2010
New entry: May'10
click for photo gallery of Medora North Dakota
Wow, the first year of college seemed to fly by and here I am doing my first PGM internship. I am really lucky to have landed a position at the Bully Pulpit Resort in Medora, North Dakota. (pictures to follow). What a gorgeous course, 8100 yards long built in 2006. Panoramic vistas, historical trails, and the winding Little Mo are just some of the highlights included in this top ten course. The layout will not only challenge your skills but your knowledge of the west as well. I know that we have all heard about good ol? western hospitality, come to Medora and you will really experience it.
click for photo gallery of Medora North Dakota
As a Golf Professional, I am able to give golf lessons. Several hours a week a devoted to helping amateur players hone their skills. The practice facilities here at the Bully Pulpit are ideal for learning new skills and correcting a bad habit or two. The majority of class offerings are for chipping, putting, and swing correction but individual needs are addressed as well. A vacation in Medora affords the golfer a rare opportunity to take lessons without the pressures of work and to play an affordable round of golf at one of the Nation?s Finest Courses.
Jan'10
click for photo gallery of PGA Show - Orlando Florida
January 2010, I had an opportunity to work the University of Idaho PGM booth at the World Golf Expo in Orlando, Florida. What an exciting experience, actually seeing some of my favorite golf personalities up close and personal. The seminars were very informative and the manufacturer?s booths demonstrated the latest in golf technology. Many dollars in R & D are spent each year in an effort to help us all improve our game and the new equipment introductions have their inaugural appearance at this Golf Expo. It was among my top five life experiences and hope to return again.
Oct'09
click for photo gallery of Dad's Weekend 2010
October 2010, Dad came down for DAD?S WEEKEND. It?s a never ending two days of activities, and we really had fun. We attended the Girl?s Volley Ball Game against Fresno State with the U of I coming out on top. Dad and I golfed the tournament and we won to boot, this was the highlight of the weekend. We tail gated before the football game in the newly remodled Kibby Dome. It was really loud?.we had the spirit sticks pumping. The Vandals won?.the weekend was perfect.
2008
Sept'08
 
The 2008 golf season will be remembered forever, mostly because it was the toughest, longest, and my best season to date.
The GSL competition this year was some of the best golf ever played in Spokane by so many young players.
They fought the elements: SNOW, SLEET, RAIN, HAIL, and WIND?..sometimes all in the same round.
The U High team battled but the best we could do is post Hank Frame and I to the All GSL team. I missed going to State by one stroke this year, making yet another goal for next season to finally get there.
I got a great opportunity during spring break to escape the weather in Spokane and fly to Phoenix Arizona with Aaron
and Ted Alteneder and Alex Hurliman to play golf for four wonderful days. Desert conditions were like nothing I had ever experienced before. It was a great learning experience.
click for photo gallery of PNGA experience
I started May out by signing up for lessons with Steve Prugh from Manito Country Club. My short game just costs me too many strokes and he was willing to help me learn the basics of chipping and putting.
He challenged me to wear the groves off the clubs. I am still working on that.
The WJGA started in June and my season, all though not spectacular, was my best to date. I medaled in every tournament, qualified to play the Junior World Qualifier in Tumwater, and placed third in the Big I. The 36 hole qualifier at Manito for the USGA Junior was a real challenge, and thanks to Kaitlen Parsons for being my caddy. She really knows her stuff and I wouldn?t have scored nearly as well as I did without her. Qualifying for the WJGA state tournament was the highlight of the summer, since it was in Spokane this year. The Spokane Country Club proved a
little tough for me, but Spokane was well represented, with a victory posted by Hank Frame.
click for photo gallery of WJGA experience
My final rounds were played at the PNGA junior in Mill Creek. It is a grueling schedule, especially for those who make it to the championship flight. I ended up in the fourth flight, won my first two matches but on the final day ran into Mark Strickland who shot par, birdie, and eagle, on the first three holes.
I kept up with him after that, but never was able to pick up ground.
The tournaments this season were run very professionally. It?s amazing the amount of time that people volunteer for the Junior Golf Programs. Kudos to Steve and Susan Prugh, who keep the GSL and WJGA going; Allen and Karen Hatley, who coordinated some very large WJGA tournaments this year without a hitch; Cyndi Kelly and her committee that pulled off one of the finest multi course state tournaments ever, and the people in the PNGA that not only treat us like Pros, but
run an organization and tournament schedule that is equal to any of the national tours.
I now have a part time job that I love, at Manito Country Club, continue to work on my short game, and look forward to next GSL season.
U High will have some stiff competition but I think we are up to it. See you in the spring.
New entry: March'08
late February, 2008
September, 2007
The photos above say it all! We find ourselves struggling to find green grass. No golf courses are open within 100 miles of Spokane. Only place to play is Lewiston area and the tri-city area. Thank goodness for Molly at Trailhead in Liberty Lake. She actually would hand pick the golf balls from the snow on the driving range. She is an example of a modern day ?entrepreneur?. Creating business where there is no business from the use of a lot of hard work! As for myself, I had to be creative in ways to stay ?prepared? for the upcoming 2008 season. Obviously due to the weather I was able to spend time at the gym exercising and stretching. Swinging golf clubs was easy?..just shovel a patch, drop a mat and swing. Unfortunately it would be better if you could actually hit a ball and watch the flight but that was not as easy this year. Finally, my biggest fear is putting. The only practice was on carpet, cement or at the local golf stores.
2007
New entry: Nov.'07
To recap the season I start with the University High School Golf Team. I moved up to varsity level this year; competing in 4 of the 5 GSL (Greater Spokane League) competitions. I also qualified for districts. This year I did better that my freshman season in that I qualified for day two of districts. Unfortunately I came up short and did not make it to High School state championships. The summer golf season turned out much better. I won the local PGA/Junior tournament at Painted Hills Golf Course by shooting a 69. My PGA partner Kit DeAndre of Liberty Lake Golf Course was my partner and we came in 2nd overall. Then I played in the WJGA (Washington State Junior Golf Association) eastern qualifiers. I qualified for districts here also and then at the districts event at the University of Idaho Golf Course in Moscow Idaho I shot 76 & 74 which placed me in a tie for 7th place with two other golfers. In a sudden death playoff I won which gave me last spot from the eastern district for the state championships. Unfortunately I did not perform very well at state but I do feel I learned many things which will help for the future. Immediately following The state championships my dad (David), my sister (Jennifer) and I took a trip to New York city. Click on the link below and see the photo portfolio we made of the vacation!
2007 New York City Vacation
The competitive golf season is over by labor day in eastern Washington, so now I could focus my efforts on several specific areas in my game. First of which was equipment. At the beginning of this season I purchased a set of titleist 935cm irons with s300 dynamic gold stiff shafts. Not only did they help me but I felt that I began to develop confidence with them. So much so that in many circumstances I would use a long iron rather than a fairway wood or driver. So I had Dynamic gold stuff shafts put in my fairway woods and driver. As I had hoped I immediately realized more consistency! Next was my physical status. I noticed that the bigger the event the more days you play in a row. And I heard how college golfers are required to play 36 holes per one day. Because of this I will actually set time aside during this off season to play 36 holes in per day. And I will also establish an exercise routine to develop certain muscles and fine tune others. Oh, I almost forgot...I will continue to spend more time on the short game....50yards on in.
See you in the spring of '08!
Matt, at Links GC in Post Falls, in front of 'new' imported sand for 2007 season
Several things are new from this time last year when I launched this website. First of All I am 16 and I have a drivers license!
Secondly, I took a series of golf lessons from Tim McElhinny, the golf pro and proprietor of The Painted Hills Golf Course, hopefully
I will shoot lower golf scores and help the U-Hi golf team qualify for state. As far as the website is concerned, it has grown exponentially.
I have so many people to thank for this: Mrs. Byers, Mr. Turman, Mr. Ganey, and a special thanks to Mrs. Parsons. Mrs. Parsons helps me get in contact with some of the coaches for interviews and she scans in several pieces of information a week to make the site look so good.
One of the cool things about doing this website is all the people I have met. From teachers/coaches like Mr. Houston who teaches science and coaches the soccer teams,
to great athletes like Angie Bjorklund.
2006
My name is Matt Montecucco. I would like to welcome you to my website, which has a three fold purpose.
1. To fulfill my senior culminating project. During my freshman orientation, the Assistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction ? Sherry Clark talked to us about how every student was required to create a ?senior culminating project?. This was to be a project that contained two essential components ? a learning stretch, and a future career connection. Ms. Clark challenged us as incoming freshman to forge ahead in new and developing fields of study; like computers and electronic media (internet). She told us stories about prior students who took outside classes and pushed themselves to accel in new areas. In turn these studies took them to college. In the real world it qualified them for exciting jobs. From a simple senior culminating project careers blossomed!
2.This website is designed to fill a need for young golfers in the Spokane area. As a young person I always wanted to play golf in high school. Unfortunately the U-High/CVSD websites did not fulfill my needs and wants. As a result the summer of my freshman year I completed a basic on-line web design class (HTML). After which I began to design a personal website which would contain lots of the information I was looking for, as a golfer, when I surfed the web. Many of those things are just ?links? or quick ways to find information; from equipment, news updates, association references, to archived results of local junior tournaments. But in addition to this I can now provide the U-High Titan golf team with a central place and convenient way to access information! I gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of each of the vendors, associations media and courses for allowing me to place "links" on my website for easy student access.
3. Since I thought that there was an immediate need, I will launch in my sophomore year. As a result current results and archives will be built by the time I am a senior. Have fun surfing and learning golf the ?Montedamasher? way!
Designed by: Matt Montecucco, Class of 2009
a.I walked the line of golf balls
b.Titans Vs. Bears (ghostbusters)
6.
Movie clip page
a.Jordan to Wood 70 yard pass
6.
Job offer and branch out to other websites:
a. spokane parks and recreation
c. dljwf.com
d. jmontesphotos.com
e. bigdaddyscbg.com
I have learned many things this past four years - from computers, photography, graphic design,
to how to conduct an interview, and to following through on deadlines.
I want to personally thank Sherrie Clark for her speech and motivating me to accomplish this goal.
In conclusion, I challenge not only future students but the faculty and administration of
CV School District to pursue this area of study and set a new standard for generations to come.
We will make our web page a MULTIFACETED EDUCATIONAL TOOL. We will get our school newspaper online,
post daily bulletins, and integrate the technology of today and tomorrow into many of our classes.
We will have a Tech-Ed Corp that utilizes the talents and the classes we already have and bring them to new heights.
We will help the young people of this neighborhood educate themselves in modern technology and electronic media.
These tools will put alums steps ahead as future employees and business owners. As UHigh grads we will be
prepared for the future because of the progressive education we have received. Envision if you will, having
debates, sports, games, band concerts, plays, and classes live on line.
We are only limited by our imaginations. The talent and man power exists within these walls.
I ask you to fire up your mouse, and click your way to where no valley student has gone before.
2008
Matt and David deep in the snow this past January 2008.
Even my car is restless to get out of the garage. After all this snow the past 3 months it is nice to finally see ?the melt?. All the older
folks in the neighborhood tell me that this weather pattern is what it ?used? to be like in the ?old days?. I guess I have been spoiled the past 5 years. I have been able to play golf at Painted Hills Golf Course year round except for a week or two here and there. This winter is something totally new to me. It seemed like I helped the folks in my neighborhood shovel driveways 5 days a week for the whole month of January! Anyway, it will be interesting to see how fast I can get my ?swing timing? back. My biggest worry is putting. As a team our first event is only 2 weeks away and I really have no opportunity to practice putting on grass unless I drive to either Tri-Cities or Lewiston.
2007
Matt with sister Jenn and great grandmother Ida
You can rest assured that between my sister and I we always have a camera handy. After a year of maintaining this website it seems like carrying a
camera has become a habit. This picture above was from Easter '07, the lady in the middle is our 86 years old great grandmother Ida Montecucco.
Matt with Patti Marquis, 2007. Patti was Matts' first golf instructor back in 2002 at Painted Hills, coach 5 years ago
During spring break of '07 I tried to play a practice round at each of the GSL courses for this season. While at The Links GC in Post Falls I ran into my first golf instructor; Patti Marquis. She is the golf pro there.
I was so neat to have a camera and be able to get a picture of her and I together.
My name is Matt Montecucco and I am 15 years old.
I was born at Sacred Heart hospital in Spokane Washington, the evening of October 19th, 1990. I attended Moran Prairie Elementary school and then moved to the Spokane Valley where I went to Horizon Middle school. It was there that I took a science class taught by Mr. John and he got me interested in Computers. From there I took a summer school on-line class called Tech-Corp, upon completion of that class I was qualified to be a ?computer tech? student in the 8th grade. We did all sorts of cool stuff; from loading new software into existing school computers to rebuilding cdrom drives..
In my free time I like to golf. Ever since I was 9 years old, when my grandpa took me to play golf I have really liked to play. I have always been able to ?hit? the ball far. Unfortunately where the ball goes is the hard part. Grandpa Max and I played at Esmeralda Golf Course and Painted Hills Golf Course in the Spokane area. The first lessons I ever took were from Patti Marquis. She was the Pro at Painted Hill Golf Course back then, now she teaches at The Links, a Scottish Type Course in Post Falls, Idaho. Then I began a program of lessons with Gary Lindeblad at Indian Canyon Golf Course on the west side of Spokane. In the spring he would give me a couple of lessons and show me specific things to work on during the golf season, then in the late fall I would get a couple of lessons from him to evaluate my progress.
Finally, it seems like everything we do revolves around the internet nowadays and that leads me to taking an on-line internet web design class in basic HTML, so I can build my own website. My goal is to help young golfers in the Spokane area...especially those at University High School!
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