed off as 3 are in the fairway and the forth just dropped by his buddies, I guess. Long story longer, they are still yelling at us for Player 2 to pick up (he can’t). He finally closes out for a 10.

We drive to 12 which is surprisingly far away from 11. 12 is a par 5. Group ahead is on the green, so I tell my group that we should pick it up a bit. I hit long, but right in some rough. Player 1 hits to the middle of the fairway, player 2 fans it and now we are looking for a golf ball again. We find it, he hits it right again into a waste area. I hit my second poorly but into the fairway. Player 1 hits to the fairway as well. group behind is on the box.

At this point, the cart girl is on our hole, so I drop my cartner at his ball and walk over to the cart girl with my wallet. I ask her is the group behind us is drinking, but she doesn’t know. I ask her if I could send a round of drinks to them, and she says sure, but is confused. I hand her $40 and ask her to please buy them a round and to tell them we are the last group in a tournament and that no one wants to watch someone hit two balls into the water, so to please stop yelling at us and if they have an issue, call the ****** ranger. She laughs and says no problem, off she goes.

We finish the hole and she drives back to us in the fairway of 13 and tells me that the group behind apologized and says thanks for the beers. She offered me my change but I told her to keep it. And for the rest of the round, the group behind gave us some space and stopped yelling at us.
 
BigDill said:
My group was the last group of the event, and we were a threesome. The event had over 40 people, so basically every tee time from 9 am to noon was taken by us. We were on hole 11 which is a par 4 and has water that cuts the fairway at about 220 yards from the tee, and an elevated green. I have played this hole a bunch and usually have a good plan, but my two partners never played it. Miss left and you are on hole 10’s fairway, miss right and you are in bushes, a small creek or a train track.

They each have 3 woods in their hands. I have a 6 iron. We are waiting for the fairway to clear, about 3-4 minutes. First guy hooks his ball about 150 yards to the tree-lined rough splitting holes 10 and 11. Second guy hits it to the same side, but a bit shorter. I hit a 6i in the fairway to about 200 (with roll) and have a good second shot onto the green.

By this time the foursome behind us is on the box. A group of bro’s that are playing fast, but are also liberally taking gimmies (I was watching them as we waited for our shot in a few holes). Us, being in the event, had to putt everything out. We have a bit of trouble finding the balls because of the rough and someone from 10 being in the same place. Finally we find player 2’s ball and he hits it along the rough again and behind a small tree next to the water, no window to hit to the green. I find Player 1’s ball that likewise is against a small bush. While they are thinking about their shots, I hit a pitching wedge onto the green.

Player 1 pitches out to the right, but short. Player 2 (my cartner) also pinches out to the fairway. So now they are both lying 3 before the water, and still in the way of the group behind from teeing off. Player 1 (the best player in our group) is slow, but hits his 4th onto the green. Then we get to Player 2.

He surveys the shot, he looks at his GPS, then grabs a wedge. We are about 80 out to an elevated green. I just hit a PW from there. I think he has a 52. Swing, chunk, into the water. Guys behind us shout “let’s go!” and waive their arms, like we forgot they were there. Walks to cart, grabs another ball. Drops at the divot. Swing, chunk, into the water. Group behind us now whistling and shouting. Walks back to cart, grabs ball, more shouting, drops and a thinned wedge is hit to the right of the green in a playable but not great position. Group behind it still yelling because there is another group on the tee box with them.

I two putt and make par. Player 1 does the same for a bogey. Now we are standing on the green about 100 yards away from the group behind that teed off as 3 are in the fairway and the forth just dropped by his buddies, I guess. Long story longer, they are still yelling at us for Player 2 to pick up (he can’t). He finally closes out for a 10.

We drive to 12 which is surprisingly far away from 11. 12 is a par 5. Group ahead is on the green, so I tell my group that we should pick it up a bit. I hit long, but right in some rough. Player 1 hits to the middle of the fairway, player 2 fans it and now we are looking for a golf ball again. We find it, he hits it right again into a waste area. I hit my second poorly but into the fairway. Player 1 hits to the fairway as well. group behind is on the box.

At this point, the cart girl is on our hole, so I drop my cartner at his ball and walk over to the cart girl with my wallet. I ask her is the group behind us is drinking, but she doesn’t know. I ask her if I could send a round of drinks to them, and she says sure, but is confused. I hand her $40 and ask her to please buy them a round and to tell them we are the last group in a tournament and that no one wants to watch someone hit two balls into the water, so to please stop yelling at us and if they have an issue, call the ****** ranger. She laughs and says no problem, off she goes.

We finish the hole and she drives back to us in the fairway of 13 and tells me that the group behind apologized and says thanks for the beers. She offered me my change but I told her to keep it. And for the rest of the round, the group behind gave us some space and stopped yelling at us.
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Thats a great story!! I may try that (sending back a round of beers) myself one day. Really appreciate you sharing that...something we've all been in. I played a round with someone who recorded 141!! It's their game and he/she paid to play just like I did. Puts you in a tough spot when in tournament golf. I think the starters should be required to inform the players behind a tournament what's taking place in front of them. Sometimes a little knowledge goes a long way.
 
BigDill said:
At this point, the cart girl is on our hole, so I drop my cartner at his ball and walk over to the cart girl with my wallet. I ask her is the group behind us is drinking, but she doesn’t know. I ask her if I could send a round of drinks to them, and she says sure, but is confused. I hand her $40 and ask her to please buy them a round and to tell them we are the last group in a tournament and that no one wants to watch someone hit two balls into the water, so to please stop yelling at us and if they have an issue, call the ****** ranger. She laughs and says no problem, off she goes.

We finish the hole and she drives back to us in the fairway of 13 and tells me that the group behind apologized and says thanks for the beers. She offered me my change but I told her to keep it. And for the rest of the round, the group behind gave us some space and stopped yelling at us.
Click to expand...

Smart, classy move there.
 
Pretty solid round all things considered @CobraX51! Thanks a bunch for sharing!
 
@CobraX51 it was great reading about your adventures this weekend! One day when I feel I'm more consistent I would love to try that. But until then I guess I'll keep my breakfast ball:D
 
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