Played it once in a junior tournament about 4-5 years ago. Shot 78 I think, like 41 or 42 on the front. Couldn’t hit the driver all day and it screwed me on the front from what I remember.
Cool. Can’t wait to hear how it goes. Pro-tip, if you can grab a cart and head over to warm up on the back side of the range it is generally more peaceful and often shaded back there!
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Well, played in the MGA qualifier at Baker yesterday and got completely ejected. 
Was hoping for some home field advantage, but tournament nerves are a very real thing that I struggle with. Some highlights include:
-QUAD on 3 after a yanked drive, punch out, two botched chips, and a two putt.
-3 putting both Par 5’s I hit in two
-Literally not making anything outside of 6 feet
Positive from the day is that I got paired with two good dudes. One plays at South Dakota and the other is a retiree member at Windsong. It was interesting being paired with them cause they approach the game so different. The college kid is very deep in the process. Every shot requires a long pre shot routine, especially on the greens. I understand how these college tournament rounds are getting to be 5-6 hours. Whereas the older gentleman is literally see ball, hit ball. Both shot 74 and qualified. Golf’s wild, man.
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I like the way the old gui plays…
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Well good on you for not just walking off the course after 9, I would’ve.
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Yeah…but the entrance fee to the tournament made it the most expensive round I’ve ever played at Baker, so there’s that. And yeah, it gave me a glimpse into college tournament golf, and I don’t want no part of that shit. He did shoot a very tidy -2 on the back, so obviously his method works for him.
I just think that’s so inconsiderate to the other players in the group, were they monitoring pace of play at all?
There were marshalls around, but we never got put on the clock or anything. We kept pretty good pace most of the day. The older guy played so damn quick he probably single handedly kept us up with the group in front.
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3 always eats me up. Pars feel like birdies. 6 and 10 the par 5s you hit in two?
A guy in my group at Northfield hit 5 tee balls on a par 5 dead into the wind. First one water, second one we thought OB, third water, fourth water and finally 5th tee shot landed on the next fairway over. Luckily for him the second tee shot was barely in bounds and made double but just felt bad watching that shit.
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4 and 10. 4 was straight downwind and I pounded it off the tee. Hit 6 iron in there. I legit think it’s the first time I’ve ever held that green going for it in two. 6 is usually a green light, but I blasted one off into the water and had to drop stupid far back.
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How fast did Baker get the greens for the qualifier? I love fast true greens but I wasn’t expecting Northfield to be as fast as they were. Might even be the quickest I’ve played on in so wasn’t sure if that was the MGA just trying to crank it up.
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Ah makes sense. Was gonna say, 4 in two requires two really good pokes up that hill but with a little help from mother nature I could see it being easier. I usually ended up in that bunker in front when I go for it so resigned myself to laying back to avoid that long bunker shot. I’m also not super long off the tee haha
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Man. Not only were the greens the fastest I’ve seen them at Baker in as long as I can remember, but the pins were in some of the most ridiculous spots out there. I made a comment about it and both the other guys were like “well, yeah, that’s Doug Hoffman for ya”. I guess Doug is the MGA tournament director or something and he always tries to “protect the course”. Some of the spots were just silly. Like on 18 they had it in the middle of a big back to front slope. The only way you would have a makeable putt would be to leave it straight below the hole, but the pin was cut probably 8’ on tucked behind the bunker. Just kind of gives you no shot at it.
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Man, I hope Eagle Creek’s are crazy fast, might bring the rest of the field back to me. I’ll just have to play really smart. Do they give out the pin positions before you tee off? Can’t remember if they do that or not.
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I’ll be curious to see how the WSGA does it. Playing a qualifier next month at my old home course Eau Claire CC to try and get to Milwaukee CC. I had never played Northfield so will at least help having 100s of rounds under my belt but there is some old back to front greens that won’t be fair if they push the greens too hard.
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We didn’t get any pin locations before we tee’d off. Would’ve helped in some situations, but something like 18 you would’ve been screwed regardless. Your second shot in there is probably 150 ish straight up hill with a 20 mph wind at your back to a tucked pin… It’s like, what the fuck? I’m just glad I wasn’t coming down the stretch needing birdie or par at the last.
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No pin sheets or at least I never got. Flags were marked front, middle, back.
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Good luck! Hope you get some good weather and they don’t trick it out too much. 
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Thanks! I might just start practicing 3 foot putts on hardwood floors and trying to flight the ball into the biggest fan I can find!
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