Mid-Am Aspirations-Experiences, and stories wanted

jclark3 · August 11, 2014

I've played in some state am's before, but nothing much bigger than that. I plan on trying to qualify for some after just getting back into the game after deciding I was burnt out in college. The biggest tip anyone will give you is I you don't have tournament experience you need to get some ASAP. I can't explain the huge difference it is for most people between a casual round and a very competitive tournament round. Play in local am tournies I'm sure there's a few around you that are open and are plenty competitive. Also don't get discouraged the guys who win mid ams are very very good, but there's not a ton separating them from someone who shoots 75 every time.
Also work your a** off on whatever shot would scare the crap out of you in a tournament whether its a 200yd forced carry to a small green or a 20 yard chip off of a tight lie with grain coming at you
Good luck!

jewofgolf · August 12, 2014

[quote name='blaird' timestamp='1407764354' post='9908099']
Well I finally got through a qualifier. Shot 68 and won the first playoff hole. It was one of the best ball striking rounds I think I ever had. Hit all 18 greens in reg and 3 of the par 5s in two. Had 35 putts. Greens were pretty quick and undulated so after I 3 jacked my second hole from 8 feet I putted defensively the rest of the day. Birdied the last 3 to get it in. Very excited about going to PA for my first USGA event.
[/quote]

Great job!

BackwardsGolfer · September 3, 2014

If any other GolfWRX'ers qualify, would love to meet up. I qualified out of Albuquerque, and am arriving today, will be playing Wehill tomorrow and Old Friday for PR.

NG

blaird · September 10, 2014

Well, I will fill yall in on my experience. Maybe backwards golfer can too.

Shot 75-79 to miss by 3. Shot 43 on last 9. Everything just fell apart last 9. But it was my first USGA event so now I have a little better understanding about what to do. Now the tournament itself...the course was absolutely perfect!! Very thick rough and I was surprised by how tight the fairways actually were. The greens were extremely fast. They gave me fits!! It was fun to play a "real" course with 470-490 yard par 4s and actually long par 5's.

The USGA is wonderful as well. We were treated first class throughout the whole deal. It was neat seeing your name on a locker as well. I was kind of in awe during the practice round. Several tee boxes as well as the practice green were roped off and had a sign saying "players and caddies only" so it kind of felt like a tour event.

I am leaving in a couple weeks for the USGA state team event in Indiana. From what I hear, you are treated exactly the same way as any other USGA event. I watched the big 10 championships last year and it was played on this course so I am real excited to see how it turns out.

jewofgolf · September 11, 2014

[quote name='blaird' timestamp='1410350917' post='10094373']
Well, I will fill yall in on my experience. Maybe backwards golfer can too.

Shot 75-79 to miss by 3. Shot 43 on last 9. Everything just fell apart last 9. But it was my first USGA event so now I have a little better understanding about what to do. Now the tournament itself...the course was absolutely perfect!! Very thick rough and I was surprised by how tight the fairways actually were. The greens were extremely fast. They gave me fits!! It was fun to play a "real" course with 470-490 yard par 4s and actually long par 5's.

The USGA is wonderful as well. We were treated first class throughout the whole deal. It was neat seeing your name on a locker as well. I was kind of in awe during the practice round. Several tee boxes as well as the practice green were roped off and had a sign saying "players and caddies only" so it kind of felt like a tour event.

I am leaving in a couple weeks for the USGA state team event in Indiana. From what I hear, you are treated exactly the same way as any other USGA event. I watched the big 10 championships last year and it was played on this course so I am real excited to see how it turns out.
[/quote]

Congrats again on your efforts.

I caddied during the 2009 (iirc)state team championship at St. Albans CC in St. Louis. World class setup and great players. I watched a guy shoot an easy 66 and haven't seen him on TV yet.

Here's hoping that I can get my game where it needs to be and make it to the am or mid-am in 2015. I'm certainly envious of you!

blaird · September 11, 2014

[quote name='jewofgolf' timestamp='1410416349' post='10099701']
[quote name='blaird' timestamp='1410350917' post='10094373']
Well, I will fill yall in on my experience. Maybe backwards golfer can too.

Shot 75-79 to miss by 3. Shot 43 on last 9. Everything just fell apart last 9. But it was my first USGA event so now I have a little better understanding about what to do. Now the tournament itself...the course was absolutely perfect!! Very thick rough and I was surprised by how tight the fairways actually were. The greens were extremely fast. They gave me fits!! It was fun to play a "real" course with 470-490 yard par 4s and actually long par 5's.

The USGA is wonderful as well. We were treated first class throughout the whole deal. It was neat seeing your name on a locker as well. I was kind of in awe during the practice round. Several tee boxes as well as the practice green were roped off and had a sign saying "players and caddies only" so it kind of felt like a tour event.

I am leaving in a couple weeks for the USGA state team event in Indiana. From what I hear, you are treated exactly the same way as any other USGA event. I watched the big 10 championships last year and it was played on this course so I am real excited to see how it turns out.
[/quote]

Congrats again on your efforts.

I caddied during the 2009 (iirc)state team championship at St. Albans CC in St. Louis. World class setup and great players. I watched a guy shoot an easy 66 and haven't seen him on TV yet.

Here's hoping that I can get my game where it needs to be and make it to the am or mid-am in 2015. I'm certainly envious of you!
[/quote]

Im heading to that one in a couple weeks. Its in French Lick, Indiana, the Pete Dye course that hosted big 10 championships last year for girls and guys. Im looking forward to this. I was told they treat you the same way at this as any other USGA event and the condition and everything else is just the same.

The hardest thing about USGA events is just getting through the qualifying. Its hard for me to afford to travel to Texas or deep in Florida to the venues that may have 7 spots available. At our US am qualifier, there were only 2 spots. And at the mid am there was only 1. Its hard to go out there, know you can shoot 3 under for two rounds or shoot 68 one round and that still not be good enough to get in. Just keep doing all the qualifiers you can is my best advice.

Cool Hand Luke · January 31, 2017

Hoping to revive this thread a bit and see if any of you have any more experience in these amateur events to share? Anyone played in the US mid am the last two years? I am aspiring to get my game in shape for these types of tournaments and it's great to read about how everyone else goes about preparing and what the experience can be like.

cheers

Forty · February 6, 2017

I qualified for the 2010, 2012, 2014, & 2015 US Mid-Am. I made match play (finished T-11 in stroke play) in 2014 and lost in the Round of 64 (1st round) 3&1. I also qualified for the US Fourball in 2015. I have also qualified through US Open Locals twice in 2001 & 2012. Two of my US Mid-Am qualifiers and one of my US Open Locals were secured in playoffs (5-for-4, 7-for-1, & 8-for-2).

If I were to give any advice to someone looking to compete at the national level, or even at the upper echelons of your region, it would be to play in as much tournament golf as possible. Obee had it right in his response. There is no magic elixir to getting better at tournament golf outside of playing tournament golf. Experience is king. Play everything you can afford to play in. City, local, regional, and state events.

Breaking through your first USGA qualifier is the toughest. The second is equally difficult due to the fact that you know what you'll be missing if you don't make it. But after that, you start to believe one of the spots is yours and everyone is going to have to take it from you. It sounds cocky, and I apologize if anyone thinks that sounds stuck up. But the confidence you have after making it through 2+ qualifiers definitely helps you. There is a reason why you see certain names consistently get through, because they believe and know they can do it. There are many players here in So Cal that are definitely in the same tier of player as those that consistently qualify but they struggle to ever break through themselves. For those players it's really about preparation, game plan, execution, and believing that they should qualify.

In summary, if I were a single digit that had aspirations to play at the national, or even high-end regional/state level, I would throw myself into the fire in every event I could make time and money for. Get uncomfortable. Feel embarrassed. Those are the first steps to getting better. Watch the better players when paired with them. It's likely you are as good as them in many ways, but they probably have better game plans and execute better than you. Learn from them. Ask them questions after the round. Most are like me and are happy to share any wisdom or thoughts on what they do or what they saw in your game and how you can improve. I'm still learning. It's a long process but very rewarding if you truly dive down the rabbit hole.

If you have any specific questions that I might be able to answer feel free to ask away. I know Obee personally and I'd take value in his opinion as well.

Cool Hand Luke · February 7, 2017

I qualified for the 2010, 2012, 2014, & 2015 US Mid-Am. I made match play (finished T-11 in stroke play) in 2014 and lost in the Round of 64 (1st round) 3&1. I also qualified for the US Fourball in 2015. I have also qualified through US Open Locals twice in 2001 & 2012. Two of my US Mid-Am qualifiers and one of my US Open Locals were secured in playoffs (5-for-4, 7-for-1, & 8-for-2).

If I were to give any advice to someone looking to compete at the national level, or even at the upper echelons of your region, it would be to play in as much tournament golf as possible. Obee had it right in his response. There is no magic elixir to getting better at tournament golf outside of playing tournament golf. Experience is king. Play everything you can afford to play in. City, local, regional, and state events.

Breaking through your first USGA qualifier is the toughest. The second is equally difficult due to the fact that you know what you'll be missing if you don't make it. But after that, you start to believe one of the spots is yours and everyone is going to have to take it from you. It sounds cocky, and I apologize if anyone thinks that sounds stuck up. But the confidence you have after making it through 2+ qualifiers definitely helps you. There is a reason why you see certain names consistently get through, because they believe and know they can do it. There are many players here in So Cal that are definitely in the same tier of player as those that consistently qualify but they struggle to ever break through themselves. For those players it's really about preparation, game plan, execution, and believing that they should qualify.

In summary, if I were a single digit that had aspirations to play at the national, or even high-end regional/state level, I would throw myself into the fire in every event I could make time and money for. Get uncomfortable. Feel embarrassed. Those are the first steps to getting better. Watch the better players when paired with them. It's likely you are as good as them in many ways, but they probably have better game plans and execute better than you. Learn from them. Ask them questions after the round. Most are like me and are happy to share any wisdom or thoughts on what they do or what they saw in your game and how you can improve. I'm still learning. It's a long process but very rewarding if you truly dive down the rabbit hole.

If you have any specific questions that I might be able to answer feel free to ask away. I know Obee personally and I'd take value in his opinion as well.

Thanks Forty! Wow, serious props to your success in the Mid-Am.

A few questions... do you work a regular job (40-50 hrs per week)? how much time do you spend practicing and playing in a week? what was your background prior to your amateur success (ie college golf, professional, etc?). Do you work with an instructor regularly?

cheers

Forty · February 8, 2017

I qualified for the 2010, 2012, 2014, & 2015 US Mid-Am. I made match play (finished T-11 in stroke play) in 2014 and lost in the Round of 64 (1st round) 3&1. I also qualified for the US Fourball in 2015. I have also qualified through US Open Locals twice in 2001 & 2012. Two of my US Mid-Am qualifiers and one of my US Open Locals were secured in playoffs (5-for-4, 7-for-1, & 8-for-2).

If I were to give any advice to someone looking to compete at the national level, or even at the upper echelons of your region, it would be to play in as much tournament golf as possible. Obee had it right in his response. There is no magic elixir to getting better at tournament golf outside of playing tournament golf. Experience is king. Play everything you can afford to play in. City, local, regional, and state events.

Breaking through your first USGA qualifier is the toughest. The second is equally difficult due to the fact that you know what you'll be missing if you don't make it. But after that, you start to believe one of the spots is yours and everyone is going to have to take it from you. It sounds cocky, and I apologize if anyone thinks that sounds stuck up. But the confidence you have after making it through 2+ qualifiers definitely helps you. There is a reason why you see certain names consistently get through, because they believe and know they can do it. There are many players here in So Cal that are definitely in the same tier of player as those that consistently qualify but they struggle to ever break through themselves. For those players it's really about preparation, game plan, execution, and believing that they should qualify.

In summary, if I were a single digit that had aspirations to play at the national, or even high-end regional/state level, I would throw myself into the fire in every event I could make time and money for. Get uncomfortable. Feel embarrassed. Those are the first steps to getting better. Watch the better players when paired with them. It's likely you are as good as them in many ways, but they probably have better game plans and execute better than you. Learn from them. Ask them questions after the round. Most are like me and are happy to share any wisdom or thoughts on what they do or what they saw in your game and how you can improve. I'm still learning. It's a long process but very rewarding if you truly dive down the rabbit hole.

If you have any specific questions that I might be able to answer feel free to ask away. I know Obee personally and I'd take value in his opinion as well.

Thanks Forty! Wow, serious props to your success in the Mid-Am.

A few questions... do you work a regular job (40-50 hrs per week)? how much time do you spend practicing and playing in a week? what was your background prior to your amateur success (ie college golf, professional, etc?). Do you work with an instructor regularly?

cheers

Cool Hand Luke,

A) I work 40-50 hours a week in a real job where I have to be there. Trying to potentially change that to something more flexible.

B) Currently, I don't play many rounds due to how busy I am. I have two children in the 10-13 year old range. In fact, I think I've only played 9 holes since mid-December. I do hit balls about 2-3x per week but only about 100 each time max. When I am ramping up for tournaments or tournament season I play 1-2 times per week, hit balls 2-3x per week, and work on putting and short game 2x per week. Right now I'm changing my diet and hitting the gym fairly hard to get my body stronger.

C) This is where I can get away with not grinding in the offseason as much as most... I am a reinstated amateur. I played professionally for 2-3 years and was a club pro for a few years prior to that. I was able to do serious work on my game when I was playing full time. Granted, I lost some of what I had while waiting reinstatement (the USGA made me wait 3 years to regain my amateur status). I would say it's definitely easier for me to get back on the bike than guys that never played full time after taking a few months off. I never had status on any major tour. I made it to 2nd Stage of Q-School and played decent at the mini-tour level but I learned I wasn't good enough to play on tour.

D) I don't have an instructor that I work with currently. Occasionally, I will have someone take a look at me, but I have built my game on mostly self-analysis. I'm all for guys finding someone they trust and believe in and sticking with them. A good instructor that you gel with can be huge.

Like I said in my above post, I really think the major key to getting better at tournament golf is simply playing tournament golf as much as you can. It's not everything, but it's a large part of it. Working on one's game is obviously important. Better proficiency = greater potential. But, application of skill in a tournament is unique and can only be learned through the fire of competition. Even down to the minutia of how to handle playing with someone that is getting in your way or obnoxious. Those finer detail things can really make a difference and can only be learned through experience.

I look forward to following your attempt at playing at a higher level. It's not unattainable. Just always be open to learning and be self-aware. Learn, adapt, and get better. The results will certainly follow. Good luck to you and feel free to ask any further questions if you ever have any.

Jeff

forecast6236 · February 10, 2017

The first state event I tried to qualify for was the CO mid-am last fall. I've worked for a few years hard on my game and only have 2 seasons of men's club events under my belt as experience.

I couldn't make my high school team and I've never had a lesson. I went from a 12 to a 1.4 with about 3 years of extensive work.

Shot 73 in the qualifier to get in and then doubled my 36th hole in the mid-am to miss the cut by 1. I've been replaying that hole in my mind 10 times a day ever since.

It only made me hungrier however. I'll be back.

spartan6910 · February 23, 2017

Loving reading through this thread. Played competitively through HS but gave it up once college came calling. But I'm getting the itch to get back into competitive golf. I've joined a Men's Club here in SoCal and I'm looking to improve my game to try my hand at a few qualifiers. I want to be able to say that I did, rather than I wish I had.

Thanks for all the insights!

RipVan · February 28, 2017

I don't play golf enough and certainly not enough tournament golf but I'd second or third the advice to play in a lot of events. Aside from quelling nerves, the course setups (narrow fairways, deeper rough, firmer and faster greens, tucked pins, etc) on unfamiliar grounds adds challenge for me. Local association or state level play is much easier than USGA. I came close to qualifying in a 36 holer.....missed by a couple.

A couple tidbits that I can remember....from the other side of success.

In a USGA Mid-Am qualfier, I started out three putting first two holes and followed it up with a Snowman on 3rd hole. Removed head from a** and shot respectable 76 finishing with a string of birdies. But the lesson I learned was from a fellow competitor after the round. He shot 80. He complimented me on coming "back" after the poor start and said that I have to realize every single one of the 75 players vying for 2 spots is a really good player. It just takes a lot of experience and confidence playing in these events and just having a really good round. I think 71 or 72 made it. It was a tough old course and it was very windy. I was shocked when he told me he played in US Open and US Am because he did not show much game that day. He put huge emphasis on experience. He said it takes playing in a lot of USGA qualifiers and to simply have a really good round. In retrospect, I think he was right on the experience but wrong on basically getting lucky on a good round. I was about a 2 or 3 at the time and since then have been as good as +2. My +2 game would crush my old 3 Hcp game 9 times out of 10. That me. YMMV. A plus 3 or 4 is light years better than a 3. There is also a huge difference between a 3 Hcp at a Muni playing with the boys, a 3 Hcp at top old course, and a scratch who has a Hcp off tournament scores (real numbers). Equitable stroke control. Pure BS. Even after the system got fixed a bit. Handicaps mean nothing. You can shoot 77 with an 11 and be "required" to post a 72 and if the course is rated at 75, presto, you're a plus 3. Handicaps mean nothing in the US as they pertain to tournament golf. They work for beer golf.

In another tournament, I started Snowman on hole one followed by Abominable on two. Cleaned vomit off shoes. Put the tee into the ground on hole three and moved on. Friend asked how did I start 9 over on the first two holes and shoot 7? I made an 8 and then a 9. Pars until the last three holes and went birdie, birdie, eagle finish. Reminds me of the famous question, "how did you five putt"....I putt, I mees, I putt, I mees. I putt, I mees, I putt, I mees. I putt, I make I did learn pressure that day. I lost four of my five balls on the first two holes. Who carries more than five balls? I putt two sleeves in now. LOL. I think I had to post a 72 for HcP purposes. I'm laughing now.

Anyways. There is some level of focus and comfort (confidence) that needs to be attained. I kept the card of a young kid who blew a US AM qualification. He three putted for par. Storms off the green in anger to the next tee ahead of us low lifes who two putted for par. Hastily puts his peg into the ground and blasts a beauty 310 yds down the fairway. He put the peg into the wrong teeing ground. two shot penalty. Missed by one. I think he shot 143 and 2 under made it. Something like that. It was like he had a three hole brain fart. Totally derailled by a three putt that he really should have made eagle. Three putts from 12-15 feet hurt. Perplexing.

I followed Arnie at some tournaments and was his marker for the tower once....what a thrill. He got a rude nasty break on a hole and made a number. Got screwed. No emotion. Saying hi and waving and smiling. Nobody would ever know he made a big one. I wondered to myself if or what was he feeling inside. He birdied the next hole. Got my answer. I guess it did not bother him. Salvaged the round with a couple more. This confidence and composure was an eye opener to me.

I apologize for the drivel. Bottom line is being a pretty good player and playing enough to be confident and being composed to know one of those spots is yours if not today then next week.

TerpFangolfer · February 28, 2017

Great thread...I played in a bunch of Publinx, MidAm qualifers back in 90s. I was about a 2-3 at the time. Closest I came was missing by ~3 shots for MidAm at Congressional gold...now I'm gunning for Sr Am events. My 55th will be in 2019 and trying to get ready. My hdcp shot back up to ~8 (playing nothing but "casual" golf for 10 yrs or so) thru my kids "growing" years.

Now I have 1 off to college, and a 15 yr playing golf - so more time to play/practice with him. Got new sticks last year - maybe even go for some lessons. I was always self-taught, albeit with a brother who was a club pro. He's now out of the golf biz (and out of the state) so that option is out.

Thinking about playing GCAm tour events just to ease back into competition. And some State/local events...again everything geared for my "window" for Sr events - figure age 55 to 60 (max).

I'll keep tuning into this thread...