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There are rounds that test your swing. Then there are rounds that test your character. My most recent SCGA One Day Series 2 man scramble at The Golf Club at Rancho California in Murrieta did both — and the wind made sure of it.
The course sits about an hour and ten minutes from my house, which meant no need to charge the car, no early morning stress. I kept my pre-round routine exactly where it belongs: Starbucks oatmeal, then over to my brother’s house to warm up and run through my 15-minute yoga routine before he hopped in the car and I drove us to the course. Staying warm inside before a round — especially on a blustery day — is something I’ve come to appreciate. The Stack System training I’ve been doing has made me sharper on routines like this, and it shows. If you’re not familiar with the Stack, check it out here — it’s been a huge part of how I’ve built speed and consistency.
We arrived an hour early, spent 20 minutes on the range and 20 minutes on the putting green. On the range, the wind was already making itself known — gusts up to 35-40 mph out of the northeast, with sustained winds of 15-25 mph. Sunny skies, low 70s. Beautiful day, violent conditions.
In a 2 man scramble format like this SCGA event, each player must contribute at least 6 tee shots. Our team strategy was simple: my brother would always go first off the tee, on approach, and on the green. That way I could read the shot, see what the wind was doing to the ball, and dial in accordingly.
Front Nine: Birdies, Wind, and the Right Decisions
Hole 1 — 516 yards, Par 5 (Straight downwind)
My brother opened with a solid drive, about 310 yards into the left rough leaving 206 to the pin. I took a more aggressive line — cutting across the dogleg — and the ball rode the tailwind to 391 yards, leaving me 125 yards out in the fairway. That drive was helped by mother nature, no question. From there, with a right-to-left crosswind working with me, I pulled my 56-degree sand wedge, aimed right of the flag, and let the wind bring it back. It landed 18 feet past the pin. Two putts. Birdie 4.
Hole 2 — 145 yards, Par 4 (Straight downwind)
The scorecard said 145 yards, but the tees were moved up significantly — my Bushnell Tour V6 Shift was reading 110. The wind on top of that made it play even shorter. I use the Bushnell Tour V6 Shift with Slope, but if you want the same functionality at a fraction of the price, the REDTIGER GolfVue Rangefinder is a fantastic value at around $109. One thing worth noting — both have a slope switch, which is important because slope mode is not legal for USGA tournament play. I always make sure mine is turned off before I tee it up in a SCGA event. Knowing the real number made all the difference here. My brother’s tee shot went left, so I stepped in with my 60-degree lob wedge, a club I’d normally hit 80-100 yards, and let the tailwind do the rest. It carried all the way to 21 feet. My brother stepped up and drained the putt. Birdie 3.
Hole 3 — 369 yards, Par 4 (Downwind from elevated tee)
This one got interesting. My brother pulled his drive into the water. I hit my 7-wood into the left fairway, leaving 125 yards to a flag guarded by trees and water up front. His approach went in the water again. I hit my gap wedge to 6 feet. He missed his putt. I made mine. Birdie 3.
Three holes in, three birdies. We were rolling — but I could already see my brother wasn’t himself.
The Reality of Playing a 2 Man Scramble With Someone Carrying Weight
My brother is a 6 handicap. He’s a good golfer. But two days before this round, his daughter gave birth to his second grandchild. And the night before our tee time, his father-in-law was rushed to the emergency room with a stroke. He was on the course in body, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. I understood it. I felt for him.
I made a decision early: don’t add to his frustration. Stay positive, stay in my own process, and let him work through it at his own pace. He could have quit. He didn’t. That matters.
This is exactly why I believe golf is 90% mental. His mechanics didn’t suddenly fall apart — life interrupted his focus. Watching him grind through it while carrying that much weight actually reminded me of why the mental side of this game is worth training just as hard as your swing speed.
Wind Decisions That Defined the Back Nine
After nine holes we were sitting at -1, with my brother having used 3 of his required tee shots. We had to get creative the rest of the way.
Hole 15 — 319 yards, Par 4 (Straight downwind)
This was the highlight of my brother’s day. He absolutely flushed his drive — 300 yards into the front greenside bunker. Just 19 yards from the pin. I stepped up and hit my drive straight at the flag, landed on the green and rolled 15 yards past — a 334-yard drive. But we needed to save his required tee shots for the final holes, and mine left us no green to work with. We played his bunker shot and got up and down for par.
Hole 18 — 400 yards, Par 4, Dogleg Left (Into the wind)
We needed to use his drive. I left the driver in the bag. He hit a decent ball, but the wind pushed it right, landing between the two fairway bunkers — 220 yards out with a sidehill lie. Straight into the wind, uphill. My calculation: 220 + uphill + headwind = play it like 250. I pulled the 3-wood, ball above my feet, aimed right. I flushed it. It didn’t draw — went straight — and found the greenside bunker. We bogeyed. Even par on the back.
Final Score and What I’m Taking With Me
Score: 71 (-1 gross / -3 net) | 16th of 29 teams
Not the finish we were chasing, but I came away with something more useful than a trophy: confirmation that I can manage my game when everything around me is out of control — the weather, my partner’s struggles, my own expectations.
The wind giveth (391-yard drive, anyone?) and the wind taketh away. I can’t take credit for those monster tee shots. But I can take credit for making smart decisions, keeping my pre-shot routine intact, staying emotionally neutral, and grinding one shot at a time.
That’s what the Stack training and the mental reps are building toward — a golfer who can compete in any condition. If you’re serious about building that kind of game and adding real swing speed, The Stack System is where I’d start.
Up next: my brother and I are back together next month for a SCGA One Day Series Four Ball Net Stableford at Twin Oaks Golf Course. He’s going to be ready. So am I.
Want to see how I’ve been tracking my swing speed journey from 89 to 107+ mph? Read about the Stack System training here.
Check out my full tournament history and results here.
SCGA One Day Series information — for golfers who want to compete in organized amateur events across Southern California.