Coming in 2019 blake will evaluate each of his rounds. Good Bad or Ugly and will tell you about it:
March 2, 2019
Wow, not the start i was wanting, but somedays nothing clicks and nothing goes your way and today was one of those days for me. I shot an 89 which is the highest number I have posted in a sanctioned event. Nothing was good except my birthday meal at Malone's and it was fantastic. I was not comfortable with the driver but due to the thick air, wet course conditions, the length of the course set up and the weather coming in for day 2 (which was cancelled), I felt that I had to take my chances with it. For the most part my misses were off the fairway just enough to allow the blades of grass to get between the ball and club face. My distance control was off which i expected due to my first round of the year. What i was not expecting was 32 putts i am normally around 24-26 putts per round. On the greens I was just seeing more break that was there but after talking to some of the other players they were having the same issue on the greens.
i started taking some serious chances on the back 9 trying to fight my way back into it thinking that if i could get to 32 or 33 on the back i would have an ouside chance but on a couple of holes on the back the water got me and that ended my hope of a charge.
What did i learn? that I need to work harder and clean my rotation up with the driver, have to stay in the shot longer. Dr. Chapman has helped me mentally be stronger, if this would have happened this time last year i would have been so down but today I am not happy but I know that this round doesn't define or show who I am as a player. As Dr. Chapman has tought me "Great player, bad round" it happens. Next Week I will be better at Nashville just hoping the weather will cooperate with us down there.
Birdies & Eagles,
Blake
March 9 & 10th
March 9th was a tough day on the course Thursday it had rained 1.5" friday had a light mist and overcast all day so Saturday when we teed off it was a muddy mess and after 4 holes it started raining on and off again untill hole 11 thats when it cut loose and poured down another 1.95" of rain. So this tournament got shortened up to a 27 hole event. I am a slow starter and am working on that everyday so anytime something gets shortened up I don't like it. with that being said I played well a 122 for 27 holes just 2 strokes off the winning number, with the ground as soaked as it was and the pin placements were really hard, they were all tucked and hid behind bunkers with greens sloping away from the pins so i was having to spin the ball an excessive amount to keep it on the greens, a few of my approaches actually spun off the front onto the fringe. I did drive the ball really well the second day and putted solid for the pin locations to be as tough as they were.
I think that i might have hit the best golf shot since i have been playing, in the second round. I think it was on 14 i pulled my drive to the left of the cart path and was tree hooked, limb hooked etc. basically dead, to a punch out to the fairway type shot, but at the time i was 4 down and was wanting to put some pressure on the leaders. I decided to play a stinger/hook from 200 out. so I take a 4 iron and turn it over while playing it back in my stance keeping it low to clear the branches and bingo just like i played it in my mind the ball started out 4' off the ground and stayed there for the first 75 yards then started to rise to about 12'-15' and boom on the front of the green about 12' from the hole. It was a round changer everything started clicking after that shot. It created cheers from everybody that was watching and I love that stuff!!
I am on a waiting list at Harmony Landing to play in one more tournament before High school golf starts, hopefully i will get a call this week, would really like to get another tournament under my belt before season starts. Thanks for all the support and kind words .
Birdies and Eagles,
Blake
March 9th was a tough day on the course Thursday it had rained 1.5" friday had a light mist and overcast all day so Saturday when we teed off it was a muddy mess and after 4 holes it started raining on and off again untill hole 11 thats when it cut loose and poured down another 1.95" of rain. So this tournament got shortened up to a 27 hole event. I am a slow starter and am working on that everyday so anytime something gets shortened up I don't like it. with that being said I played well a 122 for 27 holes just 2 strokes off the winning number, with the ground as soaked as it was and the pin placements were really hard, they were all tucked and hid behind bunkers with greens sloping away from the pins so i was having to spin the ball an excessive amount to keep it on the greens, a few of my approaches actually spun off the front onto the fringe. I did drive the ball really well the second day and putted solid for the pin locations to be as tough as they were.
I think that i might have hit the best golf shot since i have been playing, in the second round. I think it was on 14 i pulled my drive to the left of the cart path and was tree hooked, limb hooked etc. basically dead, to a punch out to the fairway type shot, but at the time i was 4 down and was wanting to put some pressure on the leaders. I decided to play a stinger/hook from 200 out. so I take a 4 iron and turn it over while playing it back in my stance keeping it low to clear the branches and bingo just like i played it in my mind the ball started out 4' off the ground and stayed there for the first 75 yards then started to rise to about 12'-15' and boom on the front of the green about 12' from the hole. It was a round changer everything started clicking after that shot. It created cheers from everybody that was watching and I love that stuff!!
I am on a waiting list at Harmony Landing to play in one more tournament before High school golf starts, hopefully i will get a call this week, would really like to get another tournament under my belt before season starts. Thanks for all the support and kind words .
Birdies and Eagles,
Blake
ApriL 2,2019
My first High School mATCH WAS AT SHADOWOOD IN SEYMOUR AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH UNEVENTFUL. I HIT THE BALL SOLID WITH MY IRONS, I SCATTERED THE BALL OF THE TEE AND I PUTTED OK. THE DRIVING RANGES HAVE ALL BEEN CLOSED AND I NEED TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON ON THE RANGE TO TIGHTEN MY DISPERSMENTS UP ON ALL MY CLUBS. THE GREENS WERE OK JUST EXTREMELY SLOW, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR INDIANA IN APRIL.
BIRDIES AND EAGLES,
BLAKE
My first High School mATCH WAS AT SHADOWOOD IN SEYMOUR AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH UNEVENTFUL. I HIT THE BALL SOLID WITH MY IRONS, I SCATTERED THE BALL OF THE TEE AND I PUTTED OK. THE DRIVING RANGES HAVE ALL BEEN CLOSED AND I NEED TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON ON THE RANGE TO TIGHTEN MY DISPERSMENTS UP ON ALL MY CLUBS. THE GREENS WERE OK JUST EXTREMELY SLOW, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR INDIANA IN APRIL.
BIRDIES AND EAGLES,
BLAKE
APRIL 3,2019
TODAYS MATCH WAS AT SUNRISE IN MADISON INDIANA. I NORMALLY DOT COMPLAIN ABOUT COURSE CONDITIONS BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS TO PLAY THE SAME CONITIONS BUT WHEN GREENS ARE AS BAD AS THEY WERE TONIGHT SOMEONE HAS TO SAY SOMETHING AND THEY WERE THE WORST I HAVE EVER PLAYED ON. SUPER SLOW BUT THE ISSUE WAS THEY MOWED THEM EARLIER IN THE DAY BUT THEY NEVER GOT ROLLED, SO WE WERE PUTTING THROUGH TIRE TRACKS. MY BALL STRIKING WITH THE IRONS WAS BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, DRIVER THE SAME BUT I HAD 21 PUTTS IN NINE HOLES. THEY WERE SO BAD I COULDN'T EVEN GET UPSET WITH MYSELF. I HAD A 4' PUTT MOVE 6" TO THE RIGHT AND IT WAS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT PUTT BUT IT WAS GOING THROUGH A TIRE TRACK. THEY WILL BE BETTER IN TWO WEEKS WHEN WE ARE BACK OVER THERE.
BIRDIES AND EAGLES,
BLAKE
TODAYS MATCH WAS AT SUNRISE IN MADISON INDIANA. I NORMALLY DOT COMPLAIN ABOUT COURSE CONDITIONS BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS TO PLAY THE SAME CONITIONS BUT WHEN GREENS ARE AS BAD AS THEY WERE TONIGHT SOMEONE HAS TO SAY SOMETHING AND THEY WERE THE WORST I HAVE EVER PLAYED ON. SUPER SLOW BUT THE ISSUE WAS THEY MOWED THEM EARLIER IN THE DAY BUT THEY NEVER GOT ROLLED, SO WE WERE PUTTING THROUGH TIRE TRACKS. MY BALL STRIKING WITH THE IRONS WAS BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, DRIVER THE SAME BUT I HAD 21 PUTTS IN NINE HOLES. THEY WERE SO BAD I COULDN'T EVEN GET UPSET WITH MYSELF. I HAD A 4' PUTT MOVE 6" TO THE RIGHT AND IT WAS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT PUTT BUT IT WAS GOING THROUGH A TIRE TRACK. THEY WILL BE BETTER IN TWO WEEKS WHEN WE ARE BACK OVER THERE.
BIRDIES AND EAGLES,
BLAKE
APRIL 6,2019
MY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL INVITATIONAL waS TODAY AT SALT CREEK IN BROWN COUNTY. THE DRIVING RANGE OPENED UP YESTERDAY AND I SPENT ALL AFTERNOON ON IT WORKING ON SOME SWING ISSUES WITH THE LONGER CLUBS.
I PLayed well today hit everything solid, all day i only made two bad swings and they were both lazy swings where i didn't get through the ball and lost them right. the greens, oh the greens were so awesome. they rolled true and were smooth no guessing, if you made a good stroke. it was so great to have good greens to putt on, thank you salt creek!
i ended up shooting 72 good enough for 2nd place in the tournament and only two strokes off the lead. did you catch that 2 strokes off the lead and i got lazy on 2 strokes during the round, every swing counts! today was fun!!
Birdies and eagles,
Blake
MY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL INVITATIONAL waS TODAY AT SALT CREEK IN BROWN COUNTY. THE DRIVING RANGE OPENED UP YESTERDAY AND I SPENT ALL AFTERNOON ON IT WORKING ON SOME SWING ISSUES WITH THE LONGER CLUBS.
I PLayed well today hit everything solid, all day i only made two bad swings and they were both lazy swings where i didn't get through the ball and lost them right. the greens, oh the greens were so awesome. they rolled true and were smooth no guessing, if you made a good stroke. it was so great to have good greens to putt on, thank you salt creek!
i ended up shooting 72 good enough for 2nd place in the tournament and only two strokes off the lead. did you catch that 2 strokes off the lead and i got lazy on 2 strokes during the round, every swing counts! today was fun!!
Birdies and eagles,
Blake
It has been a while since i have been on here so I apologize and will make a better effort to be more active. I won a 54 hole Hurricane event at Purdue on the Kampen course which took place on May 25-27, 2019. What a beautiful golf course that place is and as tough as anyplace i have played. its fair but tough, better not spray the ball or it will eat you up. I had a game plan of what i was going to hit off of each tee and I stuck with it for all 54 holes never even considered changing the plan. i played as well as i have played all year long and was thrilled to get the win.
Birdies and eagles,
blake
Birdies and eagles,
blake
June 1, 2019
I teed off at 12:50 for my first ever sectional. i played a solid 18 holes, it was not my best ball striking day but i scrambled well enough to give myself a chance with birdie putts. i ended up shooting 76 (+4). that was the 5th best score in the sectional and the top score for individuals to advance without their team. after my round i signed my card and then as the last group was coming off of 17 i walked the cart path to watch my buddy from another school. one of the coaches from another team who was also on the rules committee started yelling for me to get to the club house, that I had broken a rule by walking down there and i was going to be disqualified. I try to stay up to date on the rules but i had never heard of that before, i know that if i was giving advice or pin locations that woud be an infraction but to walk on the cart path after my card is signed, i had never heard of. what followed was a complete mess, the rules committee met for 20 minutes and was going to disqualify me for this so called rule, when another schools AD called to get a ruling from the golf commissioner and was told that i was correct there is not a rule that keeps me from watching as long as i do not give any advice of anykind and my round is finished and i have signed my card. although i am thrilled to move onto the regional this controversy did take away from my enjoyment of the moment.
birdies and eagles,
blake
I teed off at 12:50 for my first ever sectional. i played a solid 18 holes, it was not my best ball striking day but i scrambled well enough to give myself a chance with birdie putts. i ended up shooting 76 (+4). that was the 5th best score in the sectional and the top score for individuals to advance without their team. after my round i signed my card and then as the last group was coming off of 17 i walked the cart path to watch my buddy from another school. one of the coaches from another team who was also on the rules committee started yelling for me to get to the club house, that I had broken a rule by walking down there and i was going to be disqualified. I try to stay up to date on the rules but i had never heard of that before, i know that if i was giving advice or pin locations that woud be an infraction but to walk on the cart path after my card is signed, i had never heard of. what followed was a complete mess, the rules committee met for 20 minutes and was going to disqualify me for this so called rule, when another schools AD called to get a ruling from the golf commissioner and was told that i was correct there is not a rule that keeps me from watching as long as i do not give any advice of anykind and my round is finished and i have signed my card. although i am thrilled to move onto the regional this controversy did take away from my enjoyment of the moment.
birdies and eagles,
blake
June 3,2019
I teed off at 8:10 at Champions Pointe in my first Regional, i hit the first ball of the regional and smoked a 3-wood right down the middle then hit a 9-iron to within 10', made the putt, boom -1 after 1. i was even at the turn and felt good my swing was good, we were playing at a nice pace with no backups. Then the backside started with a 3 group backup at a par 3 and it would continue at this snail pace the rest of the day. I shoot 41 on the back for a total of 77 missing advancing to the state finals by 3 strokes. this is something that i have to work on, when the golf is playing slow and i have to wait on each tee, i loose my rythme, it is nobody's fault, it happens and i have to figure out what i need to do to keep my rythme. I think this is something i need to talk with Dr. chapman about. I want to thank everyone for all the support for me in my freshman year of high school golf, a special thank you to Coach parks, principle herald for always helping me with my schedule so i can play some of the national tournaments, my swing coach Brad morrow, my sports phycologist dr. Chapman, my mentor Jason bukowski and my mom, dad and Nana.
birdies and eagles,
blake
I teed off at 8:10 at Champions Pointe in my first Regional, i hit the first ball of the regional and smoked a 3-wood right down the middle then hit a 9-iron to within 10', made the putt, boom -1 after 1. i was even at the turn and felt good my swing was good, we were playing at a nice pace with no backups. Then the backside started with a 3 group backup at a par 3 and it would continue at this snail pace the rest of the day. I shoot 41 on the back for a total of 77 missing advancing to the state finals by 3 strokes. this is something that i have to work on, when the golf is playing slow and i have to wait on each tee, i loose my rythme, it is nobody's fault, it happens and i have to figure out what i need to do to keep my rythme. I think this is something i need to talk with Dr. chapman about. I want to thank everyone for all the support for me in my freshman year of high school golf, a special thank you to Coach parks, principle herald for always helping me with my schedule so i can play some of the national tournaments, my swing coach Brad morrow, my sports phycologist dr. Chapman, my mentor Jason bukowski and my mom, dad and Nana.
birdies and eagles,
blake
July 1 & 2
Indiana Junior Pga State Championship at the ross course in french lick, indiana. what a great golf course!! i really enjoyed this course, it fits my game and i felt really relaxed from the very start. i played well, the heat did become a factor for me, this is the first time i have ran into an issue with the heat but on hole 16 i was becoming rapidly dehydrated to the point where i didn't know if i could continue. I was drinking water putting cold towels on my head pouring water over my entire head. My dad walked out on the course and ask me if i was ok or if i needed to withdraw and honestly i wanted to quit but i took this as a challenge to my toughness. I told dad that i needed to finish i had worked to hard to walk away now. In my mind i was honestly thinking if i make it to the end i will hydrate and be good tomorrow and if i pass out they have medical people here and they will take me to the hospital. so the way i saw it i didn't have anything to loose by grinding it out and i am so glad i did. I managed to post a 75 for the day. I felt that a 75 in those conditions would be near the top of the leaderboard and it was. I started day two in the final pairing in forth place but only 3 strokes off the lead. I played the first four holes at 2 under and i was rolling but so was the thunder and then the lightening and rain set in. day two was canceled due to the rain so i ended up 4th, three strokes off the lead. this is one time where i feel that if we get to finish that round, i am the 15 year old state champion but it wasn't ment to be.
i was talking to dad on the way home about how i knew i could have won that and he said he agreed but next time shoot 69 or 70 in day one and i wouldn't be in that situation again. As i set there on the way home in the truck, as we were driving, i thought yep he is exactly right. he is my biggest cheerleader and my toughest critic, that is his job to prepare me for my future in golf, no excuses, just work harder is our motto.
Birdies and Eagles,
Blake
Indiana Junior Pga State Championship at the ross course in french lick, indiana. what a great golf course!! i really enjoyed this course, it fits my game and i felt really relaxed from the very start. i played well, the heat did become a factor for me, this is the first time i have ran into an issue with the heat but on hole 16 i was becoming rapidly dehydrated to the point where i didn't know if i could continue. I was drinking water putting cold towels on my head pouring water over my entire head. My dad walked out on the course and ask me if i was ok or if i needed to withdraw and honestly i wanted to quit but i took this as a challenge to my toughness. I told dad that i needed to finish i had worked to hard to walk away now. In my mind i was honestly thinking if i make it to the end i will hydrate and be good tomorrow and if i pass out they have medical people here and they will take me to the hospital. so the way i saw it i didn't have anything to loose by grinding it out and i am so glad i did. I managed to post a 75 for the day. I felt that a 75 in those conditions would be near the top of the leaderboard and it was. I started day two in the final pairing in forth place but only 3 strokes off the lead. I played the first four holes at 2 under and i was rolling but so was the thunder and then the lightening and rain set in. day two was canceled due to the rain so i ended up 4th, three strokes off the lead. this is one time where i feel that if we get to finish that round, i am the 15 year old state champion but it wasn't ment to be.
i was talking to dad on the way home about how i knew i could have won that and he said he agreed but next time shoot 69 or 70 in day one and i wouldn't be in that situation again. As i set there on the way home in the truck, as we were driving, i thought yep he is exactly right. he is my biggest cheerleader and my toughest critic, that is his job to prepare me for my future in golf, no excuses, just work harder is our motto.
Birdies and Eagles,
Blake
July 23, 24, 25, 2019
Wow, what an experience this was! Doral is an amazing place, probably the most prestine golfing area i have ever been to. It is as close to perfect as it can get as far as condition. I for the first time was awe struck with a golf course. I definately didn't adjust well to the bermuda grass, day one i shot 85, day two i shot 81 and day 3 i shot 80. which lead to a dissapointing 80 finish although less than 10 strokes kept me from the top 50. I truely loved every minute of this experience and am so greatful to the Optimist club, Mike woodward and jim baker for all of thier work with this tournament.
Birdies & Eagles,
Blake
Wow, what an experience this was! Doral is an amazing place, probably the most prestine golfing area i have ever been to. It is as close to perfect as it can get as far as condition. I for the first time was awe struck with a golf course. I definately didn't adjust well to the bermuda grass, day one i shot 85, day two i shot 81 and day 3 i shot 80. which lead to a dissapointing 80 finish although less than 10 strokes kept me from the top 50. I truely loved every minute of this experience and am so greatful to the Optimist club, Mike woodward and jim baker for all of thier work with this tournament.
Birdies & Eagles,
Blake