Steve:
Thanks for participating.
What are your competitive aspirations?
Do you differentiate between a good match play vs. stroke play course? If so, how?
Did you participate in that OGA tournament where the used a rolled back ball? If so, tell us about the experience? What is your view on rollback in general?
Is bomb and gouge a regular phenomena in the tournaments in which you compete?
Draw or fade? How good are you at working it both ways?
Sunday mornings - church or golf?
- Jason
Competitive aspirations - To win some local tournaments (I've won one tournament outside of my club in my life) and do well in state and national events. In state events finish top 10 or better and in national events make the match play. When I played the Mid Am I really felt I could compete with the better players but I have little experience at that level. My chipping is much better this year than when I played the Mid Am but my ball striking is slightly worse (but improving) and my short putting is not good right now. The ultimate dream is to win the Mid Am so I could play in the Masters.
I don't really differentiate between a good stroke play or match play course. It really just comes to down to do I like playing the course or not.
I did not play in the OGA tournament with the rolled back ball. My general view of a rollback is it is not needed at the mid-am ranks. Anything that is done should apply to everyone though because many of us still try to qualify for the Open and other events that could be under different standards. I will say that I didn't notice any real distance gains, especially with my irons, when the ProV came out. Maybe a little with my driver but not much. It was hard to tell there because I added 20 pounds of muscle that year. However, this year I am hitting it further. I went to Titliest and got custom fitted for all of my clubs. MY irons are going further. The wedge about 5 yards, the 7 iron about 10 10 and the 5 iron almost 10-12. Getting properly fitted with the right shafts and new clubheads seems to have really made a difference. Even though my driver specs were already really good that last bit of tweaking seems to have made a difference their too. I can more easily draw the ball off the tee and that shot can go a lot further. However, I really started working out since last November and am much stronger too.
I don't think bomb and gouge is a big factor in mid-am ranks. At the US Mid Am I was basically the shorter hitter I saw but most guys were only a few yards further off the tee than me. I think craftiness and shot making are still a big part of the mid-am game. Especially since I can still beat a lot of guys who blow it by me.
My natural shot use to be a draw, when the ball would curve more on its own. Now it is pretty straight. But, I never hit a shot without trying to hit a draw or fade and controlling the trajectory. I think it helps me score better because I can eliminate trouble and it is FUN!. MY fade hasn't been working as well this year. It was my go to clutch shot in pressure situations the year I made the Mid Am, especially with the driver.
I almost never miss church. Only if I am out of town or the club championship because the last round is on Sunday.