Insider's Perspective from an Amateur Tournament: A Q&A with Michael Nofs

Growing up in Calhoun County, Michigan, my golfing dreams and goals were pretty minimal. Conventional thinking was that most business deals were actually made on the golf course, not in some fancy board room or office, so my mom and I thought it would be a good idea to learn the game. As a sophomore, I joined my high school golf team, although I only practiced and never actually played in a match. Otherwise, my golf experiences were with buddies on the local courses.

I never took it serious and briefly quit the game because I wasn't any good, not to mention the expense involved. But a few years ago my wife decided she needed to learn how to golf so she could play in a tournament at work. Teaching her to play coupled with attending my first professional golf tournament and suddenly I was hooked...big time.

I began watching golf every weekend, not just the big tournaments. I started practicing my swing in Target while my wife shopped for shampoo and scented candles. I noticed the way people dressed and whether they looked like golfers or not.

I even began writing about golf! Yes, I was hooked.

But there was one thing I couldn't do, something all of us amateur hacks wish were possible. I couldn't make my millions traveling the world playing in golf tournaments. Sure I could play in a league at the local golf club, but that's just not the same.

Then last summer my good friend, Michael Nofs, told me he was thinking of playing in the Calhoun County Amateur. I didn't even know our county had an amateur tournament, or that weekend warriors like us could actually play. After some encouragement, he decided to play and followed that up with another appearance this past August 21-22.

The two day event was played at scenic Binder Park G.C. in Battle Creek, MI. Afterward, I had a chance to talk with Michael about his experiences playing in the tournament.


Ryan: So Michael, when did you first hear about the Calhoun County Amateur tournament?

Michael: I first heard about the CCA in the summer of 2008. At the time, I thought there is no way I could play in a tournament. I didn't think my game was to the level it needed to be...whatever that means!


Ryan: And when did you decide you were going to try playing?

Michael: The following year some friends from my league were talking about it and asked if I wanted to play as well. After thinking about it, I thought why not. (It) can't be that bad. Even if I shoot a high 90, so what. Golf is a game against the course not against other contestants.

(You) have to have some background here. I was coming off doing five or so 5K runs where I had tempered myself that running wasn't against the person in the race with me but against my own personal time. So I thought the same here. I would just go play the tournament like it was a regular round and see what score I could get. Then hopefully the following year play better and so forth.


Ryan: Did your goals change from playing in your first tournament last year to this year, having experienced it once and with a better understanding of what to expect?

Michael: My personal goal this year was to beat my score from last year. My first year goal was just to have fun. Last year I shot a 90 on opening day and a 95 on the second day. The first day you get to choose your foursome so I played with three buddies. The second day you are flighted based on your first day score. So the second day I played with three guys I didn't know. So I attributed a 95 to playing "average" and didn't feel comfortable cause I wasn't with anyone I knew. This year I shot a 95 first day and a 96 on the second day. I got to play with my league partner and two other guys I didn't know the first day, and the second day I got to do the same.


Ryan: Did you have a totally different feeling playing in this type of tourney as opposed to your normal league or a normal outing with friends?

Michael: Completely different feeling than when you play with league buddies or out for a recreation round. Not because things are different, but just because I put pressure on myself.

Very first day of year one I played it as I was out with buddies and just having fun. Shot a 90 with a lipped putt on the last hole. Ah oh well. On to tomorrow. The next day I was with three people I didn't know and thought I had to put pressure on myself and boy did that backfire.

I shot a 95 with a bunch of scramble bogeys. Where the day before I would just lay up and hit a nice pitch into the green and get a par or bogey, the second day I was trying to hit greens from all over the place, anywhere from 150 to 190 yards. Not really unattainable goals, but as I would have a mistake or a failure to reach the green in 2 I would get more upset and pretty soon I had a number of double bogeys that were hurting my game.

So I backed off at the end of the round and just played like I normally do and the scores turned around.

This year was completely different. All year I have had issues with driver. Really all my life I have had issues. Some rounds it is on and I "feel" right with the driver. Other days I just don't know how to swing it. When I am not feeling it I should just learn to put it away and hit my hybrid club...my favorite club by the way.

Of course I didn’t (hit it) and I had a number of lost balls with these rounds. I probably accounted for at least 6 strokes this year on both days where I lost a tee shot and had to hit a provisional.

I really should have hit in the eighties this year, but couldn't get away from the driver. Lesson learned I guess.


Ryan: What level do you feel you were on compared to the other players in the tournament?

Michael: I was easily in the bottom quarter. More than half the flights were under 82 scores. The other half were mid to high 80s with about 20 of us in the 90s and then about five or 10 in the 100s. (I was) easily over matched, but again, the score is against yourself not the person you are playing with.


Ryan: Now Binder Park is your home course and where your league plays weekly. How different was the course set up and the way the course played from when you normally play it during league compared to the tournament?

Michael: The course was much tougher than normal. The greens are notoriously slow for this course and both years the greens have been quite speedy. So that takes getting used to. Also, for tournament play every flag is in the front part of the green, so you have to spin the ball to stop it and keep it close to the hole. Of course that is something I can't do at the moment, so I found myself just trying to get on the green and then 2-putting from there.

Really I was pretty happy with my putting this year, but like I have detailed before, the problem was getting on the green and I should have just opted to lay-up, pitch it close and hope for a 1-putt to get par, not try to land the green and get a 2-putt for par.


Ryan: So how do these first two experiences help you going into the 2011 CCA?

Michael: Next years goals are to play without pressure, try to have fun and play smart. I hate to put a number as a goal because I know that backfires on me more times than not, so I just want to have a good time and see if my ball striking is better. Maybe see if I can have a 30 putt round.

The only real part of my game that I am confident in is putting and I consistently two-putt almost every hole. If my chipping is going well, I have a few one-putts on my card as well.


Michael's experience shows us that no matter what your age, your skill level, or your goals, golf gives us new challenges, new obstacles, and new successes each time we play, and that is why it is a game to be cherished.