Mini Tour Play

[rogerw]

Keep grinding it out Ben, sounds like you are just about the get over the hump.

[nuck81]

Even though the life can be hard. I envy you.

Oh if only I had started when I was a kid, and I wasn't about to start a family soon. But 28 is way too old for a career change...

[Ben]

Thanks everyone. I'm very optimistic going into next week. I plan on keeping up with the heavy practice. There are three events in four days on the block for next week. Tuesday with the Golden State Tour, my weekly Wednesday at Brookside, then another Golden State event, this one a two-dayer on Thurs/Fri.

where did you place in the tournaments?

All I know far a fact is that I didn't make the money. Like I'd mentioned I know I was close, but "close" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades [as the saying goes]. I'm not stressing it... On to next week!

[mirv]

i got paired with an older gent on the course today who, after watching me play three or four holes, looked at me and remarked "do you play any of the mini tours? because you should, the way you strike the ball." that made my day. i'm pretty sure i'm not good enough for all that, but i really appreciated the compliment.

[iacas]

i got paired with an older gent on the course today who, after watching me play three or four holes, looked at me and remarked "do you play any of the mini tours? because you should, the way you strike the ball." that made my day. i'm pretty sure i'm not good enough for all that, but i really appreciated the compliment.

Did he pause for just the right amount of time and then suggest upping the bet?

[mirv]

haha, nah. no money was involved, as he was only playing nine holes.

[enis750]

great updates Ben
get at er dude

[Ben]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr

Another freakin' round of even freakin' par. Which does me no good. 6under won, 2under made money. The good news, absolute control of my ball from tee to green, other than two wayward tee shots. I am really swinging well right now! The bad news. 2 foot putts. I missed four of them. FOUR. And one from 4' too. Totally unacceptable! It started out right away when I three-putted the first hole. "Big deal" I told myself, an anomaly! I've got a reachable par-5 coming up next, lets get it back. Nope. A solid par on the par-3 third then the 4th. That's where I hit a bitchin 2h then a stellar 8iron then, missed that 4 foot putt! Damnit. Whatever, I've got a par-5 next. Great drive, awesome 3 wood to just short. "Let's chip it in for eagle." Well, not quite, left the chip 2 feet short, yeah, 2 foot, missed putt. Anyway. I did have three birdies on the day. Seemed as though 5-8 feet was my range. Tomorrow I'll be practicing my putting... hard and for long.

Thursday and Friday brings the next event. Golden State Tour at the SCGA golf course.

[Ben]

I almost forgot. Played with a guy named Alex DeVilling today. He's a newcomer to the long drive circuit. Hit the ball a mile. His hybrid went farther than my driver. And was 3 clubs longer than me with everything else. It was nuts. He really cranked drives out on 5 and 18 (Par 5s). He teed off with 4iron on one and hit it to within 110y. 1 is a 361y par 4. No roll today, it was cloudy, and drizzly and wet. Dude is big too. Must have been 6'5 and ripped.

[chef35ca]

My wife's cousin is playing on the canadian tour currently. Made the first 3 cuts of the season but has not faired as well recently.

Such a good player. 'Big fish in a little pond.' Problem is, out there there is so much freakin talent competing for these few spots. Could be the hardest occupation in the world to get into.

But everybody around here is rallying around him & supporting as much as possible. It's pretty cool to see so many that want one to suceed.

[enis750]

any updates as of late Ben???

[Tugglife2]

I've only read a few pages of this thread, planning on reading more tonight. However I have a few questions. What are the payouts like for these mini-tours? Guestimate of the top 3 payouts. Can/does anyone play these events professionally(Ben?)? It seems like the competition in these events is certainly very stiff!

[Ben]

any updates as of late Ben???

Updates... Toilet! Tournament golf is seriously annoying right now! I had been on a big practice kick last month and it really didn't pay off. All I got was arthritis in my left thumb, thanks three buckets a day of practice! So, I've been laying off the range time, as I'd always done before, and I am finally getting back to breaking par. The tournaments pick up heavy again at the beginning of the month. So I'll have more updates then. Thanks for checking in though!

I've only read a few pages of this thread, planning on reading more tonight. However I have a few questions. What are the payouts like for these mini-tours? Guestimate of the top 3 payouts. Can/does anyone play these events professionally(Ben?)? It seems like the competition in these events is certainly very stiff!

As far as how much per field. On the Golden State and Pepsi Tours they payout a third of the field. If we're talking numbers, it fluctuates based on participation, but, the typical one-day GSTour field is about 25 players all paying $300. Winner will take home about $2000, last place getting around even money back, maybe a little less.

[Tugglife2]

Thanks for the reply Ben.

I did a little research and discovered that the Hooters Tour pays out pretty well at $30k for first. They do however have guaranteed purses of $200k-$250k. Looks like they get some big fields.

[enis750]

Updates... Toilet! Tournament golf is seriously annoying right now! I had been on a big practice kick last month and it really didn't pay off. All I got was arthritis in my left thumb, thanks three buckets a day of practice! So, I've been laying off the range time, as I'd always done before, and I am finally getting back to breaking par. The tournaments pick up heavy again at the beginning of the month. So I'll have more updates then. Thanks for checking in though!

3 buckets a day is insane bro...holy

i have only been practicing once a week now, but hitting 2 buckets - one w long irons/driver etc one w scoring irons, 8-LW then some putting etc i find that playing more helps me, rather than spending countless hours on the range i put up some of lowest rounds in the past 2 weeks w very little practice (71, 72, 72, 73) just tonns of playing (12 rounds in 14 days) for me anyways.... then i shoot 78 today!! hahaha! keep us posted dude, always enjoy reading your posts/blogs

[Ben]

Fi na lly !!!

I figured it out. Don't hit a single range ball for a week and a half, and I will play great.

Played my weekly game at Brookside GC in Pasadena today and played pretty quite nicely. Four birdies an eagle and three bogeys. Wack freakin' bogeys too, didn't get up and down from just off the green both times. Got a little too eager with my PW trying to play bump and runs.

Birdie #1 was on hole 1. 314y par-4. Nice drive to about 35y. The pin was tucked behind a bunker with about 5 paces to work with. I hit this awesome flop that hit and grabbed. Left myself 5 feet, and sunk the putt. Holes 2 and 3 were solid pars, 3 being the hardest hole on the course, I had a putt for birdie, but par is always good there. 4 and 5 were a bit of a disappointment. Had the same putt on both. 10' uphill, one ball outside right. Missed them both, but put great rolls on them. Birdie #2, 6th hole, a par-5. Solid driver, kinda janky 3-wood, but only had about 25y to the pin, but, I was sitting down in a really bad lie in some THICK kikuya rough. Bumped it up to about 8', again I was left with an uphill right to lefter, this time I made it. Then, the stupid PW bogeys on 8 and 9, finished the front at even. Kinda pissed, but shrugged it off.

The back started off with a solid par on 10. A bit of a tough hole, but again I gave my birdie putt a good look. Eagle time! Par-5 11th. Good driver, 4-iron from 218 to pin high and about 35'. Draino! I got my line, kept my head still, and rolled that beast in! Uh oh, holes 12 and 13. 12 is a 500 yard par-4, dead straight and the fairway narrows right at the landing area. 13 is a 205y par-3 with bunkers protecting right and left. 4 iron to 35' on 11, 4 iron to 10' on 12 then, yes again, 4 iron on 13 to 11'. Unfortunately didn't connect on 12 or 13. But man I put some good rolls on them. Kinda got robbed on 13, but, oh well. Birdie #3. This one was pretty freakin rad. Pulled my drive into some trees, and left myself 125y out. Tree limbs in front of me to go under, then a tree about 20y in front of me to go over is what I was looking at. For some reason I can really visualize ball flight, if there is a gap in some trees, I will get through it, case in point, this shot right here. Pulled it off perfectly and left myself about 25'. Got a nice read off my competitor, stepped up to my putt, kept my head still and nailed that one! Stinkin' 15, lame bogey on a par-5, LAME!!! 16 and 17 some solid pars. #18, birdie #4. This hole is a BEAST! 480y, water right, thick rough and huge trees left. I clobbered a drive and found myself 158y out. Smooth 8iron to about 10' and again capitalized on a read from my competitor. Got my line, kept my head still, and rolled that one in!

That putt was huge. Standing up on the green I figured if I could make that putt I would probably rob someone of some money. Turns out that put got me a tie for the lead and a spot in a 3-man playoff. Unfortunately that's where the story ends. I parred the first playoff hole, competitors both birdied.

But, as I said up there, "finally!" A solid 3-under 69, good enough for second place and some money in my wallet. So once again I'll let it be known, the driving range, well over-rated! Practice your chipping, that's where its at!

The best part of the day. ALL YOU CAN EAT KOREAN BBQ!!!! Chadolbagi over load!

[alf174]

thanks for the update!

[IcemanYVR]

thanks for the updates Ben, good to hear you're making progress

my game didn't drastically improve either until I ditched the driving range for the practice area