Mike Slosek: 2006 Mass. Open Qualifier
Editor’s Note: Mike Slosek penned a journal shortly after qualifying for the Mass. Open, which begins June 19 at Charles River Country Club. He elaborated on his personal goals, Berkshire County competition and the need for this area to earn respect from other parts of the state.
I love the game and just want to accomplish a personal goal of beating everyone around here every time that I play. It is only one small county. This year, I want to be the Berkshire County player of the year, and also finish in the top ten of the MGA player of the year Point Standings, or at least have 200 player of the year state points.
I wish golf could be a bigger part of my life, and in order for that to happen I need to improve drastically. I practice two to three hours a day after work. This new schedule seems to be working well and hopefully it continues to rapidly improve my game. I need to make bigger leaps and bounds this year. The competition is great and hopefully we all improve via each others desire to win and become player of the year in Berkshire County. We all need to start breaking par on the Berkshire County circuit. This will attract more followers and better competition among friends and peers. And it’s more enjoyable and fun when we are playing well.
Since high school, my career has been a disappointment. I wanted to be better than I am at 25. Hopefully this year can put me back on track, but no where near where I want to be. If I continue to shoot the scores that I do, I will hang it up. I want to play to a real solid scratch handicap, not the terrible two that I am.
The Berkshires do get overlooked in Massachusetts golf. I strongly feel that there are a handful of players that could do well statewide but in order to qualify around here, it is difficult.
The support from others (peers) is not there like it is out near Boston. The Boston area guys receive these invitations to state point tournaments, and do terribly year after year. If we could receive some of these invitations I feel someone would take advantage, and get some much needed recognition. This would happen via strong finishes in events that obtain state points. The Berkshire Hills singles finally came on the state point system. What took so long? How come no state tournaments are played west of Springfield—and basically west of Worcester? This is an issue that should be investigated to help our players develop, and not have to travel two and a half hours and stay overnight somewhere.