SUMMER 2016 GOLF HIGHLIGHTS- ACT III: WORLD AMATEUR HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

Although it has been a tough health week for us, Steph and I will be leaving for Myrtle Beach and the World Amateur Handicap Championship tonight. Yes, that time is here! I get to hangout with Steph, wake up and play golf six days in a row! Oh, and this time, my fellow golf-a-holic Chris Capps, the Director of Tennis at Verandah Golf Club will be playing in  his first World Am event! It could only get better than that if we had the entire Golf-a-holics Anonymous crew (CJ, Curr Dawg), and Tara to join Steph in keeping us from overdosing. 

The links fest begins on Sunday, when Chris and I

Prestwick #18 green

take Prestwick Country Club, the thought provoking, curse producing marvel designed by Pete and P.B. Dye. I must be a masochistic glutton for punishment because this is one of the most enjoyable courses I’ve ever played (check out my review here). Hoping that Steph will be up to joining us at least for the ride.

The World Am begins on Monday the 29th, and if

Chris and I win our flights, our tournament will culminate in the championship round on Friday September 2nd. If not, we will have had four rounds of competitive golf on cool courses in Myrtle Beach. Can't be too upset either way, huh?

But how cool would it be for Chris and I to be

battling for the title of World Amateur Handicap Champion on the back nine on Friday? Of course, I'll nip him by a stroke to claim the title, but because we both played so well all week, we win the International Pairs competition and an all-expenses paid golf trip to Europe. Sweet!

There are at least a couple of you out there who

might care about what we're doing this coming week...well, at least Marius...and maybe Connie (goof luck Connie!)...and Linda...Anyway, just in case you are interested, here's the rundown for Chris and me this coming week:

T. A.

I am in Flight 16, with 48 other players carrying handicap indices ranging from 8.5 to 9.0. Yup, I'm in over my head, but if I shoot a couple more 78s...Not likely, but here's my tournament lineup:

DAY 1- River Club (scorecard): On Pawley's Island,

just south of Myrtle Beach. Boasting a 4.5-star

Photo courtesy of playriverclub.com

rating from Golf Digest, with enough water to stop California's drought and sufficient sand (over 100 sand traps) to salvage Fort Myers Beach's beachfront or drive CJ Weber crazy.

DAY 2- Carolina National Golf Club Heron/Ibis (scorecard):

Photo courtesy of Rudd.com

A Fred Couples design in Bolivia, North Carolina. Do they grow coffee there? Ever heard of Bolivia, North Carolina? Me neither. Online reviews suggest the layout is a good one, but nothing that I should be overly excited about.

DAY 3- Blackmoor (Scorecard): Touted as the only

Photo courtesy of blackmoor.com

Gary Player design on the Grand Strand, located on the south end of the Strand. Reading the reviews reminded me of what I have heard about The Hideaway. Hey, when 57 of 63 players rate a track good-to-excellent, I’m feeling good about the day going in.

DAY 4- Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club (Scorecard, Yardage Book): An off the beaten path

Shaftesbury #8
Photo courtesy of onthegreenmagazine.com

track that promises to be the least entertaining in the lineup from a shot-making perspective. Although this is my first repeat course in the tournament, the good news is that Shaftesbury is where I shot my second best score (81) in the 15 rounds I’ve played at the World Am, and it was on Day 4 that time as well. 

Chris

Chris will be playing in Flight 11 with 46 other

players carrying handicap indices ranging from 3.9 to 5.3. His course lineup, which I won’t presume to discuss, is as follows:

DAY 1- Tidewater Golf Club (Scorecard, Individual

Photo courtesy of golfholiday.com

Holes) The reviews make this course sound better than anything my flight will be playing. Yep, the green tinge you see on my face is definitely envy.

DAY 2- Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club: We both get this one, but Chris is playing from a bit further back. Hope he has some tips for me, since he is first. Gimme a read partner :).

DAY 3- Possum Trot (Yardage Book): 
If the reviews

Photo courtesy of glensgolfgroup.com

are accurate, this is a decent, low stress track, with an improved staff. By the end of this round Chris should be leading his flight by at least a couple of shots.



DAY 4- Founders Club (Scorecard): Reviews didn’t make this course sound like one to write home

Photo courtesy of golfholiday.com

about, but the aerial view sure does make it seem like an interesting and different way to end flight play. Chris prefers beach to grass, so he should have a blast with the waste bunkers on this track. Uh, just so ya know Chris, I produced the worst score of my World Am career at this course. Well, keeping it in perspective, it was the very first course I ever played in tournament play. That might have had something to do with it and this ain’t Chris’s first rodeo.

Well, that's going to have to do it. We've got a long drive ahead and I gotta get some zzzzzs. I'll keep you posted on this third and final golf highlight of Summer 2016.