My first US Open Qualifier experience

[FooFader]

Been keeping eye on the debate here and follow the intrigue of people questioning phil and his handicap. That said, I appreciate the insight phil has given on something most of us will never be near good enough do to. And kudos to @phillyk for not biting back so to speak and not taking it too personally :-)

[Lihu]

I'm not sure about that. I thought only HE knew what a + handicapper could do with a golf ball, it's not like anyone else has ever seen one.

They are pretty rare for the average golfer to meet.

[Lihu]

Been keeping eye on the debate here and follow the intrigue of people questioning phil and his handicap.

That said, I appreciate the insight phil has given on something most of us will never be near good enough do to. And kudos to @phillyk for not biting back so to speak and not taking it too personally

I have to really respect @phillyk for this. It is a really difficult position for him to be in. Shooting pretty much the worst day of his life then being accused of cheating for it.

Not a good day in my book. Kudos for holding out.

[GHIN0011458]

I'm not sure about that. I thought only HE knew what a + handicapper could do with a golf ball, it's not like anyone else has ever seen one.

Well we all know that we believe lots of stuff on this site lol. Its fine.. throw up some tourney rounds and away I go. So if someone new comes in new to The Sand Trap and says hey guys I am playing in tournaments and I shot 90 in my first one but I am a +2.4 and know I can qualify for the US Open I am guessing everyone here will say oh good job rough day out there.. No they will rip the dude apart. Just like they have done time and time again.

[GHIN0011458]

I have to really respect @phillyk for this. It is a really difficult position for him to be in. Shooting pretty much the worst day of his life then being accused of cheating for it.

Not a good day in my book. Kudos for holding out.

No one accused him of cheating.. other than maybe on the wedge deal.

[Dave2512]

I know.. I know.. lol. I totally understand I am digging a hole right now.. I see guys rip new users apart for saying this kind of stuff but then back up others who have been on here for awhile. Just wish more people knew what a +2.5 can really do with a golf ball.

Thing is despite being a little evasive about his qualifier results a quick look at his scores on ghin seem consistent with his index. If he was fudging scores he didn't do it randomly, he scores better on lower rated courses etc, the dispersion looks consistent. This instance is different than the oblivious bogey golfer that struggled to break 90  coming here saying he's got a scratch golfer trapped inside him. The only thing questionable about phillyk is his handicap is somewhat new, unless he didn't renew or something.

[iacas]

No one accused him of cheating.. other than maybe on the wedge deal.

Yes you have. You've said he's not got a legitimate handicap, and thus, perhaps he shouldn't even have played in the event.

Tell you what, @GHIN0011458 : try to stick to the word you've given several times already and stop posting. You're not doing yourself any favors.

And please read this thread, particularly the bit about multi-quoting: .

[Lihu]

Well we all know that we believe lots of stuff on this site lol. Its fine.. throw up some tourney rounds and away I go. So if someone new comes in new to The Sand Trap and says hey guys I am playing in tournaments and I shot 90 in my first one but I am a +2.4 and know I can qualify for the US Open I am guessing everyone here will say oh good job rough day out there.. No they will rip the dude apart. Just like they have done time and time again.

This is really what's not happening here. Phillyk has contributed lots of good information to aspiring golfers on this site. He has a friendly attitude, and appears to be a soft spoken individual.

Competition is really fierce in golf, but you really need to reel in your emotions and if you feel there is any wrong doing. The committee is designed to keep the players out of the fray.

You seem like a very hard working and decent player. I have had interactions with you in the past that have been very good. I am hoping that we can all get past this and hear more positive things from you in the near future.

Just worry only about qualifying next year's open, really.

[Abu3baid]

I know.. I know.. lol. I totally understand I am digging a hole right now.. I see guys rip new users apart for saying this kind of stuff but then back up others who have been on here for awhile. Just wish more people knew what a +2.5 can really do with a golf ball.

Trust me they do, there is a place reserved for +handicaps that is very dear toast peoples heart.. It is not good for you in that case that you are on the wrong end of the stick of this argument.. You are most likely coming off as a too harsh of a critic, and that is why no one is supporting your arguments.. Never mind that I don't think your argument holds water either. I read his post and I don't need any more proof to believe he is a genuine person.. Then again that's my opinion just like you have yours! Edit: too many grammatical errors, stupid iPhone and auto spelling fixer

[GHIN0011458]

Look at the end of the day.. I just want to be a +2.5 and people to love my story. I guess I will be the heel on here and post my rounds and not try and hide my scores. I am as open as can be but I am not genuine at all. I really will need a new set of DVD's for some teaching lessons.. anyone have any ideas of what can get me to that elusive +2.5? I just hope everyone remembers this next time we get a newbie on here saying he wants to turn into a +5 handicap and everyone laughs in his face. Or a guy who wants to spend 10,000 hours working on his game and they spit on him. If you have any recommendations on some good lessons though, since I have never had any, I am open to ideas.

[Spyder]

That is fine.. I am done now.. Just being skeptical looking for results. As a tournament player, its a pet peeve of mine to say you are one thing and be another. Everyone can move on and defend this guy >> http://thesandtrap.com/t/63658/hi-please-read-need-motivation/36

Being skeptical is fine. However, there's a time where you need to sit back and take the poster's tone and motive into consideration, as well as their history here. If this had been someone boasting their HC and posting scores in a condescending manner, that would be one thing. Since that is not the case, I think we should give him a fair shake.

I respect that you are an honest tournament player with a "legit" handicap and you may be bitter when you feel as though other people are falsely basking in their "vanity handicap". I just think it's easier to try and make someone out to be a fraud than it is to let them explain and take the time to understand their motives. The mob is always a little too quick to attack, basically.  It's their thread, their experience, their game, their tournament(s), their money, etc. If they're vanity capping and losing a lot of money doing so, so be it.

I'm not painting you out to be a bad guy or anything, @GHIN0011458 . I just don't want to see 10 pages of people calling BS on someone that could legitimately have something to offer this community. Eventually, it would make sense for that person to simply stop posting and spending time here.

I personally like reading tournament experiences from people, including you and yours, so I don't want to see @phillyk get shunned over something silly.

I know.. I know.. lol. I totally understand I am digging a hole right now.. I see guys rip new users apart for saying this kind of stuff but then back up others who have been on here for awhile. Just wish more people knew what a +2.5 can really do with a golf ball.

You did dig a hole, but climb out of it and continue to contribute in a positive manner. Nobody here opts to side with anyone based on the date they registered, or the amount they contribute. Quite frankly, I'm more inclined to defend somebody new to the community rather than an established member because I think everyone has something that they can contribute if they exert the logic and courtesy to do so. I also think 90% of the members on this website and many of the lurkers do know what a plus 'capper can really do. I think we also understand that we're human and on certain days things happen. I don't believe in absolute ceilings.

With that being said, I've cluttered this thread enough and I'll bow out until @phillyk opts to post again. I apologize again for the clutter.

Edit:

Look at the end of the day.. I just want to be a +2.5 and people to love my story. I guess I will be the heel on here and post my rounds and not try and hide my scores. I am as open as can be but I am not genuine at all. I really will need a new set of DVD's for some teaching lessons.. anyone have any ideas of what can get me to that elusive +2.5? I just hope everyone remembers this next time we get a newbie on here saying he wants to turn into a +5 handicap and everyone laughs in his face. Or a guy who wants to spend 10,000 hours working on his game and they spit on him. If you have any recommendations on some good lessons though, since I have never had any, I am open to ideas.

You, my friend, are missing "it".

[3putter]

Well we all know that we believe lots of stuff on this site lol. Its fine.. throw up some tourney rounds and away I go. So if someone new comes in new to The Sand Trap and says hey guys I am playing in tournaments and I shot 90 in my first one but I am a +2.4 and know I can qualify for the US Open I am guessing everyone here will say oh good job rough day out there.. No they will rip the dude apart. Just like they have done time and time again.

This isn't about blindly believing him, it's about your @#$$$ of going at disputing his handicap. There are better ways of going at it even when it's your pet peeve.

[Lihu]

Look at the end of the day.. I just want to be a +2.5 and people to love my story. I guess I will be the heel on here and post my rounds and not try and hide my scores. I am as open as can be but I am not genuine at all. I really will need a new set of DVD's for some teaching lessons.. anyone have any ideas of what can get me to that elusive +2.5? I just hope everyone remembers this next time we get a newbie on here saying he wants to turn into a +5 handicap and everyone laughs in his face. Or a guy who wants to spend 10,000 hours working on his game and they spit on him. If you have any recommendations on some good lessons though, since I have never had any, I am open to ideas.

Sure, I see your reason to be a little pessimistic.

In both cases, they are deluded about becoming a pro.

You, on the other hand, have the ability to get closer than they every will. Work on it and tell us what you are doing to get there. That would be much more productive and interesting to read.

[iacas]

I just hope everyone remembers this next time we get a newbie on here saying he wants to turn into a +5 handicap and everyone laughs in his face.

That's not the same thing as what's happening here. Why do you think it is?

Did you read the ? Nobody laughed in his face.

Or a guy who wants to spend 10,000 hours working on his game and they spit on him.

Also not the same thing.

You're basically just on here calling someone else a liar. To what end? Why? What do you get out of it?

[bplewis24]

They are pretty rare for the average golfer to meet.

I've only ever played with one.  It was last year while visiting some local country clubs.  My host just happened to be a +2.  Former college tennis player or something.  He was -5 through 8 holes before bogeying the 9th.  We only played the front nine, which he repeatedly insisted was the "scoring nine".  Apparently the back 9 is much tougher.  Still, I believe the course rating is a 70.9 from the tees we were playing from.  So the front nine was probably somewhere around a 34, and he would have finished at 32.

I posted this last year, but the interesting thing was nothing was particular memorable about his game, except that every one of his drives was equivalent of my best drives.  And every one of his approach shots was probably 3-4 feet inside of my best approach.  He only had to get up-and-down maybe twice, so I think he was 1/2 (bogeying the 9th after chopping out from inside the water hazard line).  I think he sank every birdie putt inside of 10 feet.  He didn't bomb it incredibly far, just consistently 270-280.  And he didn't shape the ball all kindsa different ways.  He just played his normal baby-draw on every hole.  The course favored a draw, and he never got into any real trouble forcing him to try anything else.

I just hope everyone remembers this next time we get a newbie on here saying he wants to turn into a +5 handicap and everyone laughs in his face.

Keep in mind phillyk isn't a newbie.  Just a guy who doesn't post as regularly or frequently.  But he has been around a while.

[Dave2512]

And he more or less started this thread with his tail between his legs. He was crapped out he played so bad. That's an entirely different thing than "hey I'll be scratch in a couple of months but I'm playing off 20 now".

[Jeremie Boop]

And he more or less started this thread with his tail between his legs. He was crapped out he played so bad. That's an entirely different thing than "hey I'll be scratch in a couple of months but I'm playing off 20 now".

Wait, what? I can't be scratch in a few months?

Dangit, I may as well just quit now

[Lihu]

Wait, what? I can't be scratch in a few months?

Dangit, I may as well just quit now

Nah, don't quit. Let's just start a new thread and entitle it "Operation Bogey to Scratch. . ."

In it, we can discuss all the things we think we need to do, and do them over and over again the same way regardless of the apparent results. Of course we would need to ignore all the instructors who post genuine recommendations, and act as if they don't have a clue what they are talking about even if someone like Sean Foley or any other famous coach posts them.

Just think of it. We'll get free lessons, and if we play our cards correctly making ourselves seem really hopeless that we might even get free equipment from all the golf manufacturers to push our agenda.

The only fear is that Erik will shorten it to "Opera" again.