My first US Open Qualifier experience

[Deryck Griffith]

Well I thought I’d share my experience from my first US Open Qualifier I played in.  Sadly, I did not make it on to the next round.  I attribute this to 2 things, putting and ball striking.  Putting was really 90% of it though.

By any chance, was it the qualifier that was at Tumble Creek Club?

[phillyk]

By any chance, was it the qualifier that was at Tumble Creek Club?

yup!... beautiful area! haha!

[GHIN0011458]

So what did you end up shooting?

[mcanadiens]

Playing in one of these would be a very, very long-term goal for me. It's great to read about your experience.

[phillyk]

So what did you end up shooting?

I'm just gonna go with not good enough to qualify, because that is all that really mattered. It was a rough day for me.

[David in FL]

I'm just gonna go with not good enough to qualify, because that is all that really mattered. It was a rough day for me.

I'd ask that you reconsider. There are a lot of people here who have NO idea just how hard it is to compete at that level. You're a +2.4 hcp, and even though it was a bad day for you, I think it can put a lot into perspective for the average 10 handicap guy who thinks he's 3 shots and 2 putts away from greatness!

[GHIN0011458]

I know what he shot... I am not the type who usually does this but as a +2.7 handicap there is no way you should have shot what you shot. I am surprised. We have two amateurs in St. Louis who are +2 to +3 and one of them qualified, the other shot 78. I am a 0.0 now(just changed) and I shot 79 and we only had two guys in a field of 120 who shot par or better. A +2.7 SHOULD have a ceiling of shooting a 75 and on really bad days a 78-79. I am not going to say what you shot but lets just say that a +2.7 who is 3 strokes away from tour level shouldn't have shot anywhere near that. Do you have any other tournament rounds you have played in? I am surprised there is no investigation by the USGA..Anyways, not meaning to do this but I know too many guys who only put their best rounds into their GHIN and it gives them their BEST of the best rounds for their handicap.

[cipher]

I know what he shot... I am not the type who usually does this but as a +2.7 handicap there is no way you should have shot what you shot. I am surprised. We have two amateurs in St. Louis who are +2 to +3 and one of them qualified, the other shot 78. I am a 0.0 now(just changed) and I shot 79 and we only had two guys in a field of 120 who shot par or better. A +2.7 SHOULD have a ceiling of shooting a 75 and on really bad days a 78-79. I am not going to say what you shot but lets just say that a +2.7 who is 3 strokes away from tour level shouldn't have shot anywhere near that. Do you have any other tournament rounds you have played in? I am surprised there is no investigation by the USGA..Anyways, not meaning to do this but I know too many guys who only put their best rounds into their GHIN and it gives them their BEST of the best rounds for their handicap.

There is no reason someone like Ricky Fowler should shoot an 84 on a Sunday either.  It was the guy's first qualifier, and I would imagine that there is a lot going on that could affect one's game in that situation.  You may be right about this, but then again we were not there either.

[flopster]

I know what he shot... I am not the type who usually does this but as a +2.7 handicap there is no way you should have shot what you shot. I am surprised. We have two amateurs in St. Louis who are +2 to +3 and one of them qualified, the other shot 78. I am a 0.0 now(just changed) and I shot 79 and we only had two guys in a field of 120 who shot par or better. A +2.7 SHOULD have a ceiling of shooting a 75 and on really bad days a 78-79. I am not going to say what you shot but lets just say that a +2.7 who is 3 strokes away from tour level shouldn't have shot anywhere near that. Do you have any other tournament rounds you have played in? I am surprised there is no investigation by the USGA..Anyways, not meaning to do this but I know too many guys who only put their best rounds into their GHIN and it gives them their BEST of the best rounds for their handicap.

So your saying some people will do this type of index manipulation just so they can enter these qualifiers?

[GHIN0011458]

So your saying some people will do this type of index manipulation just so they can enter these qualifiers?

Absolutely. And typically the USGA will investigate and get signatures from a club pro after a poor round to ensure that everything is okay. I have heard of a club pro having to send in signatures for shooting an 83.

[GHIN0011458]

There is no reason someone like Ricky Fowler should shoot an 84 on a Sunday either.  It was the guy's first qualifier, and I would imagine that there is a lot going on that could affect one's game in that situation.  You may be right about this, but then again we were not there either.

Shoot an 84 on a Sunday to win a tournament is one thing. That is one round out of 1000 that he shoots a score like that. I have never seen a score over 76 from our local amateur who wins everything at a +3.3. It could be a fluke for sure.. just wanting to see some other tournament rounds. I am only being skeptical because I see it everywhere. Look at US Open local qualifying and look at the bottom 10 scores of every qualifier. If you see an 84 on tour, unless its EXTREMELY tough conditions, you only see one score that high. If you see 10 guys with handicaps under 1.4 shooting 90-110 something is up.

[Spyder]

I'm not sure I agree with the questioning here, but since @phillyk is being a little vague... I guess I understand.

On the flip-side, I would love more details if you would reconsider withholding your scoring, phillyk. I would love to know how well you fared in terms of GIR, FIR, total putts, your score, etc. I think this information is fascinating, regardless of how well you played, because it gives everyone a better idea of the conditions and your experience in general. I am very sorry that you did not play to the level that you know you are capable of, but the information is still definitely interesting to many of us hacks.

[GHIN0011458]

Here is what I did.. to shoot 79: I hit 8 of 13 fairways, hit 7 of 18 greens and had 32 putts with two penalties. Besides driving the ball, the numbers are horrendous. That is my concern.. a guy who holds on to a +2.7 who is having a bad day STILL gets up and down for Par or Bogey and stays away from the big numbers. That is how it goes, that is why the high scores are so hard to believe.

http://ghintpp.com/maga/TPPOnlineScoring/StrokeCard.aspx?id=191&pid;=11419

[flopster]

Here is what I did.. to shoot 79: I hit 8 of 13 fairways, hit 7 of 18 greens and had 32 putts with two penalties. Besides driving the ball, the numbers are horrendous. That is my concern.. a guy who holds on to a +2.7 who is having a bad day STILL gets up and down for Par or Bogey and stays away from the big numbers. That is how it goes, that is why the high scores are so hard to believe.

http://ghintpp.com/maga/TPPOnlineScoring/StrokeCard.aspx?id=191&pid;=11419

I sort of see where your going with this, I play alongside occasionally someone who ranges from +2.4-+3.4 and his highest score is an 76 on a slope of 139, for him to shoot anywhere north of 80 is going to be a very bad day I would think.

[Spyder]

Here is what I did.. to shoot 79: I hit 8 of 13 fairways, hit 7 of 18 greens and had 32 putts with two penalties. Besides driving the ball, the numbers are horrendous. That is my concern.. a guy who holds on to a +2.7 who is having a bad day STILL gets up and down for Par or Bogey and stays away from the big numbers. That is how it goes, that is why the high scores are so hard to believe.

http://ghintpp.com/maga/TPPOnlineScoring/StrokeCard.aspx?id=191&pid;=11419

Ah, momentum must have been a roller coaster ride for you.

I think if I was +38 like the fella in last place, I may reconsider participating in additional events in the future. That's just me though and I don't mean that in a snide or condescending way either.

[Golfingdad]

There is no reason someone like Ricky Fowler should shoot an 84 on a Sunday either.  It was the guy's first qualifier, and I would imagine that there is a lot going on that could affect one's game in that situation.

My thoughts as well.

Shoot an 84 on a Sunday to win a tournament is one thing.

And for all we know, this is exactly the same thing.  Like @cipher said, it was his first qualifier.  Isn't it perfectly feasible that he could be as nervous in a US Open local qualifier as Rickie Fowler is on a Sunday on the PGA tour?  Perhaps even more?

[GHIN0011458]

My thoughts as well.

And for all we know, this is exactly the same thing.  Like @cipher said, it was his first qualifier.  Isn't it perfectly feasible that he could be as nervous in a US Open local qualifier as Rickie Fowler is on a Sunday on the PGA tour?  Perhaps even more?

I get where you are coming from.. only reason why I asked to see some other scores. It was my first qualifier too.. I know what its like, which is why I bring it up.

[cipher]

I get where you are coming from.. only reason why I asked to see some other scores. It was my first qualifier too.. I know what its like, which is why I bring it up.

I think that is fair and in light of his vagueness...