First Local Qualifier

 

So now we bring you up to present day. Saturday May 11^th I drove up to East Bridgewater, Massachusetts with my best friend Chris for a Super Qualifier for regions 12 and 13. The weather was questionable all day as it showed rain all day. It was raining on the drive up, but when we were a few miles away from the course things seems to halt. This made me a little more confident. I went through my regular warm-up routine prior to hitting and signed up for my first set of balls for region 13. Region 13 was the one I wanted most because it is in Hooksett, New Hampshire, a place were I have hit before and is very nostalgic to me since it was were I competed in my first ever long drive event. My first set of balls I hit all out of bounds. I had a hard time setting up to the grid for some reason and also did not stick to my game plan which was to put a couple balls in play first to fill the grid, then unleash! Second set of balls went much better as I hit one 376 to put me at the top of Region 13. I did it at the cost of another driver though…I had been experimenting with some new drivers that were suppose to be more durable, but they kept bulging on the crown of the club. But anyways, I went for Region 12 as well and qualified with a 368 drive. The wind kept changing all day and was actually downwind most of the time, which helped me. The grid was kind of uphill and did not allow for much roll out, so I was still happy with the numbers I got. But the most important thing was that I qualified for Regionals. I made some new friends this weekend too, met a great guy named Mike Gauthier who has been around Long Drive for a while and been to worlds twice. Hes local in the Massachsetts area, so it was nice to connect with another New England Long Driver Professional! Met and talked to some new hitters to the world of long drive to help offer some insight and put them on the right path. 

Still trying to keep networking and pick the brain of as many people who have been around the sport, soaking up as much advice as I can as I have already learned a lot in less than a year of doing this!

I wish I hit the ball further this weekend, but qualifying for Regionals for my first year in long drive was big for me and now gives me 2 shots at making it out to worlds as I keep chipping away at my bucket list of Long Drive Goals for 2013!