QMany's Swing/Sticks (KS Mid-Am Team Champion p. 125)

[Mitchell]

Praying for peace and comfort to you and the rest of family.

[KC4441]

Praying for you brother. I just lost my sister to cancer at 37, she has two boys, 7 and 11 months. Praying for you.

[QMany]

Praying for you brother. I just lost my sister to cancer at 37, she has two boys, 7 and 11 months. Praying for you.

 

I’m so sorry for your loss. It just ain’t right.

[verderraul]

Matt, Please accept my deepest condolences. So sorry for your loss.

[Hot Rod 71]

So sorry to hear this, Matt. Prayers for you and your family.

[drewtaylor21]

Man, it's heart breaking seeing his family there and another kiddo on the way. I can't help but think of my own wife and son and all I can say is I feel for you Matt. Losing your best friend just plain sucks. Tragic loss for all of you and even though words are never enough, you guys are in my prayers.

[Whiskey_fire]

Man I’m thinking of you right now. So sorry

[QMany]

Back on the grind...

 

 

 

There is always room for improvement, but this is probably the best my swing has ever felt & looked.

 

I was hitting some balls with KSGolfCoach a few weeks ago and he noticed my L shoulder wasn't working ideally, it would work too high too quick in transition. I need to feel it more down, forward, and around. I've been doing halfer freezers to work on it, and this might be the best I've looked hip-high-to-hip-high:

 

That feel has really taken my ball striking to a new level, lower and farther.

 

Feels like a halfer, staying wide, and then getting the L shoulder low and forward in transition.

Ball flight has been lower, farther, and straighter. Probably the best I've ever hit irons and wedges.

[Hot Rod 71]

Looking really good, Matt!

[QMany]

I qualified for my 5th straight Kansas Amateur!

 

 

 

It has been a long, hard month. And this was probably the most difficult round I've ever faced mentally. It is that much more fulfilling to get through!

[J13]

Congrats and nice playing man Matt!!! :superman:

[MK7Golf21]

Nice playing!

[Ping Zings]

Congrats

[Dave D]

I qualified for my 5th straight Kansas Amateur!

 

 

 

It has been a long, hard month. And this was probably the most difficult round I've ever faced mentally. It is that much more fulfilling to get through!

 

Atta boy Q!

[Hot Rod 71]

Nice work, my friend!

[ebrasmus21]

Good goin Matt.

[QMany]

Sorry, I'm a little late with this update; it has been a hectic summer...

 

 

For the first time, I was invited to the Champions Dinner that is annually held the night before the Kansas Am begins. It was such a cool experience to by recognized among some of the best players, champions, and players of the year in the state.

 

 

Practice round: Monday, July 16

First round: Tuesday, July 17

Second round: Wednesday, July 18

64-man match play: July 19-22

 

SCORING

 

 

 

I played MEH during the stroke play portion. I was comfortably inside the cut line after birdies on my 33rd and 34th holes but then limped in with bogey and double on my last two holes to finish T43 and qualify for match play.

 

 

 

 

In the first round of match play, I drew incoming University of Kansas golfer Christian Ghilardi. He is a really talented player and was tied for the lead after the first round. (Un)luckily, he shot 75 the second round to slide back and draw me. We played together a little at my old club. He is a really good kid, and it was a comfortable pairing for both of us.

 

I was playing pretty well and cruising along 2U thru 13. (I almost aced the 90 yard 5th and 190 yard 7th).

 

I played the long narrow par five 14th perfectly to find myself in the middle of the FW; 75 ridge, 85 flag, 95 back. I hit what I thought was the perfect shot, a sawed off 58* that usually goes 85 (full swing goes 92 MAX), only to see it fly the back of the green travelling 105. Just the most inopportune fairway flier ever. 1U.

 

He has the honor on the short par three 16th; downwind, downhill, 155 pin in back right. He hits it straight in the forehead. I was sure that it was going to be dead in the gunch long of the green. Instead, it catches the last patch of FW between two sprinkler heads and spins back to 15 feet. I played a perfect cut PW to 12 feet. He makes, I lip out. AS.

 

On 18, you have to make a decision, into the wind from #2 tee:

 

He goes for it, hits driver, and flairs is a little but catches the R FW. I hit arguably the best D of the week to find myself in the "FW grass bunker." From 95, I thought it was the perfect flier lie. Instead, it came out dead. I hit a great bunker shot to 7' but lipped out low. Just a devastating 1D loss.

 

 

 

 

While disappointed with the result, I was happy with how I played. I limited the mental mistakes and "big miss." That is the second year in a row I've advanced to match play. I'm excited to make some noise at the Kansas Am next year, hosted literally across the street from my house.

[jamie]

Thanks for the update!! I love following this thread, seeing a normal joe having dedication to the game and steadily improving...no easy task at your handicap. Prayers for you and your family.

[Dave D]

 

what a brilliant picture and what a brilliant position to be in, only 1 way to go from there, a direct flight to flush city

[QMany]

what a brilliant picture and what a brilliant position to be in, only 1 way to go from there, a direct flight to flush city

 

Man, that ball was sooooooo flush; I can still remember the feeling. Unfortunately, my path got a little left that week, so that was about a 10-yard cut that left me short-sided. Probably my best swing all week! :taunt:

[swizbeatz]

Good playin, do you always get to take carts in these events? The mid am is the only one that allows carts, our association state championship is 36 holes of stroke play before a cut all in 1 day!

[QMany]

Good playin, do you always get to take carts in these events? The mid am is the only one that allows carts, our association state championship is 36 holes of stroke play before a cut all in 1 day!

Yeah, every Kansas Golf Association event I’ve ever played in has allowed carts. Especially with some of the spread out courses we play, it speeds up pace of play so much. The recent USGA Mid Am Qualifier is the only event I’ve participated that was walking-only.

[ALIF]

Your swing is great! Great looking move. So super solid!

[QMany]

I tried the new Titliest drivers at a demo today at my club. I was pleasantly surprised! Ballspeeds were up and spin down versus my gamer M3. Titliest finally has themselves a contender.

[gatorpedsMD]

really.......

[QMany]

I tried the new Titliest drivers at a demo today at my club. I was pleasantly surprised! Ballspeeds were up and spin down versus my gamer M3. Titliest finally has themselves a contender.

 

Good numbers with the TS3, but I have hit the M3 really well in competition all year. I have a big trip this weekend and then the Kansas Mid-Amateur shortly thereafter. The M3 will stay in the bag to end the season, and I'll go through full bag testing this winter (irons, especially PW-8i, are about shot).

[Dave D]

I tried the new Titliest drivers at a demo today at my club. I was pleasantly surprised! Ballspeeds were up and spin down versus my gamer M3. Titliest finally has themselves a contender.

 

Good numbers with the TS3, but I have hit the M3 really well in competition all year. I have a big trip this weekend and then the Kansas Mid-Amateur shortly thereafter. The M3 will stay in the bag to end the season, and I'll go through full bag testing this winter (irons, especially PW-8i, are about shot).

 

that'll teach you for practicing so much!

[Hstead]

I tried the new Titliest drivers at a demo today at my club. I was pleasantly surprised! Ballspeeds were up and spin down versus my gamer M3. Titliest finally has themselves a contender.

 

Good numbers with the TS3, but I have hit the M3 really well in competition all year. I have a big trip this weekend and then the Kansas Mid-Amateur shortly thereafter. The M3 will stay in the bag to end the season, and I'll go through full bag testing this winter (irons, especially PW-8i, are about shot).

 

I love the M3. I picked up some distance and dispersion is better than my Subzero was. I just ordered a set of Mizuno 919 Tour irons. Check them out, very sweet feeling and love the way they go through the grass, especially the rough since that is where I spend most of my time it seems.

[QMany]

Nebraska may have the best private and public golf course in the world. Review, photographs, and opinions to follow ASAP...

[QMany]

GOLF in NEBRASKA

September 28-29, 2018

 

No palatial clubhouses, pretentious memberships, opulent accommodations, ocean views, or major championship history to prop up the Golf Digest ratings. No BS, just PURE GOLF. Sand Hills and Wildhorse could be the best private and public courses in the world...

 

 

 

SAND HILLS (Mullen, NE)

 

Some may disagree, but I believe Sand Hills GC is the best golf course in the United States. Ari has said as much, too:

 

I've been lucky enough to play all 10 of the top 10, 19 of the top 20, 36 of the top 50 and 61 of the top 100 in the most recent Golf Digest list.

 

Personal Top 10 USA

 

1 Sand Hills

2 Cypress Point

3 National Golf Links of America

4 Oakmont

5 LACC

6 Pine Valley

7 Prairie Dunes

8 Shoreacres

9 Shinnecock Hills

10 Merion

 

Even if not the best, it is on a short list.

· Golf Week #1 Modern Course (9.20 rating; #2 Pacific Dunes 8.88 and #3 Friar’s Head 8.59).

· Golf Magazine #12 Course in World.

· Golf Digest #11 Course in US (#9 2011-2014).

· Golf Digest #1 Modern Course.

 

Crenshaw & Coore studied the land for two years and sketched 136 different holes before choosing the final 18, for which they moved only 3,000 cubic yards of earth during construction. It is a marvel. The course is over a mile away from the clubhouse and cabins along the sand cart part. Other than Ben’s Porch, you cannot see another man-made structure as far as you can see. The greens are perfect, I can't put it any other way.

 

Sand Hills GC is my favorite place on the planet.

 

I was fortunate enough to return to Sand Hills this weekend with good friend and GolfWRX member Waterboy.

Now, I think Sand Hills has to be the best course in the world.

 

The grand scale is hard to capture on camera or convey in words, but I will try. Sand Hills GC is located within the +20,000 mi² Sandhills region of North-Central Nebraska. With a perfect sand base and enormous windswept dunes, it provides perfectly natural turf and bunkers. The biggest bunkers you've ever seen.

 

Two bunkers left on 18:

 

For scale, my dad in those bunkers:

 

Greenside bunker on 4, with another buddy for scale:

 

In addition to majestic bunkers, the land is the ideal base for perfect greens. They may not be the fastest in the world, but they are the perfect combination of firm, fast, and pure. (I'm sure they could get them faster, but can't with the elevations and normal winds). You really have to change the way you play, no more high-lofted wedges hopping and stopping from 30-80 yards, it is releasing. You can really use the ground game and your creativity.

 

 

Every hole at Sand Hills is awesome, there isn't a weak spot. They have the perfect mix of long, medium, and short par 3s, 4s, and 5s. But I would be remiss not to point out a few of my personal favorites.

 

#1 may be the best opening hole in golf. A par 5 from an elevated tee, you have choices to make: carry the bunker and try to get home in two, or bail out right and play it as a three-shotter. The second shot is as uphill as any I've ever played, with a long narrow green tucked between two blowouts. My 5i from 204 glanced the flagstick!

 

 

And it isn't the best par 5 on the course...

 

 

Because #14 is the best par 5 in the world.

 

Again, the tee shot is risk-reward. You can carry the bunker on the left to get a huge downslope (but pay the price if you don't execute) or bail out to the right. And then you have more choices on the second. I bombed my drive perfectly over the bunker; downwind and catching the downslope, I only had 122 left in. And it was nerviest PW I've ever hit. If you miss this small narrow green, good luck making even bogey. My playing partners stayed up on the hill with the drives and chased perfect 3W-5W up the left side. Our foursome played it twice; I think we tallied 3 birdies, 1 par, 1 bogey, 1 triple, and 2 DNF. It is just plain awesome!

 

 

#7-8 and back-to-back driveable par 4s that are unique, strategic, and fun.

 

 

 

#17 is their signature hole. It is a the new Postage Stamp standard. Depending on the wind, it is a GW-8i. Beautiful, exciting, and sometimes penal.

 

 

Sand Hills is my favorite place on earth. I seriously can't imagine a better golf course. If you are able to separate the ancillary "experience" (history, clubhouse, ocean views, etc.), I don't think there is a better golf course in the world.

 

 

For another review, and better pictures, check out Ari Techner's Course Review:

 

 

 

WILDHORSE (Gothenburg, NE)

 

As good as Sand Hills' greens are, Wildhorse is somehow better. They are ABSOLUTELY PERFECT; I seriously can't imagine how greens can be any better. It really makes you think through your tee shot and approaches. In some instances, you can't just blast away with driver because there is no way to get it close (or even on the green) from 30-80 yards with a tucked pin or downwind.

 

Because of the conditions, you can really use your imagination and slopes to get it close, where otherwise normal softer & slower courses would be point and shoot.

 

 

It has tons a now more popular architectural features: punchbowl greens, centerline bunkers, width, angles, etc.

 

 

I have played at Bandon, Kiawah, Doral, Torrey, and many more. (I have not played Pebble). I think Wildhorse could be the best public course in the United States. It is downright criminal it is not included on the major Top-100 lists.