US Open sectional qualifying

[JBones]

Well, as you know, my cousin scrapped US Open qualifying, since the sectional qualifier is the same day as his high school state championship. We viewed the sites and figured that if he made it through regional qualifying, that we would probably be in Columbus, Oh on the OSU Scarlet Course for sectional qualifying. They released the field for the sectional qualifier, as well as the notables in the field. Had he made it, below is who he would have been playing against (just the notables) in that qualifier. Think it's difficult enough to get in a US Open?

 

Notables: Harris English, Robert Allenby, Ryan Moore, Nick O'Hern, Pat Perez, J.B. Holmes, Spencer Levin, Corbin Mills, Tommy Gainey, Chris DiMarco, Rocco Mediate, John Huh, Camilo Villegas, Bud Cauley, Davis Love III, Ben Curtis, Jhonattan Vegas, Henrik Stenson, Ricky Barnes, Stuart Appleby, Justin Thomas, Jeff Overton, Rory Sabbatini, Johnson Wagner, Kelly Kraft, D.A. Points, Sean O'Hair, Tim Mickelson

[JMiller]

Yea that would have been rough but fun at the same time. When i was in college at Miami (OH) in oxford playing to a 1.1 I thought about giving it a try, but figured to get all the way I would need to have been at least a +2 or better to have a chance at sectional and regional.

 

In college I worked at a place called "Buck Point Golf Club" it is now renamed to "Harbor Links at Sagamore Resort" not sure if they re-worked the course or anything like that haven't played it since 2009. Used to be a greens mower out there + free golf got me really good. --> http://www.golfharborlinks.com/

[RoverRick]

I am sure I could have made it if I tried, except for driving, irons play, short game and putting. Just a few more hours of practice and I am there. Oh I think I must have fallen asleep and dreamed that.

[BK in TEXAS]

Notables: Harris English, Robert Allenby, Ryan Moore, Nick O'Hern, Pat Perez, J.B. Holmes, Spencer Levin, Corbin Mills, Tommy Gainey, Chris DiMarco, Rocco Mediate, John Huh, Camilo Villegas, Bud Cauley, Davis Love III, Ben Curtis, Jhonattan Vegas, Henrik Stenson, Ricky Barnes, Stuart Appleby, Justin Thomas, Jeff Overton, Rory Sabbatini, Johnson Wagner, Kelly Kraft, D.A. Points, Sean O'Hair, Tim Mickelson

 

Wow. That's a pretty substantial list of players still needing to qualify.

[Shambles]

 

 

Notables: Harris English, Robert Allenby, Ryan Moore, Nick O'Hern, Pat Perez, J.B. Holmes, Spencer Levin, Corbin Mills, Tommy Gainey, Chris DiMarco, Rocco Mediate, John Huh, Camilo Villegas, Bud Cauley, Davis Love III, Ben Curtis, Jhonattan Vegas, Henrik Stenson, Ricky Barnes, Stuart Appleby, Justin Thomas, Jeff Overton, Rory Sabbatini, Johnson Wagner, Kelly Kraft, D.A. Points, Sean O'Hair, Tim Mickelson

 

Call me selfish, but I would attend the qualifiers if only to watch such players up close and try to learn from them. If necessary, I would even try to join, again if only for the chance to watch those players. It would not matter much which of them. There are things to be learned and, to me, the better part would probably be in the audience, but if necessary, I would join if only for the opportunity to watch them up close.

 

 

Shambles

[Shambles]

R.P. Jacobs II,

 

Glad you got a taste of it.

 

I try to watch any pro event when I can do so conveniently and actually prefer the less popular ones because they leave the fairways more open and you can wander about and watch whomever is interesting. It's enervating to see that even the lower level pro can shoot at the pins from the worst lie. They just don't succeed all that often. Seems to me that the pro treats anything in range of the green as a short game shot. They don't settle for the green unless absolutely convinced they cannot handle the shot, and even then they cannot afford more than a stroke or two of safe shots. You just cannot win with par all that often even at the high amateur level. It's a very different game when you see it with their eyes, and when you need to shoot at the same targets on the same day, it's downright humiliating.

 

However you crawl away with the knowledge that such shots are not so impossible and you really can do some of them. Those you cannot, you can work on learning.

 

Events such as the qualifiers and the pro ams are a sort of rolling lessons event for those of us who choose to learn lessons up close and personal. They are a sort of seeding the grounds or giving back by the people who truly benefit from the popularity of the game. Why not take the benefits when they come around your neck of the woods.

 

 

Shambles

[The Artful Duffer]

Being 15 min from the OSU courses I may need to go check out this qualifier could be some fun golf to watch.

[JMiller]

Just saw a blurb on The Golf Channel's coverage of today's sectionals that in '09 there were 9000+ entries, an all-time high...Think about that!...That #'s incredible!!....

 

That's a lot of dreams....lol..One of the best dreamers: Michael Cambell, 2005 Champion who stared down Tiger & who flew over from Europe & qualified on the number...On the frickin number!!...Amazing!...Just heard that Tom Kite's givin it a go down in Houston...I disagree with the USGA on their exemption policy on ex-champs...As difficult as it is to win, I think that the policy should be like Augusta, lifetime or an advanced age or obvious deterioration of skills...JMHO.....

 

AD, go on out...You'll see some great golf up close....

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever.....

 

I personally have played with a Scratch and a +2 never played with a +4 or better, haven't personally been to a tour event or anything, went to a Nike (before it was Nationwide) tour event way back when I was little but don't recall much of it. I can say that it is a fun experience just watching some guys work it around the course and get up and down out of a trash can.

[JBones]

I personally have played with a Scratch and a +2 never played with a +4 or better, haven't personally been to a tour event or anything, went to a Nike (before it was Nationwide) tour event way back when I was little but don't recall much of it. I can say that it is a fun experience just watching some guys work it around hte course and get up and down out of a trash can.

I caddied for my cousin in the Indiana Amateur qualifier this weekend and got to see some really good golf. He lost in a three way playoff for the final spot, after shooting 75. We blindly played the course, as it was 2.5 hours away, and it hurt really bad on a few holes, add that in with windy conditions and it's a recipe for disaster. He was severely punished for "bad" shots (his bad shots were still good shots, that just ended up in bad positions) and not rewarded for good shots. He lipped out a ton of birdie putts; get a few of those to drop and take away a par 5 that he doubled (was a 3w-3w hole, if you had played it before; instead it was a driver through the fw, into the woods, then 4 punch shots getting out onto the green) and he probably shoots -2 at worst.

 

Anyway, back on topic, it was amazing getting to see these guys play up close. These were just low handicaps playing and they just didn't miss a whole lot and when they did, they were able to recover very well. I can say with honesty that my cousin didn't really miss any shots, he just got into trouble by never seeing the course before (about every hole was a blind tee shot). Every time these guys hit a wedge into the green, they carried the hole and spun it back to within 10', every shot had perfect trajectory, and they were able to work the ball in what ever fashion they needed to. When I picked out a target for my cousin, he hit it directly at that target EVERY TIME. It's ridiculous, they make it look so easy that it makes you feel like you can go out and shoot low. After watching these guys play this weekend, it makes me believe that the only difference between really good amateurs and professionals is putting; the guys on tour (as a whole), just don't miss a whole lot from 8' and in. I would liken my cousins game to Kuchar (although my cousin has a much prettier swing); averages about 285ish off the tee, generally works the ball right to left, hits tons of greens, but he just doesn't make as many putts. When his putting is "on" -10 isn't out of the question. It was awesome watching those guys this weekend, I can't imagine what it would be like watching a tour player when they catch fire. There were 22 guys playing for 8 spots, the leader board looked like this at the end -3, -1, two at even, +1, +2, +3, and three at +4; the three players that shot under and even were current or former IU players. T

[Will Par]

I too attempted to qualify several times although it was a long time ago. There's a big difference in trying to qualify today compared to the 1970's. At that time four rounds at even par (two rounds local qualifying and two rounds in the sectionals) was often good enough to qualify. Today, you better be at least two under for each round to have a chance. But like others have said, just having a scratch or +1 handicap wasn't good enough. Tees were back as far as they could put them, greens were fast, and qualifying was always held on quality courses. One reason I tried it every year was reasonable entry fees and the courses were great. One year I played at Pinehurst #2. I never came close to qualifying, but it was a fun experience. Anyone with a handicap low enough to enter should try it just for the experience.

 

One last note... one year when I finished, I looked at the board to see who was leading. The name was Scott Hoch. At that time I had no idea who he was. But a few years later, I began to see that same name on tour leaderboards.

[JMiller]

I caddied for my cousin in the Indiana Amateur qualifier this weekend and got to see some really good golf. He lost in a three way playoff for the final spot, after shooting 75. We blindly played the course, as it was 2.5 hours away, and it hurt really bad on a few holes, add that in with windy conditions and it's a recipe for disaster. He was severely punished for "bad" shots (his bad shots were still good shots, that just ended up in bad positions) and not rewarded for good shots. He lipped out a ton of birdie putts; get a few of those to drop and take away a par 5 that he doubled (was a 3w-3w hole, if you had played it before; instead it was a driver through the fw, into the woods, then 4 punch shots getting out onto the green) and he probably shoots -2 at worst.

 

Anyway, back on topic, it was amazing getting to see these guys play up close. These were just low handicaps playing and they just didn't miss a whole lot and when they did, they were able to recover very well. I can say with honesty that my cousin didn't really miss any shots, he just got into trouble by never seeing the course before (about every hole was a blind tee shot). Every time these guys hit a wedge into the green, they carried the hole and spun it back to within 10', every shot had perfect trajectory, and they were able to work the ball in what ever fashion they needed to. When I picked out a target for my cousin, he hit it directly at that target EVERY TIME. It's ridiculous, they make it look so easy that it makes you feel like you can go out and shoot low. After watching these guys play this weekend, it makes me believe that the only difference between really good amateurs and professionals is putting; the guys on tour (as a whole), just don't miss a whole lot from 8' and in. I would liken my cousins game to Kuchar (although my cousin has a much prettier swing); averages about 285ish off the tee, generally works the ball right to left, hits tons of greens, but he just doesn't make as many putts. When his putting is "on" -10 isn't out of the question. It was awesome watching those guys this weekend, I can't imagine what it would be like watching a tour player when they catch fire. There were 22 guys playing for 8 spots, the leader board looked like this at the end -3, -1, two at even, +1, +2, +3, and three at +4; the three players that shot under and even were current or former IU players. T

 

This is OT a little: That sounds close to something I wrote about in the Golf Lesson section titled "top five score killers". I had Putting number 1m short game number 2, PS number 3, course management number 4, mental game number 5

 

I think low single digit and tour players 3 and 4 are one element, so it would look more like this

1) putting

2) short game (getting up and down)

3) course management (no dumb mistakes)

4) mental game

5) what tempo and swing shows up that day.

[BIG STU]

Wil Par i would have to say we are from the same old school i myself tried it 3 times from the late 70s to early 80s unsuccessfully. I was in the office yesterday and was watching the GC and I could not believe the depth of the fields at all the sectionals it really blew my mind guys trying to qualify with past majors multiple PGA tour wins etc

[Will Par]

Wil Par i would have to say we are from the same old school i myself tried it 3 times from the late 70s to early 80s unsuccessfully. I was in the office yesterday and was watching the GC and I could not believe the depth of the fields at all the sectionals it really blew my mind guys trying to qualify with past majors multiple PGA tour wins etc

 

We may have played some of the same qualifiers. I lived in SC then. I remember qualifiers at Pinehurst, Tanglewood (NC), Greenville (Chanticleer), one in Aiken, and one in Columbia SC. Seems like there were one or two others that I attempted but my memory is sketchy.

[Will Par]

Final Results http://golfweek.com/news/2012/may/21/2012-us-open-sectional-qualifying-recaps/

[BIG STU]

We may have played some of the same qualifiers. I lived in SC then. I remember qualifiers at Pinehurst, Tanglewood (NC), Greenville (Chanticleer), one in Aiken, and one in Columbia SC. Seems like there were one or two others that I attempted but my memory is sketchy.

I lived in Charlotte back in those days but I think we may have played 2 of the same Tanglewood and Chanticlear. i absolutely love tanglewood even though i have not played it in 15 years or so. You may have also attempted at Ceadarwood in Charlotte or even at Quail Hollow also Charlotte CC was a site one year but I dont remember when. I would say you and I have strolled some of the same fairways and in my case roughs back in the day