My 2006 Golf Schedule

4.15.06 MUGT @ Brickyard Crossing (Indy)

4.22.06-4.23.06 MUGT @ Grand Victoria (MAJOR)

4.30.06 MUGT @ Shadowood (Lou)

5.6.06 MUGT @ The Fort (Indy)

5.29.06 MUGT @ The Legends (Indy)

Indiana Amateur Qualifying - Week of 6.2.06-6.5.06

6.3.06 MUGT @ Bear Slide (Indy)

6.10.06-6.11.06 MUGT @ Swan Lake (MAJOR)

6.24.06 MUGT @ Hickory Stick (Indy)

8.26.06-8.29.06 Indiana Amateur @ Harbour Trees

7.8.06 MUGT @ Ironwood (Indy)

7.22.06 MUGT @ Otter Creek (Lou)

7.29.06-7.30.06 MUGT @ Red Hawk Run (MAJOR)

8.12.06 MUGT @ Heartland Crossing (Indy)

8.17.06-8.18.06 Indiana Mid-Am @ Tippecanoe Lake

9.10.06 MUGT @ Covered Bridge (Lou)

9.16.06 MUGT @ Indy Tour Champ. at GCI

4.15.06 @ Brickyard Crossing

Typical Indiana in April. Monsoon tornado-like weather the night before really put a damper on things this past Saturday. Brickyard Crossing is a wonderful course. And one day I will play like I know I can and win there. Fairways were pretty soggy and greens were a bit inconsistent but overall the course was in great shape especially after all the rain. Hats off to the ground crew. It is in the shadow of IMS and that's why I like it. Being there in May and August as a track official - the track and the golf course makes me feel at home.

Teed off in the first group at 11 AM. Because of the rain - the guys in our group had about 15 minutes tops to hit range balls. Really that's all I needed. My friend Chris Baker - who won the Indy Points Championship two years ago was my caddy. Honestly, that's the first time I've ever had one. Golf is an individual sport and to have someone there to help out eases some of the burdens you take for granted. Chris is a great friend and knows my game pretty well as he and I've played numerous events together.

Everytime I've played BC it's been pretty firm. So I kept that mentality in my head (maybe too long) and was conservative off the first three tees. You can see that 2 of the first 3 holes are short par 4's anyway. This day I had a good ball hitting day. Off the tee, I was especially happy with the results. It was again a day where we had ball in hand in our fairway (ie. lift/clean/place). Tee balls easily backed up and were muddy..

First hole uneventful, 3 wood, 8 iron, two putt par. Second hole, striped drive, good placement on my 3 wood to have all the green to work with and flare my wedge just to the right of the green and shortside myself. It wasn't a hard up and down by any means - just didn't execute. Third hole hit my worst drive of the day with 3 wood but it was just a pull/draw that still left me with 9 iron to the hole but out of the rough and over trees. Pete Dye is a master with hole layout. What I thought was a shot at the hole turned out to be in the collection area to the left of the green but I placed a masterful chip to 3 feet and got up and down. Ok - it's early - lots of golf still left as I'm only +1. Next par 3 I land my tee ball right where I was aiming but it hit the firmest part of the green and ran to 60 feet away - BIG GREEN! A poorly executed first putt left me 18 feet to save par. Ugh. Fourth hole, I block my drive (in part because I hooked my 3 wood two holes earlier) and caught a terrible lie in the bunker against the lip. This is where a good caddy comes in - had 181 to the pin. Solid 6 iron for me. Chris steps in and asks why? Punch a wedge out and play for the up and down from around 50 yards. Damn he's good. Did just that and putt the 3rd shot to about 2 feet and walk away with par. Because the ball was in a washed out area of the bunker because of the rain it could have been thought of as ground under repair. So I did hit another shot with that ruling in mind. Hit that 6 iron to about 18 feet. Because I parred with both balls the ruling was moot.

Feeling like I've been trying to jumpstart my game until now. I stripe a driver down the right side of the fairway on the next par 5. Not the best spot to be but can still reach the green in two. Hybrid club for my next shot and pull/draw it into the greenside bunker. I'm pin high in two... I'm pin high in two... I'm pin high in two... then sand wedge, sand wedge, chip, and 3 putts from 6 feet leaves me with a punch in the gut 8! Snowman, baby! Next hole number 7 is a great par 3 where accuracy is key. We play it at nearly 200 yards. I hit a 4 iron with a baby draw that kicks right instead of left down into the collection area. First chip came back to me - the green is elevated almost 30 feet above me and is a tough chip. Second chip to 9 feet and drain the putt. I'm +6 after 7 holes and I haven't hit but maybe two bad shots.

I played steady over the next 11 holes and play it to +2. Hit the ball great off the tee but just didn't put myself in a position to have a good run at a birdie putt. Shot of the day was on 18. Carved a driver up the left side and had 5 iron to the green. Pin is in back - rather than playing a club short I fire at the pin and end up in the back bunker. With the green at least even with my head and the green running away and to the left - it was a difficult shot even if I hadn't been in the sand! At the end of last year at Covered Bridge I had a similar scenario where I had gotten my round to -3 after 15 holes. I doubled to fall back to -1. I'm in the back bunker on a downhill lie with no green on the last hole and I get up and down. I've done it before and knew I could do it again. At this time I thought I was only +7 and wanted to stay in the 70's on my score. I imagined the shot, committed to it, and pulled it off to 3 feet and hit the putt. Ok it was for an 80 but I'm never one to know really what my score is during the round. But the point is I did what I needed to do...

I am frustrated with the round. I feel my swing is coming around and with my display off the tee I know I'm almost there. A few stray approach shots happen but what disappointed me most was my bread and butter - short game. I hit some really good shots and got up and down but those were with the tough ones... the easy ones I let go. Golf is a game of completeness. To be competitive day in and day out - all the facets need to be as good as you can have them. I've concentrated on my swing changes but haven't done much with my short game. I'll say it each time: Golf is a great game. You're only as good as your strengths and weaknesses allow you to be. Looking forward to the first Major coming up next weekend. I'll be working on the short game this week for sure.

On the day:

Lessons learned:

My Golf thoughts of the day: Keep focused. Making the tough shots helps you put together a good round but when you can't do the easy ones... it doesn't matter. Also, challenge the golf course when it's wet. Playing safe is needed in some instances but you have to attack a course when it's soft. Confidence breeds playing well and playing well breeds confidence.

This weekend is our first two day Major. A new venue awaits at the Grand Victoria course in Rising Sun. I've never played it but will walk it on Friday evening. It only stretches out to 6600 yards so it may need some golf management. After two second place finishes last year in the Majors - I'm hungry for victory. I know I can do it.