In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a multi-headed monster that lived in the swamps near the ancient city of Lerna. In the second of his twelve labours, Heracles set out to kill the Hydra, which was easier said than done. Each time he severed one of the Hydra's heads, two would quickly grow in its place.
At Mystic Golf Club, located in Ancaster, Ontario, Hydra is the name given to the men's front set of tees. At 6,096 yards, playing from these tees is a respectable challenge. Golfers feeling particularly Herculean can try their luck from the Dragon tees (6,713 yards) or the Griffin tees (7365 yards), which demand accuracy as well as distance.
I played from the Hydra tees on Saturday and as it turned out, the name was very appropriate. Time after time, a single stroke turned into two on my scorecard, due to the addition of penalties. It happened fifteen times over eighteen holes, which pretty much sums up my round.
Most of those penalties occurred when I failed to carry the ball over brush-covered ravines. Course architect Tom Pearson either loves forced carries, or the property simply lends itself to them. Almost every hole features a forced carry or two, which easily intimidate the weekend hack.
It's a shame, because I spent about 45 minutes on the driving range prior to the round and hit some wonderful balls. I guess I need to work on the mental part of the game, as well as the mechanical.
Score: 119
Par: 72
Putts: 40
Fairways: 1
Greens: 3
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