Consistency is something every golfer strives for. Following my latest round at Copetwon Woods Golf Club, you might say that I've played very consistently over the last couple of weeks. If you meant I was consistently bad, you'd be exactly right.
Located in Copetown, Ontario, Copetown Woods is a links style course featuring few trees, plenty of water and gigantic waste bunkers. On Sunday, it was the scene of the opening round for the 2006 Deepwoods golf tournament. It was also the scene of a horrible performance, courtesy of yours truly.
For the second week in a row, I compiled an embarassing score of 124. To put that into perspective, consider the fact that 124 is the kind of score I routinely compiled when I first took up golf five years ago. I don't know the exact number, but I've probably played more than 125 rounds since then. Apparently, that hasn't been enough to iron out the kinks. I will be visiting the driving range this week in an attempt to fix the problem.
If there is a silver lining to the story, it is the fact that my shoulder remained intact after the visit to Copetown Woods. Though I felt discomfort on certain shots, the shoulder felt much better than it did a week earlier at Hockley Valley. Heat treatments and extensive stretching seem to have helped.
Score: 124
Par: 72
Putts: 39
Fairways: 6
Greens: 1
May 30, 2006
May 23, 2006
Hockley Valley Massacre
Tackling a golf course you've never played before is always tough, so I approached my latest round at Hockley Valley Resort with some trepidation. Located in Orangeville, Ontario, Hockley Valley features eighteen holes of golf, neatly carved from rugged terrain. Massive elevation changes offer dramatic vistas and tend to complicate club selection, especially in windy conditions. Thick vegetation conceals any balls that stray too far from the fairways.
Early on, I was a victim of inconsistent putting surfaces. The green on the first hole was the slowest I've experienced all season. By comparison, the green on the second hole was blazingly fast. I three-putted three of the first four holes en route to a 43-putt performance, my worst of the season.
Though my problems began with putting, they quickly spread to other parts of the game. I lost balls on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes, either through errant tee shots or wayward approaches. Penalty strokes piled up quickly and it became clear this was going to be one of those "character-building" rounds.
I hesitate to use it as an excuse, but one of the factors that contributed to my poor play from the sixth hole onward was a distinct pain in my right shoulder. I had been playing with the pain for at least a month, but prior to this round it was only a mild pain that did not affect my swing. The apparent deterioration of the shoulder is now a major concern. As someone who has battled ankle and knee injuries over the last few years, I know all too well that these things can linger.
The timing of the injury could not be worse, since the DeepWoods golf tournament, my first taste of competitive golf, kicks off next weekend. Five rounds are contested on the DeepWoods tour, all at courses I have never played before. Needless to say, an injury was the last thing I needed.
Score: 124
Par: 70
Putts: 43
Fairways: 0
Greens: 0
Early on, I was a victim of inconsistent putting surfaces. The green on the first hole was the slowest I've experienced all season. By comparison, the green on the second hole was blazingly fast. I three-putted three of the first four holes en route to a 43-putt performance, my worst of the season.
Though my problems began with putting, they quickly spread to other parts of the game. I lost balls on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes, either through errant tee shots or wayward approaches. Penalty strokes piled up quickly and it became clear this was going to be one of those "character-building" rounds.
I hesitate to use it as an excuse, but one of the factors that contributed to my poor play from the sixth hole onward was a distinct pain in my right shoulder. I had been playing with the pain for at least a month, but prior to this round it was only a mild pain that did not affect my swing. The apparent deterioration of the shoulder is now a major concern. As someone who has battled ankle and knee injuries over the last few years, I know all too well that these things can linger.
The timing of the injury could not be worse, since the DeepWoods golf tournament, my first taste of competitive golf, kicks off next weekend. Five rounds are contested on the DeepWoods tour, all at courses I have never played before. Needless to say, an injury was the last thing I needed.
Score: 124
Par: 70
Putts: 43
Fairways: 0
Greens: 0
May 13, 2006
Par-5 Fun at Cardinal Golf Club
Would you like to shave a few strokes off your golf score? Since I can't imagine a single person answering "no" to that question, allow me to make a simple suggestion. Try keeping a journal of your golf outings, especially if you play just once a week or less. Since I began documenting my golf performance on chasingpar.blogspot.com, I've noticed that I'm usually better prepared for upcoming rounds. A day or two before a game, I simply take a few minutes to review my previous posts, reminding myself what went right and what went wrong in previous weeks.
It definitely helped me today, playing at Cardinal Golf Club, located in Kettleby, Ontario. Cardinal boasts two 18-hole championship courses and a shorter, executive course. I played the East Course, which features significant elevation changes on the front nine, and some tree-lined fairways on the back nine. It may have been my best round of the season, even if it wasn't my best score.
Right off the bat, I paid particular attention to my driving, since I did not want to repeat the same mistakes I made a week earlier at Granite Ridge Golf Club. My backswing is always rather slow, but I slowed it down even more, being sure to draw the clubhead back low to the ground in order to maintain a wide arc. At the top of my backswing, I eased into the swing gradually, rather than jerking the club forward. As a result, I hit 6 of 14 fairways, with no drop-off in distance.
I also managed the game well, playing within my ability and making smart decisions, unlike I did two weeks ago at Hunters' Glen Golf Club. Consider what transpired at the sixteenth hole, a 321-yard, par-4 that doglegs left. My 3-wood off the tee popped straight into the air and landed left of the fairway behind a row of trees. Next, I could have punched a 3-iron through the trees in the direction of the green, but elected to punch the ball sideways into the open fairway. Still 180 yards away from the pin, I could have gone for the green, but that meant flirting with more trees on the left side of the fairway. Instead, I punched another low one to the right side of the fairway past the dogleg. From there it was a short pitch and two putts for a double bogey. That's not great, but it could have been a lot worse after the unlucky tee shot.
Overall, it was a satisfying round. Two quadruple bogeys and a triple bogey on three of the par-5 holes did not dampen my spirits. With the exception of the straightforward tenth, the par-5 holes at Cardinal's East Course are quite a challenge, even for the experienced golfer. There's no shame in succumbing to the elevated green on the first hole, a blind second shot on the eighth, or a tree-lined fairway on the twelfth.
Score: 102
Par: 72
Putts: 39
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
It definitely helped me today, playing at Cardinal Golf Club, located in Kettleby, Ontario. Cardinal boasts two 18-hole championship courses and a shorter, executive course. I played the East Course, which features significant elevation changes on the front nine, and some tree-lined fairways on the back nine. It may have been my best round of the season, even if it wasn't my best score.
Right off the bat, I paid particular attention to my driving, since I did not want to repeat the same mistakes I made a week earlier at Granite Ridge Golf Club. My backswing is always rather slow, but I slowed it down even more, being sure to draw the clubhead back low to the ground in order to maintain a wide arc. At the top of my backswing, I eased into the swing gradually, rather than jerking the club forward. As a result, I hit 6 of 14 fairways, with no drop-off in distance.
I also managed the game well, playing within my ability and making smart decisions, unlike I did two weeks ago at Hunters' Glen Golf Club. Consider what transpired at the sixteenth hole, a 321-yard, par-4 that doglegs left. My 3-wood off the tee popped straight into the air and landed left of the fairway behind a row of trees. Next, I could have punched a 3-iron through the trees in the direction of the green, but elected to punch the ball sideways into the open fairway. Still 180 yards away from the pin, I could have gone for the green, but that meant flirting with more trees on the left side of the fairway. Instead, I punched another low one to the right side of the fairway past the dogleg. From there it was a short pitch and two putts for a double bogey. That's not great, but it could have been a lot worse after the unlucky tee shot.
Overall, it was a satisfying round. Two quadruple bogeys and a triple bogey on three of the par-5 holes did not dampen my spirits. With the exception of the straightforward tenth, the par-5 holes at Cardinal's East Course are quite a challenge, even for the experienced golfer. There's no shame in succumbing to the elevated green on the first hole, a blind second shot on the eighth, or a tree-lined fairway on the twelfth.
Score: 102
Par: 72
Putts: 39
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
May 08, 2006
Deja Vu at Granite Ridge
My latest round of golf was played at Granite Ridge Golf Club, a 36-hole facility nestled at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment in Milton, Ontario. The Escarpment looms noticeably over the property, particularly over the Ruby course, which flanks its western boundary. At 6004 yards from the back tees, Ruby is not very long, but undulating greens and the odd hazard keep it challenging.
It's a familiar setting for me, as I usually get out to Granite Ridge a couple of times per season. On this particular occasion, more than the setting seemed familiar. I experienced a distinct sense of deja vu as I walked off the 18th green, having compiled a less-than-inspirational score of 104. Six rounds into the 2006 season and I have yet to score in double digits.
As I see it, three factors contributed to the inflated outcome. First and foremost was my driving ability. After some early season success with the TaylorMade r580 driver, I found it difficult to strike the ball consistently. My old driver produced an ugly but predictable slice, which I could compensate for by aiming left of the target. I have yet to learn the nuances of the new driver, so my tee shots varied wildly from dead straight to wicked pull.
Aside from horrible tee shots, I also had some difficulty with distance control on approach shots. More often than not, I landed the ball on the center or back of the green, only to watch it bounce or roll off the back edge. That wouldn't be terrible if I happened to be chipping well, but that part of my game was also hit and miss.
The highlight of the round was a 270-yard drive on the 14th hole, thanks to a paved cart path and a lucky first bounce.
Score: 104
Par: 70
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 1
It's a familiar setting for me, as I usually get out to Granite Ridge a couple of times per season. On this particular occasion, more than the setting seemed familiar. I experienced a distinct sense of deja vu as I walked off the 18th green, having compiled a less-than-inspirational score of 104. Six rounds into the 2006 season and I have yet to score in double digits.
As I see it, three factors contributed to the inflated outcome. First and foremost was my driving ability. After some early season success with the TaylorMade r580 driver, I found it difficult to strike the ball consistently. My old driver produced an ugly but predictable slice, which I could compensate for by aiming left of the target. I have yet to learn the nuances of the new driver, so my tee shots varied wildly from dead straight to wicked pull.
Aside from horrible tee shots, I also had some difficulty with distance control on approach shots. More often than not, I landed the ball on the center or back of the green, only to watch it bounce or roll off the back edge. That wouldn't be terrible if I happened to be chipping well, but that part of my game was also hit and miss.
The highlight of the round was a 270-yard drive on the 14th hole, thanks to a paved cart path and a lucky first bounce.
Score: 104
Par: 70
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 1
May 01, 2006
Tree Hugging at Hunters' Glen
A good golfer will tell you that managing the game is as important as making good shots. Knowing what shots to make and when to make them can keep you out of trouble and improve your performance. For some reason, this simple truth eluded me as I played the second round of a double-header at Hunters' Glen Golf course, located in Kleinburg, Ontario.
Though I compiled my worst score of the season, a lot of things went right. To begin with, my short game was better than it has been in a while. I felt very comfortable with the pitching wedge in my hands, whether approaching from 100 yards out, or chipping from just off the green. Putting was even better, as I had no difficulty judging speed or line.
My trouble on this occasion was really game management. Errant shots on a couple of holes put me behind some trees. With very little chance of advancing the ball, I should have punched some shots sideways into the open fairways. Instead, I tried to make up for the errant shots by attacking in the direction of the greens.
The penalty for my stubborness was considerable time spent in the trees, a pair of quadruple bogeys, and a quintuple bogey to top it all off! Let's just chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.
Score: 110
Par: 72
Putts: 38
Fairways: 1
Greens: 0
Though I compiled my worst score of the season, a lot of things went right. To begin with, my short game was better than it has been in a while. I felt very comfortable with the pitching wedge in my hands, whether approaching from 100 yards out, or chipping from just off the green. Putting was even better, as I had no difficulty judging speed or line.
My trouble on this occasion was really game management. Errant shots on a couple of holes put me behind some trees. With very little chance of advancing the ball, I should have punched some shots sideways into the open fairways. Instead, I tried to make up for the errant shots by attacking in the direction of the greens.
The penalty for my stubborness was considerable time spent in the trees, a pair of quadruple bogeys, and a quintuple bogey to top it all off! Let's just chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.
Score: 110
Par: 72
Putts: 38
Fairways: 1
Greens: 0
Renewal at Bloomington Downs
A weekend without golf always seems like a wasted opportunity and such was the case last week, when rain prevented me from hitting the links. This week, I managed to get that lost round back by playing a Sunday double-header, beginning with a morning round at Bloomington Downs Golf Club, located in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Described by Toronto Life magazine as "one of the most forgiving" golf courses in the Greater Toronto Area, Bloomington Downs is where a lot of local players go to restore confidence in their game. Owing to its modest length and wide-open fairways, that reputation is deserved, but I would stop short of calling it a cakewalk. Sand traps and water come into play on a number of holes, providing a reasonable challenge for the average golfer.
Water got the best of me on the second and seventh holes, leading to a pair of triple-bogeys. On the positive side, I managed a bogey on the difficult sixth hole, a 512-yard, par-5 that snakes through thick woods. The back nine was trouble-free, except for some shaky putting here and there.
When it was all said and done, I finished with a score of 100, including 40 putts. Once again, it seems that decent putting would have resulted in a sub-100 round.
Score: 100
Par: 72
Putts: 40
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
Described by Toronto Life magazine as "one of the most forgiving" golf courses in the Greater Toronto Area, Bloomington Downs is where a lot of local players go to restore confidence in their game. Owing to its modest length and wide-open fairways, that reputation is deserved, but I would stop short of calling it a cakewalk. Sand traps and water come into play on a number of holes, providing a reasonable challenge for the average golfer.
Water got the best of me on the second and seventh holes, leading to a pair of triple-bogeys. On the positive side, I managed a bogey on the difficult sixth hole, a 512-yard, par-5 that snakes through thick woods. The back nine was trouble-free, except for some shaky putting here and there.
When it was all said and done, I finished with a score of 100, including 40 putts. Once again, it seems that decent putting would have resulted in a sub-100 round.
Score: 100
Par: 72
Putts: 40
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
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