THE THRILL AND AGONY OF "Q-SCHOOL"

I just returned from Venice, FL where I caddied for my daughter Anya in the LPGA's Stage II of Q-School. She shot 73-74-72-75. She was swinging great and putting very well, so well that the scores should have actually been, 67-72-66-70! Not just bragging because I was her caddy (I truly enjoy watching someone hit the ball purely), or because she is my daughter. You've got to see her play to understand the statement above. Truly, she has the "goods".

So what was wrong? The mental game. "Over-thinking". Second-guessing shots, both on and off the green. "In-between" yardages, mostly with short irons because she is so long off the tee. And no, it was not that she should have "laid" back for a full shot; she already had a full shot with PW, 9 and 8 irons (she smartly used her 3 wood and hybrids off the tee on certain holes top give herself full shots) to long par 4's, 90% of these from the fairway, while the other girls had 6 irons to hybrids on the same holes.

My take is that aggressive minds sometimes feel they need to go for all pin positions, while in reality, at times, all they need is to aim for the middle of the green, 2-putt from 35 feet and go to the next hole with a par, instead of risking a bogey or worse when par is a friend. Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Tom Watson were masters at this.

For the outsider, this seems like a simple to fix, "just hit the 9 iron!", but when you are there and it is your shot, the temptation is not so easy to overcome. After a few stings, you become defensive in shots where you could be aggressive, and you become aggressive where you should play more carefully, the result is that every yardage becomes "in between" and some swings become tentative, and the ball becomes disobedient.

This is the scenario: you have a simple 9 iron to the middle of a green where a pin tucked on back and wrong side for the player, (on the right if you draw the ball and on the left if you fade it) where an 8 iron would probably be the right club; however, you should only "go for it" when you truly need a good birdie opportunity, otherwise, the middle of the green and two putts for par are your best friend.

"Three quarter" swings and working the ball with longer clubs are the most difficult under pressure, and not always needed. A good player should not ever mistrust himself and hit shots not fully committed to. In the end, one bad shot in 72 holes sometimes means a world of difference. In her case it was, she missed going straight to Stage III by one lonely stroke. She had 294, all 293's and lower moved on. It was a sad moment when we found out 4 hours after she finished her round. When you are in the bubble, it is an agonizing wait, every minute becomes slower and slower.

Family history aside, I had the opportunity to witness some very happy moments, and some very sad ones, including my daughter's with whom as a father and caddy, I was there to share the moment. Not everything is lost, just became a little more difficult for the next year or so, in fact, she might still be invited to Stage III if certain conditions are not met by some of the players eligible to Stage III, a long shot, but a shot nonetheless. And even if that doesn't happen, she will have at least conditional status in the Futures Tour and go from there.

During a tournament like this, the thrill of victory or agony of defeat come to those who were close to the "cut" line. For instance, Rebecca Durham (a friend and roommate of Anya during the last three tournaments), who started at 9 over, shot 4 under and made the Stage III right on the "number" (CONGRATULATIONS!!). Another girl, Jessica Carafiello (69), started at 8 over, and also came right in the cut line. It is a thrill of personal victory.

On the other hand, sadder were the girls who were inside the cut at the start of the day (as Anya was), scored just poorly enough not to make it. Girls who would have been happy with the 75 that Anya closed with, shot 76 - 80 and missed by one or two. One girl in particular, came to the last hole with strokes to spare, scored a triple bogey, and missed the cut by one! Another girl had a quadruple on #17 and also missed by one. In the end, the total score, no matter how you end up with it, is what counts. You are either "in" or "out", but some rounds are easier to put behind than others.  Anya will put this round behind and tournament behind, she has been there. 

It is also eye opening and a reality check in other ways:

Anya & Kelli Rackley (Kelli,
who at one point led the 2009
U.S. Open, did not have her best
 week either... they'll be there)

Some of these girls, played at their best, and barely made it to the next stage, and now realize that their future may not be in playing golf for a living; while some others, including Anya, Kelli Rackley (former Kelli Shean), Carlota Ciganda and others, just didn't have their best for the week, but realize that they belong there, and the next time around, will capitalize in the opportunity...

just like Suzzan Pettersen did a few years ago when she did not make it the first time around and is now ranked in the top 5 in the world, or Ben Hogan, who went broke three times before he became the champion that we all know and admire.

You have to believe in your heart that you belong, that you are good enough and that sometimes doing it your way is the best, and sometimes it isn't. It is a wisdom that you learn as you go on.  If you "have the goods", and you love the game, it is never the time to quit!

P.S. By three methods is wisdom learned, by studying, which is the noblest, by imititation, which is the easiest, and by personal experience, which is the most painful" (Confucius)