Headline: Hole-by-Hole Desciptions for the Final Match Between John Hadges and Dan Head
For Immediate Release: July 16, 2010
South Hamilton, MA — Here is a hole-by-hole description of the 102nd Massachusetts Amateur Championship final match between John Hadges (Thorny Lea GC) and Dan Head (Wellesley CC).
A scorecard for the final match is available by clicking here.
Hole-By-Hole Quick Links:
Hole 1: Both players sent their tee shots down the right side of the fairway to start the 102nd Massachusetts Amateur Championship. Head (who used a hybrid off the tee) stepped to his ball from 60 yards out and landed his approach 15 feet above the hole. From the rough, Hadges' approach from 45 yards out sailed long over the green and into the rough. His chip rolled off the green and into the front bunker. His putt rolled long. Head 3, Hadges 6 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 2: Head missed the fairway 20 yards right (in the rough) and Hadges sailed his drive three paces into the left fescue. With 240 yards to the hole, Hadges was first up and punched his second shot out of the fescue into the fairway which left him with 129 yards to the flagstick. Head - from 230 yards out - sent his long iron shot 30 yards short of the green where it landed in between the fairway and the rough. Hadges' approach got hung up in the rough as well and was 10 feet from the putting surface. Head left his chip 8 feet shot of the flagstick (he went on to drain that putt), while Hadges' chip from 25 feet out took three bounces and rolled in the hole. Head 4, Hadges 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 3: Following Head's tee shot which landed 30 feet short of the green, play was delayed when a horse trotted through the teeing area. Hadges 2 iron landed short as well. Both players hit great chips that left them with short putts that were conceded. Head 3, Hadges 3 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 4: Head took a direct route over the hazard... his drive rolled right up against the fairway collar. Hadges took a similar route and his drive rolled just past Head's tee ball in the fairway. Head was first up from 120 yards out (to a middle left hole location); he used a half wedge that rolled up against the edge of the green, 20 yards from the flagstick. Hadges' approach held the green. Head was first up and his chip shot was left one foot short... the putt was conceded. Hadges's 30 footer (left-to-right slider) came up 3 feet short but he made the second putt for par. Head 4, Hadges 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 5: Both players crushed their drives and found the fairway. From 164 yards out on the left side of the fairway, Hadges' 5 iron landed 25 feet from the flagstick while Head was unable to reach the green from 155 yards out. His approach landed 35 feet short and in the rough, but he snuggled his chip to 1 foot. Hadges hit a firm putt to the back right hole location that drifted 3 feet past the hole. He missed the come-back putt. Head 4, Hadges 5 - Head, 2 Up
Hole 6: Head missed the green and was 30 yards right of the flagstick; Hadges took the same line but his shot held the green and was 25 feet hole high from the front-right hole location. Facing a slick green and challenging hole location, Head hit a solid chip that trickled 10 feet past the hole. Hadges had a 40-foot (scary) downhill putt that he left 8 feet short. Head missed his putt; Hadges made his for birdie. Hadges 3, Head 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 7: Following their tee balls, both players had blind approach shots from about 160 yards out. Hadges' 8 iron shot bounced onto the green and stopped 12 feet short of the hole. Head's approach from 155 yards out landed short of the green and trickled into the rough... his chip settled about 10 feet from the hole. Hadges drained his 12-foot birdie putt. Hadges 3, Head 4 - All Square
Hole 8: Both players hit driver down the middle of the fairway and once again were left with blind second shots to the green. Hadges - a few paces into the rough from 240 yards out - left his 5 iron approach 50 yards short of the green (left in the fairway). Head was 50 feet from the hole following his approach. Hadges hit a beautiful chip that rolled 10 feet past the hole, while Head was a bit more aggressive with his chip which sailed 75 feet past the hole and into the rough... his next chip was left 20 feet short of the hole but he drained the left-to-right uphill putt for par. Hadges two putted for par. Hadges 5, Head 5 - All Square
Hole 9: Playing about 130 yards to a back right hole location, Hadges' left his 7 iron tee shot 20 feet hole high while Head was 10 feet to the right of the hole. Both missed their birdie putts. Hadges 3, Head 3 - All Square
Hole 10: Head aggressively striped his drive down the middle of the fairway. Hadges' tee shot took a nice kick and rolled just a yard into the rough. From approximately 178 yards out, both players landed on the front of the green. Hadges was up first (from 45 feet) and left his putt 3 feet short. Head, who was 25 feet from the hole, came up short but his second putt was conceded. Hadges made his putt to halve the hole. Hadges 4, Head 4 - All Square
Hole 11: Hadges' drive trickled down the right side of the fairway, while several horses trotted behind the green. Head's drive found the fairway. Approximately 115 yards from the flagstick, Hadges' sand wedge landed 45 feet to the right of the hole. Head's sand wedge dropped onto the green and rolled back towards the hole and stopped 20 feet short and right of the hole. Hadges left his birdie putt 4 feet short but made the next one. Head snuggled his birdie putt close. Hadges 4, Head 4 - All Square
Hole 12: Both players hit good drives. Hadges left his second shot short of the green and it rolled into the fairway. An interesting note... Hadges had to have Head mark the position of his ball in the fairway in order to hit his approach. Head then stuck his iron shot to about 12 feet. Hadges hit a terrific chip from 65 feet to a foot. His par putt was conceded, but Head made the birdie putt. Head 3, Hadges 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 13: Head with a hybrid and Hadges with a 3 wood... the players split the fairway with their first shots. From 124 yards, Head pulled his iron shot 45 feet to left of the green and then missed his putt on the high side. Hadges - from 120 yards out and with the breeze beginning to pick up - nailed an 8 iron that landed six feet from the hole. Hadges' birdie putt came up short... Head sank his 3-foot par putt. Head 4, Hadges 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 14: Both players found the fairway with their drives (Hadges with 3 wood and Head with driver). Hadges' approach landed 30 feet from the middle left hole location. Meanwhile - from 126 yards - Head landed his approach 20 feet from the green. Head left his putt a foot and a half short. Hadges missed his 5-foot par putt. Head 4, Hadges 5 - Head, 2 Up
Hole 15: Both drives found the rough and were about 230 yards out. Head laid up with a long iron and left it short of the greenside bunker (a yard into the rough). With a 2 iron, Hadges left it short of the greenside bunker and in the fairway. Head's chip dropped 15 feet from the hole on the fringe. From 61 yards out, Hadges watched his chip drop 18 feet above the hole and then he left his putt a roll short of going in. Head opted to putt from the fringe and two putted for par to halve the hole. Head 5, Hadges 5 - Head, 2 Up
Hole 16: Playing 188 yards to a back-left hole location, Head found the green while Hadges went after the hole and it rolled into the back bunker. A perfect bunker shot from Hadges landed inches from the hole. Head hit his putt firm through the break and was left with a 4-foot par putt that he lipped out. Hadges 3, Head 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 17: Hadges' fade off the tee found the fairway, while Head ran into some trouble when his drive became wedged between two rocks on the left side and had to take an unplayable. From 130 yards out, Hadges spun his approach which rolled 25 feet below the hole. The hole was conceded. Hadges 3, Head X - All Square
Hole 18: Hadges' 2 iron and Head's hybrid tee shots both sailed into the fairway. From 163 yards away, Head's shot dropped to 25 feet hole high. Hadges' drive was 147 yards out but landed in a divot on the fairway. He was able to land his shot 3 feet from the hole and it released 15 feet past the hole. Hadges made his putt for birdie; Head missed his birdie putt. Hadges 3, Head 4 - Hadges, 1 Up
Notes: The course set-up for the afternoon round is the same as it was for the morning round. The sun has broken through the clouds and the wind has picked up.
Hole 19: Hadges began the second 18 holes where he left off with a huge drive down the middle of the fairway. Head's hybrid shot also found the fairway. From 80 yards out, Head left his wedge shot 4 feet from the hole. Hadges followed - from 46 yards out - with an approach to 10 feet that he left short and left. Head drained his putt for birdie. Head 3, Hadges 4 - All Square
Hole 20: Both players had driver in hand, Hadges (in the rough) outdrove Head (in the fairway) by about 15 yards. From 215 yards out, Head's approach rolled right up against the collar of the green (60 feet out) and then his putt from there stopped 12 feet short. Hadges, meanwhile, used a long iron and missed the hole by two inches and released to 18 feet past the hole, above the flagstick. Hadges missed the putt and his second was conceded. Head drained his 12-foot par putt to halve the hole. Head 4, Hadges 4 - All Square
Hole 21: Head's hybrid found the green, while Hadges' 2 iron fell 30 yards short of the green and in the rough. A bump-and-run shot by Hadges rolled to 9 feet and then curled in for par. Head had a very difficult downhill putt (over the crest of the green) that he left 8 feet short. He then missed his par putt to the left. Hadges 3, Head 4 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 22: Hadges drive landed in the fairway... Head's drive rolled into the rough but was sitting up nicely. Hadges found the fringe with his approach, while Head - from 152 yards out - left himself a 25 foot downhill putt. Hadges' bunker shot landed two feet short of the green. After much discussion about the tricky putt between Head and his caddy, Head rolled it just 3 feet past and earned applause from the crowd. From the fringe, Hadges opted to putt and left it one foot above the hole. Hadges putt was conceded and Head drained his 3 footer for par. Head 4, Hadges 5 - All Square
Hole 23: Hadges found the fairway with his drive, but sent his second shot over the green. Head's tee shot rolled just into the rough, while his second shot found the bunker 35 feet from the green. Head was first up and he hit a nice bunker shot to 10 feet. From behind the green, Hadges' chip lipped out and stopped 1 foot from the hole. Head missed his 8 footer for par. Hadges 4, Head 5 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 24: Hadges received a fortuitous bounce near the hazard. His ball landed in the left rough but was able to send his second shot to two feet (it was conceded). Following his tee shot which sailed over the green, Head's second shot was chipped to 12 feet. He left that putt short and his fourth was conceded. Hadges 3, Head 4 - Hadges, 2 Up
Hole 25: Hadges found the fairway bunker on the left side, while Head unleashed a huge drive down the hill which left him 88 yards to the hole. From the bunker, Hadges' long iron shot fell 11 yards short and into the rough. Head - from that spot 88 yards out - left his approach 5 yards short but it ran onto the green and past the hole by about 75 feet. Head was away and burned the left edge and it stopped just inches from the hole. From just off the green, Hadges was up next and blew his putt by the hole. Head 4, Hadges 5 - Hadges, 1 Up.
Hole 26: From the tee, Hadges found the fairway about 270 yards from the hole and then hit his second shot 30 yards short of the green and into the rough. Head's tee shot landed in the left-side rough about 250 yards from the hole. Head was up first and hit a worm burner to 120 yards. He then landed his third shot onto the back of the green (50 feet from the hole). Hadges - from 30 yards out - left his pitch shot short of the green... 25 feet from the hole. Head nailed his left-to-right birdie putt. On his fourth shot, Hadges opted to putt and blew it right past the hole. Head 4, Hadges 5 - All Square
Hole 27: Head's tee shot landed on the left side of the green about 25 feet from the hole, while Hadges' shot drifted a foot over the green that left him a 25-foot chip. Head's putt was left short and right and Hadges chipped to just inches. Both putts were conceded. Head 3, Hadges 3 - All Square
Hole 28: While Head's drive went straight down the middle of the fairway, Hadges' 3 wood shot found the left fescue (221 yards from the hole) and he had a tough lie. Forced to lay up, Hadges hit a nice shot that found the fairway about 116 yards from the hole. From the middle of the fairway and just 150 yards from the hole, Head sent his iron shot 10 feet left of the flagstick. Hadges was up next and found the greenside bunker with his third shot. His next shot from the bunker ran just over the hole and left him with a 10-foot putt. Head left his birdie putt 3 feet short, but made his par putt. Head 4, Hadges 5 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 29: Head's hybrid shot found the left rough, while Hadges' drive landed in the right rough. From 137 yards out, Hadges left his approach short and left of the green. Head sent his approach over the green and was left with a downhill chip to a front left hole location. He went on to chip to 10 feet and drain the birdie putt. Hadges followed with a putt that came to rest 3 feet from the hole. He too made the par putt to halve the hole. Head 4, Hadges 4 - Head, 1 Up
Hole 30: Both drives found the rough. Head was up first - 158 yards out in the left rough - and found the left greenside bunker. Hadges' second shot was left 30 feet short of the hole but still on the green. Head's bunker shot ended up 10 feet below the hole. Hadges left his putt short, but his second putt was conceded. Head missed his part putt. Hadges 4, Head 5 - All Square
Hole 31: A 3 wood by Hadges and a hybrid by Head both landed in the middle of the fairway. From 137 yards out, Head dropped his approach 35 feet from the hole. Hadges, meanwhile, was 112 yards out and his approach landed 30 feet from the hole. Head was up first and watched as his putt rolled past the green and onto the fringe. He was still away and left his next putt 7 feet short. Hadges drained his birdie putt. Hadges 3, Head 5 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 32: Hadges' 3 wood found the rough, while Head's drive bounced back into the fairway. From 175 yards out, Hadges' shot dropped into the greenside bunker. Head's approach landed 25 feet right of the hole. Unfazed, Hadges sent his bunker shot to inches. Head two putted for par. Hadges 4, Head 4 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 33: Both players found the rough off the tee and opted to lay up with their second shots. Hadges hit his third shot fat and it ended up in the greenside bunker. From 50 yards out, Head dropped his approach 15 feet above the flagstick. Hadges was up first and left his bunker shot 4 feet below the hole. Head left his birdie putt short and his par putt was conceded. Hadges drained the putt to halve the hole. Hadges 5, Head 5 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 34: Hadges' tee shot rolled onto the back fringe, but he once again chipped to within inches. Head had a tough 30-foot putt that rolled 10 feet past the hole. He was able to drain the come-back putt to halve the hole. Hadges 3, Head 3 - Hadges, 1 Up
Hole 35: Both players found the rough off the tee. From the left rough, Hadges' high iron shot landed 45 feet hole high. Head's approach sailed over the green and 10 feet into the woods behind the green. He was able to identify his ball and chip it into the greenside bunker. His next shot, however, sailed over the green. The hole was conceded.
John Hadges wins by a score of 2 and 1.
