My 2024 US Open Local Qualifier in Albany, NY 

Did you ask for that size hat? Or did you just tell the guy you wanted to look like a lego character?

Thanks for stopping by the hometown! And you got to be in the biggest Walmart in the US.

Just came upon this video. It brings back a lot of memories of when I played in qualifiers for local, state and national tournaments. This is a side of the game that very few people are aware of. It's extremely difficult to play in qualifiers like this. I wish you well in the pursuit of whatever your golfdream is! 👍🏻

Dude-Albany Country Club’s greens are notoriously challenging.

Awesome video James - Have a new appreciation for the mental side of the game with your narration. Really cool to see what you're thinking going through a competetive round.

Great video. Loved watching you play my home course. I've been a member at ACC for 17 years and I still can't read these greens well. No one can. Glad you enjoyed it!

nice to see where this guy has made it. I remember seeing him ripping darts on Canadian mini tours. Chill dude for sure and his game has became very solid over that past few years. Keep it up James!

Your swing is really wonderful IMHO

Even though I'm nowhere near your level, I definitely can identify with the "what just happened?" feeling. Tournament golf is such a fickle thing. I think you're on the right track of learning how to just keep the chin up, absorb the lessons you can take away, and try again at the next one. Definite sub.

I am a fellow Montrealer and was just checking out local qualifying results for the US open and then saw your video. You're living out my dream but I never have yet done a qualifier although I was taking definite note of the Albany one. I am a long time student of the swing and what I see in your driver and sometimes other swings is that you have a geometry to your swing where your natural tendency is to get your trail elbow moving behind you fairly early, especially with a big windup. Nothing wrong with that as long as it's balanced out in the swing. On your best wood strikes the trail elbow dropped more before your started to turn through it which is going to give you a freeer release of the trail arm through the shot with more power and draw tendency. Anyway just an observation from a well-wishing observer. Good luck on future efforts. Cheers.

this was seriously awesome to watch. i work at ACC and seeing our clubhouse on youtube is pretty sweet, i just had to click. Great vid man!

22:25 Finally was able to pause video where I needed to to confirm what I thought I was seeing. Obviously just my keyboard back seat driver option, but you are NOT LEAVING YOUR HEAD DOWN LONG ENOUGH! I think if you just keep your head motion still for a split second longer you would have hit better drives/shots...

Man... I don't usually stumble on random RU-vid golf channels where there's some actual talent. You my friend have a very pretty golf swing. Are the big misses just a problem with commitment? Sounds like you just gotta get over shots and believe in em bro.

I've played ACC a number of times before. I can't even imagine how hard they had that place for a US Open local

Keep grinding this season! Good luck! And as a Canadian who lived in NYC, I really miss playing on the lightning fast greens for tournaments set up by the MGA and the USGA. Just not the same up here in Canada (I moved back in 2020) -- keep going and keep having fun! Thanks for having us along for the ride -- cheers! (also -- if 73 got alternate, just shows how tough of a qualifying spot it turned out to be! Cheers again!)

We have all been there! We know and you know you can play. Always positives in every round. The greens were very inconsistent. I know some very good players that are inconsistent with wedge play - hopefully you can sort that out. Keep it going. On to the next. Always enjoy the content. PS get out of the cold! (I moved from NJ to Texas myself. Summers are lovely!) - lol

Awesome! I love to see a Canadian try to go to the US open ( I’m Canadian too lol) I’m definitely subscribing

Good luck 🎉

Excellent content!

fun to watch

I only watch disc golf, so my algorithm is a little off…. But I live in Albany, and now I feel like I need to watch this. Also clearly Canadian. Quebec probably at 3 and 1/2 hours out. Went to school in Plattsburgh…. French Canadians are the worst, but you don’t seem French Canadian…. Whatever I’ll watch lol

I close my eyes i feel like Tom green is playing golf

At this stage where your at in your golf career id say your probably putting too much pressure on yourself. Just try a mindset where your in a money game with your playing partners. Competitve thoughts can lessen personal anxiety/fear. Dont fight yourself, fight your playing partners until your mindset works it way back to a place where your not constantly thinking about the end result. Amazing how much the mental side can effect talent as much as in Golf. Keep grinding though i subbed⛳

I caught something that might be contributing to your right miss with the driver... you seem to have a lot of lateral movement back to your right side. You might try staying more centered and turning into your right hip instead of over your right foot. A little wider stance could help with that too.. Great video! Really well done. Thanks

Enjoyed the video but we can we PLEASE get the one-handed finish and/or dropping the club after a poor shot out of the game? This started on the PGA Tour and has trickled down to every level of golf. I hate it.

You seem (to me anyway) to have a D. Duval style swing...

The dude you played with seems to hit second on every tee shot what did he score? Also he put in ever flag stick lol😊

as I am watching this, I notice when you set up just prior to hitting ball, your left arm is really bent? Seems to me 99% of the top golfers maintain a very straight left arm, even at set up?

18:49 .... from this point on I am going to commit to my swing... There you go... I think you need to approach these tournaments like you have nothing to lose. Basically, you realized at this point you are out of it and you have nothing to lose... Why not start the round that way?

solid video

You have a very very nice looking swing

@15:52 wow

Is this van patten golf course?

Originally from Albany, don’t recognize the course. Schuyler meadows?

That driver swing is wild. Looks like way too much hand action especially for someone who seems to hit a lot of cuts. Forearms working overtime to manipulate clubface. Hands quieter on the irons and wedges which is probably what you need on the driver. Just some random unwanted constructive criticism. Its RU-vid.

Stumbled upon your channel. I really enjoyed your video. Love the swing. I am not a stud at golf but if you ever want a caddie for an event I would love to chat. I live in Syracuse area. A friend used to tourney by myself. I caddied for him and just carrying the bag, help when needed, putting confidence in his ability, and positive vibes he had his best finish. Shoot me a message if interested. Keep up the good work. I plan to continue watching.

Does anyone know the course that he plays in this video?

That's not a 360 lip out. That ball went down and hit the trampoline in the bottom of the cup. Golf...

Which course was this ?

13:29 you start the backswing then pause, start again and go? WHY??? this makes me think your nerves are in control not your golf game...

If you put my front 9 with your back 9, we still don't make the cut.

I have the luxury of being an armchair Quarterback watching your play and I immediately noticed your drives sprayed have you really coming out of your shoes on effort and of course out of sync. In fact every drive off line, from my point of view was simply swinging too hard. You can look yourself at your motions and see when your tee shots were in the short grass, your swing was much more slower than the yank from the top as your weight shifted on the misses. The most important club (15th) in our bag, the mind, just seemed to not be there for you, which was the having fun part you mentioned prior to teeing off. I'm surprised during the practice round you didn't putt from all sides of each green just to check break/speed. But hey, you were there giving it a go like 10,000 other hopefuls and you didn't give up.

lol my friend got married here, kinda sick

Albany country club? I’ve played a bunch of course in the Albany area but it’s been awhile since I’ve.. oh and get out of your own head lol