Enjoying every shot isn’t easy.
My 2021 US Open Local Qualifying at The Preserve.
With the US Open at Torrey Pines coming up in June, local qualifying is well underway. I made my attempt at The Preserve in Carmel Valley. It’s a course that I’ve been fortunate to play many times over the years and have had some success. Normally enjoying a round at the Preserve would be easy, it’s a beautiful property as you’ll see in the photos I took during practice below. However, expectations can often get in the way of enjoyment, and it’s hard for me to not have some expectations competing at the Preserve.
In 2014, I competed in US Open local qualifying there, and secured the second alternate spot, which actually ended up being enough for me to compete in the sectional that year. Yes, that actually happens sometimes. I also had one of my better recreational rounds several years ago when I shot 64, -8, which at the time tied the course record. In addition to 2014, I’ve played well enough to advance through US Open Local qualifying at other sites on two other occasions.
However, having not played a competitive tournament round since August 2019, I was eager to get out and compete, and I felt like my game was coming together reasonably well. I played a practice round with some friends the day before the qualifier, and while I didn’t set any records, I shot a very easy and respectable 71, -1. When I got to the course before my round, I came into the day feeling good about my game, but with cautious optimism. I’ve played enough tournament golf to know that anything can happen any day. This day would be no different.
I don’t like going blow by blow on a round, but given the nature of the round, I felt like it was a good way to explain how I was thinking during a round and striving to enjoy every shot.
#1, Par 4
The first hole is a great opening hole. A long iron off the tee is the preferred play, as the fairway starts to really pinch in at about 260. I hit a perfect tee shot, that left me with just a 9 iron in for my second shot, as the fairways were really rolling out.
Normally I’d be happy with par to open the round, but with only a 9 iron left, and a friendly hole location, it really turned into a great scoring chance. I tugged my approach slightly, which was okay because the left side slopes right toward the hole… except my ball landed right on a sprinkler head and bounded over the back of the green. Suddenly I had a very delicate pitch shot back down the hill. Trying to enjoy every shot, I took it in stride, and hit a great pitch from the back that left a tap in for my par. A bit more adventure that I had planned, but such is golf, and a solid start none the less.
Even par.
#2, Par 3
Another pulled iron shot off the tee and I found the greenside bunker left. My bunker shot didn’t have any spin and my ball ran by the hole to 15 feet. A good putt missed just barely on the low side, and I made my first bogey of the day.
One over par.
#3, Par 4
A good tee shot and a sand wedge to six feet set up a pretty easy birdie to get back to par.
Even par.
#4, Par 5
Maybe my best tee shot of the day left me with just a 5 iron for my second shot, which I was able to get on the green, and two putt. Who doesn’t enjoy easy birdies?
One under par.
#5, Par 4
After driving in the rough right, I hit a great pitching wedge into the wind, that just covered the bunker and left me with a 12 foot putt up the hill for birdie. I left it short in the jaws… a disappointing par.
One under par.
#6, Par 3
Maybe the toughest hole on the course, a long par three with a wind that was tough to judge. I mishit my 5 iron just short left of the green, and chipped to a couple feet. Happy to leave with par.
One under par.
#7, Par 4
Another 3 iron off the tee left a ¾ pitching wedge for my second, which I hit about 8 feet just right of the hole. The putt broke about a foot from 8 feet and I hit it through the break. A little disappointing, but still an easy par.
One under par.
#8, Par 5
My drive in the right rough left me with another 5 iron into the par 5. Didn’t hit a great 2nd shot, but it left a pretty easy chip from short left, which I didn’t execute all that well. Luckily I made my 5 footer for birdie.
Two under par.
#9, Par 4
One of the more uncomfortable tee shots for me, I blew it into the hazard right off the tee. After a penalty drop, I hit a great shot from 260 yards out in the hay to chase it on the front part of the green. While I was disappointed to have to take a penalty drop, I knew that a two putt and making the turn in 1 under was a solid first nine… except I missed my second putt from 5 feet, ughh. Okay, let’s enjoy the back nine, I’m still in this
Even par.
#10, Par 4
No worries, I’m still level par heading to the back nine. If I can clean up the mistakes on the back, I should be able to get something solidly into the red, and give myself a good chance to advance through qualifying.
A solid three wood to the fairway left me with a nine iron to the toughest green on the course. Playing back into the wind, I pulled it again, this time on the wrong side of the massive mound that bifurcates the middle of the green. I hit a great lag putt from where I was, but had a tricky four footer down the hill to save par. Completely whiffed it, and now I was really testing my mantra of “enjoy every shot”.
One over par.
#11, Par 4
After driving in the right fairway bunker, I hit a solid 9 iron to the green 30 feet behind the hole. The putt was quick down the hill, but I gave it too much respect, another 4 footer down the hill for my par. Again, complete whiff… except this time, I was so caught off guard I missed the ensuing tap in for bogey as well. Sufficiently miffed, it’s a good thing there were no sharp objects nearby, and I had a nice little walk through the trees to collect my thoughts. 30 minutes ago I was 2 under on the 9th green putting for par from 40 feet. Now I’m 3 over leaving the 11th… chanting serenity now…
No bother, I need to practice what I preach, enjoy every shot… and for goodness sake make my f%&#ing short putts!
Three over par.
#12, Par 4
Let’s try and enjoy this hole. Okay… a solid drive and my best iron shot of the day left me with a two footer for birdie. Normally I wouldn’t think anything of it, but it was hard to putt all those missed shorties out of my mind. Whatever, hit your line and it should go in… right in the heart.
Two over par.
#13, Par 5
So I’m back to 2 over now playing the par 5. Doing my best to enjoy every shot, I found myself saying, “It’d be a cool story if I could get on a heater these last six holes, after that mess in the middle, let’s try that.” The tee shot is generous, and a fun one to let it rip. A good enough tee shot left me with a 3 iron to the green, which I left just off the right edge of the green. A simple chip and I tapped in for my second straight birdie… this is the way.
One over par.
#14, Par 3
A great par three that played 184 back into the wind off the left. The was cut way over on the right side of the green and I probably played a bit too aggressively and over cut it. Walking up to the green I was sure I’d hit it in the hazard, which really took the wind out of my sails, until miraculously, my ball was there in the rough. I had a tough chip, but I wasn’t in the hazard. Trying to land my ball on the fringe to have any chance of getting it close, I hit it right on the edge of the green and fringe which is never a friendly kick. The 25 footer I had coming back missed just barely on the left.
Two over par.
#15, Par 4
Probably the toughest hole on the back nine, the par 4 15th is uphill and into the wind. I didn’t hit my three wood that well off the tee and had a 4 iron back into the wind for my 2nd. I missed just left of the green, but was able to chip it reasonably close, albeit above the hole. The putting coming back down to the hole broke two cups, but I was able to make it.
Two over par.
#16, Par 3
Really running out of time now, but a birdie, eagle, birdie finish would have given me a chance. Playing back into the wind to the left hole location, I hit a great little chip hook 8 iron, which landed where I wanted but surprisingly bounced to the back of the green. I left the 30 footer just short, which was annoying considering I knew I needed to make it… I mean, I really enjoyed that 30 footer short in the jaws.
Two over par.
#17, Par 5
Okay, another par 5 I can reach. I can enjoy this one. After blitzing my tee ball down the middle, I only had a 5 iron to the green, which you can’t see from the fairway. My second shot was one of my better shots of the day, leaving a 30 foot eagle putt. An uphill putt for eagle that I needed to make and then birdie the last to have an outside chance at advancing through qualifying… I left it two feet short in the heart, again. I’m really trying to enjoy this, but it’s not easy.
One under par.
#18, Par 4
The 18th is almost as awkward of a tee shot for me as the 9th, but no bother “let’s just finish strong”. I don’t think I turned one tee shot right to left all day, and I wasn’t about to start now… aiming at the left bunker I didn’t hit a great shot, but it found the right side of the fairway. My 5 iron with the ball above my feet from 189 into the wind was probably my best shot of the day and came to rest about 8 feet from the hole. As was the theme of the day, I missed the putt.
One over par.
I normally hate giving chapter and verse on a round, but given the nature of the round, and how challenging it was at times to enjoy every shot, it seemed appropriate to talk through how I was thinking at various times. There was a time in my life where the middle of that round would have ruined the rest of my day. Even if I didn’t execute my “enjoy every shot” mantra perfectly, it kept me in a good enough head space that I was able to shoot 2 under par the rest of the way in and post a respectable score of +1, 73. No doubt I’m still bummed I made such a mess of the middle of the round, especially since the number to qualify was 2 under, 70. Regardless, I’m glad I didn’t totally fold like a cheap lawn chair on the way to the clubhouse.
If you know someone that struggles to keep it together after a tough stretch, I hope you’ll share this piece with them.
If nothing else, I hope you find it a bit easier to enjoy every shot next time things aren’t going your way on the course.