tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41745742712996735852024-03-05T04:53:15.726-06:00www.MikeVanSickleGolf.blogspot.comMike Van Sickle's BlogMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-22528257360578132642013-09-23T08:24:00.001-05:002013-10-28T21:04:44.774-05:00Year to DateHere is a list of my results from this year…
April 7-12, Canadian Tour Q-School- 74-74-71-74, DNQ
April 22, Valdosta Web.com Mon Qualifier - 70, DNQ
April 29, Athens Web.com Mon Qualifier- 70, DNQ
April 30-May2, Peach State Tour event- 70-68-70, 4th place finish
May 9, US Open Local Qualifier, Westmoreland- 70, MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-22596457867852763752013-02-10T10:18:00.003-06:002013-02-10T10:18:42.650-06:00Gearing Up!I know over the last two and a half years I have, for the most part, stayed really positive on this blog. And during some of my struggles, especially in 2010, I think I was more trying to convince myself that things were improving. But I can say, without a doubt, that I am the most excited about my game going into this year than I have been at any point in the last three years. MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-80493873308325268702013-01-09T10:35:00.000-06:002013-01-09T10:35:00.876-06:00Guess Who's Back!I know it's been a long time since my last post and I apologize. Once again, I couldn't find the heart to post anything after coming so close but just short at Q-School last fall. I was really playing well in that last half of the year too. I qualified for 2 Web.Com Tour Events and shot 71-66-70 to start at Q-school before a final round 74 cost me to miss by two.
My offseason MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-6299511353537488022012-10-05T08:48:00.000-05:002012-10-05T08:48:00.465-05:00Back to BackAfter qualifying for my first Web.Com event since the 2009 Children's Hospital Classic at Ohio State's course, I found myself on a stage I hadn't been on in a while at the Chiquita Classic. Unfortunately, I was unable to play my best golf last week, leading to a 72-74 and a missed cut. Good news though, as I'm back out here on the Web.Com Tour after another successful Monday qualifierMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-33847138178116371382012-09-25T06:32:00.002-05:002012-09-25T06:32:33.591-05:00Finally made one!Yesterday was the Monday qualifier for the Chiquita Classic in Charlotte, a Web.com event, formerly the Nationwide tour. It was a cool and blustery morning with swirling winds, which made it difficult to figure out where the wind was coming from. But I was hitting it well and had some nice up and downs. I birdied 3 & 7 on my front, but bogied the par 3 8th and turned at MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-46735049172394735482012-09-06T23:14:00.001-05:002012-09-06T23:14:05.910-05:00New Course RecordI've been having a really good week on the course. Unfortunately it's not in competition, but my game continues to peak at the right time this year, with Q-School only a month away. On Wednesday, my dad and I played at Treesdale and played our usual two balls around the course. I shot 62 & 66 on Lakes-Orchard from the tips. I bogied 9 Orchard to finish on the ball thatMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-5649713061167833482012-08-30T13:43:00.001-05:002012-08-30T13:43:53.309-05:00Short by 1 for Mylan…againFor the second straight year I missed playing in the Mylan classic by a single shot. I fired a 68 at Green Oaks and finished T-8th of 156 players. I'm hitting it great and just needed to score better on my final 6 holes. A few better pitch shots coming down the stretch could have done the trick, or even a couple made putts. I lipped out a 3-foot par putt on my 13th hole, MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-50829556914965187252012-08-17T14:04:00.001-05:002012-08-17T14:04:33.154-05:00Great few Weeks...Anyone who saw me play this week out at Nemacolin Woodlands in the PA Open will notice one thing… he's back. The ball-striking, the driving especially, was second to none out there this week. Ripping driver 300+ yards while hitting fairway after fairway. The only thing to hold me back this week was a lack of made putts outside 10 feet and a few poorly played short game shots. &MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-10651135348337455672012-07-15T19:07:00.002-05:002012-07-15T19:07:55.976-05:00Solid finishThe third round was awfully frustrating. I just didn't hit it great and I couldn't buy a putt to fall. I wound up with 15 pars, 2 bogies, and a birdie to shoot a third round 72. And it was much of the same to start the opening 9 holes in the final round. I made 2 bogies and 1 birdie, and again, couldn't get anything to fall. But finally, with 9 holes left, things MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-10026198009027428282012-07-12T21:58:00.001-05:002012-07-12T21:58:25.753-05:00Made CutMy first made cut in my third eGolf event of the year. After getting off to a nice start, cruising to -2 thru 6, I bogied my 7th and 8th holes to drop back to 3-under for the tournament. The problem with this was that I was en route to shooting a low score, and at -5, well clear of the cutline. But when I fell back to the cutline number, I wasn't as free to take chances and get MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-1411893189880374162012-07-11T21:24:00.000-05:002012-07-11T21:24:37.315-05:00Short on Monday, but great WednesdayI just couldn't get it going in the Monday Qualifier. I bogied my first hole and bogied my 12th hole to fall to +1. I finished strong however, still managing to post a 69, but the real momentum swing/lost opportunities came at the turn, I missed an 8 footer for par on 8, after being -1 thru 7 and a 5-foot birdie chance on 9, and 6-foot birdie chance on 10, and another 5 foot effort MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-82797026038423218892012-07-06T08:54:00.001-05:002012-07-06T08:54:12.339-05:00Bogey free, the way to be!Shot a bogey-free 69 in John Deere Pre-Qualifying yesterday. Had a good game plan going into the day, as I started on the par 4 10th. I knew a couple good drives on 10 & 11 could net me some early birdies, so I tried to be aggressive. It paid off on 10 as I hit a good pitch to six feet and poured in the birdie. Didn't hit a good enough drive on 11 to go for the par 5 MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-55395854568053676922012-06-29T06:58:00.001-05:002012-06-29T06:58:11.494-05:002nd Place at FuhrerMy third round saw me get off to a good start, even getting into the red briefly. Unfortunately I hit a bad stretch on my back nine, making 4 bogies in a row that dropped me into 4th going in to the final round. Three players were tied at +2 while I was at +4. But not to worry, because I would pull even with them pretty quick in the Final Round. After an unbelievable flop MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-26640331576790706062012-06-25T20:58:00.004-05:002012-06-25T20:58:31.863-05:00Good Start at FuhrerToday was the start of the Frank Fuhrer Invitational, one of the best tournaments on my schedule, if not the best. $150,000 purse with 30K going to the winner. I got off to the least coveted of starts, bogeying my first hole and then hitting a drive OB on my 2nd hole, the 11th at the Pittsburgh Field Club. Things took a while to get better as I found myself +6 thru 12 on a windyMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-29520505091228637372012-05-28T07:58:00.000-05:002012-05-28T07:58:40.573-05:00Monday Qualifier TodayToday is another great opportunity for me to get my foot in the door this year. I'm playing in the Nationwide Monday Qualifier today for the Raleigh event. I played a practice round yesterday and made a good number of birdies. It's maybe not your signature MVS course, as it forces some shorter clubs off the tee, but certainly a course I can definitely have some success at.  MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-24645573214037830172012-05-12T08:58:00.002-05:002012-05-12T08:58:40.940-05:00What's coming up...I played in an Autism Benefit at Treesdale yesterday. We played a scramble format and I had a really fun day, on top of playing really well. The group is called Autism Speaks, it's a great cause. Check it out!
http://www.autismspeaks.org/
I've got about a week here in Pittsburgh to continue to hone my game, and I've been making great progress. I'm really hitting it well MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-87227527677312048722012-05-09T13:28:00.000-05:002012-05-09T13:28:40.535-05:00On to Sectionals!After some near misses in the Nationwide qualifiers the last few weeks, I finally broke through and qualified for something, US Open Sectionals that is. I plodded along most of the day before getting hot on the back 9 at Quicksilver GC. I birdied 5 of my last 7 holes to finish with a 5-under par 67 and medalist honors by two shots. 70 wound up in a 3 for 1 playoff. It was MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-59190318132737119202012-05-08T05:30:00.001-05:002012-05-08T05:30:51.407-05:00US Open Qualifier TodayToday is the US Open Local qualifier at Quicksilver GC, a course I have made an effort of becoming more familiar with this spring. I've probably played 10 or 12 rounds out there already this year. It's fairly wide open off the tee which is always good for a longer hitter like me, but the greens are where the course can get you. You need to place your ball well and try to stay MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-56938498776336836762012-04-26T14:39:00.001-05:002012-04-26T14:39:29.075-05:00Oh So Close!I've been down south for almost 2 weeks now and I've had some bad play, some great play, and a fair share of disappointment. My trip started with an eGolf event in Greensboro where my practice round went amazingly well. I was extremely confident going into the tournament and unfortunately, things just didn't translate into the event. My driver was not friendly, and all-in-all, IMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-68145548300330438632012-03-08T07:50:00.000-06:002012-03-08T07:50:58.731-06:00No luck in Puerto RicoEverything seemed to be moving in the right direction going into Puerto Rico, but I couldn't quite put it all together for either of the qualifiers. I played pretty solidly on Friday, in the qualifier for 1 spot, but I had 3 bad holes on the front 9 that took me out of it. Besides those three holes I made 3 birdies and all pars, which was solid. I worked hard on the range the MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-30908491001346316302012-02-27T20:15:00.000-06:002012-02-27T20:15:36.197-06:00Good things on the HorizonAnd that horizon is going to be in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone. Puerto Rico is my next stop and I fly out on Wednesday. I have one more day in Tampa tomorrow at Hunter's Green before I fly out. Things are going VERY well. I hit it the best I have today, including a 380 yard drive on the flat 18th hole at East Lake Woodlands today. No wind, simply crushed it. MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-55896448788846285742012-02-07T13:08:00.000-06:002012-02-07T13:08:04.010-06:00Another Great Week, ScheduleNot much new this last week… I've mostly just been staying the course with my progress. I'm continuing my 4-day a week workouts at ESI. They are going really well and my strength has visably increased. Not only that, but my back pains have decreased dramatically as well. I was able to see the chiropractor there today. He's been gone for over a week to tend to some ofMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-35998852409619923052012-01-25T12:50:00.000-06:002012-01-25T12:50:41.835-06:00Awesome TripMy trip to Chicago and Milwaukee was a lot of fun, despite the 6 inches of snow that fell as soon as I got to Chicago. It was an easy drive there, except for the last 30 minutes when the snow started to fall. My girlfriend Kristine accompanied me on the trip and the first stop was lunch at Gino's East Pizza. In response to an earlier post, Ghiradino's is probably better, but it MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-32715480604159122522012-01-10T16:41:00.000-06:002012-01-10T16:41:04.525-06:00Great Workout TodayI had a great first workout at Evolution Sports Institute (ESI) today. I worked out with a guy named Cole who's super nice, but also super knowledgable. We did a great 10 minute stretching routine which had me feeling really loose. We also worked some lunge work with weights that had my quads on absolute fire. We also worked the area around my scapula's as that is a spot MVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174574271299673585.post-31281451241583201232012-01-08T23:45:00.000-06:002012-01-08T23:45:59.857-06:00Almost Course RecordWe went back to Mountain Shadows this morning, the cool par 3 course, well it has two par-4s, but it's in really good condition. When we checked in, I noticed that they had their course record scorecards sitting in the pro-shop. Three guys had shot 48, or 8-under, in the course's history. I thought, 8-under? That's doable. And I got off to a great start, birdie-ing 3 of myMVShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03395660112996828008noreply@blogger.com0