David Schmidt does well in state open golf tournament

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The slogan “it’s a game of inches” can apply to just about every sport. It is especially true when you talk about golf.
David Schmidt of Wytheville knows all about that. “In golf, it’s all about being consistent,” he said. “There’s a fine line between playing pretty well and playing well.”
Schmidt has been playing well lately. He recently competed in the SunTrust State Open golf tournament held at the Independence Golf Club in Midlothian.
It was the third consecutive year that he has qualified for the tournament and his scores were his best ever at that event. Over the course of the four-day tourney (which was held July 17-20), Schmidt shot rounds of 72-72-72-77 for a total of 293.
The state open combines pro golfers with amateurs. The qualifying rounds of golf begin with the top 80 professionals and the top 80 amateurs and those are then trimmed to the 70 lowest scores after a qualifying tournament. Schmidt’s qualifying rounds were held at the Fincastle Golf Club in Bluefield in a two-day, 36-hole tournament.
Schmidt’s final overall tally of 293 at the state open was good enough for 19th place among the amateurs and 33rd overall.
He was pleased with his play on the par 72 course. “I played pretty solid,” he said, “but I was disappointed on the last day. I made a couple of mental errors that cost me a couple of strokes.”
Schmidt said the mental part of golf is very important. He admitted to getting frustrated at times out on the course, but he said he is getting better at controlling that. And he’s trying to make his game better all the time.
Despite being a relative late-comer to playing serious golf, Schmidt said he occasionally thinks about turning professional. He noted that it would be difficult to do it financially without a major sponsor. And his play could use some upgrading. “I have a lot of stuff to learn,” he said.
Schmidt first started playing golf when he was about seven years old while growing up in the country of Zambia, in southern Africa. He said he gave the sport up when he was about 12 and his family moved to Cape Town, South Africa.
He went to boarding school for a year and spent time in England (his mother’s native country) and other locations before moving to the United States when he was about 30 years old, when he moved to Wytheville. That’s when he started playing golf again. He’s now 41 and said he didn’t start playing competitively until about four and a half years ago.
He now regularly plays in tournaments near and far. He belongs to an amateur tour that is based in Charlotte, N.C. He plays in tournaments there from February through October. He has won several of those.
Schmidt is self-employed in Wytheville and about a year ago married April Schmidt, who is a school teacher in Bland County.
Schmidt said his wife, who is a non-golfer, is very understanding of his need to hit the links on a regular basis. “When I first met her, I was playing a lot of golf,” he said. “(So) she knows how passionate I am about it.”
Schmidt admitted he has a little trouble being away from the game during the coldest winter months, but he’s back on the course just as soon as it’s possible. “I’ve learned to wear layers,” he said.
Normally Schmidt plays his practice rounds at the Draper Valley Golf Club – usually at least three times a week and often plays in tournaments on weekends. In addition to tourneys near the Charlotte area, Schmidt plays in other competitions. He recently returned from a four-day tournament held in St. Petersburg, Florida.
One of his newer goals is to qualify for the U.S. Amateur golf tournament.
In addition to playing in tournaments, Schmidt said he really enjoys practices. “I think for me just being on the driving range is the most enjoyable part. To go out there and practice a shot over and over and then to make a good shot (in a real game)—especially when you’re under pressure – it’s a great feeling….I love to play golf. I love the competition.”