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Mini Tour Play


Ben
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what kind of scoring do you think it's going ot take to get you into that top 40 ben ?

What's In My Bag?
Driver : Diablo
3wood : Diablo
Hybrid : 3DX RC Ironwood #3 20*
Irons : j36 cb's Putter : Tour Platinum 7081Ball : TP Black LDPHome Course :Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University 74.7/134Eagle Ridge Golf Club 73.0/131

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Good luck Ben. Great to see you're playing well and hopefully on your way to fulfilling the dream. If you're birdieing that stupid second at Rustic you should be fine in Asia

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what kind of scoring do you think it's going ot take to get you into that top 40 ben ?

I just firgure if I can stay under par I'll be alright.

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My Dad and little sister came out to watch last Wednesday. He brought his camera. Here's the link to the full album:

http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psiBrook81909/

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Callaway Forged 52*/58* Wedges
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Nice pics

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

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Great thread and best of luck to you.

The warmup pic of you at the top of your swing looks pro.

:thumbs up:
Driver: Adams 9032LS 9.5* - 45" - Aldila RIP Alpha 60S
3 Wood: Adams FAST 10 15* - 43" - Aldila Wasabi 70S
2-Iron: Mizuno Fli-Hi 18* - DGS300 
Irons: Mizuno MP-68 3-PW - DGS300
Wedges: Mizuno MPT-11 54* and 60*Putter: PING Redwood Anser Black Nickel 340g, 34"Ball: Titleist ProV1Bag: Mizuno...
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Great thread and best of luck to you.

Yeah, I like that picture too. Good looking positions! Thanks.

how did you play?

Just mediocre. Shot 1 over which got me a tie for 5th. When I play in front of my Dad I tend to play kinda bad, so it was nice to get a decent round in with him there. He was beginning to feel like he was a jinx.

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Odyssey 7 Versa 90
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ive been following this thread,And Ben your living the dream playing golf for a living.im jealous its what i want to do when i get older.hopeing to drop my handicap to at least scratch by the end of the year.
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ive been following this thread,And Ben your living the dream playing golf for a living.im jealous its what i want to do when i get older.hopeing to drop my handicap to at least scratch by the end of the year.

Start playing in tournaments now. Are you in an area that has a local mini-tour? This Pepsi Tour even has a handicapped division. Maybe there's something similar near you.

Callaway RazrFit Extreme 9.5 w/Project X 6.5
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Callaway XTour 18* 2h w/S300
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Callaway XForged III 5-PW irons w/S300
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Rough day at the office today. There were two dudes in my group that were friends and they were kinda goofing off with each other. Not really paying attention on the greens, or to who was away, or who was supposed to be on the tee. Stuff that sorta important playing in a professional tournament. Kinda got to me on the third hole when one dude took the tee away from me out of turn, and it stuck with me for a few holes.

Anyway, started with a birdie on 1, so that was cool. Actually made a long tricky putt. But, with those guys in my head and just making a few poor decisions. I finished the front nine at 5 over! hahah. Two ultra dumb doubles, two sloppy bogeys. Really been slacking with the putter lately. I think its time to upgrade my old Odyssey XG7 to a newer one, possibly the Black Series. So, after doubling 9, I figured that enough is enough, and who cares about what these guys do, just stick to my game and see what I can do. Birdied 11, birdied 13 and finished the back at 2 under. So 3 over on the day, which thankfully, somehow, got me a solo 5th place finish, and my money back.

So, next week it is.

Jeez, lot of negativity in that reply. Thinking back to the positives. Hit the ball, gr-reat with the irons today today! Gave myself a ton of good looks on the back. Was really knocking them close near the end. That was fun. Drove the ball, alright too. Hit some really good 3 woods of the tee though. And a nice one into a par 5. So, a good day.

Callaway RazrFit Extreme 9.5 w/Project X 6.5
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I'm curious, what does your practice schedule look like Ben?

Well, lets see.

- Sunday: Usually a bucket after work then 18 holes. - Monday: Tournament, or day off. Day off day often ends up bringing an hour of short game and putting practice. - Tuesday: 9 holes after work now. Was getting in 18 during peak summer daylight. Boo on shorter days! - Wednesday: Tournament after work. - Thursday: 1 bucket, 18 holes. Or, 36 holes, again during peak summer daylight. And yet again, boo on shorter days! - Friday: 18 or 36 holes. - Saturday 18 holes. I really despise the end of Daylight Savings Time. For mental training, I've been reading With Winning in Mind by Lanny Bassham

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Rough day at the office today. There were two dudes in my group that were friends and they were kinda goofing off with each other. Not really paying attention on the greens, or to who was away, or who was supposed to be on the tee. Stuff that sorta important playing in a professional tournament. Kinda got to me on the third hole when one dude took the tee away from me out of turn, and it stuck with me for a few holes.

My first pro check!!

I made my first professional check of my career last week. I turned Pro in April and this was my 10th event. I have come close in 6 events but just missed out so I am very pleased. It was a real wet and windy day last Wednesday, I got to the course a little too early so me and my caddy went in the clubhouse for a drink. I had a Hot chocolate for some reason, don't ask me why. I got on the range and warmed up with some wedges, i gradually worked down the set to the longer clubs til I finished with a few drives. I then hit a few pitch shots and chips. Then onto the putting green. Despite this good warm up session I found myself 3 over par after 9 holes. This included a very poor wedge shot on the 9th that found a deep greenside trap. I made par on 10 and a poor par on the par 5 11th. I then made birdie on 12 and 13 to get back to one over. At the back of the 13th green was a leaderboard, and I could see level was the best score though 13 so I knew I had a chance. I made a great par save on the par 3 14th but then a poor bogey on 15. I made good pars on 16 and 17. So I was 2 over par stood on the par 5 18th tee. I thought if I could make a birdie I should be in for a decent finish. I hit a good drive which left me 192 to the hole. I hit a great five iron and it finished 3 feet from the hole. I tapped it in for eagle and a back 9 holes of 3 under 33, which was a level par round of 72. I was leader in the clubhouse when I got in but eventually slipped down to 4th position. It was only a check of $493 but its the start I needed.

Driver - Nike Sumo SQ 8.5 degree AldilaVS Proto
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Man you guys are great! I hope to start playing in tournaments next year. No money tours obviously, but that would be my goal!!

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

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My first pro check!!

Caddies and leaderboards on the course?! Sheesh, that's some high class event. We ain't got nothin' like that where I play. What tour is this? I know its "over the pond" but I'd be interested in checking out the info.

Anyway, congratulations man! Feels great doesn't it? Just wait until you get that first win. I almost passed out from joy.

Callaway RazrFit Extreme 9.5 w/Project X 6.5
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Callaway XHot Pro 4/5 irons w/S300
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Callaway Forged 52*/58* Wedges
Odyssey 7 Versa 90
Callaway Hex Black Tour

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Caddies and leaderboards on the course?! Sheesh, that's some high class event. We ain't got nothin' like that where I play. What tour is this? I know its "over the pond" but I'd be interested in checking out the info.

Thanks man, its called The Players Tour. Its based in the north west of England. They don't provide caddies, its just my friend Tony who enjoys doing it for some strange reason lol! He's good at reading the greens!! Yeah I remember how good it felt winning my first scratch tournament, I can't wait to win again. What do you play in? I've heard there is some pretty great stuff to play in over there?

Driver - Nike Sumo SQ 8.5 degree AldilaVS Proto
Fairawy wood - Titleist 903f2 Vodoo
Irons - Titleist Z Blend Forged Project X 5.5
Wedges - Titleist Vokey
Putter - Scotty Cameron Newport 2Ball - Pro V1

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Thanks man, its called The Players Tour. Its based in the north west of England. They don't provide caddies, its just my friend Tony who enjoys doing it for some strange reason lol! He's good at reading the greens!!

That's cool that you have a buddy to depend on. I've got a few willing to help, and we've made good teams. Its just hard to call on them all the time, especially with the small amount of money involved. Usually I'll pick up lunch or something. I've got two tours I play on. www.pepsitour.com and www.gstour.com . There's another called the Cal Players, but I've yet to play in an event of theirs.

Callaway RazrFit Extreme 9.5 w/Project X 6.5
Callaway XHot Pro 15* 3Wood w/Project X 6.5
Callaway XTour 18* 2h w/S300
Callaway XHot Pro 4/5 irons w/S300
Callaway XForged III 5-PW irons w/S300
Callaway Forged 52*/58* Wedges
Odyssey 7 Versa 90
Callaway Hex Black Tour

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    • I too, like @GolfLug, remember great wedge, iron shots, or my missed putts, more than my made putts. My most memorable recently, would be: #17 Old Course St. Andrews (last year) I had been putting awful all day (I started 3 putt, 4 putt, 3 putt, 3 putt), but found a putting stroke on the back 9 and was 1 under on the back going into 16 and of course I 3-putted it for a bogey. Got to 17 and my playing partner just hit it into the hotel, so I went a little more left and decided to not try and hit it over the hotel.  And as soon as my ball was in the air, I heard one of the other caddies do the chicken noise.  LOL My shot was a little more left than I wanted, about 185 yards, I hit a 6-iron and it was drawing right at the flag.  The pin was just to the right of he bunker and towards the front of the green. My ball hit short (and just missed going into said bunker) and stopped about 15 feet left of the hole. Had a little left to right break and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was in.  Birdie on the road hole, looked at the caddie and said not bad for a Chicken.  Parred 18 (missed 10 foot birdie putt) for a 35 on the back 9 at the Old Course. #18 Springfield G&CC Last year while playing in our season long match play event, my partner and I get the 18th hole needing to win the match to move on into the knockout round.  We are tied going into 18.  A tie and we lose on overall points by .5.  Our teaching pro is on the other team (very good golfer), so we were pretty sure we needed a birdie to have a chance to win the match, I hit on of the best drives I hit all day and had about 135 yards to the pin, but it was in a place where you didn't really want to be long.  So I hit a PW and it landed just short of the flag but released about 12 feet past the hole, so have a devilish putt coming back down the hill.  Our competitors were away and the pro missed his birdie putt by inches, I thought it was in when he hit it.  So after reading the putt, which probably had a 2 cup left to right break, I made the putt to win the match.   #15 Springfield G&CC A few years back, was playing in the first round of the Club Championship (against the previous years runner-up) and my putter was balky all day.  Got to the 15 hole, 2nd Par 5 on back, and was 3-down with 4 to play.  We both hit good drives, both hit good second shots and we both hit decent 3rd shots.  I was about 15 feet and he was just a hair longer.  He missed his putt, I had another slider putt down the hill, with about a foot of right to left break and made the putt.  I birded the next hole, to go 1 down, but not a memorable putt as I only needed a bogey to beat him on that hole, he had all kinds of issues going on.  Lost on 17, as he birdied it, right after I missed mine to lose 2&1.
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