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The days leading up to our regional championship were relatively boring, consisting of just practice and preparation, so there’s no point really talking about that. The fun started on Sunday the 12th of May when some of the best teams in the country arrived and we got to catch up with them at the range before the practice round. It’s always cool hanging out and having fun with some of the best players in the world right now, like Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff. Fuzzy Zoeller came to speak to us on Sunday evening, so it was pretty cool to get tips from a former Masters champion.

On Monday, it all kicked off. The event we had prepared for all year was about to begin. It was the start of the national championship, and we got to play it on our home course. There were 12 teams, the top 5 of which would progress to the final. The competition format was to count the team’s best 4 out of 5 scores. On day 1, we had a rough start. We struggled for our first 9 holes, but battled back tofinish -4 for the day. This had us in 3rd place and we were in a tie with Oklahoma State and Auburn which we knew would attract a lot of crowds the following day. We went to bed quite excited that night at the thought of playing with them. I shot a 70 (-1) on the opening day and I was sitting in about 12th position.

On the Tuesday morning, we woke up, and I sensed that some of that excitement might have turned to nerves. There wasn’t much talk on the way to the course and we felt a little bit edgy. I thankfully got off to a very nice start. I was -3 after 5 holes, but finished up with a 69 (-2). We had to count a 78 this day, so we shot +7 as a team, but we were still placed in the top 5 and ready to go for the next day. We were playing with Iowa State and North Florida, who were sitting in 4th and 6th respectively. We went out for dinner to a nice steakhouse that night. We got back at 7:30, and I went to bed at 8, which was the earliest I have ever gone to bed. The week was already draining me.

The Wednesday was another early start. My alarm was set at 5:20 for an 8am tee time. Everything was going smooth. The warm up went well, the first 9 holes felt steady, the atmosphere was good. I was very comfortable, and the team was easily making it through. I bogeyed 1,3 and 5 to go to +3 for the day and when I got to the 6th hole, I could sense the tension. Everything felt a bit dull. We were in 7th place with the hardest stretch of holes to come. Thankfully, I made a couple of birdies on 7 and 8 and held a lengthy par putt on 9, which helped us squeeze back into the top 5. We managed to qualify and make it to the national championships which are on next week in Arkansas. Hosting the regionals was a tiring and action packed few days but I’ll never forget it. I took the Thursday off and did quite literally nothing but watch Brooks Koepka dominate the PGA Championship for the day.

I’m looking forward to getting some work done over the next few days to try and get ready for the National Championship. To contend at that, we will need to bring our absolute best. My game feels like it’s certainly heading in the right direction. On top of this, I am also very much so looking forward to going home. I have my bags packed and ready to go, so I will be returning home straight after nationals!

John

Monday the 29th was the day I officially started my summer holidays and submitted my last paper, which meant that my life was making the exhilarating switch from studying and golf to just golf by itself. We had a team workout at 8 A.M. I then went back to submit my last assignment and went to practice for the rest of the day, which is a pretty standard day for me if you are wondering.

Tuesday the 30th I got up to work out, and then went to our course to play a ‘friendly’ four ball match with my roommate, Devin Morley from Galway. We played against Ted Schultz (Former PGA tour player and leader of the Masters after 63 holes) and Matthias Schmidt from Germany, and currently one of the best college players in America. Despite playing some pretty good golf, Devin and I suffered and excruciating 1 down loss. I would go into further detail about it, but I don’t like losing and it’s a touchy subject for me. We have suffered some severe slagging for it since. No doubt we will get them back soon.

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Wednesday was a pretty standard day. We got up and went to the course for breakfast before settling into practice for the day. Unfortunately, it is a 30-minute drive to our golf course every day. However, this is the only downside to our course. We are very lucky to have the facilities we do, which include 3 different short game areas with 3 different types of grass. We have a great range with practice ProV1 golf balls and a great 18-hole course, where we will actually host a regional qualifier to advance to the national championship from the 13-15 of May. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a very big deal for us. Oklahoma State were allocated to our region, who are the number 1 team in the country. We are currently working every day to prepare for that.

Thursday was also very standard. We got up for a workout in the morning before going out to play 18 holes and follow that up with practice in the afternoon. I’m sure some of you would have heard of the Kentucky Derby. We were given Friday, Saturday and Sunday off from practice which gave us time to enjoy derby week.

Friday was Oaks Day at the Kentucky Derby. People travel from all over to attend the Kentucky Derby, so we are very lucky here that Churchill Downs, where it is hosted, is only a 10-minute walk from where I live. I went to Oaks with a few teammates and friends and had a great day. Betting isn’t really my thing, but I said I would give it a go for the derby. Despite facing a few losses throughout the day, I managed to pick up a win in the actual Oaks race at the end of the day which got me my money back. It made dinner taste a lotbetter. (Probably because I wouldn’t have eaten dinner if I didn’t win my money back).

Preparing for Louisville’s Regional qualifier

Saturday was Derby day itself. 160,000 people were packed into Churchill Downs. It was pretty chaotic. A few teammates and I went out to the golf course to practice for the morning and early afternoon, before going back to watch the Derby race. It was the only race I bet on. There were 20 horses in the race, and the horse I picked and backed crossed the finish line first. I was fairly buzzing if I’m honest, jumping with joy to saythe least. Embarrassment quickly set in when they started to review the race for the horse I picked ‘impeding’ another horse throughout the race. Yes, he got disqualified. Yes, I was greatly upset.

Sunday was a more relaxed day. I went to the course mid-morning, but just to play and not to practice. I went out to the course to hit some of the tee shots for our upcoming regional championship. That evening we went for dinner and I did my summer schedule afterwards. I was looking at places where I could stay and how much flights cost to each of the locations I am going to. It takes a surprising amount of planning. For any of you that know my mother, Carmel, you are probably wondering why she’s not doing that for me, because she’s always on top of those things. Well, honestly, I’m wondering the same thing. Mum, if you’re reading this, why am I doing this myself? This is your job?

John

President’s Prize Putt…

Composing himself, he takes a long deep breath into his lungs, and then exhales slowly, pursing his lips. His face is thoughtful, strained even, his brow furrowed. He vainly tries to calm his nerves, to keep his heart from fluttering, to ease the tremor spreading in his hands and fingers. This is it now, the moment of truth, he thinks to himself, one good putt here could make all the difference, could even decide the outcome…

Slowly, stealthily, like a cat stalking its prey, he prowls across the verdant manicured closely mown area of the green, looking for each little fall and rise of the surface, each subtle variation in slope and gradient… the grass, short as it is, can be seen to be lying towards him here, but against him a foot or so beyond. He can almost hear his brain whirring as it makes the necessary estimations – the putt should start off straight for the first foot or so, then go slightly left, and then straighten again at the hole. Just three feet from glory in total.

He carefully removes his glove from his left hand, thumb first, then finger by finger until he can ease the faux-leather clear of his palm, and carefully tucks the glove into the rear right pocket of his Oakley chinos. Reaching into his right front pocket he withdraws the round shiny dimpled Titleist, and places it carefully just in front of his half-dollar silver marker. Placing the ball delicately on the velvety surface, he very carefully aligns it on an imaginary line, drawn straight between the marker and the hole, just as he had when he marked it – It wouldn’t do to mess up now, would it?, to perhaps draw a penalty on himself, no not now, not when he is so close, so close he can feel the little beads of perspiration begin to form on his forehead. Ever so gently he turns and rotates the white dimpled surface until the short red line he had drawn on the surface that morning is pointing directly along the line of the putt he must make, pointing to a point perhaps a half cup outside the hole. He knows on so short a putt, gently downhill, he should not give the hole away at all, but he doesn’t trust himself to strike the back of the ball firmly enough, afraid that that he might leave himself a nasty one back…no, better to trust the line, play it soft, and let the ball die slowly into the open cup – yes, that’s the best option he thinks to himself. Happy with the decision, and with the line for his putt, he picks the coin and places it in his pocket. Then he stands erect, gripping the trusty old copper Anser in his left hand, and becomes acutely aware of the feel of the leather- like handle, worn and slippery almost with wear.

This is it, he tells himself again, placing the putter head gently on the green manicured surface, about one inch directly behind the ball and he bends over and makes himself as comfortable and stable as he can, spreading his feet a little, slightly bending his knees. He withdraws the putter to about 6 inches inside the ball. Looking along the intended line of the put, he makes one slow practice swing of the instrument in his hand, then a second, and then a third, trying each time to the feel for the pace he must impart from his arms to the putter, and from the putter to the ball, to allow it to fall gently into the hole. It does not matter how often he’s heard it before, just now he cannot believe the hole is two and a half times the diameter of the ball. Carefully, gingerly, he again places the Anser behind the ball and giving one, two quick looks towards the hole, gazes intently down at the ball, settles, and finally pulls the trigger…..

Keeping his head down, he does dare to look to see how the putt is tracking. It is only a three foot putt, three and a half at most, but time seems to stand still. He allows his gaze now to follow the line, and sees the ball move from outside the perimeter of the hole to part inside, watching as the white orb catches the inside of the rim, dipping ever so slightly within the confines of the hole, he sees it turn, to begin to horseshoe back towards himself…”too hard, too hard” he thinks as the ball slowly comes to an apparent stop, and then, finally, incredibly, gloriously disappear from view……..

YES YES YES, the thought screams through his mind and he barely resists the urge to punch the air. He takes one stride, and bends to pick the ball from the hole. He can’t be sure, how could he, yet he feels sure this putt could be so very important, perhaps even be the difference between winning and losing John Hunt’s President’s Prize.

Gently, lovingly almost, he replaces the soft putter cover on the Anser, and transfers the putter tenderly to its own little station in the golf bag on his trolley.

With a broad smile on his face, and a spring in his step, hardly waiting for his playing partners, he begins to make his way from the green…… across the laneway ……and onwards towards the second tee-box, his mind is already busy planning for the treacherous drive ahead.

To be continued………..

 

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