Thanks for the well-wishes! As @Browcoww77 mentioned, it was a grind, but it was incredibly fair and fun. I’d rather get my butt whooped by Mak, in those conditions, than most other kinds of golf.
Things got off to a slow start, but we caught fire halfway through the first nine (started on 10). Made birdies on 15 and 16, and had a makeable look on 17 to get back to even for the day. Unfortunately, that didn’t fall, and it was a bit of an Icarito from there. Started to get a little loose off the tee, found myself in a few less-than-ideal spots, and Mak bit back. Finished with a 9-over 79. It was brutal, but in a very sadistic way, it was my favorite round of golf I’ve played this year. I’m excited to get another crack at it for the Cincy Met in June.
I’m also excited for the Almost Qualifier in a few weeks! Can’t wait to see SCC for the first time and test myself against another U.S. Open style setup.
Oh god you’re going to enjoy that day so much. Springfield CC under those conditions is one of the top experiences around IMO. An exacting second shot course.
It’s one of my absolute favorite forms of golf as well. I’d much rather get beat up by a brutally tough course because I just missed a shot than get beat up by a course that has OB everywhere because of houses.
Exactly. I didn’t lose a ball yesterday, still made 3 doubles and 5 bogeys just from being out of position. I’d much rather shoot +9 that way than hallway golf, through neighborhoods with a bunch of O.B. and water
SCC is super forgiving off the tee, thankfully. The greens are brutal and most of your approach shots have a reasonable amount of elevation change that messes with your head if you don’t have slope turned on, on your laser.
Did you play with Kyle Reifers? What was his game like?
Also, reading the scores of a local qualifier never fails to blow my mind. There are so many pro golfers. So many. A US Open local might be the textbook example of Tom Coyne’s pyramid of golfers. And probably is also an example of why “scratch is shit.” His words, not mine. IMO scratch is pretty damn good.
You captured the course and the type of golf it demands quite well. There are no tricks to Mak. It’s right there in front of you. Position the ball well and you can create chances. Good shots get rewarded, relatively small misses can get punished. That’s multiplied when the greens are firm and the rough is juicy as it has been the past week.
I’ve walked off that course now for the last two years frequently scratching my head why I didn’t score better. It seems like it shouldn’t be that hard (3, 6, 8, and 13 always seem difficult!) but that’s Ross’s genius.
Hopefully you’ll come back next year for another rip at it!
I created an account on Thousand Greens a long time ago. I’ve never hosted anyone and have never asked to play anywhere. It just isn’t my thing.
Periodically, I do get requests to play Scioto Reserve from people who are looking to play Scioto. Happened again today and the person figured it out a few minutes later. It’s a hilarious tale as old as time….
No, I played with a couple guys who shot something in the mid-80s I think. Both really nice dudes with solid game, but I think my two birdies were the only ones for our group. Tough scene.
Unfortunately, at a U.S. Open qualifier, this is thoroughly apparent. I’m currently playing off +1, and it probably would’ve taken my absolute A-plus-game to shoot even par (which I believe only one other amateur did. Every sub-par score belonged to a pro.)
I’ve also realized this to be true when giving a stroke a hole in my OATW matches, so, based upon my evidence, scratch might be the worst place to be in the handicap universe.
Completely agree - I think the only “trick” to Mak is that it looks fairly simple with a wide-angle lens, but like you said, if you get out of position, you’ll quickly realize how screwed you are. It’s a 10,000-piece puzzle, not 1,000. Honestly it’s a golf course I would enjoy playing (in the same condition as the qualifier) every day.
I’m really excited to play it again in the Blom, although I’m guessing it’ll be tuned down a bit for that. Just can’t wait to get back for another Open qualifier next year.
Joe, look we get it. That stupid thing you did with a moose when you were 23 means you’re not legally welcome in Canada. I mean, who amongst us, right?
My refuge sub expired for the moment so I have nowhere else to talk about the PGA Championship. I feel like I really miss the Fox US Open coverage. Was it actually the best of the best or am I thinking back with rose-tinted glasses? I have ESPN on right now and so far this has zero juice. I know it’s early it just feels very muted.
