Awesome experience coming for me next month..

[ApocG10]

Just got the official letter from the New Brunswick Golf Association, after playing an 18 hole qualifier yesterday, placing tied for 2nd with a 1 over 73 on on a par 72,  I will be playing in the New Brunswick Mid Amateur from Aug 9th to Aug 12th.   There were 15 open spots and 6 qualifiers around NB. The field was 83 players, and the conditions were very windy. Thankfully I play in the wind often, and I also play that course weekly.

I originally had no intention of playing, because the Mid-Am was to be this coming weekend, and im a groomsmen at a wedding this weekend. But it was pushed back due to some severe vandalism on the course by kids with ATV's (who were not caught unfortunately), who tore up 6 greens on the front 9 so badly that the front half of the course had to be closed till august 1st to get in the turf they need and fix the greens and get the roots to take hold. so I worked hard to score a last minute entry in the qualifier.

Since I work for a university, im off most of the summer aside from some personal clients I train, so I will be practicing hard over the next couple of weeks, and booked 12 days at a hotel near the tournament so I can practice and get to know the course starting next monday.. A top 5 here would get me into next years Canadian Mid Amateur Championship, which would be an amazing experience, though I do not have my hopes up, I will just work as hard as I can, play as much golf as I can, and see where it brings me.

Last year, a -2 (286) won the competition, with 5th place being at +4 (292), so the field generally is not that strong, and im out there to play my best, but mainly to gain experience. Im used to high level competition in other sports, so im fairly good at handling nerves, but I know they will definitely be acting up. This is all just experience for me, and im happy to be competing in sporting events again, its something I have missed since I stopped playing competitive hockey, a feeling I just love.

I will keep you guys updated on my progress and training as the next few weeks go by. I plan on having my brother on the bag for me for the comp, and we will be playing the course together for the 8 days leading up to the tourney, creating a yardage book and everything. It has been a long, long time since I have been this excited about something.

My goal is top 10 in the tourney, but I would be happier in the top 5, just for the chance to play in my countries amateur championship, but im not getting ahead of myself.

Im off to the range now to practice, then 18 holes with my dad later.

Wish me luck!!!!

[Beachcomber]

Wow Apoc, that is awesome that you qualified for the Mid-Amateur.  Which course are you playing on the 8/9th to the 12th?

Keep us informed on your progress and how you perform during the tournament.

Good luck!

[RonTheSavage]

Good Luck!

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Wow Apoc, that is awesome that you qualified for the Mid-Amateur.  Which course are you playing on the 8/9th to the 12th?

Keep us informed on your progress and how you perform during the tournament.

Good luck!

Moncton Golf and Country Club. Can't wait. Havent played there before, so 8 days leading up (12 rounds planned with one day off the tuesday before). Gym and run in the morning. Breakfast, golf, dinner, golf, range.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Moncton Golf and Country Club. Can't wait. Havent played there before, so 8 days leading up (12 rounds planned with one day off the tuesday before). Gym and run in the morning. Breakfast, golf, dinner, golf, range.

Wow!  Sounds like you are ready to kick some tail!  Can't wait to hear how you do.

[Snakey]

Congrats on your qualification,hope you do well!

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Wow!  Sounds like you are ready to kick some tail!  Can't wait to hear how you do.

Its a benefit of having summers off :)

Thanks for the wishes. Will get some pics of the course and tourny for you all.

[David in FL]

Outstanding! That's VERY cool. Good luck and let us know how it goes along the way!

[ApocG10]

Played 27 holes this morning. Got to the club bright and early, 4 hours ahead of my regular tuesday morning 10:30am foursome match. After a 20 minute warmup, I played 9 holes with an older lady (mid 60's), who I have never played with before, though I knew her from the clubhouse. It was a very pleasant 9 holes. I helped her out a little, and played the ladies tee's with her, to make it a fun round based on ball striking and getting out of my comfort zone. It was interesting, because I had to think alot, as I was making approaches from very, very different places on the course than I usually do. It was an interesting morning. Shot 34 (-2) through the 9, and thanked the nice lady for the match (she is not a bad golfer by any means, aside from being short off the tee, she makes solid contact. Apparently her and her husband played together before he died, and now she plays alone or with another friend of hers. Very nice lady, and it was an interesting change of pace from my usual very competitive rounds.

Back to the range for  one hour (2 buckets), spending the whole time hitting 4i and 19* 3h off the deck (So nice to have a grass range), just working on constant full swing contact. I was happy to be hitting my clubs within a few yards every shot. 215~ with the 4i, 230-235 with the 19* hybrid.

Next I moved on to the chipping and putting practice greens. 35 minutes there, 15 minutes hitting short chips, flops, and bump and runs. 20 minutes doing 'Around the world' putting drills, starting at 3', with 4 balls at 90* from each other. Sink all 4, then move back to 6'. Miss one and start over. I did not get past 9 feet, so im a bit upset about that.

Then I got up to the tee box, meeting up with the 3 other guys I was playing with and did our 'team pick lottery', where we each throw a small ball mark in a hat, pull out two, and thats the pairing for the round, with the two left in the hat being the opposing team. Went on to shoot 2 over par for the day. Stats were fairly good, but only got 10/13 fairways(5 par 3's) and 14 GIR's, and 1 up and down for par. Only one 3 putt, and a 1.92 putts for the round. My putting was just on today. Sunk a 30+ footer for birdie on the 4th hole, and 4 10-12 footers, with a 3 putt on 11, But almost all of my 2 putts were within 2 feet for tap ins with my second putt. Only one That I overshot for 6 footer coming back for par. I was 5 up after 18, and my partner was 1 down, giving us the win with a 4 up overall (we decide who we are playing before the match, basicly the team with the honors goes up, hits his drive, then the second team decides who is playing the first person that drrove, creating the match pairing for the round).

Came home right after the round to rest, because tonight is our second last week of league play. If we win tonight, we lock up the championship, regardless of the results of next week.

Tomorrow I have a lesson with my swing coach, and will be focusing on the range instead of the course for the day. I will update this thread every day until the tournament.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Played 27 holes this morning. Got to the club bright and early, 4 hours ahead of my regular tuesday morning 10:30am foursome match. After a 20 minute warmup, I played 9 holes with an older lady (mid 60's), who I have never played with before, though I knew her from the clubhouse. It was a very pleasant 9 holes. I helped her out a little, and played the ladies tee's with her, to make it a fun round based on ball striking and getting out of my comfort zone. It was interesting, because I had to think alot, as I was making approaches from very, very different places on the course than I usually do. It was an interesting morning. Shot 34 (-2) through the 9, and thanked the nice lady for the match (she is not a bad golfer by any means, aside from being short off the tee, she makes solid contact. Apparently her and her husband played together before he died, and now she plays alone or with another friend of hers. Very nice lady, and it was an interesting change of pace from my usual very competitive rounds.

Back to the range for  one hour (2 buckets), spending the whole time hitting 4i and 19* 3h off the deck (So nice to have a grass range), just working on constant full swing contact. I was happy to be hitting my clubs within a few yards every shot. 215~ with the 4i, 230-235 with the 19* hybrid.

Next I moved on to the chipping and putting practice greens. 35 minutes there, 15 minutes hitting short chips, flops, and bump and runs. 20 minutes doing 'Around the world' putting drills, starting at 3', with 4 balls at 90* from each other. Sink all 4, then move back to 6'. Miss one and start over. I did not get past 9 feet, so im a bit upset about that.

Then I got up to the tee box, meeting up with the 3 other guys I was playing with and did our 'team pick lottery', where we each throw a small ball mark in a hat, pull out two, and thats the pairing for the round, with the two left in the hat being the opposing team. Went on to shoot 2 over par for the day. Stats were fairly good, but only got 10/13 fairways(5 par 3's) and 14 GIR's, and 1 up and down for par. Only one 3 putt, and a 1.92 putts for the round. My putting was just on today. Sunk a 30+ footer for birdie on the 4th hole, and 4 10-12 footers, with a 3 putt on 11, But almost all of my 2 putts were within 2 feet for tap ins with my second putt. Only one That I overshot for 6 footer coming back for par. I was 5 up after 18, and my partner was 1 down, giving us the win with a 4 up overall (we decide who we are playing before the match, basicly the team with the honors goes up, hits his drive, then the second team decides who is playing the first person that drrove, creating the match pairing for the round).

Came home right after the round to rest, because tonight is our second last week of league play. If we win tonight, we lock up the championship, regardless of the results of next week.

Tomorrow I have a lesson with my swing coach, and will be focusing on the range instead of the course for the day. I will update this thread every day until the tournament.

Damn.  You gotta stop providing updates like this.  Makes me want to quit my job and take up golf full-time! :D

[Chris Stewart]

Congrats, looking forward to the updates.

[JaxBomber17]

Congrats, good luck!

[sgibs]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Just got the official letter from the New Brunswick Golf Association, after playing an 18 hole qualifier yesterday, placing tied for 2nd with a 1 over 73 on on a par 72,  I will be playing in the New Brunswick Mid Amateur from Aug 9th to Aug 12th.   There were 15 open spots and 6 qualifiers around NB. The field was 83 players, and the conditions were very windy. Thankfully I play in the wind often, and I also play that course weekly.

I originally had no intention of playing, because the Mid-Am was to be this coming weekend, and im a groomsmen at a wedding this weekend. But it was pushed back due to some severe vandalism on the course by kids with ATV's (who were not caught unfortunately), who tore up 6 greens on the front 9 so badly that the front half of the course had to be closed till august 1st to get in the turf they need and fix the greens and get the roots to take hold. so I worked hard to score a last minute entry in the qualifier.

Since I work for a university, im off most of the summer aside from some personal clients I train, so I will be practicing hard over the next couple of weeks, and booked 12 days at a hotel near the tournament so I can practice and get to know the course starting next monday.. A top 5 here would get me into next years Canadian Mid Amateur Championship, which would be an amazing experience, though I do not have my hopes up, I will just work as hard as I can, play as much golf as I can, and see where it brings me.

Last year, a -2 (286) won the competition, with 5th place being at +4 (292), so the field generally is not that strong, and im out there to play my best, but mainly to gain experience. Im used to high level competition in other sports, so im fairly good at handling nerves, but I know they will definitely be acting up. This is all just experience for me, and im happy to be competing in sporting events again, its something I have missed since I stopped playing competitive hockey, a feeling I just love.

I will keep you guys updated on my progress and training as the next few weeks go by. I plan on having my brother on the bag for me for the comp, and we will be playing the course together for the 8 days leading up to the tourney, creating a yardage book and everything. It has been a long, long time since I have been this excited about something.

My goal is top 10 in the tourney, but I would be happier in the top 5, just for the chance to play in my countries amateur championship, but im not getting ahead of myself.

Im off to the range now to practice, then 18 holes with my dad later.

Wish me luck!!!!

thats so awesome best of luck - i hope to compete in tournaments someday!

[brettski01]

Jealous would be an understatement. Congrats dude and good luck!

[elementz]

Good luck Apoc from a fellow NBer who is nowhere near as good as you lol.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by elementz

Good luck Apoc from a fellow NBer who is nowhere near as good as you lol.

Man, what part of NB, what course do you usually play? I'd love to have a round with a fellow NB golfer (or any golfer) from TST, regardless of skill. I travel around and play a lot of different courses, and would love to set something up with you. I don't care how well you play (unless I can somehow help you play better), just enjoy meeting new people and playing the game i've come to love so much.

Off to play around with my new Edel wedges, so I will update this thread again later tonight.

[elementz]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Man, what part of NB, what course do you usually play? I'd love to have a round with a fellow NB golfer (or any golfer) from TST, regardless of skill. I travel around and play a lot of different courses, and would love to set something up with you. I don't care how well you play (unless I can somehow help you play better), just enjoy meeting new people and playing the game i've come to love so much.

Off to play around with my new Edel wedges, so I will update this thread again later tonight.

I live in SJ..well Rothesay... and mostly play Rockwood, Sussex, Welsford, etc....I played a few tracks up in Moncton as I traveled often for work ...always enjoy playing different courses when I can...haven't been out much this year (6) but I have a bit more free time on my hands now for the rest of the season so I am looking to get back in shape and getting out more often.. As for my play...pretty terrible but I love it and I know someday I will break through.

[ApocG10]

Cool, im in SJ at the end of august for work, after I return from Ireland at the end of the month (leave on the 16th).

Fantasic score tonight, yet im not happy with my play. My first time breaking par over 18. -2 for the round after a dicey up and down for par 18 that could have turned out a lot worse. Three birdies and one bogey all night, so not a star studded round, but enough for me to shoot an all time low of 69. But im upset with myself that it isnt a 67, as it should have been. Unfortunately I misread two strokes which I should have one putted, and left one an inch short. Its totally my fault, but I should have had a 67-68 if I had taken a little longer to read the greens and pick my lines. But i'm always upset when I leave them just short on a perfect line.

Played my first round with my Edels. Took the 52, 56, and 60, leaving the 48 and 64 home, as I just had no way to put them in without going over 14 clubs. Talk about amazing. I didn't get to use the 56, as I didn't end up in a bunker even once through 18. Every time I had an Edel in my hand, I ended up with at least a look at birdie. I had my distances down pat with 1/4. 1/2, and 3/4 swings (which is all I ever take with a full wedge).

So like I said, a great score, but im not happy with myself for leaving things short.