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

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

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.

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.