Which flight to enter?

[mr_bogey]

Next weekend, July 28-29, Pistol and I will be playing in a local tournament being held at our home club. The tourney is in the same series of events that Pistol shot the 65 and won the Hawaii trip at another course. There are 11 events in the series, which culminates in a Ryder Cup style match between Georgia and South Carolina players. I used to play 4-5 events a year, and made the Georgia team 3 times in the past, but I have hardly played in it the past 5 years.

Here is my quandary. I am 54, handicap index 1.2. Should I play in the open division, or should I play in the senior division? The difference in yardage (likely 400 yards) is no issue. The level of competition will be pretty similar in either division. I am playing well enough tee to green to contend in either, but my putting has been weak at best and I figure I am unlikely to shoot much better than 148 (+4) in either division. I think about -2 to even will win each division. Pistol, in his 40's, will be in the open division.

So, help me choose - open or senior?

[coralpro]

I would go with the open to avoid sandbaggers. If you are going to be in pistols group though I would spike his drink with ex-lax before the round began to give you the edge up.

[Bigvivec]

Go open...all things being equal you might sneak up on some of the young guns who aren't expecting it...
That and you can keep the epic battle going on a different battleground...

[JimSomebody]

Sandbaggers would be my concern, too. If the open division is straight-up play (no handicap applied to gross score), I'd say open.

[Leaguegolf]

The test of a man's golf game is the quality of player he defeats. Improve your quality by playing in the open division. Win, lose, or draw, you will come away knowing you played the best and not someone with an agenda. The rewards for playing well in the open division will be much greater that playing well in the senior division. Lastly, you can always play the senior division. How much longer do you realistically have to play in the open division? Whichever you decide, give it your all and know you have our support.

[Keith]

Sounds like Mr. Bogey is the Fred Funk of GRW

[mr_bogey]

Both divisions are scratch play - no handicaps - no sandbagging.

I am entering today and going to the open division. If I were to be playing in more series events, I would go the senior route, because if I could make the GA squad that is where I could help them most. But, since this is going to probably be the only event I will enter, I am going to play the best. If nothing else it will be good preparation for the Club Championship in a couple of months, in which I will certainly play for the Championship, not the senior title.

[pick-it-up]

Make my funk the Fred Funk.......

[mr_bogey]

The tournament is looming in a couple of days. Pistol and I are paired for round 1, at 8:08 AM, along with our buddy who plays Saturdays with us. Pistol is playing pretty well, but my game is in the toilet. My last 4 nines are 41,42,40,43. I am playing 18 tomorrow to try to get something to work with for the weekend, but right now my confidence is about shot. I know I have been thru these spells many times, and it can all come back suddenly, but right now I am gonna be surprised if I break 80 either day.

[PA PLAYA]

Originally Posted by mr_bogey

The tournament is looming in a couple of days. Pistol and I are paired for round 1, at 8:08 AM, along with our buddy who plays Saturdays with us. Pistol is playing pretty well, but my game is in the toilet. My last 4 nines are 41,42,40,43. I am playing 18 tomorrow to try to get something to work with for the weekend, but right now my confidence is about shot. I know I have been thru these spells many times, and it can all come back suddenly, but right now I am gonna be surprised if I break 80 either day.

Good luck in your tournament.

I normally don't give 1.2 handicappers advice, but here goes....

Don't worry about your game and keep a positive attitude. Undoubtedly you've fried bigger fish in your career.

[mr_bogey]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

Good luck in your tournament.

I normally don't give 1.2 handicappers advice, but here goes....

Don't worry about your game and keep a positive attitude. Undoubtedly you've fried bigger fish in your career.

Thanks for the good word. Today I played a practice round, and tho my total wasn't very good, I am taking some big positives into tomorrow. On the first nine we had a threesome (including a friend who once played the US Amateur at Pebble Beach), and I held my own, shooting 38 to lead the group. I should mention the course is really tough - the course tournament record is 68! As we made the turn, there was a fivesome of hackers in front of us (the course allows 5somes if all ride), so a twosome joined us to make our own fivesome. The change of pace from brisk play to stiflingly slow in 96 degree heat took its toll and my focus waned. At our 16th hole I hit a huge drive in the perfect right side area, which I expected to give me a rare go at the par 5 green. Instead I found it had taken a horrible kick right somehow up a hill and behind a tree in a gnarly set of roots. By the time I wrestled that mess into a double bogey my focus was shot, and I slopped it in for an 82. Tomorrow will be a morning round, all threesomes, and I feel WAAAAY better about where my ball-striking and putting were today. I am not expecting great things, but I do think I can shoot respectable scores now.

[stlcard_25]

Best of luck to you tomorrow, mr_bogey. Go low, and see if you can keep up with Pistol and his first round hot hand of late.

[PA PLAYA]

Originally Posted by mr_bogey

Thanks for the good word. Today I played a practice round, and tho my total wasn't very good, I am taking some big positives into tomorrow. On the first nine we had a threesome (including a friend who once played the US Amateur at Pebble Beach), and I held my own, shooting 38 to lead the group. I should mention the course is really tough - the course tournament record is 68! As we made the turn, there was a fivesome of hackers in front of us (the course allows 5somes if all ride), so a twosome joined us to make our own fivesome. The change of pace from brisk play to stiflingly slow in 96 degree heat took its toll and my focus waned. At our 16th hole I hit a huge drive in the perfect right side area, which I expected to give me a rare go at the par 5 green. Instead I found it had taken a horrible kick right somehow up a hill and behind a tree in a gnarly set of roots. By the time I wrestled that mess into a double bogey my focus was shot, and I slopped it in for an 82. Tomorrow will be a morning round, all threesomes, and I feel WAAAAY better about where my ball-striking and putting were today. I am not expecting great things, but I do think I can shoot respectable scores now.

Something tells me that come tomorrow when it is time to play, you'll be exactly where you want to be, doing exactly what you want to do.

Have fun and play well!

[mr_bogey]

We went off at 0808, and started okay, parring the first two. I bogied the par 5 3rd as rumbles of thunder started nearing. I thought I saw lightning in the middle of my swing on the par 3 4th, and flinched, hitting a duck-hook to an unplayable lie. Turns out I probably just blinked since no thunder followed, but I am pretty nervous about lightning when I am holding metal rods. The horns sounded. After my double bogey we went in for a weather delay. After 45 minutes or so we returned, and a par and bogey later I was 4 over thru 6. I was in the process of totally chopping up the par 5 7th, lying three by the creek 70 yards out with almost no place to take a stance, when I made the turnaround shot of the day, flopping my L-wedge to about a foot to save par. I birdied #8, missed three good birdie chances in a row, then birdied #12 to get back to 2 over. My drive on #13 landed right in the corner but bounced back into the trees - had to chip out and made bogey. Then I made fairly standard pars all the way in for a 39/36-75. The lead was at 71 when I left and likely a half dozen golfers will be ahead of me - mostly the college golfers, I expect.

Pistol turned in 38 and had uncharacteristically missed a couple of short putts, when he had a rough 4 hole stretch where he went 6 over. He then parred in for 38/42-80. If he is following this thread he can describe it better.

[PA PLAYA]

Some days it's a tough, slow grind. But you can take pride in knowing that you battled back and kept it very respectable

[stlcard_25]

Way to tough out a score there, mr_bogey. Sounds like you could be right in it if the flat stick gets working tomorrow. Good luck tomorrow.

[mr_bogey]

Originally Posted by stlcard_25

Way to tough out a score there, mr_bogey. Sounds like you could be right in it if the flat stick gets working tomorrow. Good luck tomorrow.

Truer words were never spoken.

Turns out some late finishers were the leaders - three guys came in at 69. So, I started today in 9th place. I was paired with a college golfer - those guys are invariably long, it seems, but tho he outdrove me, I hit my irons about a half club longer than him. I started with a pair of bogeys, then parred the next four holes. On the 7th I hit a good drive up the right, like in my practice round, and found myself in what is normally a good position, but my ball was an inch behind a root taller than my ball. I hit a full 9 iron with soft hands and hit it well but branches ahead knocked it down, still 235 out. From there I hit driver on the green, but 3 putted away my good work. The next hole I nearly holed my birdie, then missed my only short putt of the weekend, BADLY missing an 18 incher. A par on 9 turned me in 40. I bogeyed #10 to go 5 over, but then came alive. I hit it to 10 feet on 11 but missed, but a two putt birdie on par 5 12 got one back. On 14 I hit to 6 feet for another birdie, and parred in (woulda really liked to make that 10 footer on the last) for 35 on the back and another 75. The winner was the coach for the Augusta State U. golf team, who blew everyone away with 69-67 to win by 7. Several of his players and some other top locals finished lower, as my 150 was good for tenth place.

I managed to hold on and slip in 1 ahead of Pistol, who fired a 71 today, so I have the bragging rights - but he won the money. I won 1 bet yesterday, but he won 5 today, so even though I clearly thoroughly outplayed him I ended losing $2 for the weekend.

Also, 145 won the Senior flight, so maybe from 400 yards shorter I could've contended there, but it is hard to know these things in advance.....

[Pistol]

I played a whole lot better today (71) than yesterday (80). My iron game was not working yesterday and I could not get up and down to save my par. I still struggled a bit with my chipping, but I hit more greens today (12) than yesterday (9). Mr. Bogey has bragging rights until our club championship that is scheduled for late September. I am happy to see him putting better because it was getting hard to watch LOL. The tournament was a huge success and my hat is off for our pro who put on a super tournament. This tournament was in the same series as the one I shot the 65 and here are a few differences. They both cost $110 for a practice round and 2 days of golf with cart. Both had door prizes and range balls. The big difference was ours had a breakfast (continental), full lunch and 2 free drinks both days. The payoff was vastly different also. The other tournament payed 9 places and ours payed 20. Overall one of the best tournaments I've ever played.

[PA PLAYA]

Nice recap fellas. Sounds like you both had a great time, and managed to play some pretty good golf despite a few bad holes here and there.

Well done!

[stlcard_25]

Interesting round there, mr_bogey...sounds like your consistent inconsistency was really the key to holding off the charging Pistol.

Nice 71, btw Pistol. I try to imagine shooting a 71 in a tournament...but every time I do, they make me play the 17th and 18th holes!