2009 US Open qualifying

[PreppySlapCut]

Best of luck to you!

 

Play the golf course one shot at a time...

 

If you are from the surrounding Ohio area, I would recommend avoiding the sectional qualifying in Columbus...

I don't agree with that. For one, you could get paired with some legit touring professionals: possibly a once in a lifetime experience. And two, they get a substantially higher number of spots to the Open, so it hedges you against a guy going super low. If a guy rattles off a 130, it doesn't really kill you because there's 9 spots or whatever. Just one man's opinion. I'll be playing local in NJ, and I'm honestly contemplating the drive to Columbus for sectionals...

[AcesAZ]

I shot 2 under last year and missed getting to sectionals by 2 shots. The other sectional got in I think with 2 over. So it really depends on the course and conditions.

[El Crab]

I was going to try this year, with my only goal to pass the local qualifying. But I'm not sure if I will attempt it after all. We'll see.

 

Good info to know, either way.

[wholeinwon]

I was going to try this year, with my only goal to pass the local qualifying. But I'm not sure if I will attempt it after all. We'll see.

 

Good info to know, either way.

 

 

This is my goal as well. Unfortunately I think I'm playing in a local qualifier with not too many spots up for grabs but we will see.

[robbie91]

i guess what really got to me that day was my other playing partner. not the guy that didnt want to be talked to but a 18 year old playing in the tournament. he belonged to the course and had been practicing day and night. the guy 5 putted the second green and looked like he was going to cry. a really nice guy -- he gave me advice on every hole even when he was upset. talked to me up and down the fairway -- always sure to say good putt and buy me a coke at the turn.

 

 

Oooops!!

 

advice as in he belonged to the course -- saying there was a par 3 next -- or the green was up on top of a hill -- exc. not that way

[B T JUSTICE]

I used to play in the British Open quallifying every year. I dont bother now as the R&A have basically killed the qualifying dream for any local amateurs.

I think there are 3-4 spots available at each of the 3 final qualifying events the week before the actual event and there isnt even much of a chance of gettinga good draw at second stage as none of the pro's need to bother - they are already exempt. In 1999 i played behind Paul Lawrie at final qualifying and he went on to win the whole thing a week later.

There are so many exemptions and worldwide qualifying competitions now for the 50 - 150 world ranked players its a joke.

There are usually 10 or 15 Asian or Australasian pro's who nobody has ever heard of playing who have qualified through coming 6th in a small field qualifying event in Japan 6 months before.

A few amateurs in the field would be a much better story in my opinion.

The R&A chase the corporate £ non stop these days.

At least the USGA are prepared to run the event on their own terms rather than squeeze a few more bucks out of it by selling their souls.

Rant over!

[DCDeac]

If you've never played in *any* qualifier before, don't start with the US Open...

 

Try the USGA Pub Links. It's lower pressure, has a higher handicap requirement, and you're less likely to piss someone off when nerves put you in the wrong fairway...

 

There are some qualifiers worth playing for the experience - the US Open isn't one of them, imho...

[weekendwarrior]

Amen to that. Don't try and qualify if you don't have a legit shot. And by legit shot I mean you consistently can shoot under par at more than your home club you always play. You should be able to also do this when playing golf courses for the first times. If you can't do this you can't qualify and you have no business playing in the US Open qualifier and hacking it up next to some guy that has a chance. If you can't shoot the scores on a regular basis you will never be able to do it on a local or sectional golf course that is set up difficult and par is a good score.

 

If you are shooting in the high 80's or 90's it more than a bad day you are just an average golfer and have no business playing in events like this.

[thespectator]

Best of luck to you!

 

Play the golf course one shot at a time...

 

If you are from the surrounding Ohio area, I would recommend avoiding the sectional qualifying in Columbus...

I don't agree with that. For one, you could get paired with some legit touring professionals: possibly a once in a lifetime experience. And two, they get a substantially higher number of spots to the Open, so it hedges you against a guy going super low. If a guy rattles off a 130, it doesn't really kill you because there's 9 spots or whatever. Just one man's opinion. I'll be playing local in NJ, and I'm honestly contemplating the drive to Columbus for sectionals...

 

 

I'm sure you guys know this at this point, but I found out when signing up that the Columbus sectional now consists of Brookside (I think), Lakes Golf and Country Club, and NCR. Obviously all of the same great players will be there, but Scarlet isn't in that rotation anymore.

[SadTrombone]

Best of luck to you!

 

Play the golf course one shot at a time...

 

If you are from the surrounding Ohio area, I would recommend avoiding the sectional qualifying in Columbus...

I don't agree with that. For one, you could get paired with some legit touring professionals: possibly a once in a lifetime experience. And two, they get a substantially higher number of spots to the Open, so it hedges you against a guy going super low. If a guy rattles off a 130, it doesn't really kill you because there's 9 spots or whatever. Just one man's opinion. I'll be playing local in NJ, and I'm honestly contemplating the drive to Columbus for sectionals...

 

 

I'm sure you guys know this at this point, but I found out when signing up that the Columbus sectional now consists of Brookside (I think), Lakes Golf and Country Club, and NCR. Obviously all of the same great players will be there, but Scarlet isn't in that rotation anymore.

Thank God. :cheesy:

 

-mini

[thespectator]

Haha my thoughts exactly... I haven't played it since it was redone, but from the sounds of it, I should be happy my first time playing it isn't for my Open qualifier... Assuming I even show up with any sort of game to get through local qualifying.

[SadTrombone]

Haha my thoughts exactly... I haven't played it since it was redone, but from the sounds of it, I should be happy my first time playing it isn't for my Open qualifier... Assuming I even show up with any sort of game to get through local qualifying.

After looking at the scores some of the touring pros posted there last year, I want nothing to do with that place if I can avoid it.

 

-mini

[RobotDoctor]

The local qualifier in Northern Colorado has been held at a course called Collingdale GC in Fort Collins several times in the past 6 years or so. This course is about 7000 yards long at 5000 feet elevation so it is not a long course. The course is semi-tight now with Pine and Cottonwood trees maturing. Some of the Pine trees are 25 - 30 feet tall while some of the Cottonwood trees are 50 feet tall, or so. The defense of this course are the greens. They are some of the finest public course greens I have ever putted on. If they are repaired (by the general golfing population) these greens are about as smooth as you can putt on. These bent grass greens are triple rolled and are very firm. The ball rolls around 13 on the stimpmeter and they are undulating. We are talking US Open speeds at a local qualifier. I volunteered to caddy for a store pro a few years ago and he went bogey, bogey, bogey to start, had a two birdies and matched two bogies and missed the playoff by one stroke. He shot 74 (3 over) and 72 (1 over) advanced to the next stage. IIRC, 6 players advanced.

 

I have seen some local qualifier courses where scores were in the mid 60s just to get to the regional qualifier. There is some might good golf at the qualifiers. Best of luck to all those who attempt to qualify.

[TMfan54]

are gps's or rangefinders of any kinds allowed in local or sectional qualifying?

[Tmiller72]

are gps's or rangefinders of any kinds allowed in local or sectional qualifying?

 

Nope.

[TMfan54]

are gps's or rangefinders of any kinds allowed in local or sectional qualifying?

 

Nope.

thought so. but it is legal to walk a course in a practice round and use the range finder and mark distances down on a pad and use that right? i assume this is a technique used by pro caddies?

[Tmiller72]

are gps's or rangefinders of any kinds allowed in local or sectional qualifying?

 

Nope.

thought so. but it is legal to walk a course in a practice round and use the range finder and mark distances down on a pad and use that right? i assume this is a technique used by pro caddies?

 

Of course, it's a practice round.

[sosinsurr]

If you wanna take a look at what it took to qualify last year in your area or an area your thinking of playing you local qualifier in, here are last years results:

 

http://usga.usopen.com/qualifying/local-results.html

 

and sectionals here:

 

http://usga.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional-results.html

[TMfan54]

If you wanna take a look at what it took to qualify last year in your area or an area your thinking of playing you local qualifier in, here are last years results:

 

http://usga.usopen.com/qualifying/local-results.html

 

and sectionals here:

 

http://usga.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional-results.html

thanks

[kingheatly]

For those wondering it's 1.4 handicap max. You will be asked to enter as a pro or amateur, so choose wisely. Keep in mind that if you enter as a professional, if you want to play as an amateur again in the future, you will have to go at least one year without playing in a sanctioned tournament and you will have to submit an application to the USGA to regain Amateur Status. Also, if you fail to post a score in US Open Qualifying that is within 8 strokes of par, you may be refused the right to play in future Open Qualifiers. I know it sounds easy enough, considering all you have to do is post something in the 70's, but unless you've played in many qualifiers before, when you get to that first tee of the Qualifier, I guarantee you'll feel like you just drank 4 Red Bulls and are getting ready to fight the 6th Grade Bully. Good Luck to all.....hey, someone's gonna make it!!!

 

kING hEAT

[McDeee]

does anyone know the field for tomorrow's europe final qualifying at Walton Heath?

[samwedge]

I caddied in one of the locals. There were five spots/two alternates available and the medalist shot 66. There were two 73's in a playoff for the final spot and five 74's in a playoff for 2nd alternate. Fortunately my man made it to sectional. I heard that the local qualifiers were going to at least three different sectionals. Some were going to the one nearest to their city and others were going where there were the most spots available. Different strategies I guess.

[SadTrombone]

Looks like Matt Every (Big Break) finished medalist in his qualifier. Impressive.

 

-mini