ajga preseason

olbygolf · April 1, 2008

has anyone ever played in the ajga preseason at the country club of mendon in new york just wondering if it is a nice course and how hard it is.

Mark

rmac549 · April 14, 2008

Im going to be playing in that event too, never played there either. From looking at their website, it looks very tight

SCameron009 · April 14, 2008

I played in that event last year, I had my worst finish of the season shooting 81-82 (T29th). I putted like absolute sh!t, the course is not really that tight at all, the only problem last year was the course was SO wet it was almost ridiculous. I've never been so pissed off after a golf tournament in my life (coming from a kid that hardly ever gets pissed).

I started on 10 both days which is an easy par 5, just do yourself a favor and take 3-wood off the tee, left and right are not good. You will still have a hybrid(ish) into the green. The 11th is the easiest/hardest par 4 you will ever play. I unfortunately made it hard making quad the first day and double the second. There is a creek that runs across the fairway about 270 yards, and with an elevated tee it looks like it would be easy to carry it, but with no roll and the cold temperatures, again do yourself a BIG favor and take 3 wood off that tee. The 465 yards on the scorecard might look intimidating, but to be honest, hit 3-wood and whatever you need to get to the green from there get away with your bogey/par and walk to the next hole. The BIGGEST mistake I made that week was I tried to make birdies all the way around which to be honest with that course if you make 36 pars you are going to win the tournament by quite a bit (7 shots last year). 12 is fairly easy, just aim up the right side with your tee shot and work it back to the left, you will have a mid/long iron in to a small green but if you play it right it will be a easy par (aim for the middle of this green). 13 is a easy par three, it is pretty uphill but for some reason it does not play longer than the yardage. I believe it was clocked 176 last year by AJGA officials but I hit my 180 shot both days and was way over the green - play to the front of the green because it will release to wherever the pin is at. 14 is a fairly intimidating tee shot - Elevated tee but trees/trouble down the left and right side. Take 3 wood if you need to, but driver will leave you a short iron into an elevated green. The second shot plays quite a bit longer than the yardage, just hit a few shots from 125-150 up to that green in your practice round and you'll be straight. 15 you definitely get a little break after a pretty tough start (if you are starting on 10) - short par 4 (390ish but downhill) dont let the bunkers bother you, but this is by far the flattest green on the course...there will be a lot of birdies on this hole. 16 is a SHORT par 5 but get your drive in the fairway, i cannot stress this enough. Tee shot is almost identical to 14 but if you get it in the fairway, the rest of the hole is easy (keep it below the hole on the green though). 17 is a straight downhill par 3 that plays exactly 2 clubs less than the yardage (depending on wind) - I believe we played it at 205 and it played about 185, front of the green isn't bad, just don't go long or right, tough up and downs (if anything miss short). 18 is a fairly easy hole, just take your drive down the right side with a draw or left with a fade whatever floats your boat - you are hitting to a 2 tiered green so make sure you base your club selection to where the pin is at.

The front 9 is a whole different animal - you have holes that will play long as sh!t (because you are not going to get any roll, they were into the wind both days, and not to mention it was cold). First hole just swing as hard as you can because the second shot is pretty tough - trust me it is a lot easier to come into this hole with a short iron than leaving yourself a 5/6 iron. The second hole is a b!tch, no other way to put it. Straight uphill, and there is a tree that is in the right side of the fairway but the catch is - while needing to get as much off the tee as you can you have to play a fade because if you hit a draw off that tree you will be in some short pines left of the fairway where you have NO shot (I was there day 2). This is another hole where you can take a bogey and walk away. The third hole is a SHORT downhill par three, I emphasize short - 165?ish on the card, it played about 145-150, I remember hitting punch 8 and being on the backside and over. The 4th and 5th holes you get a BIG break from the starting three - both really short par fours, but don't get too excited, you need to get your ball in play. Hit hybrid or three wood off the tee (if you are a longer hitter don't be afraid to hit iron). You will have pdubs in at the most, these are your chances to get something back. The 6th and 7th are your last easier holes on the golf course. Shape your tee shot on 6 left to right, it is a shorter par 5, play it as a 3 shot hole because there is a lot of trouble around the green (bunkers and DEEP rough). 7 is a shorter par 3, fire at a middle(ish) pin, but if the pin is tucked just hit it at the middle and you will be left with a really flat putt anywhere - distance is important though. 8 is killer on driving accuracy, it is not that long, but you will have to punch out if you miss this fairway more than 10 yards (there are thick young pines all around the golf course on pretty much every hole). Make sure you focus on distance control on the approach, green is sloped severely back to front (as well as front to right and front to left). The 9th is not that difficult, just open up on the drive - you will have a middle iron in, make sure you get the ball on the correct side of the green (it is sloped severely left to right, with a tier on the backside).

Overall the course is not that bad, you just have to think your way around it. The problem I had was mostly putting, but coming right out of winter it was hard to trust my swing on such a relatively tight course. If I could give yall one piece of advice, is don't get mad after a bogey, my good buddy David Pastore shot 78 73 last year and came in 2nd. He said the key was that on his second round he didn't let the bogeys affect him because he knew that the scores were going to be high. BE PATIENT, make pars, and just enjoy your first AJGA.

rmac549 · April 15, 2008

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. Sounds like you really need to drive the ball in the fairway.

SCameron009 · April 15, 2008

There are only a FEW holes that you can afford to miss the fairway and have no tree trouble; if they have the rough anything like they did last year its not going to be an easy second shot. Basically play conservative, be patient, and don't let bogeys bother you. You have to remember 7 over won this tournament last year, patience is key.