Tour News
Jordan Holley blog: Pure strikes and shanks
By Jordan Holley
GolfWRX Contributor
Jordan Holley, 28, is a mini-tour player pursuing his dream of earning a PGA Tour card. He graduated from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., where he was an NCAA All-American and a member of the Cleveland Golf Academic All-American First Team. He qualified for the U.S. Amateur in 2008, and since turning professional has played on the NGA Hooters and eGolf tours, as well as other minor league tours.
So, since I last left you last time I’ve gotten my feet wet again and back into competition. I played last week in a NGA Pro Golf Tour (formerly the Hooters Tour) event in Windsor, N.C. at Scotch Hall Preserve. Let me start at the beginning.
I booked a one-way flight from my home base in West Palm Beach, Fla., up to Raleigh, N.C. and met up with my longtime friend Nathan Stamey. I hopped in his car and we hit the road. We stayed with a close friend of mine in Raleigh and made the three-hour drive to the middle of nowhere, Windsor, N.C., the next morning. I have to pause here to tell you just what this place is like. First of all, the only hotel we could find room in was the local Super 8 … not so super. This was the week of the Masters and our small, basically black-and-white TV didn’t get ESPN! There were only three restaurants that were not fast food and the entire town shut down around 8:30 p.m. Anyway, we had a solid two days of practice and I went into my first round brimming with confidence.
I had a 1:50 p.m. tee time the first round but after a three-hour rain delay for the first wave, we only got three holes in during some favorable weather and I played them two-under. The next day we woke up to an early morning high of 45 degrees and the wind blowing more than 25 mph off the large lake surrounding the course. Twelve hours later and 33 holes in, I blew a chance to make a move heading into the weekend after a solid day with a crushing triple bogey on the tough ?17th hole at Scotch Hall. Now I had to wait around and see if I even made the cut! I did not, and after a little self-loathing, I headed back to the room to lick my wounds and reflect on the day.
The next two days I caddied for Nate and got some good practice in. It was a tough course and even tougher conditions. A friend of mine, Mark Silvers, won the four-day event at eight under, a testament to the teeth the course showed. Now it was on to trying to figure out my next step. I was down to a VERY limited bank account after forking over the $1300 entry fee plus another $500 in travel expenses. The guys who offered the sponsorship help (read about it in my last update here) had not yet agreed on the terms.
I finally reached out to the potential sponsors and told them I felt good about my game and needed to play again. They obliged and signed me up for the eGolf event at St James this past week. It’s a course that demands every part of your game to be sharp and the tour officials did a fantastic job setting up a stern test.
It turned out to be too stern for me in the first round, where I struggled mightily to shot a four-over 76. Here is where my week and potentially my year made a turn for the better. I teed off the next day determined to make a move and I did. I shot the second-lowest round of the day on the demanding Founders Club course at St. James, and posted a five-under 67 with a bogey on the par five 17th hole. This got me to the weekend and I wasn’t done yet. Another five-under 67 the next day, this time at the Reserve Club tied me for the low round of the day and put me in the final group — only one shot back heading into Saturday’s final round.
The final round was close to a flawless early, as I was six-under through 11 holes. I stumbled with a few bogeys heading in including one on No. 17. Again, it was a par five. Sensing a trend yet? I did not play the par fives very well, which is a must for professional golfers. I got a great practice in following the round and slept like a baby with nothing but opportunity in front of me.
I woke up the next morning, had a nice stretch, breakfast and I was off to finish what I started. I warmed up well and in front of a fairly decent gallery I striped my first shot with a three wood right down the middle. I felt as comfortable as I ever have in similar positions as I walked down the first fairway. I approached my second shot and had a perfect number to the flag, 145 yards with a slightly helping wind. I stepped up with my pitching wedge anticipating a short birdie putt upcoming. I then proceeded to SHANK my wedge basically out of play. Needless to say, I was speechless and a little unnerved as I approached my next shot. I was stymied behind a tree and had to pitch out sideways. I chipped out, wedged on the green and two putted for double bogey.
In one of the weirdest rounds of golf in my life, I shanked three irons out of play, made four birdies (including one at the last hole in front of the largest gallery I have played for) and grinded my tail off to shoot 77. I hit six greens, had 25 putts and made three double bogeys. Long story short, I blew another chance at a great paycheck and didn’t even realize how fast it happened. I KNOW that I can close better than that and I am sitting in the car on the way home from Orlando piecing together just what happened in the last few days. What am I supposed to learn from all of it? I don’t know yet, but I know I will come out stronger as a result (or at least a little smarter).
I just finished an audition for the Golf Channel’s “Big Break” and as hard as it was to tell them about this past Saturday, I did. While I was sharing my whole life story as well with them, I realized that this journey I am on isn’t near the finish line, but closer to the beginning.
My goal is to reach people that are traveling down the same road as me – trying to make a living doing something they love. I’m currently reading a book by Matthew Syed, “Bounce,” which resonated with me.
?”Purposeful practice is about striving for what is just out of reach and not quite making it; it is about grappling with tasks beyond current limitations and falling short again and again. EXCELLENCE is about stepping outside the comfort zone, training with a spirit of endeavor, and accepting the inevitability of trials and tribulations. PROGRESS is built, in effect, upon the foundations of necessary failure. That is the essential paradox of EXPERT performance.”
Click here to read all of Jordan’s blog entries.
You can follow Jordan on Twitter @J_Holley6under or on www.jordanholleygolf.com.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.
We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.
General Albums
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)
WITB Albums
- Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Pullout Albums
- New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Cognizant Classic
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Cognizant Classic —FKA the Honda Classic.
The first leg of the PGA Tour’s traditional “Florida swing,” the Cognizant Classic continues to be contested at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, host course of the 1983 Ryder Cup and 1987 PGA Championship. The course is known for its famed “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch of holes that take their name from Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus, who redesigned the course in 2002.
The Bear Trap includes No. 15 (a par 3), No. 16 (a par 4), and No. 17 (a par 4). All three holes involve water and have led to several big numbers from Tour players over the years.
Check out an assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums below.
We’ll continue to update the galleries as more photos flow in from Florida!
General Albums
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #3
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #4
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Tuesday #1
WITB Albums
- Brandt Snedeker – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Max Greyserman – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Eric Cole – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Carl Yuan – WITb – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Russell Henley – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Justin Suh – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Shane Lowry – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Taylor Montgomery – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) – WITB – – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Sam Ryder – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Maverick McNealy – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Tua Tagovailoa mini WITB (NFL QB, Miami Dolphins) – 2024 Cognizant Classic
Pullout Albums
- New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- LA Golf new insert putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Swag covers – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jacob Bridgeman’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Bud Cauley’s custom Cameron putters – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Ryo Hisatsune’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Chris Kirk – new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters
- Alejandro Tosti’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Joohyung Tom Kim’s “new” center-shafted Scotty Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Golf Simulator
Sep 8, 2012 at 5:50 am
I’m impressed. You’re truly well informed and very intelligent. You wrote something that people could understand and made the subject intriguing for everyone. I’m saving this for future use.
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Three Guys Golf Blog
Apr 17, 2012 at 12:25 am
Very cool post. I actually have signed up for a CGA Tournament at Scotch Hall in May. Looks like a great track although I am sure there will be a few shanks on my part as well.