2010 Ottawa Citizen Amateur

[BlueMan]

I was wondering if anyone had any info on what courses are being played for it this year and where and when I could get my hands on an application form.

Thanks

BlueMan

[gbower]

You can get all the info you need here

www.flagstick.com/ottawa_amateur.htm

[jvincent]

Courses are Eagle Creek, Loch March, Kanata Lakes, and the Marshes.

Full details and entry form can be found at flagstick.com

[BlueMan]

Perfect guys thanks a lot really appreciated. Heard a lot of great things about the event and hear the level of play is really high so I'm looking forward to playing 4 great courses at a very good price!!

[goley]

Quite the line up... looks like Thunder might finally be a bride instead of a bridesmaid.

[Travis]

If you are not a member of a golf club nor a member of a "Discounted Green Fee" site like Reservation Masters (for example) but keep track of every round that you play via scoregolf.ca and their handicap tracking system, will this be considered an eligible index for entry into this tournament. If not, how would someone like me establish a "certified" index?

I realize that I am too late to apply for this year but this is more or less a question for future years to come.

[jvincent]

It might be OK. The field was not full so if you submit the application to the tournament organizers they might accept it.

[mjf]

I picked up my swag bag at lunch today. This time, instead of a plastic "Ottawa Citizen" bag to hold all of the stuff, it's in a Taylor Made "golf shoe" bag with Ottawa Citizen Amateur "10th annual" embroidered on it. Pretty snazzy.

Also, a black Ashworth golf shirt, a sleeve of TaylorMade TP Black logo'ed balls and a bag of tees. This, along with a round of golf at Eagle Creek and Loch March definitely makes the $199 entry fee worth while in my opinion.

[jvincent]

Tee times are up for Round 1 at Eagle Creek.

I took a quick look and I think mjf and I are the only forum members in the field. For those placing bets, the smart money is on mjf.

I will start the cut-line prediction by saying that 164 has a chance to make it.

I will also go out on a limb and say that the scoring average at Loch March will be higher than at Eagle Creek assuming that the weather is similar for the two rounds. My goal this year is to make the cut by simply not being a bonehead during either of the first two rounds and avoiding any nines on the card.

[Husband]

An 8 index... sheesh I've got a ways to go before I can enter this.

[spackler]

I took a quick look and I think mjf and I are the only forum members in the field. For those placing bets, the smart money is on mjf.

There's actually a bunch of forum members in the field just from glancing at the sheet. Got to think Thunder or Joethepro66 have a good shot at winning. Good luck to everyone playing, I'm in there as soon as I drop 28 or so strokes from the handi...

[nokids]

Tee times are up for Round 1 at Eagle Creek.

I took a quick look and I think mjf and I are the only forum members in the field. For those placing bets, the smart money is on mjf.

I will start the cut-line prediction by saying that 164 has a chance to make it.

I will also go out on a limb and say that the scoring average at Loch March will be higher than at Eagle Creek assuming that the weather is similar for the two rounds. My goal this year is to make the cut by simply not being a bonehead during either of the first two rounds and avoiding any nines on the card.

May the force be with you Mike and John!

[jvincent]

There's actually a bunch of forum members in the field just from glancing at the sheet. Got to think Thunder or Joethepro66 have a good shot at winning. Good luck to everyone playing, I'm in there as soon as I drop 28 or so strokes from the handi...

That's right, I forgot about Al and I don't know joethepro's real handle.

Part of the problem is keeping up with everyone's real name and forum handle.

[marcf]

That's right, I forgot about Al and I don't know joethepro's real handle.

Part of the problem is keeping up with everyone's real name and forum handle.

I'm in, so are about 4 or 5 others that you may not know.

[XTOUR]

Funny how Kyle and Allen got paired together...

[mjf]

One more day until Round 1 at Eagle Creek. For those of you who have entered, how's the state of your game? After playing a practice round at EC yesterday with jvincent (thanks for the invite Lorne!), I think I have a chance of shooting a decent round. My game hasn't been as sharp this year as I would like... Realistically, I'd be pleased with anything around 80 although a few strokes lower and several strokes higher are also very much in play. For me, it's all about keeping the ball in play off the tee. If I can do that, I think the rest of my game is in good enough shape to do alright.

We played from the 'Citizen' tees documented in the handout. I was a little surprised at some of the tee selections given that it's only the first round. It seems as though they chose a few back tees on some pretty hard holes and some up tees on some of the easier holes.

One other thing... It looks like it's going to be relatively cool tomorrow. That, coupled with the rain we've been having are going to make the course play pretty long.

[up&down]

We played from the 'Citizen' tees documented in the handout. I was a little surprised at some of the tee selections given that it's only the first round. It seems as though they chose a few back tees on some pretty hard holes and some up tees on some of the easier holes.

Times have changed.....I remember playing the inaugural Citizen tournament (Round 4) won by Scott Johnson playing the gold tees and anything under 80 was a top 10 finish.. The back tees was a great test of golf in windy conditions, shot the best tournament round of my life (73 or 74) paired with Brad Kerfoot (Smiths Falls - 77 or 78).

[mjf]

Times have changed.....I remember playing the inaugural Citizen tournament (Round 4) won by Scott Johnson playing the gold tees and anything under 80 was a top 10 finish.. The back tees was a great test of golf in windy conditions, shot the best tournament round of my life (73 or 74) paired with Brad Kerfoot (Smiths Falls - 77 or 78).

I know somebody who thinks the Citizen should still be played from the back tees. I'm fine with that... for the final round. Everybody who makes it that far should be able to handle the length. For round 1 though, when everybody's playing including a few who don't have a legitimate 8 or better index, I think they should ease up on the field a bit in the interest of pace of play.

[jvincent]

I know somebody who thinks the Citizen should still be played from the back tees.

Yeah, that's me.

Back tees for every round unless there is a specific reason for not doing it like #10 at Loch March (too much traffic) or it's a short risk/reward hole.

[Thom Panikorn]

Good luck to all of you who are playing tomorrow. It should be a fun round of golf. This is the "best" 1st round course in my opinion. It's normally the course for the final round. Just to play there should be a treat on its own. Enjoy it.

Thom

[marcf]

I know somebody who thinks the Citizen should still be played from the back tees. I'm fine with that... for the final round. Everybody who makes it that far should be able to handle the length. For round 1 though, when everybody's playing including a few who don't have a legitimate 8 or better index, I think they should ease up on the field a bit in the interest of pace of play.

IMO, The tournament should be played from as close to the back tees a possible, no matter if the players are a legitmate 8 or not. If they say they are in order to get into the event, then step up to the tips, tee it up and prove it. I disagree with the pace of play comment. It's a tournament, not a Sunday morning round with your friends. If players can't keep up from the tips, then don't lie about your handicap and don't play. If they choose to play, then don't whine about it.

[mjf]

Round 1 at Eagle Creek is in the books for me. Yesterday I posted that I'd be happy with anything around 80. I ended up shooting an 82 today and, the more I think about it, the more unhappy I am with the result. I was +3 after nine holes +5 only 6 holes left to play. In the end, I had 1 bogey, 4 doubles and 1 triple offset (somewhat) by 2 birdies. I had 3 other excellent birdie opportunities but the putter cooled off considerably on my back nine.

There were a few very challenging pin positions... notably #18 which was cut on a side-slope, no doubt in an attempt to defend the hole from the better players later in the day who would otherwise make mincemeat of the hole. The pin positions on #13 and #8 were also tough.

Also, the greens were SUPER fast... maybe the fastest greens I've ever played on. If you got your ball above the hole at all things got pretty dicey.

One more thing, the round was very slow. I think it was closing in on 5.5 hours. Guess it's a good thing we weren't playing from the tips.

Based on the completed scores from the first half of the field, I'm guessing my 82 will leave me positioned somewhere around 50th. Provided I shoot a decent round at Loch March in a few weeks, I should be able to make the first cut which I would guess will end up being around 166. To have any chance of making the final round though, my next two rounds will need to be in the 70s I think.

[jvincent]

Round 1 also in the books for me.

Like mjf said, greens were super fast and there were some tough pins. Leave your ball above the hole and you were scrambling. Overall I thought the setup was quite fair though.

I was very pleased with my round. Shot a 78, which included a 4-putt double on the 13th.

How do you 4-putt? 120 ft first putt (pin all the way back, my ball on the very front and I had to go up two tiers). Miss the downhill 10 footer and leave myself 7 feet coming back up (yes the greens were fast) and then tap in for double. On a positive note, that was the only double I made and other than that hole I putted really well all day.

Key for me today was I kept the ball in play beautifully off the tee. I only missed four fairways and two of those were only inches off and the other two weren't far off either. Being in good position off the tee gave me lots of easy shots to the green and finally my iron play was solid too (10-GIR).

When we left I was tied for 5th. Low round was a couple of 76s, then two 77s, one of which was shot by one of my FCs.

There was a 119 and one 100 that I remember. Somebody carded an 11 on 18. I took pictures of the score sheets which I will post later.

[mjf]

I was very pleased with my round. Shot a 78, which included a 4-putt double on the 13th.

Great round John!

[jvincent]

Here are the scores that were posted when I left.

[amac]

Complete results can be found at:

http://www.flagstick.com/teeshots/?p=1273

[XTOUR]

Glad to hear you guys played well. Good luck in the nex round guys.

[jvincent]

Scoring average for round 1 = 84.3.

[John]

Wow an 8 cap at 47 over par? WTF?

[nokids]

Excellent score John. 78 eagle creek from the back, wow!