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HSI X Players |
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Player: |
JJ |
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Traveled from: |
Houston, TX |
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Details: |
JJ last won an HSI event three years ago at
HSI VII. He followed that up with a close second place in Myrtle
Beach, but he finished HSI IX in a distant fourth place, which earns him
the pink belt this year. JJ is living part time in Dallas, so the
frequency of golf has gone down for his standards. He'll get the pick the
partner order at HSI X, so maybe that will work to his advantage.
However, the last time we played desert golf it didn't work out so well
for him (HSI III in Las Vegas). If he can figure out the short
game and keep the drives on the course, he'll contend. However,
his history in the desert will bring down his predicted finish.
Group Prediction:
4th place |
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In the Bag: |
Driver:
FW:
Hybrid:
Irons:
Wedges:
Putter: |
Callaway X 460 Tour, Fujikura stiff graphite
shaft
15 degree
Callaway X Tour 3 wood, Fujikura stiff graphite shaft
18 degree Cobra Baffler
3 - PW Callaway X-20 Tour
52 degree Titleist Vokey
56 degree Ping Tour
Ping Zing |
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Memorable HSI X Moments: |
1. First night with Sheebz eating pizza and
drinking beer at that cool restaurant. Talking about the courses we
were going to play and thinking this was the year I would get rid of the
pink belt- wrong!
2. Casino night!
Glad I broke the bottle of Jaeger on the floor. Looking back, that
might have kept us from burning the house down. Luckily, we only busted
thru one wall of the house.
3. Sheebz leaky thumb after almost severing it cutting up tomatoes.
Ala Rob Dibble 2004 world series- Sheebz red stained glove didn't stop
him from shooting lights out.
4. My picks for partners was something I put way too much thought into.
I picked Nick for my cleanup man and forgot to consult prior HSI stats.
Ended up getting him on my team when all but the last wheel had fallen
off! |
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Favorite Course: |
Troon North - Pinnacle |
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Player: |
SHEEBZ |
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Traveled from: |
Dallas, TX |
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Details: |
Sheebz is the defending champion.
While expectations were low heading into HSI IX, he lead at the end of
every round and locked up the victory on the back nine of the final
round. This summer he moved back to Dallas, so he's not playing a
lot of individual rounds. However, the new job is bringing lots of
opportunities for scrambles. He's got the
distance off the tee and the short game is good, but the mid-iron game
and tee shot accuracy will need some improvement in order for him to contend. His game
is all dependent on some crazy scrambles for par after he hits a wayward
drive, and desert golf doesn't set up for this.
Group Prediction:
T-2nd Place |
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In the Bag: |
Driver:
FW:
Hybrid:
Irons:
Wedges:
Putter: |
9 degree Ping G15, stiff graphite shaft
15.5 degree Ping G15, stiff graphite shaft
19 degree Taylor Made Rescue
4 iron through PW, Taylor Made R9, steel shaft
50, 54, and 58 degree Cleveland C14
Guerin Rife 2-bar mallet |
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Memorable HSI X Moments: |
Great weather. Nick jumping in the
freezing pool. Thinking I cut the tip of my thumb off and then
playing with a bloody hand for the last three rounds. Broken
bottle of Jagermeister. JJ being the one that wanted to go to
the casino and then forgetting the next day. Winning money in the
poker room at the casino. Wrestling match between Sheebz, Powell,
and the wall at the end of the night - Sheebz and Powell won.
The fantastic golf courses. The close score and Powell winning his
first HSI ever. |
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Favorite Course: |
Troon North - Monument (even though I threw up a
107) |
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Player: |
NICK |
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Traveled from: |
Maryville, MO |
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Details: |
Nick consistently shoots lower scores than anybody else
in the group. But last year it just didn't click for him during HSI
IX at the right time. He hit the lowest average score, but couldn't muster the
right scores on the right holes in group or individual play. He's
playing less golf going into HSI X, so maybe the layoff will bring good
things. His drives are getting
longer and are usually straight down the middle.
His long iron game is amazing and his mid iron play is above average.
He struggles around the green and that could hurt him if we get to some
really fast greens. His putting can be really good or really bad,
and that will make the difference to put him over the top. At the
end of the day, he's an accurate player. Expect him to do well in the target desert golf that
will be played in HSI X.
Group Prediction: 1st place. |
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In the Bag: |
Driver:
FW:
Irons:
Wedge:
Putter: |
Taylor Made Burner, 9.5 degree, stiff
graphite shaft
Titleist 14.5 degree 975f stiff flex graphite shaft
Taylor Made r7 18 degree stiff graphite shaft
Adams 21 degree Tight lies strong 7
4 - AW Taylor Made r7, stiff steel shaft
56 and 60 degree Taylor Made
Odyssey XG Teron |
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Memorable HSI X Moments: |
1) being picked up at the airport with a
cooler of Coors Light and the Phoenix sunshine & warmth.
2) JJ having a pissing contest with himself, seeing how far up on the
patio wall he could squirt.
3) Swimming
4) Sheebz' thumb surgery and ensuing 2-day bloodbath
5) Getting up the morning after we grilled to what smelled like a gas
leak, doors to the house wide open; JJ had turned the gas to the grill
back on after I shut it down
6) Sacrificing an entire bottle of Jagermeister; what a blessing!
7) The Powell/Sheebz main event and ultimate destruction
8) Wheels falling off (although I think we were playing singles by the
McElroy'esque meltdown in the final round)
9) Powell first time win at HSI |
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Favorite Course: |
Troon North Pinnacle |
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Player: |
POWELL |
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Traveled from: |
Kansas City, MO |
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Details: |
Powell is still looking for his first HSI
victory. This will be his fourth HSI event and he's finished 4th,
4th, and 3rd. However, last year he
came on strong on the back nine of the final round to finish only a
single point out of second place. In my prediction last year, I said "Needs to
finish better than last before we can predict a higher finish."
Still need to see some consistency before we predict a winning finish,
but the group expects great things from Powell this year.
Group Prediction:
T-2nd Place |
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In the Bag: |
Driver:
FW:
Irons:
Wedge:
Putter: |
Callaway X10
Tour Model 21 degree
3-PW Nicklaus AirBear
52 degree Titleist Vokey
56 degree Callaway SW
Odyssey White Hot |
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Memorable HSI X Moments: |
1. Front nine of Pinnacle Course - I was
hitting fairways, putting well, scoring well
2. Drinks on the Patio at Troon North
on Friday
3. Losing $200 in 25 minutes trying to play poker at the casino
on Friday night
4. Talking
Poker strategy and hearing Sheebz craps stories at 4 AM after we had
both slept from
8 PM to 4 AM on Saturday Night.
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Favorite Course: |
Troon North - Pinnacle |
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