Have you ever been to a golf course where grown men gather simply to horse around and get drunk? If you've played your share of public courses, you probably know the types I'm talking about. For these neanderthals, golf is an escape from the wife and kids, an excuse to act like an idiot, and a chance to imbibe great quantities of domestic beer. More often than not, they're also loud. You'll hear them talking smack or otherwise goofing off with their pot-bellied buddies while you're teeing off or trying to make a critical putt nearby. I've gotten fairly used to these boors over the years, and usually just look down my nose at them before moving along. However, on a recent visit to Indian Wells Golf Club I was stunned by the ignorance of one of these characters, a fellow my playing partners and I affectionately referred to as "Mega-Man".
Mega-Man was with a large group of players holding a tournament at Indian Wells. He couldn't play because of some health issues, so he thought it would be a hoot to heckle his pot-bellied buddies as they tackled the course - you know, they like that sort of thing. But Mega Man wasn't content to heckle at the top of his voice. He felt that he needed some acoustic assistance - in the form of a megaphone! Yes, he brought a flipping megaphone to the course. As his boorish buddies made their way along the fairways, he exhorted them to "Pick up the pace" and "Keep it moving." Boy, that Mega Man is hilarious, isn't he? The problem is, he could be heard on the entire course, not only by his beer-swigging, knuckle-dragging boys, but by all the respectable patrons who were not part of his illustrious group.
I played four holes with Mega-Man spewing his unique brand of comedy across the escarpment, before I finally encountered the course marshal. I asked him a couple of questions. Who is the guy with the megaphone? How can you possibly allow that? He sheepishly admitted looking the other way when he first encountered Mega-Man and promised to take action now that I brought it up. For the rest of the round, Mega-Man was relatively silent, but there were a few occasions where he continued his stupidity. Clearly, the marshal or other course staff did not give him a stern enough warning. Shame on Indian Wells! If Mega-Man didn't put the megaphone away after being warned, he should have been kicked off the course immediately.
Since the course did a terrible job at managing the situation, I felt I had to do the work for them. Following the round, I asked one of the tournament players to introduce me to the hilarious guy with the megaphone. It wasn't hard to find someone in the group, since they were all availing themselves of the alcoholic beverages in the clubhouse. When I found Mega-Man, I gave him and his nearby buddies a quick lesson in basic golf etiquette. I doubt they actually learned anything, but at least I did my part.
As for my game, it was my worst of the season. My driving was quite good, while chipping and putting was satisfactory. My bunker play was, once again, terrible. However, the real problem was my approach shots from inside 150 yards. I could not hit a green to save my life! I was in the fairway plenty of times, but it made no difference. When I happened to be in the rough, it was even worse. The rough at Indian Wells was extremely thick, if not very long. Since trouble came early in the round, it was very hard to stay motivated.
Score: 116
Par: 71
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 1
September 20, 2009
Poor Start, Good Finish at Georgian Bay
The latest stop on the GTA Amateur Tour took me to Georgian Bay Club, located in Clarksburg, Ontario, just west of Collingwood. Nestled between the Blue Mountains and Georgian Bay, this was the most scenic course I've played this year, if not the best overall. Hole #3 and hole #14 are perhaps the most spectacular, featuring elevated tees, overlooking well-bunkered fairways and greens below. On the horizon, the deep blue water of Georgian Bay meets the light blue of the sky, framed on either side by towering trees. It truly is a magnificent location.
I got off to a terrible start, mostly because of the slippery greens, which were the fastest I've played this year. Coppinwood is the only course I played this season where the speed of the greens was comparable. To illustrate how quick they were, consider that I three-putted six of the first eight greens! Even short putts were tough, as the closely mown surface would punish putts that were out of alignment by just a fraction of a hair. The putting woes affected me mentally, causing some miscues off the tee on holes #6 and #7. After just seven holes, I had already amassed four quadruple-bogeys and one triple.
At that point, something clicked. I just got used to the speed of the greens and it no longer seemed to bother me. It's not surprising, really. When you're used to the relatively slower speeds of many public golf courses, it takes a few holes to adjust to greens that play fast. With my new-found confidence, I drained critical putts for par on holes #11, #16, and #17. The last one was especially satisfying, since I two-putt from the fringe, a considerable distance away from the cup. During the good stretch of play, I made my share of bad shots, but I always followed them up with very good recoveries. I shot 54 for the final eleven holes, which is better than bogey golf.
It took me seven holes to settle down, but I'm happy with my play from that point forward. If I return to Georgian Bay Club, I will be better prepared for certain.
Score: 103
Par: 71
Putts: 44
Fairways: 6
Greens: 5
I got off to a terrible start, mostly because of the slippery greens, which were the fastest I've played this year. Coppinwood is the only course I played this season where the speed of the greens was comparable. To illustrate how quick they were, consider that I three-putted six of the first eight greens! Even short putts were tough, as the closely mown surface would punish putts that were out of alignment by just a fraction of a hair. The putting woes affected me mentally, causing some miscues off the tee on holes #6 and #7. After just seven holes, I had already amassed four quadruple-bogeys and one triple.
At that point, something clicked. I just got used to the speed of the greens and it no longer seemed to bother me. It's not surprising, really. When you're used to the relatively slower speeds of many public golf courses, it takes a few holes to adjust to greens that play fast. With my new-found confidence, I drained critical putts for par on holes #11, #16, and #17. The last one was especially satisfying, since I two-putt from the fringe, a considerable distance away from the cup. During the good stretch of play, I made my share of bad shots, but I always followed them up with very good recoveries. I shot 54 for the final eleven holes, which is better than bogey golf.
It took me seven holes to settle down, but I'm happy with my play from that point forward. If I return to Georgian Bay Club, I will be better prepared for certain.
Score: 103
Par: 71
Putts: 44
Fairways: 6
Greens: 5
Deepwoods Finale at Willow Valley
The final round of the 2009 Deepwoods Championship took place at Willow Valley Golf Club, and I needed a perfect round just to have an outside chance at defending my title.
Through the first eight or nine holes, I gave myself a fighting chance. After bogeying the first hole, I nearly made birdie on the second. The birdie putt, from about five feet, just missed the edge of the cup. The story was the same on hole #3, but the missed putt was for par. On holes three and four, I recovered from terrible tee shots to save bogey. A great pitch shot and pair of putts did the trick on the par-3 fourth hole, while a 7-iron from the fescue near the forward tees and a great up and down from the greenside bunker did it on the par-4 fifth hole. I heated up on holes six through eight, recording three pars in a row. I was robbed of a birdie on hole #8 when my putt from eight feet burned the edge of the cup. After a good drive on the ninth hole, I topped my second shot and then struggled near the green. Triple-bogey was the only blemish on the front nine, but I still amassed 22 points - well on my way to the maximum of 40 points that can be earned in the Deepwoods scoring system.
Hole #10 was solid and resulted in bogey. Unfortunately, I had a bad stretch on holes eleven through fourteen. Except for hole #13, a par-5 that I made par on, those holes killed me. I pulled my second shot on hole #11 into a hazard, then missed a makeable putt en route to triple bogey. I duffed my second shot on the next hole, also sending it into a hazard. Frustration set in on the green and I missed a tap-in putt. I didn't realize a single point was still available at the time. A couple of bad tee shots ruined me on hole #14, a long par-3. Once again, triple bogey was the result. I settled down on hole #15 and recorded bogeys on the final four holes. Had I avoided the bad stretch, I would have easily earned the 40 points I was after. As it was, I finished up with 35 points.
At the end of the day, it didn't matter. With the extra five points, I would have finished in a tie for fourth, which is no different than finishing a few positions further down in the standings. I played reasonably well at Willow Valley. It was a couple of rounds earlier in the year (Peninsula Lakes, Oakridge) that sealed my fate.
Score: 94
Par: 72
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 6
Through the first eight or nine holes, I gave myself a fighting chance. After bogeying the first hole, I nearly made birdie on the second. The birdie putt, from about five feet, just missed the edge of the cup. The story was the same on hole #3, but the missed putt was for par. On holes three and four, I recovered from terrible tee shots to save bogey. A great pitch shot and pair of putts did the trick on the par-3 fourth hole, while a 7-iron from the fescue near the forward tees and a great up and down from the greenside bunker did it on the par-4 fifth hole. I heated up on holes six through eight, recording three pars in a row. I was robbed of a birdie on hole #8 when my putt from eight feet burned the edge of the cup. After a good drive on the ninth hole, I topped my second shot and then struggled near the green. Triple-bogey was the only blemish on the front nine, but I still amassed 22 points - well on my way to the maximum of 40 points that can be earned in the Deepwoods scoring system.
Hole #10 was solid and resulted in bogey. Unfortunately, I had a bad stretch on holes eleven through fourteen. Except for hole #13, a par-5 that I made par on, those holes killed me. I pulled my second shot on hole #11 into a hazard, then missed a makeable putt en route to triple bogey. I duffed my second shot on the next hole, also sending it into a hazard. Frustration set in on the green and I missed a tap-in putt. I didn't realize a single point was still available at the time. A couple of bad tee shots ruined me on hole #14, a long par-3. Once again, triple bogey was the result. I settled down on hole #15 and recorded bogeys on the final four holes. Had I avoided the bad stretch, I would have easily earned the 40 points I was after. As it was, I finished up with 35 points.
At the end of the day, it didn't matter. With the extra five points, I would have finished in a tie for fourth, which is no different than finishing a few positions further down in the standings. I played reasonably well at Willow Valley. It was a couple of rounds earlier in the year (Peninsula Lakes, Oakridge) that sealed my fate.
Score: 94
Par: 72
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 6
New Season Low at Carlisle
One week after posting a season low at Lochness Links, I repeated the feat at Carlisle Golf & Country Club. Lowering my season best by two strokes, I managed to post a score of 83. This was my third best score of all time, behind an 81 at Deer Creek South and an 82 at Granite Ridge Cobalt. The round was booked at the very last minute, so I'm definitely glad I managed to find a tee time.
The funny thing about great rounds is they don't always include remarkable or noteworthy shots. Instead, they usually consist of shots that are merely good, but which are sustained over the course of eighteen holes. That was certainly the case at Carlisle. On the North nine, I hit only four of seven fairways. While not bad, that's nothing to write home about. Similarly, I only hit one green in regulation. However, I had no penalty strokes and only 3-putt once. Basically, I avoided getting into trouble. One can easily find out of bounds on North #5 and #6, or have trouble on the tee shot on #7. I seemed to pick those times to hit good shots. The rest of the time, I placed balls somewhere near the greens, chipped on comfortably, and putt adequately. After nine holes, I was shooting a respectable 43.
Riding the confidence from the front nine, I proceeded to the East nine, which I had never played at Carlisle. i was told that the East nine is the easiest of the three, which psychologically must have helped me. In spite of a poor second shot on East #1, I managed to par the par-5 hole. A 3-putt led to bogey on the second hole, but this was followed by nice pars on holes #3 and #4. The third hole is a par-3 over water, which I barely cleared. Fortunately, I took advantage of the lucky break. The par on the fourth hole was of the textbook variety. It feels good when you don't have to scramble to save par. The sixth hole produced the only blemish on the East nine scorecard, resulting in a double bogey due to a pulled tee shot. No worries though, as I rattled off three impressive pars in a row to finish the round.
When all was said and done, I scored 40 on the East nine and 83 for the full round. It just goes to show that boring, consistent play produces the best scores. My ambition is to play like this every round.
Score: 83
Par: 72
Putts: 37
Fairways: 9
Greens: 8
The funny thing about great rounds is they don't always include remarkable or noteworthy shots. Instead, they usually consist of shots that are merely good, but which are sustained over the course of eighteen holes. That was certainly the case at Carlisle. On the North nine, I hit only four of seven fairways. While not bad, that's nothing to write home about. Similarly, I only hit one green in regulation. However, I had no penalty strokes and only 3-putt once. Basically, I avoided getting into trouble. One can easily find out of bounds on North #5 and #6, or have trouble on the tee shot on #7. I seemed to pick those times to hit good shots. The rest of the time, I placed balls somewhere near the greens, chipped on comfortably, and putt adequately. After nine holes, I was shooting a respectable 43.
Riding the confidence from the front nine, I proceeded to the East nine, which I had never played at Carlisle. i was told that the East nine is the easiest of the three, which psychologically must have helped me. In spite of a poor second shot on East #1, I managed to par the par-5 hole. A 3-putt led to bogey on the second hole, but this was followed by nice pars on holes #3 and #4. The third hole is a par-3 over water, which I barely cleared. Fortunately, I took advantage of the lucky break. The par on the fourth hole was of the textbook variety. It feels good when you don't have to scramble to save par. The sixth hole produced the only blemish on the East nine scorecard, resulting in a double bogey due to a pulled tee shot. No worries though, as I rattled off three impressive pars in a row to finish the round.
When all was said and done, I scored 40 on the East nine and 83 for the full round. It just goes to show that boring, consistent play produces the best scores. My ambition is to play like this every round.
Score: 83
Par: 72
Putts: 37
Fairways: 9
Greens: 8
Season Low at Lochness Links
My score has dipped into the 80's a few times this year, but just barely. Earlier in the season, I managed to register scores of 89 at Osprey Valley (Hoot), Crosswinds, and Brampton Golf Club. Breaking 90 is nice, but it feels so much better when I do so comfortably. Mind you, this has only happened a few times, ever. I'm happy to report that it happened once again, on my first-ever visit to Lochness Links, located in Welland, Ontario. As the name implies, this is a links-style course, featuring windswept fairways, bordered by nasty fescue and a few ponds here and there.
Traffic on the QEW was brutal, so it took over two hours to reach the course. With no time to practice or warm up, my group and I teed off on the first hole. Conscious of being stiff from the long drive over, I made sure to swing easy, and it worked like a charm. I hit the first fairway and went on to hit all the fairways on the front nine! I didn't hit a lot of greens in regulation, but the greenside rough is a lot tamer than the fescue off the fairways, so I didn't mind at all. I started hot, with a pair of bogeys and three pars, then cooled off with a trio of double-bogeys and a bogey on hole #9, which is arguably the nicest on the course.
On the back nine, I got extremely hot, collecting two bogeys, five pars, and a birdie! The lone blemish on the scorecard was a triple-bogey on hole #17, a long par-4. I missed three of seven fairways, but I hit a greater percentage of greens. One of these came on hole #12, a par-3 that was playing about 170 yards. Though I struggled on the green, I was very happy with my approach. The birdie came on hole #14, and it was the highlight of the day. I hit a beautiful drive, about 285 yards to the centre of the fairway. Feeling pumped about the great drive, I decided to go for the green with my second shot on this par-5. From 235 yards out, I hit an absolutely perfect 3-wood, right in the direction of the flag. At that point, I thought I would have a putt for eagle. As it turned out, I was actually a yard past the green. I really must have smoked that 3-wood! I chipped to within a foot of the cup and tapped in for the easy birdie. What a rush!
I played very well on this day, shooting 40 on the back nine and 85 overall. I wish these rounds happened more frequently.
Score: 85
Par: 72
Putts: 34
Fairways: 10
Greens: 5
Traffic on the QEW was brutal, so it took over two hours to reach the course. With no time to practice or warm up, my group and I teed off on the first hole. Conscious of being stiff from the long drive over, I made sure to swing easy, and it worked like a charm. I hit the first fairway and went on to hit all the fairways on the front nine! I didn't hit a lot of greens in regulation, but the greenside rough is a lot tamer than the fescue off the fairways, so I didn't mind at all. I started hot, with a pair of bogeys and three pars, then cooled off with a trio of double-bogeys and a bogey on hole #9, which is arguably the nicest on the course.
On the back nine, I got extremely hot, collecting two bogeys, five pars, and a birdie! The lone blemish on the scorecard was a triple-bogey on hole #17, a long par-4. I missed three of seven fairways, but I hit a greater percentage of greens. One of these came on hole #12, a par-3 that was playing about 170 yards. Though I struggled on the green, I was very happy with my approach. The birdie came on hole #14, and it was the highlight of the day. I hit a beautiful drive, about 285 yards to the centre of the fairway. Feeling pumped about the great drive, I decided to go for the green with my second shot on this par-5. From 235 yards out, I hit an absolutely perfect 3-wood, right in the direction of the flag. At that point, I thought I would have a putt for eagle. As it turned out, I was actually a yard past the green. I really must have smoked that 3-wood! I chipped to within a foot of the cup and tapped in for the easy birdie. What a rush!
I played very well on this day, shooting 40 on the back nine and 85 overall. I wish these rounds happened more frequently.
Score: 85
Par: 72
Putts: 34
Fairways: 10
Greens: 5
September 09, 2009
Game Disappears at St. George's
I was fortunate to play recently at St. George's Golf & Country Club, which has been ranked among the Top 3 courses in Canada and the Top 100 in the world. The course was designed by Stanley Thompson, one of the pre-eminent golf course architects of the last century, and opened in 1929. Rich in history, St. George's has hosted the Canadian Open on four occasions, and is preparing to host a fifth in 2010.
I began very well, hitting the fairway and then the green with my first two shots on hole #1. A long lag putt was well executed, but I missed a 4-foot putt for par and had to be content with bogey. Perhaps I was too pumped up, as I proceeded to pull one off the tee on the second hole, resulting in a lost ball. I was warned not to pull my approach shot, as the terrain falls off left of the green, but I did anyway. It was a poorly played hole that resulted in a quadruple-bogey. I got back on the bogey train on hole #3, a beautiful par-3 featuring an elevated tee and amphitheathre style green.
My best hole of the day was #4, a par-4 measuring 458 yards. My tee shot was long and straight, catching the downhill portion of a two-tiered fairway. From 200 yards out, I hit a beautiful 5-wood on the green, setting up an eagle putt. Unfortunately, my putt hit a ball mark on its way to the cup, leaving a testy length for birdie. I didn't make it and had to settle for par. I couldn't believe the effect the ball mark had; it was extremely untimely for me.
I pulled another tee shot on hole #5, losing my ball somewhere in the rough. Despite some good recovery shots, all I could muster was a triple-bogey. The same thing happened with my tee shot on hole #7. This time it faded too much and was lost in the rough right of the fairway. Luckily, the damage was only double-bogey. Holes #6 and #8 at St. George's are par-3 holes, which I managed to bogey. On hole #9, another par-5, I found myself in a couple of fairway bunkers. I got out of them fairly well, but the outcome was still double-bogey.
After nine holes, my score was 50. That's not very good, but a sub-100 round was still possible, so I was feeling optimistic.
Holes #10 through #12 all resulted in bogeys, giving me even greater reason to be optimistic. Hole #11 is a par-5 measuring 492 yards. After a good drve, I went for the green with 3-wood in hand. It was not as great as the 5-wood I hit on hole #4, but I was in the greenside bunker, which was not a bad result at all.
Holes #13 through #15 were simply disastrous, and erased any hope of a sub-100 round. On hole #13, another pretty par-3, I launched a ball out of the greenside bunker, finishing fifty yards past the green. Triple-bogey ensued. On hole #14, a long par-4 with a well-protected green, I launched another ball out of a greenside bunker, again finishing about fifty yards past the green. It was a waste of a great drive and solid approach shot. I also wasted a good drive on hole #15, when I pulled my second ball left of the fairway and lost it in the rough. I was also stunned on this hole when my approach shot, which appeared to reach the green, ended up 70 yards short! It actually rolled backwards that distance, thanks to a sloping fairway. I'll know beter next time. Quadruple bogeys were the result on both #14 and #15.
I finished the round with a couple of decent holes, before blowing up again for a quad on hole #18. Once again, I blasted a ball out of a bunker, flying well past the green. Bunker play has been a problem for me this season and I currently don't have any confidence playing those shots. Clearly, I should practice them more to get my feel back.
Overall, I was disappointed in my score, but I had a wonderful time playing this excellent course. I will be watching next year when the pros try their luck at St. George's during the Canadian Open.
Score: 107
Par: 71
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
I began very well, hitting the fairway and then the green with my first two shots on hole #1. A long lag putt was well executed, but I missed a 4-foot putt for par and had to be content with bogey. Perhaps I was too pumped up, as I proceeded to pull one off the tee on the second hole, resulting in a lost ball. I was warned not to pull my approach shot, as the terrain falls off left of the green, but I did anyway. It was a poorly played hole that resulted in a quadruple-bogey. I got back on the bogey train on hole #3, a beautiful par-3 featuring an elevated tee and amphitheathre style green.
My best hole of the day was #4, a par-4 measuring 458 yards. My tee shot was long and straight, catching the downhill portion of a two-tiered fairway. From 200 yards out, I hit a beautiful 5-wood on the green, setting up an eagle putt. Unfortunately, my putt hit a ball mark on its way to the cup, leaving a testy length for birdie. I didn't make it and had to settle for par. I couldn't believe the effect the ball mark had; it was extremely untimely for me.
I pulled another tee shot on hole #5, losing my ball somewhere in the rough. Despite some good recovery shots, all I could muster was a triple-bogey. The same thing happened with my tee shot on hole #7. This time it faded too much and was lost in the rough right of the fairway. Luckily, the damage was only double-bogey. Holes #6 and #8 at St. George's are par-3 holes, which I managed to bogey. On hole #9, another par-5, I found myself in a couple of fairway bunkers. I got out of them fairly well, but the outcome was still double-bogey.
After nine holes, my score was 50. That's not very good, but a sub-100 round was still possible, so I was feeling optimistic.
Holes #10 through #12 all resulted in bogeys, giving me even greater reason to be optimistic. Hole #11 is a par-5 measuring 492 yards. After a good drve, I went for the green with 3-wood in hand. It was not as great as the 5-wood I hit on hole #4, but I was in the greenside bunker, which was not a bad result at all.
Holes #13 through #15 were simply disastrous, and erased any hope of a sub-100 round. On hole #13, another pretty par-3, I launched a ball out of the greenside bunker, finishing fifty yards past the green. Triple-bogey ensued. On hole #14, a long par-4 with a well-protected green, I launched another ball out of a greenside bunker, again finishing about fifty yards past the green. It was a waste of a great drive and solid approach shot. I also wasted a good drive on hole #15, when I pulled my second ball left of the fairway and lost it in the rough. I was also stunned on this hole when my approach shot, which appeared to reach the green, ended up 70 yards short! It actually rolled backwards that distance, thanks to a sloping fairway. I'll know beter next time. Quadruple bogeys were the result on both #14 and #15.
I finished the round with a couple of decent holes, before blowing up again for a quad on hole #18. Once again, I blasted a ball out of a bunker, flying well past the green. Bunker play has been a problem for me this season and I currently don't have any confidence playing those shots. Clearly, I should practice them more to get my feel back.
Overall, I was disappointed in my score, but I had a wonderful time playing this excellent course. I will be watching next year when the pros try their luck at St. George's during the Canadian Open.
Score: 107
Par: 71
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
September 03, 2009
Kedron Monkey Off My Back
Those who read this blog regularly (all 1.5 of you) will know (OK, might know) that Kedron Dells Golf Course has been a bit of a nemesis for me over the years. I know the course well, having played there many times, but I always seem to score poorly there. In fact, I don't think I have ever broken 100 at the course.
Fortunately, that monkey is now off my back. On a recent visit, I scored a solid 96, which was good enough to erase a lot of bad memories. I thought it might be worthwhile to record what made the difference this time, in the event that I return to face the course some time in the future.
I thought I hit a good drive on hole #1, a long par-5 that plays straight as an arrow. The ball was cutting slightly toward the right side of the fairway. Apparently, it cut more than I thought, sice I found it under a tree right of the short grass. I was forced to chip the ball sideways, which led to a double-bogey. The key to this hole is to hit straight shots. There is no chance of being near the green in two, so three straight shots is the minimum required to reach the green.
On hole #2, my tee shot always seems to leak toward some trees on the right side, probably owing to the fact that the left side is out of bounds all the way to the green. Conscious of this, I chose a line that flirted with the left side more than I usually do, and ultimately paid the price. The ball clipped the branches of a mature tree just ahead of the teeing ground, which led to another double-bogey.
After two tough holes, #3 offers a chance to catch up a bit. I hit an aggressive drive to the left side of the fairway, which is the better side to approach the green from. My approach was left and short of the green, but that is the perfect place to miss, as there is trouble right and behind the green. I made a beautiful pitch shot and single putt to tally a par.
The respite provided by hole #3 is short, since #4 is a challenging par-4. A good drive puts golfers in position to go for the green with a long iron or wood, but I sliced my drive into the forest on the right side. I did well to chip back to the fairway and advance the ball to within 120 yards. I caught the approach shot fat and then struggled with the putter for a quadruple bogey. Things were looking bad.
Hole #5 is a long par-3 with small ponds and large bunkers coming into play. A long tee shot is better than short, so I hit an aggressive 5-wood. The ball flight was higher than normal, so I ended up just in front of the green. After a good chip shot, I had a chance to save par, but burned the edge of the cup and had to be content with bogey.
Hole #6 is another long and straight par-5. The length of par-5 and par-3 holes at Kedron Dells is really what makes it a challenge. My tee shot was pulled into the trees on the left, so I needed four shots to reach the green. From that position, I put together a couple of putts to record a bogey.
Hole #7 is not a long par-4, but tee shots have to be placed in the centre of the fairway if golfers are to have a clear approach to the green, which plays over a creek. Trees pinch the fairway on both sides near the creek, making approaches from the left or right sides very tricky. I was forced to approach from the right side, playing over the tree tops. I hit a good shot, but it came up five yards short of the green. Next, I hit a great shot with the putter. It reached the green and tracked right into the cup at the back of the putting surface. It was a great way to make birdie!
Hole #8 is a rarity as a short par-3, but golfers can easily get in trouble with woods on either side of the narrow green. The place to miss is short, which is where I ended up. I chipped on to the green, but inexplicably 3-putt for a double-bogey.
Hole #9 is only the second one on the front nine that I would classify as easy, so I was looking to make up some strokes there. I was on the green in three on this par-4, but once again a 3-putt killed me. Double bogey was the result on a hole where I should have done better.
At the turn, my score was 49 - barely on pace to break 100.
Golfers tee off from an elevated green on hole #10 and have to be careful to avoid a creek that crosses the fairway in the landing zone. I hit a 5-wood just short of the creek, giving me a chance to go for the green. My approach shot was straight, but short. I chipped on and two-putt for bogey, a good score on this hole.
Hole #11 is another straight-as-an-arrow par-5, of considerable length. My tee shot was perfect, but my second shot with the 3-wood drifted toward some trees right of the fairway. I had no backswing on my next two shots, so I was on the green after five. Unfortunately, I 4-putt for an ugly score of 9.
Hole #12 is another long par-3 at 197 yards. I was flag high with the 5-wood, but in the rough right of the green. I chipped on and almost saved par with a nice putt. The ball burned the edge of the cup, leaving a tap-in for bogey.
On hole #13, I hit a perfect drive to the centre of the fairway. I followed it up with a perfect iron to the right side of the green, which was actually not visible from my position in the fairway. The flag was on the opposite side of the green, so I needed a great couple of putts to make par. It didn't happen and I walked away with bogey.
Hole #14 is a monster of a par-3, measuring 232 yards. The left side of the green is out of bounds, while the right side is blanketed by thick forest. The smart play is to play for bogey, laying up in front of the green. With a good pitch shot, par is attainable. I layed up as planned, but was right of target. On my pitch shot, I was forced to go over a tall tree between me and the flag. I pulled it off, leaving a 4-foot putt for par, which I drained. Par is excellent on this hole!
Hole #15 is a tricky par-4 that bends strongly to the right, following the path of a nearby creek. I hit a 5-iron off the tee, but it ran through the left side of the fairway and came to rest underneath a tree. A low punch shot was required to get the ball back in the fairway in a position where I could attack the green. My approach shot from 100 yards was solid, leaving about 13 feet to the cup, which I navigated with a couple of putts for bogey. That is a good score on this hole.
Hole #16 is the first on the back nine that I would classify as easy. A good drive put me in the lower part of the fairway. From there, I hit a pitching wedge close to the flag. I missed the birdie putt, but tapped in for par. To be successful at Kedron Dells, one must take advantage of the easy holes like this one.
Hole #17 is a tricky par-5 that requires two very good shots to set up an approach to the green. I hit my drive well right of the fairway, but that was by design. The fairway slopes severely to the left, making second shots from there very hard. From the top of the hill well right of the fairway, golfers have a much better lie. My second shot was perfect, leaving 130 yards to the green from a flat lie. I used an extra club to guarantee that I would carry the creek that crosses in front of the green. Despite the wise move, my ball failed to clear the creek. I must have mis-hit it slightly, since I got nowhere near my normal distance out of it. After a penalty and a drop, I pitched the ball over the creek to the green. It was too bad that I 3-putt for a triple bogey.
The final hole at Kedron Dells is an easy par-3, which is not something you find at most golf courses. By this time, the damage is usually done, so perhaps the course designer wanted golfers to end on a positive note. My tee shot was a yard short of the green. I chipped on and made two putts for a ho-hum bogey.
My final score was 96, so I was happy. The Kedron monkey is off my back!
Score: 96
Par: 71
Putts: 40
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Fortunately, that monkey is now off my back. On a recent visit, I scored a solid 96, which was good enough to erase a lot of bad memories. I thought it might be worthwhile to record what made the difference this time, in the event that I return to face the course some time in the future.
I thought I hit a good drive on hole #1, a long par-5 that plays straight as an arrow. The ball was cutting slightly toward the right side of the fairway. Apparently, it cut more than I thought, sice I found it under a tree right of the short grass. I was forced to chip the ball sideways, which led to a double-bogey. The key to this hole is to hit straight shots. There is no chance of being near the green in two, so three straight shots is the minimum required to reach the green.
On hole #2, my tee shot always seems to leak toward some trees on the right side, probably owing to the fact that the left side is out of bounds all the way to the green. Conscious of this, I chose a line that flirted with the left side more than I usually do, and ultimately paid the price. The ball clipped the branches of a mature tree just ahead of the teeing ground, which led to another double-bogey.
After two tough holes, #3 offers a chance to catch up a bit. I hit an aggressive drive to the left side of the fairway, which is the better side to approach the green from. My approach was left and short of the green, but that is the perfect place to miss, as there is trouble right and behind the green. I made a beautiful pitch shot and single putt to tally a par.
The respite provided by hole #3 is short, since #4 is a challenging par-4. A good drive puts golfers in position to go for the green with a long iron or wood, but I sliced my drive into the forest on the right side. I did well to chip back to the fairway and advance the ball to within 120 yards. I caught the approach shot fat and then struggled with the putter for a quadruple bogey. Things were looking bad.
Hole #5 is a long par-3 with small ponds and large bunkers coming into play. A long tee shot is better than short, so I hit an aggressive 5-wood. The ball flight was higher than normal, so I ended up just in front of the green. After a good chip shot, I had a chance to save par, but burned the edge of the cup and had to be content with bogey.
Hole #6 is another long and straight par-5. The length of par-5 and par-3 holes at Kedron Dells is really what makes it a challenge. My tee shot was pulled into the trees on the left, so I needed four shots to reach the green. From that position, I put together a couple of putts to record a bogey.
Hole #7 is not a long par-4, but tee shots have to be placed in the centre of the fairway if golfers are to have a clear approach to the green, which plays over a creek. Trees pinch the fairway on both sides near the creek, making approaches from the left or right sides very tricky. I was forced to approach from the right side, playing over the tree tops. I hit a good shot, but it came up five yards short of the green. Next, I hit a great shot with the putter. It reached the green and tracked right into the cup at the back of the putting surface. It was a great way to make birdie!
Hole #8 is a rarity as a short par-3, but golfers can easily get in trouble with woods on either side of the narrow green. The place to miss is short, which is where I ended up. I chipped on to the green, but inexplicably 3-putt for a double-bogey.
Hole #9 is only the second one on the front nine that I would classify as easy, so I was looking to make up some strokes there. I was on the green in three on this par-4, but once again a 3-putt killed me. Double bogey was the result on a hole where I should have done better.
At the turn, my score was 49 - barely on pace to break 100.
Golfers tee off from an elevated green on hole #10 and have to be careful to avoid a creek that crosses the fairway in the landing zone. I hit a 5-wood just short of the creek, giving me a chance to go for the green. My approach shot was straight, but short. I chipped on and two-putt for bogey, a good score on this hole.
Hole #11 is another straight-as-an-arrow par-5, of considerable length. My tee shot was perfect, but my second shot with the 3-wood drifted toward some trees right of the fairway. I had no backswing on my next two shots, so I was on the green after five. Unfortunately, I 4-putt for an ugly score of 9.
Hole #12 is another long par-3 at 197 yards. I was flag high with the 5-wood, but in the rough right of the green. I chipped on and almost saved par with a nice putt. The ball burned the edge of the cup, leaving a tap-in for bogey.
On hole #13, I hit a perfect drive to the centre of the fairway. I followed it up with a perfect iron to the right side of the green, which was actually not visible from my position in the fairway. The flag was on the opposite side of the green, so I needed a great couple of putts to make par. It didn't happen and I walked away with bogey.
Hole #14 is a monster of a par-3, measuring 232 yards. The left side of the green is out of bounds, while the right side is blanketed by thick forest. The smart play is to play for bogey, laying up in front of the green. With a good pitch shot, par is attainable. I layed up as planned, but was right of target. On my pitch shot, I was forced to go over a tall tree between me and the flag. I pulled it off, leaving a 4-foot putt for par, which I drained. Par is excellent on this hole!
Hole #15 is a tricky par-4 that bends strongly to the right, following the path of a nearby creek. I hit a 5-iron off the tee, but it ran through the left side of the fairway and came to rest underneath a tree. A low punch shot was required to get the ball back in the fairway in a position where I could attack the green. My approach shot from 100 yards was solid, leaving about 13 feet to the cup, which I navigated with a couple of putts for bogey. That is a good score on this hole.
Hole #16 is the first on the back nine that I would classify as easy. A good drive put me in the lower part of the fairway. From there, I hit a pitching wedge close to the flag. I missed the birdie putt, but tapped in for par. To be successful at Kedron Dells, one must take advantage of the easy holes like this one.
Hole #17 is a tricky par-5 that requires two very good shots to set up an approach to the green. I hit my drive well right of the fairway, but that was by design. The fairway slopes severely to the left, making second shots from there very hard. From the top of the hill well right of the fairway, golfers have a much better lie. My second shot was perfect, leaving 130 yards to the green from a flat lie. I used an extra club to guarantee that I would carry the creek that crosses in front of the green. Despite the wise move, my ball failed to clear the creek. I must have mis-hit it slightly, since I got nowhere near my normal distance out of it. After a penalty and a drop, I pitched the ball over the creek to the green. It was too bad that I 3-putt for a triple bogey.
The final hole at Kedron Dells is an easy par-3, which is not something you find at most golf courses. By this time, the damage is usually done, so perhaps the course designer wanted golfers to end on a positive note. My tee shot was a yard short of the green. I chipped on and made two putts for a ho-hum bogey.
My final score was 96, so I was happy. The Kedron monkey is off my back!
Score: 96
Par: 71
Putts: 40
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
September 01, 2009
Field Goes Low at Copetown
My latest GTA Amateur Tour event was a major held at Copetown Woods Golf Club. Fifty percent more points are available at majors, so I was keen to do well in order to improve my position in the Order of Merit standings.
Things went quite well through the first eight holes. I hit a nice drive on the first hole from the unfamiliar back tees. I nearly chipped in for birdie on the second hole, then made a very nice putt for par. On the third hole, I played well out of the greenside bunker to salvage bogey. I hit a terrible tee shot on hole #4, a short par-3. A solid pitch shot and a great putt helped me save bogey. I duffed a bunker shot on hole #5, then followed it up with a beauty to get up and down for another bogey. My second shot on hole #6 was from a waste bunker and I did fairly well to get near the green. Sure, I was now in a greenside bunker, but I was able to get another bogey from there. Hole #7 resulted in par and it came in textbook fashion. I hit the green on this par-3, then lagged a putt near the hole and tapped in to finish. After another bogey on the eighth hole, I was in good position at seven over par.
Unfortunately, the ninth hole was a disaster. I pulled my drive straight off the tee and watched it bounce repeatedly along the driveway parallel to the fairway. I managed to find the ball in some long fescue, 300 yards from the teeing ground, but it was a gnarly lie and I decided to declare the ball unplayable. I was able to drop in a good spot after the penalty, but I had a blind shot to the green and was very unsure about the distance. I figured an 80% sand wedge would get me there. In hindsight, 90% would have been better, as I was a yard short of carrying a bunker fronting the left side of the green. I barely got out of the bunker, then mis-hit a tricky chip shot to a mound that carried my ball away from the hole. When all was said and done, I scored an 8 for the hole. Terrible!
The back nine started well, with a bogey from the back tees on hole #10, followed by two more bogeys and a par on holes #11 through #13. By this time, my group had been given a red card and put on the clock, since we had fallen off pace a bit. While rushing to make up time, I turned in a triple-bogey on hole #14 and a double-bogey on #15. After #15 we were taken off the clock and I settled down with a bogey on hole #16, a par-5. Lousy putting led to a double-bogey on hole #17, a very short par-3. I finished nicely with a bogey on the final hole.
Except when I was rushing, I played fairly well. Unfortunately for me, the rest of the field played very well. Two players managed to score 79, which is extremely good for the flight I play in (13.2 handicap and above). There were quite a few players in the low and mid 80's, and a whole group bunched together at 90. When the field goes that low, a 95 simply doesn't cut it.
Score: 95
Par: 72
Putts: 36
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Things went quite well through the first eight holes. I hit a nice drive on the first hole from the unfamiliar back tees. I nearly chipped in for birdie on the second hole, then made a very nice putt for par. On the third hole, I played well out of the greenside bunker to salvage bogey. I hit a terrible tee shot on hole #4, a short par-3. A solid pitch shot and a great putt helped me save bogey. I duffed a bunker shot on hole #5, then followed it up with a beauty to get up and down for another bogey. My second shot on hole #6 was from a waste bunker and I did fairly well to get near the green. Sure, I was now in a greenside bunker, but I was able to get another bogey from there. Hole #7 resulted in par and it came in textbook fashion. I hit the green on this par-3, then lagged a putt near the hole and tapped in to finish. After another bogey on the eighth hole, I was in good position at seven over par.
Unfortunately, the ninth hole was a disaster. I pulled my drive straight off the tee and watched it bounce repeatedly along the driveway parallel to the fairway. I managed to find the ball in some long fescue, 300 yards from the teeing ground, but it was a gnarly lie and I decided to declare the ball unplayable. I was able to drop in a good spot after the penalty, but I had a blind shot to the green and was very unsure about the distance. I figured an 80% sand wedge would get me there. In hindsight, 90% would have been better, as I was a yard short of carrying a bunker fronting the left side of the green. I barely got out of the bunker, then mis-hit a tricky chip shot to a mound that carried my ball away from the hole. When all was said and done, I scored an 8 for the hole. Terrible!
The back nine started well, with a bogey from the back tees on hole #10, followed by two more bogeys and a par on holes #11 through #13. By this time, my group had been given a red card and put on the clock, since we had fallen off pace a bit. While rushing to make up time, I turned in a triple-bogey on hole #14 and a double-bogey on #15. After #15 we were taken off the clock and I settled down with a bogey on hole #16, a par-5. Lousy putting led to a double-bogey on hole #17, a very short par-3. I finished nicely with a bogey on the final hole.
Except when I was rushing, I played fairly well. Unfortunately for me, the rest of the field played very well. Two players managed to score 79, which is extremely good for the flight I play in (13.2 handicap and above). There were quite a few players in the low and mid 80's, and a whole group bunched together at 90. When the field goes that low, a 95 simply doesn't cut it.
Score: 95
Par: 72
Putts: 36
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)