Going for the green

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Nick Grubnich has had the kind of year you'd expect him to have after finishing third in the state in 2008 as a freshman.

He won five tournaments. The only one he lost was at the Duneland Athletic Conference meet, where he shot an 86 at Sand Creek Country Club. He posted an incredible pre-DAC Tournament average of a half stroke over par for his matches and he shot a 3-under 69 last week at Lakes of the Four Season Golf Course in the Boone Grove Sectional.

Grubnich's progress is remarkable when you consider that it's not easy to be better than you were a year ago when you were already very good in the first place.

"He's won everything that he has played in," Crown Point coach Del Kutemeier said.

Grubnich is as aware as anybody that all the accomplishments could be meaningless with a poor showing Friday at the LaPorte Regional.

Only the top three individuals on non-qualifying teams make it to the state finals. Crown Point is a long shot to get to the Legends of Indiana Golf Course for the finals on Tuesday and Wednesday, which means Grubnich will probably have to get out on his own .

Last year, Grubnich -- along with three other players -- shot a 78 to advance to the finals.

"It would be nice to win," he said. "The main goal, though, is to get to the big show."

Grubnich will do that by making a game plan and "sticking to it."

His game plan at Beechwood will include a mix of both aggressive

"That's a course where if you miss it, you have to miss it in the right spot," he said.

Those are some lessons he learned last year, like when he pulled his driver out on No. 1 and missed left in a pond that is about 280 yards out.

"You just have to lay one out there," he said.

For instance, he knows that No. 9, a narrow par 5, is a hole where you can't go for the green in two. That's unlike No. 17, where a long hitter can pound one over the pond and have a chance at making it to the green in two.

One of the biggest weaknesses for Grubnich -- if you can call it a weakness -- is that he has a tendency to beat himself up for letting a shot or two slip away.

Grubnich is working on that part of his game.

"Lately, I've been trying not to give myself a hard time," he said.

Said Kutemeier: "He's harder on himself than anyone. He shot a 69 and he was upset because he bogeyed the last two holes."

Contact Mike Hutton at 648-3139 or mhutton@post-trib.com