A record amount of rain has fallen in Toronto and many parts of southern Ontario this summer. Despite the heavier than usual rainfall, I have managed to complete all of my golf rounds, with only one significant delay. That was not the case today, as thunderstorms blanketed the entire GTA. I was able to squeeze only eight holes in at Carrying Place Golf & Country Club before thunder and lightning put an end to the soggy outing.
Before the round began at Carrying Place, I spent an hour on the driving range at Cardinal Golf Club, just up the road. It was time well spent, as I got a chance to work on all my clubs, from pitching wedge to driver. The scoring irons (PW to 7-iron) were working very well. I focused almost exclusively on tempo, trying to keep a nice fluid rhythm to my swing. The low irons (6-iron to 3-iron) were not bad, but I was pulling a higher percentage of shots with them, which seems to be my current tendency. Whenever I got the tempo just right with these clubs, the shots straightened out nicely. This is encouraging, because it confirms that a tempo adjustment is all I really need to drastically improve my shot-making. The same observation was made with the fairway woods. I finished up hitting about twenty shots with the driver, but I just could not find the groove with it.
By the time I teed off on the first hole at Carrying Place, the rain was coming down and grey skies loomed all around, so the round was clearly in jeopardy. I hit a poor drive short and to the left rough. The first hole was recently rebuilt, and with all the rain this year, the new rough is extremely lush. I had a hard time getting out of it, and when I finally did, I was in the large bunker that borders the right side of the green. I also had a hard time getting out of the bunker, but when I finally did, I stuck the ball within a couple feet of the hole. I one-putted for a quadruple bogey. Momentum was down.
On the second hole, a 340-yard dogleg right, I hit a good 3-iron off the tee. The ball rolled through the end of the fairway at the dogleg, about three feet into the rough. Thankfully, this rough was not as lush as on the first hole, so I was in good shape. From 150 yards out, I hit a 7-iron to a good distance, but just right of the green, into a bunker. I made a very nice out and two-putted for bogey. Momentum was up.
On the third hole, a 383-yard par-4, I pulled my drive slightly, but got a nice bounce off a mound on the left side of the fairway. The ball came to rest in the middle of the fairway, 157 yards away from the green. I hit a 7-iron to a good distance, but pulled it just into a hazard. After taking a drop, I found myself facing a tricky chip shot, since I was short-sided and had little green to work with. My chip came up about three feet short and got hung up near the green collar. I was forced to chip again, then two-putted for a triple-bogey. Momentum was back down.
On the fourth hole, a 321-yard par-4, I opted for 3-wood off the tee. I hit it low and to the right side of the fairway. It could have ended in the rough, but it caught a bit of a slope and came to rest in the middle of the fairway, 135 yards away from the green. The pin was in the back, so I attacked with an 8-iron. Once again, distance was good, but the ball travelled just right of target, ending in yet another bunker. I hit a good out to the back of the green and finished with a solid two-putt for bogey. Momentum was back up.
On the fifth hole, also Carrying Place's most difficult, things got very interesting. Players must hit their tee shots 190 yards to this par-3 almost entirely over water. I went with a 5-wood and the distance was good. Unfortunately, I pulled it slightly left of the green and was in danger of being out of bounds. When I found my ball, it was still in bounds, but directly beneath a pine tree. The next shot was the shot of the day. Using a 3-wood, because it has a longer shaft that could help me reach the ball under the pine tree, I punched a low shot in the direction of the flag. I couldn't see anything because of the pine branches, but my playing partner told me the ball rolled an inch by the edge of the hole. It stopped at a point three or four feet past the hole, from which I calmly drained the par putt. Momentum was still up.
On the sixth hole, I pulled my drive left of the fairway and was once again at the base of a pine tree. I had less success punching out with the 3-wood this time. After punching out, I played a baby pitch shot back to the fairway, about 150 yards away from the green. Since the approach was uphill, I added an extra club than I would normally play with, going with a 6-iron. Distance was again good, but again I pulled it slightly into a bunker. I barely had enough room in the bunker to take a stance, but I established my footing and hit a good out. My first putt lipped out, so I needed another to complete the triple-bogey. Momentum was down again.
On the seventh hole, a par-3 measuring 164 yards, I hit a 7-iron from the elevated tee. The distance was good, but the shot was pulled slightly. That's OK on this hole, since right of the green is all water. I made a delicate chip shot, then a long uphill putt to save par. Momentum was up again.
On the eighth hole, a par-5, the rain came down harder than it had on the previous holes. My drive found the rough just left of the fairway. Next, I hit a 6-iron in the direction of the 150-yard marker. Of course, it veered further left than I wanted and I was still a few feet into the left rough. I payed the penalty on my next shot, as the lush rough made it difficult to reach the green. I was only able to get the ball back in the fairway. From 95 yards out, I caught the ball too fat and it only travelled half the desired distance. My next chip shot was exactly as I planned it, but the ball died on the first bounce in front of the green. I had a very long putt and made a nice job of it. Unfortunately, with the thunder beginning, I required two more to hole out for a triple bogey. Momentum was down yet again.
It may sound like an up and down round, but I was playing with an even keel all the way through. The holes with the big scores weren't really bothering me, since I was making some good shots at the same time. I had the feeling that I could get better as the round progressed, but the rain and thunderstorm took away that chance.
If I put the score aside, I like the way I was playing. My approach shots were always the right distance, just a fraction off line. I made three or four nice sand shots. I one-putted four of eight holes. My driver was not good, but it wasn't killing me. This is one to build on, for sure.
Score: 46
Par: 31
Putts: 13
Fairways: 3
Greens: 0
NOTE: stats are for holes 1-8 only
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