Going LOW at the CDGA Am
This past week, I played in the CDGA Am at Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan. The event features some of the best players in Illinois, and can create some exciting play with its unique format.
Starting with about 75 players from all across the state who competed in qualifiers to get to Glen Flora (I was exempt this year due to my play in CDGA events last summer), that field size then cuts to the top 16 after 36 holes of stroke play and a match play bracket ensues, which is a much different atmosphere than stroke play.
36 holes. Since playing at the Division 1 level, 36 holes in a day has become the ordinary, where most of our events of 54 holes are played over two days in an effort to not miss too many school days.
My day started at about 5:30am in preparation for my 7:57am tee time off the 10th tee. The first tee shot was not the greatest, a high right 4 iron that hit a tree leaving me 185 yards into a hole where I should have about a pitching wedge into the green. Just the start I needed, I thought to myself. However, that first shot of the day would be the one I would hit, looking back on it now.
The par 70 design of Glen Flora yielded 14 birdies to me over the course of the 36 holes. To go along with three bogeys, two of those coming on holes 35 and 36, I found myself at 11 under par, with the next closest competitor at 1 under par, a 10 shot victory. Not too shabby. But there’s more to the day than just that.
The day started off slow as I mentioned, making pars on my first three holes before making a short chip shot on 13 to get my first birdie of the day. Glen Flora is a very short golf course, so I took advantage of my 2 iron off the tee, which can roll out to about 250 yards. After I flick a wedge into 14 to about six feet, I am now 2 under through five. Pars on 16 and 17 are followed up by a HUGE drive on 17, leaving me 50 yards, which I hit to about three feet. 3 under. My first nine holes ended with a perfect putt from about 25 feet on hole 18 never leaving the center. 4 under.
My back nine started slow once again, missing makeable putts on holes one, three, and four. Giving myself chances is all I can ask for. Hole five, I stuff one to six feet. 5 under. Hole six, drill a 25 footer. 6 under. Hole seven I hit a great pitching wedge from 146 yards to about five feet. 7 under. Hole 8, you cannot be above the flag, something I knew from my years playing there with buddies for fun. However, being aggressive, my 6 iron approach lands about 3 feet from the hole, and rolls out to 10 feet above the hole. When I say I lag this putt, I play about 4 feet of break and barely breathe on it. The golf gods were on my side, with the putt dripping over the center. 8 under. Sitting on my last hole with a 10 footer to shoot 61, I didn’t flinch, taking my time on my routine and one last deep breath before I stroke it. This putt cannot miss, I thought, before it makes a sharp right turn, catching 180 degrees of the holes before spitting it out. I settled for 62, tying the course record and catching some eyes around the club.
The next 18 holes followed, where I shot a smooth 3 under 67 to pace the field. What I learned most from the week is how important a reliable putter can be. With good speed control and making putts inside 10 feet, it's hard to shoot a bad score. As they say, drive for show, putt for dough.
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