Capt’n Kirk Nelson ’14

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Aloha Section PGA pro Captain Kirk Nelson has had a great competitive career playing here in the Hawaiian islands, and in the most recent 2013 season, the 54-year old Maui Nui G.C. teaching professional has simply been phenomenal… no other Maui golfer even came close to the fearless leader of Maui’s Starship Enterprise. Just a few weeks before unleashing his phaser gun on his fellow ASPGA pros on Kauai, the 6′-4″ tall cowboy had just returned from playing golf at the Omaha Country Club just a few weeks earlier. No, it wasn’t an outing, or a vacation round either… Kirk was vying for none other than the 34th U.S. Senior Open Championship, held July 11-14. Ho hum, eh? Then he captured the Aloha Section Senior PGA Professional Championship, on August 8‐9, 2013, at the recently refreshed Poipu Bay Golf Course. That win secured him a berth in the 25th Southworth Senior PGA Professional

National Championship on October 10‐13, 2013 at Creighton Farms of Aldie, Va., and River Creek Club of Leesburg, Va. The victory and ensuing qualifications were heady stuff, but his 12-shot victory margin that week was what really blew away his fellow competitors on Kauai. Well, the Captain wasn’t through drumming his Hawaiian pals into submission. On November 14-15, 2013, at the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Mauna Kea Golf Course, Kirk trounced on the field winning the Aloha PGA Professional Championship by eight shot. The win means he will compete in the 47th PGA Professional National Championship, June 22-25, 2014, at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club and the Grande Dunes Resort Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Nelson’s victory also earned him an automatic exemption to a second trip to the 2014 Sony Open on January 9-12, 2014 at Waialae Country Club (his first was in 2003).

The following is my 2014 Sony Open interview with Captain Kirk Nelson:

John Byrne: Why such a rough start this year?

Captain Kirk: “Making par on my first hole was a great start in my opinion.  Kimo announced me to the tee, “from Kihei, Maui, the famous Kirk Nelson”.  My friends and the rest of the crowd gave a huge cheer, and much like my Senior Open experience, I wasn’t used to the crowd cheering before I hit, but after.  My routine seemed was distracted a bit, and the driver went into the left rough. From the rough 68 yards away, the ball goes thru the green, to a short sided pin. I got up and down with a delicate chip and a 2 footer for par. Very exciting for a guy that plays skins at Elleair on wednesdays.”

John Byrne: How was the course playing in round 1?

Captain Kirk: “For me, the course played backwards starting on tournament 10.  Ever since jr. golf I preferred to play the holes in order 1-18, but that only happens after the cut in the big show.

The greens had two speeds, fast, and really fast.  Not much wind, and the second hardest fairways to hit on the PGA Tour awaited us for round 1.”

John Byrne: Is the front harder for you out there?

Captain Kirk: “Yes, my tour stats will prove without a doubt the front 9 was harder.”

Hit the wee-ball out right in my practice round and made double, so demons were dancing in my head a little.

John Byrne: I noticed you didn’t birdie 18, is that a tough hole or what happened?

Captain Kirk: “Yeah, I noticed that also, easy hole, driver-iron if you hit it straight.  Hit the wee-ball out right in my practice round and made double, so demons were dancing in my head a little.

Round 1, the driver was solid, but it leaked into the right rough behind a tree. The green was reachable,223 to the pin, and we had options.  A hard low cut under the tree aiming at the O.B. on left, (one of my favorites, too much rough to make it cut), rescure club over the tree, (couldnt hit over from the lie), or lay up an iron in front of the green, brilliant.

My worst shot of the day on my last hole laying up, hit it in the crappers. Well technically not inside, it bounced off the door of the port-o-potty and stopped one foot in front of the door. I cant believe I just hit it in the crappers! A rules official was nearby and saw the shot, evidently the portolet kept my ball in bounds and a proper drop will be provided, sweet!

By this time, darkness is closing in, my caddie is trying for a line of site drop behind us, the rules guy is acting quickly to resume play, and I knocked on the door of the portolet to make sure no one opens the door, (I thought it was funny, so did Mike,and the few spectators that were trapped, the rules official was as stoic as Adam Scott over a putt)so we proceeded to drop 2 club lengths sideways and made bogey after failing up and down from the green side bunker.

Since you did ask what happened, here is round 2.

By this time, darkness is closing in, my caddie is trying for a line of site drop behind us, the rules guy is acting quickly to resume play, and I knocked on the door of the portolet to make sure no one opens the door, (I thought it was funny, so did Mike,and the few spectators that were trapped, the rules official was as stoic as Adam Scott over a putt)so we proceeded to drop 2 club lengths sideways and made bogey after failing up and down from the green side bunker.

Strong hook into the giant netting protecting the driving range on the tee ball, but it stays in bounds, one foot from the net. I have to turn a sand wedge up side down and hit the ball left handed,(another one of my favorite shots), but the breeze is blowing the netting against my hands and head, and interferring with my line of site to the hole. Mike says call for a rules official, and here comes Mr. Happy from the day before. He proceeds to let me drop 10 yards to the right, yes, it was weird, we figured he felt bad about the day before. He points to the spot, I drop, he says the ball is in play,and starts to drive off. I said, ” dont drive off, I havent made it passed the crappers yet!”. He smiled.

Did I mention that not playing the holes in order mess me up?  Now that I re-read the questions, I realized that was number 9, and not 18, but its a great story. (and I made a 12 footer for birdie on day 2, the crowd cheered, it was great)

Now back to tournament 18, the second easiest par 5 on the tour all year, the tee ball in round on was a laser, we thought it was perfect, but the gallery didn’t clap or respond at all, so I turned around and said,that was pretty good for me, and then some cheers and claps, then I hear a loud Crack! The rest of the crowd was being quiet when the players on 12 tee were hitting, I just got Zack Johnson in the middle of his tee ball on 12!(sorry Zack)

We hit a great 5 iron out of the down slope/rough, wedge on and two putt for par.

Round 2, my 36th hole, we hit 3 wood to keep it from going thru the faiway, and wack, I pull it into a coconut tree on the left corner, and we dont know where it went. Mike thinks it stayed in the tree, and no one else sees where it went.  The provisional was a beauty, and off we go.

Round 2, my 36th hole, we hit 3 wood to keep it from going thru the faiway, and wack, I pull it into a coconut tree on the left corner, and we dont know where it went. Mike thinks it stayed in the tree, and no one else sees where it went.  The provisional was a beauty, and off we go.  The tree it hit borders “the taste of hawaii”, the 12 food truck food headquarters for the patrons.  I ask, anyone see a golf ball around here? No one sees anything. Now Slugger White,the famous rules guy is there and we hear, we got one over here!  The ball went waay right to the 12th rough.  Pitching wedge back to the original landing area, almost, then 3 wood to 20 feet from 274 out setting up a closing birdie. That didnt happen but 2 putts for a par and the sony was over for me.”

John Byrne: What are you carrying in the bag?

Captain Kirk: “I’m not carrying anything, Super Mo is!

TaylorMade SLDR driver, TaylorMade Tour 3 wood, Titleist ZB irons 3-pw, Vockey 56, Vockey 60, Titleist 17 degree rescue, Red X putter.”

John Byrne: How were the greens and your putting?

Captain Kirk: “The greens were in excellent shape with 2 speeds, fast, and really fast. Most of the greens were back to front tilt, but basically flat.  The smallness and pace were a good test. I have a string of 36 holes on tour without a 3 putt.”

John Byrne: Was the course long? Did have any problems with length?

Captain Kirk: “The course was not playing overly long because of the low winds, but playing to a par 70, making two pars 5’s par 4’s for the tournament, one long par three, and hard to hit fairways could make for some long approaches. If you hit the fairway, the ball would run pretty good. Catch the rough, and hello mr long approach shot.  And yes, I have potential to hit far with this new technology.”

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