Proof of the Existence of God

There is a God and he is merciful. So-called proofs of the existence of God have spanned the ages, but none carry as much weight, at least in my eyes, as the events of October 11, 2008. It was on this day that a prolonged period of golf-induced suffering came to an end, almost certainly due to divine intervention.

Over the previous six months, I failed to break 90 even once, despite playing 43 rounds of golf. The frustrating streak came to an abrupt end with the 44th round of the year, as I not only broke 90, but shattered it with a score of 82! Only the hand of God could produce such brilliance.

Eighty-two is not the lowest score I've ever had - last year I managed an 81 on the South Course at Deer Creek Golf & Country Club. However, this latest triumph is most certainly the best. The 81 came on a par 71 course, while the 82 came on a par 72 - Granite Ridge Golf Club's Cobalt Course. With a length of 5962 yards, and a slope of 123 from the white tees, Cobalt is both longer and more difficult than Deer Creek South.

A great round like this calls for a shot-by-shot account, which is what follows, below. Interestingly, I am writing this entry on Thanksgiving Day, less than 48 hours after the glorious round took place. It seems I have even more than usual to be thankful for this year. Thanks be to God, indeed.

Hole # 1 - Par 4, 313 yards

A short dogleg left, this hole tempts players to cut the corner, which is exactly what I did. My tee shot was straight, but a little high. My second shot was played with my feet in a bunker, 90 yards from the flag. I stuck the approach on the green, 10 feet from the hole. The birdie putt just missed, leaving an easy tap-in for par.

Hole # 2 - Par 4, 355 yards

Out-of-bounds along the entire left side is the main challenge on this hole, and I fell victim to it. My first tee shot was struck well, but I pulled it too far left. When I re-teed, I struck a beauty straight down the fairway. My approach from 100 yards away had the right distance, but drifted just right of the green. I made a solid chip on and a 5-foot putt to salvage double-bogey. I tried to stay positive by realizing I had essentially scored par after the re-tee.

Hole # 3 - Par 3, 139 yards

The tees were about 6 yards forward and the flag was at the front of the green. Estimating the actual distance to the flag, I added an extra club to account for the prevailing headwind. I must have calculated perfectly, as I stuck the ball on the green, about 12 feet away from the hole. The birdie putt missed, but I was left with an easy tap-in for par.

Hole # 4 - Par 5, 490 yards

Once again, out-of-bounds looms along the entire left side. I aimed for the right half of the fairway, and ended up a few yards into the right rough. The trusty 7-iron got me safely out, leaving about 120 yards to the flag. The approach was right on the money, leaving me with another intermediate birdie putt of about 12 feet. It didn't drop, but I'll take easy tap-ins for par any day.

Hole # 5 - Par 3, 139 yards

A shortish par-3 that can be visually intimidating, since the ball must carry over a pond that protects the green. I opted to go left of the flag, where there was more room for error. It was a well-struck ball and it stuck when it hit the green. The birdie putt was uphill, about 18 feet. I came up a little short and had one of those scary 4 to 5-foot putts for par, which I drained calmly.

Hole # 6 - Par 4, 275 yards

A short hole indeed, but there is danger on both sides of the fairway. I had hit a couple of nice drives, so I decided to put one as close as I could to the green. I hit a laser right down the pipe. Unfortunately, it clipped the right edge of a fairway bunker and came to rest in the sand. I was faced with 30 yards to the front of the green, and an additional 30 yards to the flag, which was tucked at the extreme back of this multi-tier green. My pitch shot came out a little softer than I had planned, with the ball coming to rest on the middle tier of the green. I powered my first putt way too hard, blowing the ball 12 feet past the hole. My next putt was very nice, but didn't drop, leading to the first 3-putt of the day and a bogey.

Hole # 7 - Par 5, 527 yards

This hole began with a stellar 3-wood off the tee, to lay up in front of a creek that crosses the fairway. It is 230 yards to the front of the creek, so this shot must have travelled 225 yards. Using a 5-wood, my next shot travelled left of the fairway, which isn't bad, since a large pond hugs the fairway on the right side, all the way to the green. I was amongst some small pine trees, but had a clear view to the flag, about 135 yards away. I hit a beautiful 9-iron to the back of the green, where it spun backwards, in the direction of the hole. The 12-foot birdie putt was missed, but the tap-in putt for par was easy breezy.

Hole # 8 - Par 4, 321 yards

A short straightaway hole, but I faded my drive a little too much, ending up in the right rough. A sand wedge travelled the required 75 yards toward the flag at the back of the green. The ball was ten feet from the hole, but on the fringe, just a couple inches in front of the rough. I used a putter and didn't strike the ball hard enough. I was left with a 5-footer for par and I just burned the edge. Par should have been the result, but I had to settle for bogey.

Hole # 9 - Par 4, 315 yards

Reminiscent of the first hole, this is another short dogleg left that invites players to cut the corner. I tried to, but ended up pushing the ball right of the intended target line. That's okay, since there is lots of room to the right of the fairway. From 130 yards out, I pushed my approach shot slightly, ending up in a greenside bunker. Next, I launched the ball straight over the green. I thought I had contacted an adequate amount of sand, but clearly I did not. From the other side of the green, I hit a 30-yard pitch shot. From that side of the green, I was short sided, so naturally the ball travelled well past the hole. That's okay, since I drained the 15-foot putt to save bogey.

I was shooting 41 at the turn, with 18 putts. Miraculously, I hit seven of nine greens in regulation. Oh, what a feeling! Golf the way it was meant to be played. If not for one errant shot out of bounds and a couple of misjudged putts, I would be sitting one over par. Still, I was in the groove and feeling it.

Hole # 10 - Par 4, 389 yards

I know this hole now, and missing right with your drive is not a problem. I aimed for the right half of the fairway and made good contact. I ended up a few yards into the right rough, but had a clear view to the flag. Next, I hit a towering 6-iron flag high, about 20 feet from the hole. This left me with a tricky putt, as the green slopes severely from back to front. I played a good 8 feet of break and it was a good read. The putt didn't drop, but I had a 3-foot downhill putt left for par, which I nailed.

Hole # 11 - Par 4, 325 yards

I've had some trouble on this hole in recent rounds, which was definitely in the back of my mind when I stepped up to the tee. I had topped a few 3-woods into the creek that crosses directly in front of the tee box. As a result, I opted to go with driver instead. An iron is certainly an option, and probably the best one, but I was feeling good with the driver. Unfortunately, I pulled it a little left, into the hazard which meanders up the left side of the fairway. I dropped a ball at point of entry and took aim at the green. From 135 yards out, I nailed the green with the 9-iron. From there, it was another intermediate lag putt and easy tap-in for bogey.

Hole # 12 - Par 4, 338 yards

The hole began with an absolutely stunning drive off the tee. It travelled straight down the pipe, leaving 100 yards to the flag. The next shot was with the gap wedge, and it was pulled slightly. The ball was at the base of a small pine tree, which was interfering with my stance. I gathered myself and hit a nice chip to put the ball on the green, within about 6 feet of the hole. The par putt just burned the right edge of the hole, so I had to make do with a tap-in for bogey.

Hole # 13 - Par 4, 324 yards

I know this hole now, and there is no point keeping the driver in the bag, even though the hole is pretty short. All you have to do is make sure that the ball goes straight, or to the right. There is lots of danger in the form of reeds on the left side of this hole. On the right side there are some medium size pine trees, but with a driver, most people should be able to clear them. That's exactly what I did. From the right rough, I hit a pitching wedge to the front of the green. Though the ball was on the green, it was definitely in 3-putt territiry, since the flag was right at the back. No worries, as I made a beautiful lag putt, followed by a 4-foot putt for another par.

Hole # 14 - Par 4, 373 yards

I made good contact on the drive, but it faded ever so slightly into a hazard on the right side. The ball was only a couple inches into the hazard, but it was partly submerged in some mud. I tried to hit a 7-iron out and to the green. I hit it well, but not perfectly, and the ball rolled down the fairway to within 70 yards of the flag. With the sun in my eyes, I hit a full sand wedge. I connected perfectly and absolutely skied the ball. I lost it in the sun and was surprised when it sailed clear past the green. Behind the green, the terrain drops off steeply. I had to chip about eight feet into the air to land the ball softly on the edge of the green. I did exactly that, and the ball then rolled downhill to within inches of the cup. It was such a great chip, and it allowed me to save bogey.

Hole # 15 - Par 5, 534 yards

The second toughest hole on the course, according to the handicap index, but I think it is the hardest. Out-of-bounds runs the entire length of the hole on the right side. The left side is covered with various hazards. I hit a beautiful drive off the tee, about 250 yards to the middle of the fairway. Next, I hit an even better 3-wood, which travelled about 220 yards. Unfortunately, the ball rolled about one foot into the right rough. From 70 yards out, I was definitely flag hunting, so I was a little disappointed when my approach came up a little short, stopping on the front part of the green. This was 3-putt territory, and that's exactly what happened. My first putt was much too firm, leaving eight or nine feet for par. I made a beautiful attempt, but the ball trickled over the edge of the cup. I had to make do with bogey.

Hole # 16 - Par 3, 130 yards

The flag was at the front of this green, tucked behind some bunkers on the left side. The safe play was to go for the fat part of the green right of the hole. I opted to go closer to the flag, figuring long would also be safe. I hit a beautiful 9-iron to within nine feet or thereabout. The birdie putt was a good one, but it didn't drop. An easy tap-in completed the par.

Hole # 17 - Par 4, 351 yards

I stuck with the driver on this hole and it paid off. I started the ball to the left side of the fairway, which worked well because the ball cut more than I wanted it to. I was in the middle of the fairway, with 130 yards to the flag. Next, I hit the only shot of the day that was truly ugly. I hit the 9-iron extremely fat, barely catching ball. I tried another approach, this time from 100 yards out. It was a sky high approach with the gap wedge, that landed about seven feet from the cup. The par putt was good, but it just trickled past the edge of the hole. I had to be content with a tap-in bogey. If all of these longer putts that barely missed had gone in, I would be shooting par for the day. Still, I felt good about the results.

Hole # 18 - Par 4, 324 yards

A tantalizing dogleg right, this hole can produce good results if you can drive the ball over the bunkers on the right side of the fairway. I caught the ball low on the clubface, producing a lower than usual ball flight. As a result, I found myself between the two bunkers, but with a good lie. From 100 yards out, I hit the gap wedge once again and nailed yet another green. The birdie putt from about twelve feet was good, but it didn't go in. A tap-in would be required to finish the round with a nice par.

Just as I did on the front nine, I shot 41 with 18 putts on the back nine. For the entire round, I amassed nine pars, eight bogeys, and one double-bogey. Nice! I think the biggest difference came from the fact that I was hitting a higher than usual percentage of greens in regulation. This meant there was less need for chipping around the green. Less chipping means fewer opportunities for mistakes. It's a real luxury when you can go directly from a full iron into the green, to having the putter in your hand for the next shot.

Too bad a couple of extra putts didn't drop. I could have actually broken 80!

Score: 82
Par: 72
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 12