The Riverside Club Championship did not go how I thought it would.
Awaiting the winner was $50 to go towards next year's AFGL Membership, so winning was a priority for me as I made a promise to my wife to pay for all of my footgolfing using money I make aside from my full-time job. It was just as important to me as any tournament I've played in thus far, and I choked.
I was unable to make the 2 p.m. start time as it conflicted with work, so I asked the other players if it would be acceptable if I played my round in the morning. Another player said that would work better for him as well to play in the morning, so we set the tee time for 9 a.m..
On Saturday and Sunday mornings I work at the golf course to help pay for my footgolf addiction, so the tee time was right after my shift. Another grounds crew member didn't show to help out with the morning routine, so I was scrambling to make up what difference I could as the tee time approached. I finished up with less than 10 minutes before our scheduled tee time. I quickly got dressed, and met the other player at the club house just in time.
We were in the middle of the Saturday rush with golfers ahead and behind us and I felt hurried. Whenever I play, I want to be sure to be out of the way of the golfers as much as I can. I know many of them don't appreciate the sport of footgolf invading their fairways, so I do my best to be accommodating to show we can coexist. This can sometimes lead to a lack of focus or me feeling rushed to finish a hole, which can show on the scorecard.
Unfortunately that was the case that Saturday morning. I still lack the mental toughness to be able to ignore those outside factors and focus solely on my next shot. Fortunately, I don't think that I will run into the same issue for the Regional Championship in a week and a half.
My finals score was -1 and my opponent finished +2. We went back and fourth throughout the round in a tough battle, but I finished strong. He hit into thick bushes on 17, where I birdied the last two holes to jump ahead of him. I was happy with personal best of seven straight rounds under par at Riverside, but doubted my score would hold up for first place.
I was right. The winner shot -4, which I knew I would have had a better chance of matching had I been able to play at the designated time, but you can't dwell on woulda-coulda-shouldas.
It was a good experience in which I learned that there is still plenty for me to improve upon, especially mental toughness. Being unquantifiable makes that aspect of the game the hardest to improve upon, at least for me. I'm not quite sure how to improve that. Maybe I'll have someone follow me around with an airhorn for practice.
Next up is the Regional Championship on September 24th. There may not be a lot of people competing in the tournament, but they're quality players and I feel up to the challenge. My goal at the beginning of the season was to make it this far. Now that I have, the new goal is to make it to the National Championship in California come November.
Between now and then, stay tuned for a product review.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Quick update
Too much has happened since my last entry. Here's a quick rundown of what's gone on since then in my footgolf summer.
Grand Junction
With hopes of qualifying for the Regional Championship, I failed miserably. I played what I believe to be my worst round of footgolf maybe ever. Through two holes I was five over par. I couldn't combat the wind or kick consistently straight to save my life. I embarrassed myself. My sister Jamee, on the other hand, qualified, and I couldn't be happier for her. We had a good time driving to and from Colorado in what was a memorable trip.
Qualifier at Riverside Golf Course
With one chance remaining to qualify, I had my eyes set on defending the home course in the first AFGL qualifier in Utah. I made a lot of mistakes and finished one over par, but still managed to take home some hardware. I tied for third place overall, which was just enough to qualify me for the Regional Championship. It's funny how I spent the money to travel to Idaho and Colorado to try and qualify, but I wouldn't actually do so until the qualifier at my home course. I didn't play my best, but I'll take the results. What's even better is that the Regional Championship will also be held at Riverside on September 24. Biggest event for me so far this year.
My brother Gavin and good friend Scott came to the course to watch me, which I was very appreciative of. I get that being serious about a fringe sport like this can be odd, but I love those guys for supporting me that day.
Losing my Adidas Nativo
While playing a round one morning by myself at Riverside, I was a bit too aggressive with my approach on hole 4, a par four with a green surrounded by tall, thick rough. Not far beyond the hole was a steep drop off to the Weber River. The grounds crew had placed a net to prevent balls from making the plunge, but I watched in horror as my Adidas Nativo, a ball I spent a good amount of money on, dropped through the net and into the river. I searched for three hours and found nothing. My name and number are on the ball, but no one has contacted me.
Since I lost my ball, I've been playing with an Adidas Jabulani training ball, meaning it's not the official match ball that the pros use, but a step or two below. I haven't played as much as I would like to, but since using that ball I haven't shot over par at Riverside. It doesn't carry nearly as much spin or bend as my Nativo does, so I can let it rip with a lot more confidence. I also believe the ball rolls with more accuracy than my Nativo. I'm planning on saving up money (like $200-$300, I know, crazy) to eventually buy an official match ball Adidas Jabulani. All in good time.
Club Championship
Riverside is putting together a Club Championship this Saturday, and the winner gets their AFGL membership for 2017 paid for. They had a qualifying tournament to get into the actual tournament, in which I was the overall winner as I matched my personal best score of -8 (using my Jabulani training ball. Go figure). Turns out that the tournament was meaningless as everyone will be able to play in the actual championship, but it was great to see that I can play well in a tournament situation. I hope I can replicate that on Saturday to save me $50 for next years. More than that, I need to build up that consistency for the Regional Championship.
In summation, I'm definitely not playing as much as I'd like to, but I'm ok with where I'm at. Stay tuned for a product review soon as well as updates with the upcoming tournaments.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
It's Game Time
We're here.
My sister Jamee and I made the five hour drive to Grand Junction, and we're ready to compete on Friday in the Rocky Mountain Qualifier.
We arrived in enough time to get in a practice round the day before and feel comfortable in the area and on the fairways. Hopefully it pays off.
I was surprised to find that every hole is a par three. No par fours or par fives where you have multiple shots to get it right. Every stroke counts, but even more so when par is 54. If you have a bad tee shot, you're praying your recovery shot gets in a decent position to save par. Obviously with a par four, you have one more shot to save a hole if need be.
They will move some of the tee boxes further than what we played, but even today it was challenging.
I finished nine over par with no birdies.
While most of the holes are long for par threes, another challenge the course presents is the length of grass. The fairways are kept short and the ball can roll quite aways before coming to a stop. The rough, on the other hand, is thicker than I'm accustomed to playing in, which really slows the ball down. Adjusting to both circumstances took some getting used to, but I feel that playing a round helped us get a better feel.
Some holes are also very narrow. On the right you'll have tall, dead grass and weeds and on the left there will be trees to avoid with only 30 feet in between. Granted, not every hole is like that, but one hole can make the difference between qualifying and a going home empty handed.
I feel I can be successful and qualify. Today my shots off the box were a bit rushed and my focus wasn't where it needed to be. Tomorrow will have a completely different feel and focus to it, and I hope to thrive on that.
It's going to be challenging. That's for sure, but I feel that I'm up to it. Leading up to the tournament, I played five rounds in five days to build up my rhythm. I was struggling for a bit, but during my last round before coming to Colorado, I shot six under par and recorded my third ace of the season. That was great to boost my confidence and it couldn't have happened at a better time.
Unlike my experience in Idaho, I'm going to get plenty of rest the night before the tournament . . . assuming I can get to sleep.
The hotel we're staying in is . . . interesting. It was built in 1908, and it doesn't appear any updates have been done in 30 to 40 years. We have no control over the air conditioner and it's hot. Hopefully it will cool down in the night and I'll be able to sleep comfortably.
With that said, it's time to get some rest.
Well, try.
My sister Jamee and I made the five hour drive to Grand Junction, and we're ready to compete on Friday in the Rocky Mountain Qualifier.
We arrived in enough time to get in a practice round the day before and feel comfortable in the area and on the fairways. Hopefully it pays off.
I was surprised to find that every hole is a par three. No par fours or par fives where you have multiple shots to get it right. Every stroke counts, but even more so when par is 54. If you have a bad tee shot, you're praying your recovery shot gets in a decent position to save par. Obviously with a par four, you have one more shot to save a hole if need be.
They will move some of the tee boxes further than what we played, but even today it was challenging.
I finished nine over par with no birdies.
While most of the holes are long for par threes, another challenge the course presents is the length of grass. The fairways are kept short and the ball can roll quite aways before coming to a stop. The rough, on the other hand, is thicker than I'm accustomed to playing in, which really slows the ball down. Adjusting to both circumstances took some getting used to, but I feel that playing a round helped us get a better feel.
Some holes are also very narrow. On the right you'll have tall, dead grass and weeds and on the left there will be trees to avoid with only 30 feet in between. Granted, not every hole is like that, but one hole can make the difference between qualifying and a going home empty handed.
I feel I can be successful and qualify. Today my shots off the box were a bit rushed and my focus wasn't where it needed to be. Tomorrow will have a completely different feel and focus to it, and I hope to thrive on that.
It's going to be challenging. That's for sure, but I feel that I'm up to it. Leading up to the tournament, I played five rounds in five days to build up my rhythm. I was struggling for a bit, but during my last round before coming to Colorado, I shot six under par and recorded my third ace of the season. That was great to boost my confidence and it couldn't have happened at a better time.
Unlike my experience in Idaho, I'm going to get plenty of rest the night before the tournament . . . assuming I can get to sleep.
The hotel we're staying in is . . . interesting. It was built in 1908, and it doesn't appear any updates have been done in 30 to 40 years. We have no control over the air conditioner and it's hot. Hopefully it will cool down in the night and I'll be able to sleep comfortably.
With that said, it's time to get some rest.
Well, try.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Two Weeks Until Grand Junction
Since the Utah FootGolf Open on June 4, I've only played two rounds of footgolf with the Rocky Mountain Qualifier in Grand Junction just two weeks away.
Not the best way to prepare.
The good news is that there's still time to get ready.
Lately I've been getting up earlier and kicking soccer balls around a nearby park for an hour. I'll start on one end, pick a spot on the other, and get there in as little kicks as possible. The grass isn't close to the length or quality found at golf courses, so putting and approach shots don't really translate. I focus primarily on my drives and as of right now, I'm still not seeing the consistency that I'd like to. Granted, why would I expect improvement when I've only played 36 holes in almost two weeks?
At the Utah FootGolf Open, I played a decent round shooting three under par. It wasn't enough to win and it wasn't close to being the best that I know I'm capable of, but I'll take it. Gavin, my little brother, came away with the first place finish. I think he shot nine under par but I can't quite remember.
It's funny, we played together last week and we were tied through nine holes. I thought I put myself in a position to get the best of him but he ended up beating me by six strokes. Birdie after birdie after birdie while I was saving pars.
They don't call me Parside for nothing.
What a terrible nickname to have.
I played at Glen Eagle Golf Course with two players from Syracuse on Tuesday and played very well. My drives were inconsistent but my putts were right on the money. I double-bogeyed the fourth hole to go one over par, but eagled the next to get back on track. I finished with my personal best on the course with five under, which was the best score of the three players competing by eight strokes.
It felt pretty good.
Glen Eagle has very few trees, and therefore very few roots on the greens of footgolf holes. That's not quite the case for Riverside. A lot of the holes are among trees, and the greens can be tricky to read.
When I get some free time, I want to study Chipeta Golf Course, the site for the qualifier in Grand Junction, using Google Earth to get a feel for what I'll be facing. I didn't do that for the qualifier in Idaho, so why not try something new to get an edge?
Right now my main concern is paying for the trip to Grand Junction. Donating plasma is rough when you're trying to eat right and don't consume many carbohydrates. My body uses more protein for fuel as a result and my protein levels often go below the required amount for donation, so they tell me. I've been looking for odd jobs here and there, gardening, canvasing to name a few. I should be ok. If I'm short I'll just take a bit out of savings and pay myself back. No biggie. I made a deal with my wife that I could footgolf all I wanted as long I didn't affect our budget. Therefore, I need to do things on the side to pay for everything.
I'm not happy with how little I've been playing as of late, but I'm confident that if I make the best of these next two weeks I can put myself in a position to move on the Regional Championship, which is the goal for now.
Not the best way to prepare.
The good news is that there's still time to get ready.
Lately I've been getting up earlier and kicking soccer balls around a nearby park for an hour. I'll start on one end, pick a spot on the other, and get there in as little kicks as possible. The grass isn't close to the length or quality found at golf courses, so putting and approach shots don't really translate. I focus primarily on my drives and as of right now, I'm still not seeing the consistency that I'd like to. Granted, why would I expect improvement when I've only played 36 holes in almost two weeks?
At the Utah FootGolf Open, I played a decent round shooting three under par. It wasn't enough to win and it wasn't close to being the best that I know I'm capable of, but I'll take it. Gavin, my little brother, came away with the first place finish. I think he shot nine under par but I can't quite remember.
It's funny, we played together last week and we were tied through nine holes. I thought I put myself in a position to get the best of him but he ended up beating me by six strokes. Birdie after birdie after birdie while I was saving pars.
They don't call me Parside for nothing.
What a terrible nickname to have.
I played at Glen Eagle Golf Course with two players from Syracuse on Tuesday and played very well. My drives were inconsistent but my putts were right on the money. I double-bogeyed the fourth hole to go one over par, but eagled the next to get back on track. I finished with my personal best on the course with five under, which was the best score of the three players competing by eight strokes.
It felt pretty good.
Glen Eagle has very few trees, and therefore very few roots on the greens of footgolf holes. That's not quite the case for Riverside. A lot of the holes are among trees, and the greens can be tricky to read.
When I get some free time, I want to study Chipeta Golf Course, the site for the qualifier in Grand Junction, using Google Earth to get a feel for what I'll be facing. I didn't do that for the qualifier in Idaho, so why not try something new to get an edge?
Right now my main concern is paying for the trip to Grand Junction. Donating plasma is rough when you're trying to eat right and don't consume many carbohydrates. My body uses more protein for fuel as a result and my protein levels often go below the required amount for donation, so they tell me. I've been looking for odd jobs here and there, gardening, canvasing to name a few. I should be ok. If I'm short I'll just take a bit out of savings and pay myself back. No biggie. I made a deal with my wife that I could footgolf all I wanted as long I didn't affect our budget. Therefore, I need to do things on the side to pay for everything.
I'm not happy with how little I've been playing as of late, but I'm confident that if I make the best of these next two weeks I can put myself in a position to move on the Regional Championship, which is the goal for now.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Here comes summer
Over Memorial Day weekend I played my 50th round of footgolf this year. Now, I've already surpassed the total amount of rounds I played a season ago.
A lot has happened these last few weeks.
I had a stint where I was not playing nearly to level that I know I'm capable of. It was frustrating shooting just below, at, and sometimes even over par when my goal is to break into the double digits below par. My drives were inconsistent, my approaches lacked the same precision they had before and there was little confidence in my short game.
I play a lot with my brother Gavin, who is a goalkeeper coach for a high school girls soccer team. I was telling him about my struggles and he suggested I take a break from the course for a few days.
I did, and I believe it helped.
It gave me time to think about what I was doing wrong. With my drives I've been switching between hitting the ball like a striker would on goal and like a goalie would on a goal kick.
My foot is more vertical with the first type of kick as I approach the ball straight on, and when I hit it right the shot stays low but drives far with little spin. While affective when done correctly, it's also very inconsistent for me. If I'm off by the slightest margin, the ball is spinning off to the side along a fence line or in the tress.
In the approach of the goal-kick style drive, my foot is at more of an angle when it hits the ball, and my body more towards the side. There is more backspin and less power with this kick, but it is more consistent and easier to execute successfully. Occasionally, I'll be able to keep it low with relatively less back spin for a nice drive, but it's harder for me to do that consistently.
Long story short (not really), I'm sticking with the goal-kick type kick with a nice, clean and slow approach. I did so this past Tuesday and shot seven under par -- one shot off of my PR at Riverside.
Technique is more important than speed or power. Once I've mastered my technique and can be consistent, then I can start applying more speed and power. I know I've said this before, but sometimes a reminder to not get ahead of myself is good.
What makes that seven-under-par mark even more impressive is that it came after the course had moved some of their holes to make it more difficult and longer to appease to the AFGL. A qualifier is coming, and no one will have played the course more than me. It's an advantage that I have to capitalize on.
It's interesting. I feel like I play better when I'm under pressure. I've heard the opposite to be true in sports, like a basketball player being able to make shots all day but when the game is on the line, he chokes.
I'm not saying that I'm a clutch footgolfer or anything like that, I just think it's somewhat odd that I'm able to do well under the circumstances. That round was a one-on-one skins match for 50 cents a hole. Not a big deal, but I turned it on. I love the feeling of playing for something. It's epic. Not sure how else to describe it, but it feels great to compete.
I'm not saying that I'm a clutch footgolfer or anything like that, I just think it's somewhat odd that I'm able to do well under the circumstances. That round was a one-on-one skins match for 50 cents a hole. Not a big deal, but I turned it on. I love the feeling of playing for something. It's epic. Not sure how else to describe it, but it feels great to compete.
Speaking of which, this weekend is the Utah FootGolf Open. I'm not really sure how many people will show up, but I'm sure the intensity will still be there. Due to my responsibilities, I haven't been able to play as much as I would have liked to prepare for it. In order to get another round in before the tournament I have a tee time for early Friday at 6:50 am, and it will be my third round this week. A lot of my friends will be playing in the tournament, and I'm looking forward to see how everyone does.
I was in a rut, and it feels good to have a round like I did Tuesday. I'm looking forward to the tournament on Saturday, and hope that it prepares me to succeed in future qualifiers.
Let's do this.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
The Lakeview Experience
26,000+ steps taken
12+ miles walked
3 hour round of footgolf
675 miles driven
9 hours and 45 minutes sitting behind the wheel
All in less than 24 hours
What a day.
Making the trip to and back from Meridian, Idaho on Friday the 13th for the AFGL Rocky Mountain Qualifier was tiring, humbling, so much fun, amazing, unforgettable and so many other sappy adjectives.
There is so much I want to cover, so I'll categorize if folks want to skip to read about something specific.
My Wife
First and foremost, I can't believe how lucky I am to have a wife like Lindsea that would support me in this crazy dream of testing my limits in footgolf. She made the trip with me, and was the lone spectator that watched our foursome play the course on a hot day in May.
What a trooper.
She provided encouragement to me, took some pictures to document the round and sent text messages back and forth to those back home who wanted to know how I was doing.
She's the best.
Without getting too sentimental, I want to make sure that's it known how much of this trip was enjoyable because she was by my side the entire way. Being with her made the experience that much more enjoyable. We went to a park nearby the course to take a nap before the tournament and it was serene. Sure, I was a nervous wreck at the time, but I was with Lindsea.
I freaking love her.
The Results
I finished with a score of 75, which was three over par and good enough for 4th place. I was two strokes behind 3rd place, five behind 2nd place and eight strokes behind the winner.
I started out strong with a stroke lead over the would-be winner, but ran into trouble on the third hole. On my birdie attempt I had a tree in between me and the hole. It wasn't in my line to the cup, but it was close enough that my errant putt hit the tree and my ball ended up against a fence line. With no relief options, I tried to toe poke it at an angle with my right foot to try and spin it towards the hole. Physically, the easier option would have been to use my left foot to attempt the shot, but I didn't trust it at the time.
In retrospect, I should have.
My awkward kick pushed the ball well passed the hole, and it took two more putts to get in for a double-bogey.
There were two or three putts that were right on the money but were left a few feet short. There were also two or three more putts that had the right strength, but lipped out at the last second.
I believe I only bogeyed one hole twice (remember, there are only nine holes and we played them twice), and it was the last one. Listed as a par four, the yardage was listed around 160, but I swear it felt more like 200. I had decent attempts at par on the hole but couldn't get it done.
Looking at the final results, my errors cost me in a big way. Only the top 30% in these tournaments qualify for the regional championships later in the year, which would be the top two in this case. Since there were less than 20 players in the field, only the top 55% receive points and at 50% of what they would receive normally towards their national ranking.
Here's the thing. There were eight people signed up but only seven showed. Four is obviously in the 55th percentile of eight, but four is in the 57th percentile of seven. I don't know how the AFGL handles situations like these, and the national rankings have not yet been updated.
The Players
In my foursome there was Edgar Escobar, a man from Ohio who flew out to participate in the event. He ended up being the winner of the tournament and absolutely dominated. He's already qualified for his regional championship, is currently ranked 13th in the country and will continue to bounce around the country playing in tournaments. He absolutely crushed the ball off the tee box. My approach is slower, more focused on the technique. Escobar, on the other hand, is practically at a dead sprint when he approaches the ball and just rips it. His approaches and putts were also very accurate, obviously. It was great to see and play with a footgolfer of his caliber. I feel like I can get there someday.
It was also great to see the only other Utah player there. Casper, as I know him, has only been playing footgolf for three months, but loves it so much that he's planned out an extensive summer tour to participate in several qualifying tournaments in the western United States. He came in dead last but had a great attitude about being a part of the tournament. He's a great guy and I'm anxious to see how he develops. I see him every now and again at Riverside and have even played part of a round with him and some of the footgolf junkies that work at the course.
Bobby was a local footgolfer that was familiar with the course. He was just two strokes behind me when the day was over. Nothing against him, I just don't have much to say about the guy. He's a good footgolfer who had great control over the spin of his approach shots.
I can't speak to much for the other three players either, since, you know, they were in a different group. They seemed like nice guys. Although I think they all rented their balls from the course and two of them beat me. Not sure what I'm supposed to make out of that, if anything.
The Course
The layout of Lakeview Golf Course is similar to that of The Barn in North Ogden only for the aspect of the backyards of homes lining just about every hole.
The fairways were wide open with little to no obstacles. One hole was tucked behind a line of rolling hills, but other than that, long hard drives and approaches were the name of the game.
Then why was this course ranked as a Category "B" (Courses are ranked on an "A" through "C" scale to determine difficulty and point earnings with "A" being the most difficult) by the AFGL?
Length.
Why do you think the round took three hours or how I got 26,000 steps in?
Normally, an 18-hole footgolf course is laid on the front or back nine holes of a golf course. This footgolf course was laid out with only nine holes, meaning we had to play through two times. The layout allowed each hole on the footgolf course to be as long as needed.
Additionally, the grass around the cups was not trimmed like I was accustomed to at Riverside, my home course. For the most part, the grass was the length of a normal about ready to be mowed. That meant putts had to be stronger in order for the ball to get to the cup.
It was the warmest day of footgolf I've experienced this year and I felt it. By the end of the round my body was done. Not exhausted, but just spent from walking and kicking for so long in the hot sun. It wore me down.
Management at Lakeview was great. This was the first AFGL tournament in Idaho, but they went with it and did well.
The Lessons
Overall, I'm pleased with how I performed. I was more consistent that I have been and put on a little bit a pressure on the leader down the stretch. I feel like the final results were an accurate representation of where I am compared to those who were there competing. With that said, I know I can be better and shoot a lower score.
I need to work on my ambidexterity, or at least in confidence in it. I can kick with my left foot, it's just not as strong or comfortable. I need to be able to be comfortable so that I can more easily get out of tough situations like the one I found myself in on the third hole.
I need to be able to better adapt to the conditions of the greens (or lack thereof) for better putts. I lost a couple of strokes that way. That's a hard thing to simulate, because every course is going to be different. I can go to a park and practice my technique on my drives and approaches any time, but
I need to be stronger. I started out the calendar year hitting the gym all the time. That's since stopped and it's time to get back on the wagon. I'm not just talking about leg strength at the tee box. Endurance is a big thing that will help me get an edge. While others tire down, I need to have strong stamina to push through and finish strong on these longer courses.
I'm optimistic about where I am and the improvements I can make between now and the next qualifier. For now, that's set for Chipeta Golf Course in Grand Junction, Colo. on July 8, but Riverside is also finalizing details to host a qualifier there as well. That means just two more chances to qualify for the regional championship.
Let's do it.
-BG
12+ miles walked
3 hour round of footgolf
675 miles driven
9 hours and 45 minutes sitting behind the wheel
All in less than 24 hours
What a day.
Making the trip to and back from Meridian, Idaho on Friday the 13th for the AFGL Rocky Mountain Qualifier was tiring, humbling, so much fun, amazing, unforgettable and so many other sappy adjectives.
There is so much I want to cover, so I'll categorize if folks want to skip to read about something specific.
My Wife
First and foremost, I can't believe how lucky I am to have a wife like Lindsea that would support me in this crazy dream of testing my limits in footgolf. She made the trip with me, and was the lone spectator that watched our foursome play the course on a hot day in May.
What a trooper.
She provided encouragement to me, took some pictures to document the round and sent text messages back and forth to those back home who wanted to know how I was doing.
She's the best.
Without getting too sentimental, I want to make sure that's it known how much of this trip was enjoyable because she was by my side the entire way. Being with her made the experience that much more enjoyable. We went to a park nearby the course to take a nap before the tournament and it was serene. Sure, I was a nervous wreck at the time, but I was with Lindsea.
I freaking love her.
The Results
I finished with a score of 75, which was three over par and good enough for 4th place. I was two strokes behind 3rd place, five behind 2nd place and eight strokes behind the winner.
I started out strong with a stroke lead over the would-be winner, but ran into trouble on the third hole. On my birdie attempt I had a tree in between me and the hole. It wasn't in my line to the cup, but it was close enough that my errant putt hit the tree and my ball ended up against a fence line. With no relief options, I tried to toe poke it at an angle with my right foot to try and spin it towards the hole. Physically, the easier option would have been to use my left foot to attempt the shot, but I didn't trust it at the time.
In retrospect, I should have.
My awkward kick pushed the ball well passed the hole, and it took two more putts to get in for a double-bogey.
There were two or three putts that were right on the money but were left a few feet short. There were also two or three more putts that had the right strength, but lipped out at the last second.
I believe I only bogeyed one hole twice (remember, there are only nine holes and we played them twice), and it was the last one. Listed as a par four, the yardage was listed around 160, but I swear it felt more like 200. I had decent attempts at par on the hole but couldn't get it done.
Looking at the final results, my errors cost me in a big way. Only the top 30% in these tournaments qualify for the regional championships later in the year, which would be the top two in this case. Since there were less than 20 players in the field, only the top 55% receive points and at 50% of what they would receive normally towards their national ranking.
Here's the thing. There were eight people signed up but only seven showed. Four is obviously in the 55th percentile of eight, but four is in the 57th percentile of seven. I don't know how the AFGL handles situations like these, and the national rankings have not yet been updated.
The Players
In my foursome there was Edgar Escobar, a man from Ohio who flew out to participate in the event. He ended up being the winner of the tournament and absolutely dominated. He's already qualified for his regional championship, is currently ranked 13th in the country and will continue to bounce around the country playing in tournaments. He absolutely crushed the ball off the tee box. My approach is slower, more focused on the technique. Escobar, on the other hand, is practically at a dead sprint when he approaches the ball and just rips it. His approaches and putts were also very accurate, obviously. It was great to see and play with a footgolfer of his caliber. I feel like I can get there someday.
It was also great to see the only other Utah player there. Casper, as I know him, has only been playing footgolf for three months, but loves it so much that he's planned out an extensive summer tour to participate in several qualifying tournaments in the western United States. He came in dead last but had a great attitude about being a part of the tournament. He's a great guy and I'm anxious to see how he develops. I see him every now and again at Riverside and have even played part of a round with him and some of the footgolf junkies that work at the course.
Bobby was a local footgolfer that was familiar with the course. He was just two strokes behind me when the day was over. Nothing against him, I just don't have much to say about the guy. He's a good footgolfer who had great control over the spin of his approach shots.
I can't speak to much for the other three players either, since, you know, they were in a different group. They seemed like nice guys. Although I think they all rented their balls from the course and two of them beat me. Not sure what I'm supposed to make out of that, if anything.
The Course
The layout of Lakeview Golf Course is similar to that of The Barn in North Ogden only for the aspect of the backyards of homes lining just about every hole.
The fairways were wide open with little to no obstacles. One hole was tucked behind a line of rolling hills, but other than that, long hard drives and approaches were the name of the game.
Then why was this course ranked as a Category "B" (Courses are ranked on an "A" through "C" scale to determine difficulty and point earnings with "A" being the most difficult) by the AFGL?
Length.
Why do you think the round took three hours or how I got 26,000 steps in?
Normally, an 18-hole footgolf course is laid on the front or back nine holes of a golf course. This footgolf course was laid out with only nine holes, meaning we had to play through two times. The layout allowed each hole on the footgolf course to be as long as needed.
Additionally, the grass around the cups was not trimmed like I was accustomed to at Riverside, my home course. For the most part, the grass was the length of a normal about ready to be mowed. That meant putts had to be stronger in order for the ball to get to the cup.
It was the warmest day of footgolf I've experienced this year and I felt it. By the end of the round my body was done. Not exhausted, but just spent from walking and kicking for so long in the hot sun. It wore me down.
Management at Lakeview was great. This was the first AFGL tournament in Idaho, but they went with it and did well.
The Lessons
Overall, I'm pleased with how I performed. I was more consistent that I have been and put on a little bit a pressure on the leader down the stretch. I feel like the final results were an accurate representation of where I am compared to those who were there competing. With that said, I know I can be better and shoot a lower score.
I need to work on my ambidexterity, or at least in confidence in it. I can kick with my left foot, it's just not as strong or comfortable. I need to be able to be comfortable so that I can more easily get out of tough situations like the one I found myself in on the third hole.
I need to be able to better adapt to the conditions of the greens (or lack thereof) for better putts. I lost a couple of strokes that way. That's a hard thing to simulate, because every course is going to be different. I can go to a park and practice my technique on my drives and approaches any time, but
I need to be stronger. I started out the calendar year hitting the gym all the time. That's since stopped and it's time to get back on the wagon. I'm not just talking about leg strength at the tee box. Endurance is a big thing that will help me get an edge. While others tire down, I need to have strong stamina to push through and finish strong on these longer courses.
I'm optimistic about where I am and the improvements I can make between now and the next qualifier. For now, that's set for Chipeta Golf Course in Grand Junction, Colo. on July 8, but Riverside is also finalizing details to host a qualifier there as well. That means just two more chances to qualify for the regional championship.
Let's do it.
-BG
Thursday, May 12, 2016
This is it
I'm writing this the night before the trip to Idaho, and I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
It's going to be a long day, however. A five hour drive to Meridian followed by a walk-through and later a round of footgolf topped off with a five hour drive home?
Yes, I'm that crazy (I'm writing a blog about footgolf, of course I'm crazy).
I didn't get as much practice in as I would I have liked thanks to being an adult. While I love this sport and am serious about it, I can't let it get in the way of my responsibilities. I did hit the park with four soccer balls on Wednesday and kicked them around for about an hour. I feel better about my drives, which is my biggest concern going in. I'm hoping to get there early enough so I can get some kicks in before and get a good feel for what to expect.
I got a surprise message this week as well.
The founder of the AFGL, Roberto Ballestrini, contacted me on Facebook when he found out I was registered to play in this tournament. He asked if I could take some pictures for him to use on social media (*Joker voice* If you're good at something never do it for free). I told him I'd be happy to. I asked if he knew how many people were registered, and apparently there are just six players, but they're hoping more sign up the day of.
This means that in order for me to qualify for the Regional Championship, I need to finish in the top two. I'm very interested to see these other players and how good they are. Mr. Ballestrini told me that a man is flying from Ohio to participate. If a guy is willing to book a flight to play in a tournament, you gotta think he knows what he's doing.
I'm not feeling a lot of pressure right now, but I'm sure that will change in about 12 hours as I get close to Meridian.
Well, it's about to get real. The plan is to be on the road at 6:30am which means I've got to get some shut eye.
Until next time.
-BG
It's going to be a long day, however. A five hour drive to Meridian followed by a walk-through and later a round of footgolf topped off with a five hour drive home?
Yes, I'm that crazy (I'm writing a blog about footgolf, of course I'm crazy).
I didn't get as much practice in as I would I have liked thanks to being an adult. While I love this sport and am serious about it, I can't let it get in the way of my responsibilities. I did hit the park with four soccer balls on Wednesday and kicked them around for about an hour. I feel better about my drives, which is my biggest concern going in. I'm hoping to get there early enough so I can get some kicks in before and get a good feel for what to expect.
I got a surprise message this week as well.
The founder of the AFGL, Roberto Ballestrini, contacted me on Facebook when he found out I was registered to play in this tournament. He asked if I could take some pictures for him to use on social media (*Joker voice* If you're good at something never do it for free). I told him I'd be happy to. I asked if he knew how many people were registered, and apparently there are just six players, but they're hoping more sign up the day of.
This means that in order for me to qualify for the Regional Championship, I need to finish in the top two. I'm very interested to see these other players and how good they are. Mr. Ballestrini told me that a man is flying from Ohio to participate. If a guy is willing to book a flight to play in a tournament, you gotta think he knows what he's doing.
I'm not feeling a lot of pressure right now, but I'm sure that will change in about 12 hours as I get close to Meridian.
Well, it's about to get real. The plan is to be on the road at 6:30am which means I've got to get some shut eye.
Until next time.
-BG
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Crunch Time
There are only a few days before the AFGL Qualifier in Meridian, Idaho, and I'm already losing sleep with positive nervousness and excitement.
It feels great.
The tournament is on Friday and I'm hoping to be able to practice or play everyday leading up to it. Whether that means hitting the course or simply kicking the ball around at a park, it's time to really dial in my technique for optimum consistency and confidence.
That's been my biggest issue. I can start out a round hitting long and straight but then end up in the trees or in the water a few holes later. Once I develop that consistency, I can be dangerous.
I can practice as much as I want, but the feeling of being there can't be fully simulated.
Playing alongside my brother, Gavin (more on him later), I had a small taste of that feeling last weekend in the season opener at Riverside Golf Course in Riverdale. Sure, there were less than 20 footgolfers participating for just a small cash payout, but the feeling of competition was there. I was nervous and felt the pressure to perform well.
I wanted to win.
I started out strong shooting -3 through four holes. I put myself in a great position to record a tough score to beat.
Then came the weather.
Light rain at first, then pounding hail followed by torrential downpour. Wearing only my black Manchester United jersey and black gym shorts with paint stains, I was chilled to the bone.
I let the cold affect my focus and my game suffered as a result. Clearly, I need to work on my mental toughness.
The tournament was rained out, and nobody finished. Gavin and I were both sitting at -1 through 11 holes before we were taken back to the clubhouse.
I'm happy with how I started, but not with how I responded to the cold. Fortunately, it appears that I won't be dealing with the rain or cold - just the opposite.
Right now, the prognosis for Meridian on Friday shows no rain, but a high of 91 degrees. I've yet to play this year in real heat, but I'm not worried about it.
Bottom line, there's plenty to improve upon, but I couldn't be more excited for Friday.
It feels great.
The tournament is on Friday and I'm hoping to be able to practice or play everyday leading up to it. Whether that means hitting the course or simply kicking the ball around at a park, it's time to really dial in my technique for optimum consistency and confidence.
That's been my biggest issue. I can start out a round hitting long and straight but then end up in the trees or in the water a few holes later. Once I develop that consistency, I can be dangerous.
I can practice as much as I want, but the feeling of being there can't be fully simulated.
Playing alongside my brother, Gavin (more on him later), I had a small taste of that feeling last weekend in the season opener at Riverside Golf Course in Riverdale. Sure, there were less than 20 footgolfers participating for just a small cash payout, but the feeling of competition was there. I was nervous and felt the pressure to perform well.
I wanted to win.
I started out strong shooting -3 through four holes. I put myself in a great position to record a tough score to beat.
Then came the weather.
Light rain at first, then pounding hail followed by torrential downpour. Wearing only my black Manchester United jersey and black gym shorts with paint stains, I was chilled to the bone.
I let the cold affect my focus and my game suffered as a result. Clearly, I need to work on my mental toughness.
The tournament was rained out, and nobody finished. Gavin and I were both sitting at -1 through 11 holes before we were taken back to the clubhouse.
I'm happy with how I started, but not with how I responded to the cold. Fortunately, it appears that I won't be dealing with the rain or cold - just the opposite.
Right now, the prognosis for Meridian on Friday shows no rain, but a high of 91 degrees. I've yet to play this year in real heat, but I'm not worried about it.
Bottom line, there's plenty to improve upon, but I couldn't be more excited for Friday.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
The Game of FootGolf
Hello. My name is Brandon and I'm a footgolfaholic.
That's the first step, right? Recognizing that a problem exists?
The thing is, I don't want to kick this habit I've developed. In fact, I want to see just how far I can go with it.
I grew up playing soccer and enjoy playing golf (although I'm absolutely dreadful with a golf club). The discovery of a sport that combines the two has changed my life. That's no exaggeration.
I donate plasma twice a week so I can play as much footgolf as I want without putting my wife and I in financial disarray. With that money I've bought punch passes, a high-quality soccer ball and entry fees for tournaments near and far. When I'm low on funds, I go to a park by my house and practice until I have enough to hit the course again.
Why?
Competition.
I've played organized sports throughout my life, even into adulthood. I love to compete. In footgolf, the only teammate I need to worry about is myself. If I fail, I have no one to blame but myself. It's me against me. I am the road block and at the same time the stepping stone to the next level.
More importantly, it's just flat out fun. Kicking a soccer ball around on beautiful golf courses is incredible. Soccer players dream of playing on grass that's as well taken care of as fairways. In some ways, it's surreal every time.
Because I've played soccer since I can remember, I've had a foundation as a footgolfer already laid before I even set foot on a course with a soccer ball. I'm now trying to fine-tune and adapt my skills to the golf aspect of the game, and I'm seeing progress.
Why not see where it goes?
This year I'll find out where I am compared to not only footgolfers in the area, but in the nation. The American FootGolf League (AFGL) has divided the country into regions, and each one will have qualifying tournaments and a regional championships for footgolfers to compete in. Footgolfers at the top of the leaderboards at the end of the summer will play in the U.S. National Championship.
I'm working hard to better my chances by practicing nearly every day and participating in local leagues and tournaments. FootGolf is still young in Utah and there isn't much competition, but it's growing. Luckily my close friends, who are also skilled soccer players, have caught the bug and we push each other every time we play.
Look, I don't expect anyone to read this. This blog is a way for me to get my thoughts out of my head and hopefully help with my progress.
I'm sure the few that look at this will laugh. I get it. It's an odd sport, and frankly the attire can be ridiculous, but I feel I can be great at it. Why not test my limits with something I enjoy? I'm all in.
I've participated in just a couple of league events at two different courses, but I don't think anything will prepare me for what lays ahead this week. On Friday, May 13, my wife and I will make the five-hour trip to Meridian, Idaho for me to compete in my first regional qualifier.
Wish me luck.
That's the first step, right? Recognizing that a problem exists?
The thing is, I don't want to kick this habit I've developed. In fact, I want to see just how far I can go with it.
I grew up playing soccer and enjoy playing golf (although I'm absolutely dreadful with a golf club). The discovery of a sport that combines the two has changed my life. That's no exaggeration.
I donate plasma twice a week so I can play as much footgolf as I want without putting my wife and I in financial disarray. With that money I've bought punch passes, a high-quality soccer ball and entry fees for tournaments near and far. When I'm low on funds, I go to a park by my house and practice until I have enough to hit the course again.
Why?
Competition.
I've played organized sports throughout my life, even into adulthood. I love to compete. In footgolf, the only teammate I need to worry about is myself. If I fail, I have no one to blame but myself. It's me against me. I am the road block and at the same time the stepping stone to the next level.
More importantly, it's just flat out fun. Kicking a soccer ball around on beautiful golf courses is incredible. Soccer players dream of playing on grass that's as well taken care of as fairways. In some ways, it's surreal every time.
Because I've played soccer since I can remember, I've had a foundation as a footgolfer already laid before I even set foot on a course with a soccer ball. I'm now trying to fine-tune and adapt my skills to the golf aspect of the game, and I'm seeing progress.
Why not see where it goes?
This year I'll find out where I am compared to not only footgolfers in the area, but in the nation. The American FootGolf League (AFGL) has divided the country into regions, and each one will have qualifying tournaments and a regional championships for footgolfers to compete in. Footgolfers at the top of the leaderboards at the end of the summer will play in the U.S. National Championship.
I'm working hard to better my chances by practicing nearly every day and participating in local leagues and tournaments. FootGolf is still young in Utah and there isn't much competition, but it's growing. Luckily my close friends, who are also skilled soccer players, have caught the bug and we push each other every time we play.
Look, I don't expect anyone to read this. This blog is a way for me to get my thoughts out of my head and hopefully help with my progress.
I'm sure the few that look at this will laugh. I get it. It's an odd sport, and frankly the attire can be ridiculous, but I feel I can be great at it. Why not test my limits with something I enjoy? I'm all in.
I've participated in just a couple of league events at two different courses, but I don't think anything will prepare me for what lays ahead this week. On Friday, May 13, my wife and I will make the five-hour trip to Meridian, Idaho for me to compete in my first regional qualifier.
Wish me luck.
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