hello florida, i am a middle aged amateur golfer

Today was a good day. I qualified for the United States Mid-Amateur Championship. The tournament is only open to amateurs 25 and older. It is suppose to be for women who still continue to play golf but not at a vocational level like the typical collegiate and junior golfer (the majority of players at the U.S. Amateur). These women are working professionals who also play golf. I have entered the realm of middle age and I did not know it. Despite the fact that the tournament makes me sound like an old women, it is exciting news. I have not entered competitive for three years. I was very nervous for this whole ordeal. My qualification gets me a trip to Florida.
So a little story from my tournament play by play.
First, I was asked by every competitor if I was really 25 years old. Yes, I am 25 but if you want to give me some years back thats fine with me. One lady thought I should have to show my drivers liscenses at the first tee. Oh well...at least I look young. I hope I keep my young looks as I go along life.
I did not play all that well to begin the round. The first hole I hit a nice drive but chunked my second, a short nine iron. I did not get up and down from the sand trap. Okay so next hole, I hit a tree and landed in the rough about 175 yards away. I hit the ball in another sand trap but against the lip. I did not get this one up and down either. The next hole I three putted. I then get my act together a little bit and make three straight pars. On the par three 7th, I once again three putt. (Putting has never been the strongest part of my game.) On the eight hole, I hit the back of the green but it jumped into the rough. The green has a severe side slope and I was not able to get up and down. The 9th hole I lip out for birdie. I could have really used that birdie. That was a total of 41 for the front nine. Terrible really but I can slightly deal with it. I did not play all that much anymore. On to the back nine. On the 10th hole, I duck hook my drive into the trees. I pitch out of the trees nicely to about fifteen feet on the fringe. However, I three putt. I was not happy. The next hole I hit the ball to the green and once again lip out for birdie and I settle for par. I par the next hole a par three. Then on the 13th hole, I hit a nice three wood to about 115 yards. Again I hit the ball into the sand on a nice short shot. I was unable to get that one up and down, too. The next two holes I had two nice pars. On the short par four 16th I hit the ball above the hole on my second. This green is grease lighting. My putt goes by (I tapped it but it kept going and going) and I miss the putt coming back. Another three putt. The next hole is good news. A birdie!!!! My first and only of the round. The last hole is a short par five. In my practice round I hit the green in two but today it was playing uphill and into the wind. I tried to go for but ended up about 20 yards short. The pin is tucked. I hit up and two putt for par. 38 on the back nine and a total of 79. Not a great score but I respectable. I was glad to break 80 on my first go around back at tourney golf.
The 79 put me at a tie for 2nd and a trip to the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
The golf course was beautiful and had really tough greens. (If you did not understand that by all the three putts...I put it into words for you.)
I did not meet any PGA tour professionals at Brookside. I was looking though. Maybe I will be able to hunt one down in Florida. Time to get my game in even better shape for a run at the championship.
This is probably a little bit of a boring blog...me explaining my whole round but I wanted to let you know how I did. I'll keep you posted on my next golf adventure.