I played two rounds of golf on what ended up being the final weekend of the season. Both rounds were played at Lionhead Masters, which I seem to have played quite often this year. Here's how it all went down.
Frosty First Nine
The last round of the season was played in bitter cold conditions. I dressed for the occasion and was able to keep my body reasonably comfortable. What I could not do was keep my hands warm. For much of the round, I could not feel the club in my hands. It was impossible to tell whether I was holding the club gingerly in my fingertips, or clutching it with the grip of death. Needless to say, I didn't score well. Opening with four double-bogeys in a row, I shot 65 for the first nine holes.
Perhaps because it warmed up a degree or two, or possibly because I abandoned any hope of a good score, I played much better over the last nine holes. I birdied hole #7, a 369-yard par 4 in textbook style. I also made par on hole #3, a par-3 measuring 138 yards. It took a nice up and down from just off the green to do so. Six bogeys and a lone double-bogey rounded out my card on the back nine, for a score of 43. I was very pleased with this result, given the conditions.
Score: 108
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 2
Penalties: 7
Foggy Few Holes
For late November, the temperature was actually pretty nice. Unfortunately, fog was covering much of the course when we teed off. The first three holes were played in the thick of it. Not surprisingly, I made a quadruple-bogey on the opening hole. More surprising, was the fact that I managed par and bogey on the next two holes. After that, the fog lifted and we were fine for the rest of the round.
As soon as the fog cleared, I rattled off three pars in a row on holes #13 through #15. In each case, I was aggressive off the tee, hitting driver even though the big stick is not required. The drive on hole #15 felt especially good, as I landed in the centre of the fairway, less than 100 yards from the pin. I struggled on hole #16, which seems to bring either feast or famine, depending on the alignment of the stars. After that, I re-grouped and played solid golf the rest of the way.
Score: 92
Putts: 31
Fairways: 5
Greens: 5
Penalties: 4
December 23, 2010
December 07, 2010
I Know I Can
I may have been a little harsh in my last post. I'm referring specifically to my choice of musical accompaniment. Fortunately, my latest round of golf was a lot better than the previous one, so this time I've chosen some music that's a little more positive. Enjoy!
Now, about the golf. I ventured out to Hidden Lake Golf Club on a cold November weekend. With very chilly temperatures, I was not expecting to post a good score at all. I was simply glad to be playing and decided to let the score take care of itself. As it turned out, I posted a final score of 87, equaling my second-best score of the season! An 85 at Osprey Valley Heathlands earlier in the year was the only result better than this one.
I hit nine of thirteen fairways, with six of those coming on the back nine. When I missed a fairway, I was able to recover quite nicely. I simply took what the situation gave me and never tried to do too much. I didn't hit many greens in regulation, but my chipping and putting was better than usual. Consistency was the name of the game, as I avoided 3-putts and penalty strokes entirely. That makes a huge difference!
Score: 87
Putts: 32
Fairways: 9
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
Now, about the golf. I ventured out to Hidden Lake Golf Club on a cold November weekend. With very chilly temperatures, I was not expecting to post a good score at all. I was simply glad to be playing and decided to let the score take care of itself. As it turned out, I posted a final score of 87, equaling my second-best score of the season! An 85 at Osprey Valley Heathlands earlier in the year was the only result better than this one.
I hit nine of thirteen fairways, with six of those coming on the back nine. When I missed a fairway, I was able to recover quite nicely. I simply took what the situation gave me and never tried to do too much. I didn't hit many greens in regulation, but my chipping and putting was better than usual. Consistency was the name of the game, as I avoided 3-putts and penalty strokes entirely. That makes a huge difference!
Score: 87
Putts: 32
Fairways: 9
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
November 07, 2010
Wasted Time at Crosswinds
I'm going to save myself some work by recycling an old post that sums up my last round perfectly. Only a few minor edits (appearing in parentheses / bold) are required to the original post.
Also, here's some appropriate musical accompaniment. Enjoy.
Money wasn't the only thing I wasted at (Angus Glen) Crosswinds on (Saturday) Sunday. I also wasted my time. Then again, if I didn't waste it on the golf course, I'd be wasting it somewhere else, so what the hell.
Posting these results is getting to be embarrassing, so I'll keep it short:
I pulled most tee shots with the driver. Only a couple were pushed right.
I pulled a tee shot with the (3-wood) driver en route to six over par on the (tenth) twelfth hole.
I pulled most approach shots with all irons. Only a couple were pushed right.
I made decent chips, with poor results.
I made decent putts, with poor results.
I made good decisions at times, but there was no reward.
I can no longer hit the 3-wood from (the fairway) anywhere. It used to be my best club.
I can not recover after a bad hole. You don't understand the rage.
Practice does not make perfect. Don't be gullible.
Good things do not come to those who wait.
Good guys do finish last. Always.
There is no justice. Only evil.
There is no Santa Claus. However, there are plenty of thieves, cheaters and liars.
You can't do whatever you set your mind to. However, you can be run over by a bus.
In the end, you will die and nobody will care.
Score: (111) 108
Par: 72
Putts: (38) 37
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Also, here's some appropriate musical accompaniment. Enjoy.
Money wasn't the only thing I wasted at (Angus Glen) Crosswinds on (Saturday) Sunday. I also wasted my time. Then again, if I didn't waste it on the golf course, I'd be wasting it somewhere else, so what the hell.
Posting these results is getting to be embarrassing, so I'll keep it short:
I pulled most tee shots with the driver. Only a couple were pushed right.
I pulled a tee shot with the (3-wood) driver en route to six over par on the (tenth) twelfth hole.
I pulled most approach shots with all irons. Only a couple were pushed right.
I made decent chips, with poor results.
I made decent putts, with poor results.
I made good decisions at times, but there was no reward.
I can no longer hit the 3-wood from (the fairway) anywhere. It used to be my best club.
I can not recover after a bad hole. You don't understand the rage.
Practice does not make perfect. Don't be gullible.
Good things do not come to those who wait.
Good guys do finish last. Always.
There is no justice. Only evil.
There is no Santa Claus. However, there are plenty of thieves, cheaters and liars.
You can't do whatever you set your mind to. However, you can be run over by a bus.
In the end, you will die and nobody will care.
Score: (111) 108
Par: 72
Putts: (38) 37
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
November 06, 2010
Fitting Score for Last Official Round
In Ontario, like in most other Canadian provinces, the Active Handicap Season for posting golf scores ends October 31st. On the last official day of the season, I headed out to Hidden Lake Golf Club to see if I could drop my handicap factor by a few tenths of a point. Psychologically, this has a great effect, as the factor will remain unchanged until at least April 15th of next year. That is, unless one travels to and plays in a different geography over the winter months.
It was a cool day as we teed off on the Old Course, back nine first. Cold weather golf is nothing at all like warm weather golf, so I was not expecting greatness. My drives early on were hit and miss. On hole #10, I hit a perfect one to the right centre of the fairway. On hole #11, I was unlucky not to clear a hazard that crosses the fairway. On hole #12, I was right back in the fairway with a nice one. And so it proceeded for most of the round. On a couple of occasions, I pulled my tee shots badly, but ended up in an opposite fairway where I was able to recover.
Early on, I was also hooking a lot of short iron and wedge shots. I am able to draw the ball when I want to, but the draw was getting exaggerated and I was lacking control. I dialed it back a bit and the results became quite a bit better. Putting was consistent, though not spectacular. It looked as though the greens had been aerated a few weeks ago and they were starting to smooth over again. Still, the putting surfaces were a little soft and slow. One can't expect conditions at this time of year to be as good as they are during the prime season.
In the end, I shot a score of 90, which I was satisfied with. I had one blowup hole (a quadruple bogey on hole #17) but aside from that, it was mostly bogeys with a sprinkling of pars. As for my handicap, it dropped by two tenths of a point to 17.6. I have bounced between 17 and 18 all year, so you can say no real progress has been made. On the other hand, I had a lot of scores this year in the 90 - 93 range, so there is an argument to be made that I became more consistent. Either way, I will be looking for dramatic improvement next year.
There may still be a few rounds to play this year. We shall see.
Score: 90
Putts: 36
Fairways: 3
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
It was a cool day as we teed off on the Old Course, back nine first. Cold weather golf is nothing at all like warm weather golf, so I was not expecting greatness. My drives early on were hit and miss. On hole #10, I hit a perfect one to the right centre of the fairway. On hole #11, I was unlucky not to clear a hazard that crosses the fairway. On hole #12, I was right back in the fairway with a nice one. And so it proceeded for most of the round. On a couple of occasions, I pulled my tee shots badly, but ended up in an opposite fairway where I was able to recover.
Early on, I was also hooking a lot of short iron and wedge shots. I am able to draw the ball when I want to, but the draw was getting exaggerated and I was lacking control. I dialed it back a bit and the results became quite a bit better. Putting was consistent, though not spectacular. It looked as though the greens had been aerated a few weeks ago and they were starting to smooth over again. Still, the putting surfaces were a little soft and slow. One can't expect conditions at this time of year to be as good as they are during the prime season.
In the end, I shot a score of 90, which I was satisfied with. I had one blowup hole (a quadruple bogey on hole #17) but aside from that, it was mostly bogeys with a sprinkling of pars. As for my handicap, it dropped by two tenths of a point to 17.6. I have bounced between 17 and 18 all year, so you can say no real progress has been made. On the other hand, I had a lot of scores this year in the 90 - 93 range, so there is an argument to be made that I became more consistent. Either way, I will be looking for dramatic improvement next year.
There may still be a few rounds to play this year. We shall see.
Score: 90
Putts: 36
Fairways: 3
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
October 30, 2010
Six Rounds in Three Weekends
I played two rounds each of the past three weekends. Here is a brief summary, in reverse chronological order. The format is:
Course (Score, Putts, Fairways, Greens, Penalties) Description
Lionhead Masters (100, 35, 6, 3, 8) Beginning to dislike this course - not because there's anything wrong with it - I simply havent played well here lately and it's starting to get under my skin. Triple bogey to open and here we go again. But wait! I birdied the next hole and made par on the one after that, so I was right back in it. Soon found myself in a couple bad situations and lack of composure cost me a few strokes. Played better on the back nine and was poised to salvage a round under 100, but choked on the last two holes. Eight penalties? Sheesh!
Redcrest (91, 31, 6, 4, 4) First visit of the year to Redcrest, continuing the recent trend. Could not hit fairways or greens in regulation on the front nine, but putting saved me. Pull-hooked a bunch of iron shots early and was perplexed. Score was 50 at the turn, so I had work to do. Back nine was much better, as both the driver and the irons straightened out. Putting remained hot. Final score was quite good, but it hides the fact that I didn't really feel in control.
Watson's Glen (96, 35, 7, 2, 3) Surprisingly good weather for late in the year. First visit of the year to Watson's Glen. Greens had been aerated, which made for a less than satifactory experience. Avoided blowup holes on the front nine, but made no pars either, for a score of 50 at the turn. Tallied four pars on the back nine to salvage a 96 overall. Not bad, following a similar result at Ballantrae. Still could not hit fairway woods or sand shots to save my life.
Ballantrae (95, 35, 6, 5, 3) First visit of the year to Ballantrae. Bad result on opening hole, followed by back-to-back birdies. That never happens! Solid remining front nine for a score of 45 at the turn. Back nine was more sloppy, with a flurry of double-bogies. Finished the ilast two holes with bogey and par to hang on to a 95. Not bad, considering I haven't been playing very well lately. Putting was better than at Ashburn, but new driving technique still inconsistent.
Royal Ashburn (107, 43, 3, 4, 3) First ever visit to Royal Ashburn. Must plot your way through a couple of holes, but overall a nice course. Needed four putts on hole #1 after getting there in regulation. Also 4-putt hole #8. No doubt about it, putting was horrific. Drives were hit or miss, as I was experimenting with a new technique. Sand play was also hit or miss. A couple of times, I hit a bunker shot fat, followed by an attempt that was hit thin. It was bad. No confidence right now hitting from bunkers. One of the worst scores of the year.
Lowville (95, 38, 4, 5, 2) First visit of the year to Lowville. Got paired up with three guys who were good fun. Found trouble on holes #4 through #6. Was crushing my drives, but pulled a couple of them out of bounds. Almost drove the green on the par-4 sixth on my second attempt. Best hole was #9, which I birdied. Solid back nine, but putting was not spectacular. Decent score after a few bad rounds recently.
Course (Score, Putts, Fairways, Greens, Penalties) Description
Lionhead Masters (100, 35, 6, 3, 8) Beginning to dislike this course - not because there's anything wrong with it - I simply havent played well here lately and it's starting to get under my skin. Triple bogey to open and here we go again. But wait! I birdied the next hole and made par on the one after that, so I was right back in it. Soon found myself in a couple bad situations and lack of composure cost me a few strokes. Played better on the back nine and was poised to salvage a round under 100, but choked on the last two holes. Eight penalties? Sheesh!
Redcrest (91, 31, 6, 4, 4) First visit of the year to Redcrest, continuing the recent trend. Could not hit fairways or greens in regulation on the front nine, but putting saved me. Pull-hooked a bunch of iron shots early and was perplexed. Score was 50 at the turn, so I had work to do. Back nine was much better, as both the driver and the irons straightened out. Putting remained hot. Final score was quite good, but it hides the fact that I didn't really feel in control.
Watson's Glen (96, 35, 7, 2, 3) Surprisingly good weather for late in the year. First visit of the year to Watson's Glen. Greens had been aerated, which made for a less than satifactory experience. Avoided blowup holes on the front nine, but made no pars either, for a score of 50 at the turn. Tallied four pars on the back nine to salvage a 96 overall. Not bad, following a similar result at Ballantrae. Still could not hit fairway woods or sand shots to save my life.
Ballantrae (95, 35, 6, 5, 3) First visit of the year to Ballantrae. Bad result on opening hole, followed by back-to-back birdies. That never happens! Solid remining front nine for a score of 45 at the turn. Back nine was more sloppy, with a flurry of double-bogies. Finished the ilast two holes with bogey and par to hang on to a 95. Not bad, considering I haven't been playing very well lately. Putting was better than at Ashburn, but new driving technique still inconsistent.
Royal Ashburn (107, 43, 3, 4, 3) First ever visit to Royal Ashburn. Must plot your way through a couple of holes, but overall a nice course. Needed four putts on hole #1 after getting there in regulation. Also 4-putt hole #8. No doubt about it, putting was horrific. Drives were hit or miss, as I was experimenting with a new technique. Sand play was also hit or miss. A couple of times, I hit a bunker shot fat, followed by an attempt that was hit thin. It was bad. No confidence right now hitting from bunkers. One of the worst scores of the year.
Lowville (95, 38, 4, 5, 2) First visit of the year to Lowville. Got paired up with three guys who were good fun. Found trouble on holes #4 through #6. Was crushing my drives, but pulled a couple of them out of bounds. Almost drove the green on the par-4 sixth on my second attempt. Best hole was #9, which I birdied. Solid back nine, but putting was not spectacular. Decent score after a few bad rounds recently.
October 03, 2010
Fall Golf Signals Season End
Mental Weakness (Again) at Lionhead Masters
This round began with a disappointing triple-bogey on the opening hole, a relatively easy par-5. I did very well to let it go, as I proceeded to play bogey golf on the remaining holes that make up the front nine. My score at the turn was 48, which wasn't bad considering that I 3-putt on three separate occasions. On the back nine, I snapped. I lost it. After making par on hole #12 and striping a beautiful 3-iron off the tee on hole #13, I flared an approach shot into the woods. That was the turning point. From that point on, I played with anger and little or no discipline. Not surprisingly, my scores became inflated. There was one exception, which merits a more detailed description.
Hole #16 is a par-5, measuring 471 yards from the blue tees. I took a violent swing from the teeing area, but I caught the ball flush, with perfect line and trajectory. The ball came to rest in the right-centre portion of the fairway, about 160 yards from the green. This particular green is an island green, surrounded by water on all sides, except for a thin strip of land that connects it to the mainland. To reach the green in two from my position, I had to carry first a strand of large trees, and secondly, an expanse of water. I measured up the situation and reached for my 7-iron. It turned out to be the perfect club. I knew I hit it well immediately upon impact, then lifted my head to watch the ball clear the tops of the trees and land left of the flag. I had a 15-foot putt remaining for eagle, so I took my time to read the green. I made a good read and excellent stroke, but missed the cup by less than an inch on the high side. Eagle would have been nice, but I settled for a tap-in bogey. It was a great moment in an otherwise frustrating round.
Score: 102
Putts: 41
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 4
Very Different Round at Angus Glen
What a difference a day makes. Day 2 of the Tour Championship began with a light drizzle. I made a great approach shot on hole #1 to set up par, while a 3-putt on hole #2 resulted in bogey. At this point, the skies opened up. My approach from the fairway on hole #3 was nowhere near target, then I messed up a pitch shot from the wet rough. Once on the green, play was suspended to allow standing water to drain. When play resumed, I had no idea what effect the rain would have on the speed of the green, so of course I 3-putt. Triple-bogey was the result.
Remarkably, the skies cleared up and the rain stopped. I played average for most of the remaining holes on the front nine. The exception was hole #9, a par-5 which resulted in another triple-bogey. A terrible tee shot put me in a bunker and behind the proverbial 8-ball right off the bat. On the back nine, I played mostly well, despite the fact that the rain returned for about half of the holes. I made a couple of pars and a handful of bogeys, but I had two blowup holes as well. It just wasn't my day. The rain and the delays made it hard to concentrate. Needless to say, I dropped a few spots in the event standings.
Score: 101
Putts: 42
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Good Round in Tour Championship at Angus Glen
The GTA Amateur Tour was at Angus Glen for Day 1 of the 2-day Tour Championship. Playing the South Course, I began with an openng hole birdie, set up by a 290-yard drive to the 100-yard marker, followed by a precise approach to the par-4 green. I closed the front nine out with a pair of pars, four bogeys, and two double-bogeys. Off the tee, I was very solid, missing only one fairway. My approach shots were less precise, but my putting was very good.
On the back nine, I was the model of consistency, making one par, seven bogeys and one double-bogey. I was no longer striping the ball down the fairways, and my approach shots were still imprecise, but contact was always good and I never missed by very much. Putting continued to be good, which always makes a huge difference.
At the end of the round, I was in a tie for fourth place going into Day 2.
Score: 88
Putts: 31
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
Mental Weakness at Lionhead Legends
There are some tough holes on the Legends course at Lionhead, which means you have to take advantage of the easier ones. Hole #2 is among the easiest, but I wasted a great tee shot, en route to a quadruple bogey. My approach was a short hook, followed by a missed shot from the rough and another from a bunker. I regrouped well however, registering a bogey and par on the next two holes.
Unfortunately, I soon began a stretch of horrific golf. On hole #5, I failed to hit cleanly out of a fairway bunker, then proceeded to mess up a couple of pitch shots. The short game just wasn't there, and I soon got frustrated. Try as I might to control my emotion, it would take a few holes to calm down again. By then, my score was already out of hand.
On the positive side, I shot a very respectable 45 on the back nine.
Score: 104
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 8
Penalties: 5
Two Man Scramble at Wooden Sticks
Score: 71
Another Almost at Mad River
I made the trek to Mad River Golf Club, located in Creemore, Ontario, in search of my first victory on the GTA Amateur Tour. Conditions were tough, resulting in higher than usual scores across all flights. While it was dry and the temperature was comfortable, fierce wind made it difficult to score well.
The wind was most intense when I played hole #2, a par 4 measuring about 400 yards. I did well to record bogey with the wind directly in my face. I drove the ball well, not only on that hole, but for most of the round. I was concentrating on approaching the ball from the inside, and it seemed to work well. Unfortunately, my short irons were less reliable. I hooked a few and badly flared some others, leading to three prototypical blowup holes. Putting was pretty solid.
In spite of a few mistakes, I finished in a tie for fourth. There was enough of an opening to snatch a victory, but I didn't get it done.
Score: 97
Putts: 33
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Penalties: 1
This round began with a disappointing triple-bogey on the opening hole, a relatively easy par-5. I did very well to let it go, as I proceeded to play bogey golf on the remaining holes that make up the front nine. My score at the turn was 48, which wasn't bad considering that I 3-putt on three separate occasions. On the back nine, I snapped. I lost it. After making par on hole #12 and striping a beautiful 3-iron off the tee on hole #13, I flared an approach shot into the woods. That was the turning point. From that point on, I played with anger and little or no discipline. Not surprisingly, my scores became inflated. There was one exception, which merits a more detailed description.
Hole #16 is a par-5, measuring 471 yards from the blue tees. I took a violent swing from the teeing area, but I caught the ball flush, with perfect line and trajectory. The ball came to rest in the right-centre portion of the fairway, about 160 yards from the green. This particular green is an island green, surrounded by water on all sides, except for a thin strip of land that connects it to the mainland. To reach the green in two from my position, I had to carry first a strand of large trees, and secondly, an expanse of water. I measured up the situation and reached for my 7-iron. It turned out to be the perfect club. I knew I hit it well immediately upon impact, then lifted my head to watch the ball clear the tops of the trees and land left of the flag. I had a 15-foot putt remaining for eagle, so I took my time to read the green. I made a good read and excellent stroke, but missed the cup by less than an inch on the high side. Eagle would have been nice, but I settled for a tap-in bogey. It was a great moment in an otherwise frustrating round.
Score: 102
Putts: 41
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 4
Very Different Round at Angus Glen
What a difference a day makes. Day 2 of the Tour Championship began with a light drizzle. I made a great approach shot on hole #1 to set up par, while a 3-putt on hole #2 resulted in bogey. At this point, the skies opened up. My approach from the fairway on hole #3 was nowhere near target, then I messed up a pitch shot from the wet rough. Once on the green, play was suspended to allow standing water to drain. When play resumed, I had no idea what effect the rain would have on the speed of the green, so of course I 3-putt. Triple-bogey was the result.
Remarkably, the skies cleared up and the rain stopped. I played average for most of the remaining holes on the front nine. The exception was hole #9, a par-5 which resulted in another triple-bogey. A terrible tee shot put me in a bunker and behind the proverbial 8-ball right off the bat. On the back nine, I played mostly well, despite the fact that the rain returned for about half of the holes. I made a couple of pars and a handful of bogeys, but I had two blowup holes as well. It just wasn't my day. The rain and the delays made it hard to concentrate. Needless to say, I dropped a few spots in the event standings.
Score: 101
Putts: 42
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Good Round in Tour Championship at Angus Glen
The GTA Amateur Tour was at Angus Glen for Day 1 of the 2-day Tour Championship. Playing the South Course, I began with an openng hole birdie, set up by a 290-yard drive to the 100-yard marker, followed by a precise approach to the par-4 green. I closed the front nine out with a pair of pars, four bogeys, and two double-bogeys. Off the tee, I was very solid, missing only one fairway. My approach shots were less precise, but my putting was very good.
On the back nine, I was the model of consistency, making one par, seven bogeys and one double-bogey. I was no longer striping the ball down the fairways, and my approach shots were still imprecise, but contact was always good and I never missed by very much. Putting continued to be good, which always makes a huge difference.
At the end of the round, I was in a tie for fourth place going into Day 2.
Score: 88
Putts: 31
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
Mental Weakness at Lionhead Legends
There are some tough holes on the Legends course at Lionhead, which means you have to take advantage of the easier ones. Hole #2 is among the easiest, but I wasted a great tee shot, en route to a quadruple bogey. My approach was a short hook, followed by a missed shot from the rough and another from a bunker. I regrouped well however, registering a bogey and par on the next two holes.
Unfortunately, I soon began a stretch of horrific golf. On hole #5, I failed to hit cleanly out of a fairway bunker, then proceeded to mess up a couple of pitch shots. The short game just wasn't there, and I soon got frustrated. Try as I might to control my emotion, it would take a few holes to calm down again. By then, my score was already out of hand.
On the positive side, I shot a very respectable 45 on the back nine.
Score: 104
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 8
Penalties: 5
Two Man Scramble at Wooden Sticks
Score: 71
Another Almost at Mad River
I made the trek to Mad River Golf Club, located in Creemore, Ontario, in search of my first victory on the GTA Amateur Tour. Conditions were tough, resulting in higher than usual scores across all flights. While it was dry and the temperature was comfortable, fierce wind made it difficult to score well.
The wind was most intense when I played hole #2, a par 4 measuring about 400 yards. I did well to record bogey with the wind directly in my face. I drove the ball well, not only on that hole, but for most of the round. I was concentrating on approaching the ball from the inside, and it seemed to work well. Unfortunately, my short irons were less reliable. I hooked a few and badly flared some others, leading to three prototypical blowup holes. Putting was pretty solid.
In spite of a few mistakes, I finished in a tie for fourth. There was enough of an opening to snatch a victory, but I didn't get it done.
Score: 97
Putts: 33
Fairways: 8
Greens: 3
Penalties: 1
September 13, 2010
Late Summer Update
Decent Vibes at Granite Ridge
Sixteen good holes. Two bad ones. A score just over 90. That summarizes my typical round this season. Shooting in the low nineties is not bad, but I want to take my game to the next level, and that means shooting in the eighties regularly. Right now, two or three bad holes are preventing me from getting there. It amazes me how I can play bogey or better golf, even without hitting the ball particularly crisp. Over the last couple of years, I have gotten better at putting the ball in play, advancing it with each shot, missing to the safe side, and more. Despite this maturing process, I still have a couple of blowup holes (triple bogey or worse) every single round. My mechanics simply have to improve, in order to help remedy the situation. Game management can only go so far.
Score: 91
Putts: 38
Fairways: 6
Greens: 8
Penalties: 2
Pattern Repeats at Twenty Valley
I have a habit of playing fifteen or sixteen solid holes of golf, accompanied by two or three holes that are just plain terrible. The pattern continued at my latest round on the GTA Amateur Tour. I was eight over par through the first eight holes, then went six over par for the ninth hole alone! It's hard to understand. For eight holes, I made good contact with the ball and managed my game well. Then all of a sudden, I mis-hit two balls off the tee, sending them into a hazard. On the back nine, I was five over par for seven of the holes. That's pretty good. Problem was, the two remaining holes resulted in triple bogeys. A pesky tree between me and the tenth green, as well as some fierce wind on the seventeenth tee were to blame. I really wish I could avoid the two or three bad holes I seem to have per round. Without them, I would be scoring in the eighties much more regularly.
Score: 97
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
Heartbreak at Deepwoods Final
I was the leader going into the final Deepwoods event of the year, and I could almost taste victory. I was the champion in 2008, so I know what it takes to close the deal in the season finale. One player was a point behind me and two others were behind by two points. If I could outplay them, the championship was mine. A pair of other players were four points behind, but I felt they would have to play perfectly just to force a playoff.
My opponents struggled over the first few holes, helping me pad my lead. On hole #5, I trickled into some lush fescue and could not hack the ball out. I also struggled a bit on hole #9, thanks to more fescue near the green. With my opponents recovering nicely, it was once again anybody's game. Over the next four holes, among the hardest at Willow Valley, I started to pull away once again. I made two pars and two bogeys, while the others struggled. Down the stretch, I knew I had them beat. I just had to make sure that I left no room for the longshot contenders in the other group. Unfortunately, I missed some critical putts. On hole #17, I stuck my approach three feet from the pin. I then missed two putts of three feet or less. I had the feeling that I had just given the championship away. Indeed, one of the longshots had a perfect game, registering a maximum of 40 points. The two putts I missed on hole #17 were the margin of victory.
I played well overall, but it wasn't enough. I was the runner-up for the second time in four years. Fortunately, I have one championship in that same time span to ease some of the pain.
Score: 93
Putts: 40
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
Grand Garbage at Niagara
A day after the debacle at Piper's Heath, I was looking for retribution. Those plans were destroyed on the very first hole at Grand Niagara. My approach shot found a bunker and as it turned out, I could not hit a bunker shot to save my life! I hit some fat, picked others clean, all leading to a score of 12, or eight over par. On one hole! I could have given up at that point, but I had already done that the day before, so I decided to soldier on. I thought perhaps I could recover, as I did not long ago at Carlisle. Well, it didn't happen. I was not driving the ball straight and I continued to struggle from bunkers, which gave me fits. On hole #12, a par-3, I picked two balls clean from a bunker, losing them in weeds 40 yards past the green. It was laughable. I had a few good moments during the day, but this was easily my worst round of the year - the kind you just erase from memory.
Score: 120
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 0
Penalties: 9
Piper's Curse Continues
Aside from the opening round of the year, a balmy Easter Sunday, I have had no luck whatsoever at Piper's Heath Golf Club. Every time I go there, it seems to rain. It rained again this time, but the real problem was 60 km/hr gusts of wind. Quite simply, it was impossible to play in those conditions. Somehow, I managed to play the front nine in a score of 52. Given the wind, that was actually pretty good. It would have been better too, if not for an approach on hole #9 that sailed over the green. On a couple of occasions this year, I have launched approach shots with my 60 degree wedge that sail 30 yards more than expected. I seem to hit the ball a little thin with that club from a tight fairway lie. Next time, I will take the ground route with a less lofted club. On hole #10, the wind was ridiculous, and I struggled to even make contact. I did not finish the hole and while I played the rest of the round, I treated it as practice and didn't bother to keep score.
Score: 52 (9 holes)
Putts: 20
Fairways: 1
Greens: 1
Penalties: 1
Damage Control at Carlisle
I played most of this round as a single, breezing past a couple of groups who were nice enough to let me play through. Playing alone, I caught myself rushing a bit on the front nine, which was bizarre. I played reasonably well on the North nine, including a beautiful birdie on hole #8, thanks to a spectacular 50-foot putt. However, I blew up for a ridiculous score of 12 on hole #6. My first tee shot hit a cart path and bounced out of bounds. From 135 yards out, I also pulled two balls out of bounds. After nine holes, my score was unimpressive at 53. On the back (East) nine, I slowed down and started to make some pars. In fact, I made five pars on my way to a score of 43. I was glad that I salvaged a respectable score after the disaster on hole #6. I must avoid those blowup holes to score well!
Score: 96
Putts: 31
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 5
The Big Choke at Cedar Brae
This was a GTA Amateur Tour event and boy, did I get off to a great start! I pulled my first tee shot, but found my ball and managed to save par with a great up and down from 40 yards. Through the first five holes I was even par, thanks in part to a magnificent approach and birdie putt on hole #5. After a trio of bogeys and another par, I was shooting 38 at the turn. I knew I was likely leading my flight through the first nine holes, which I confirmed after the round. Things started to go bad on hole #11, a par-3. I shanked an iron off the tee en route to a triple bogey. An equally poor tee shot produced another triple on hole #13, a par-5. Double bogeys were the result on a few of the back nine holes, as the nerves of leading clearly got to me. I shot a terrible 55 on the back nine, ruining a great start.
Score: 93
Putts: 36
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
Good Focus at Oakridge
After some questionable performances, I finally had a round I can be proud of, and it came during a Deepwoods event. It would have been even better, if not for one horrific hole that marred an otherwise solid scorecard. I opened with a pair of double bogeys, followed by a hole where I was six over par. Hole #3 is the number one handicap at Oakridge, for good reason. I put the terrible hole behind me and managed eight over par for the remaining 15 holes. It was a fantastic stretch, including one birdie, five pars, and nine bogeys. I was very satisfied with my mental fortitude. This round proved to me that I can shoot in the 80's consistently if I find a way to avoid one or two holes that plague many of my outings.
Score: 89
Putts: 34
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Sixteen good holes. Two bad ones. A score just over 90. That summarizes my typical round this season. Shooting in the low nineties is not bad, but I want to take my game to the next level, and that means shooting in the eighties regularly. Right now, two or three bad holes are preventing me from getting there. It amazes me how I can play bogey or better golf, even without hitting the ball particularly crisp. Over the last couple of years, I have gotten better at putting the ball in play, advancing it with each shot, missing to the safe side, and more. Despite this maturing process, I still have a couple of blowup holes (triple bogey or worse) every single round. My mechanics simply have to improve, in order to help remedy the situation. Game management can only go so far.
Score: 91
Putts: 38
Fairways: 6
Greens: 8
Penalties: 2
Pattern Repeats at Twenty Valley
I have a habit of playing fifteen or sixteen solid holes of golf, accompanied by two or three holes that are just plain terrible. The pattern continued at my latest round on the GTA Amateur Tour. I was eight over par through the first eight holes, then went six over par for the ninth hole alone! It's hard to understand. For eight holes, I made good contact with the ball and managed my game well. Then all of a sudden, I mis-hit two balls off the tee, sending them into a hazard. On the back nine, I was five over par for seven of the holes. That's pretty good. Problem was, the two remaining holes resulted in triple bogeys. A pesky tree between me and the tenth green, as well as some fierce wind on the seventeenth tee were to blame. I really wish I could avoid the two or three bad holes I seem to have per round. Without them, I would be scoring in the eighties much more regularly.
Score: 97
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
Heartbreak at Deepwoods Final
I was the leader going into the final Deepwoods event of the year, and I could almost taste victory. I was the champion in 2008, so I know what it takes to close the deal in the season finale. One player was a point behind me and two others were behind by two points. If I could outplay them, the championship was mine. A pair of other players were four points behind, but I felt they would have to play perfectly just to force a playoff.
My opponents struggled over the first few holes, helping me pad my lead. On hole #5, I trickled into some lush fescue and could not hack the ball out. I also struggled a bit on hole #9, thanks to more fescue near the green. With my opponents recovering nicely, it was once again anybody's game. Over the next four holes, among the hardest at Willow Valley, I started to pull away once again. I made two pars and two bogeys, while the others struggled. Down the stretch, I knew I had them beat. I just had to make sure that I left no room for the longshot contenders in the other group. Unfortunately, I missed some critical putts. On hole #17, I stuck my approach three feet from the pin. I then missed two putts of three feet or less. I had the feeling that I had just given the championship away. Indeed, one of the longshots had a perfect game, registering a maximum of 40 points. The two putts I missed on hole #17 were the margin of victory.
I played well overall, but it wasn't enough. I was the runner-up for the second time in four years. Fortunately, I have one championship in that same time span to ease some of the pain.
Score: 93
Putts: 40
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
Grand Garbage at Niagara
A day after the debacle at Piper's Heath, I was looking for retribution. Those plans were destroyed on the very first hole at Grand Niagara. My approach shot found a bunker and as it turned out, I could not hit a bunker shot to save my life! I hit some fat, picked others clean, all leading to a score of 12, or eight over par. On one hole! I could have given up at that point, but I had already done that the day before, so I decided to soldier on. I thought perhaps I could recover, as I did not long ago at Carlisle. Well, it didn't happen. I was not driving the ball straight and I continued to struggle from bunkers, which gave me fits. On hole #12, a par-3, I picked two balls clean from a bunker, losing them in weeds 40 yards past the green. It was laughable. I had a few good moments during the day, but this was easily my worst round of the year - the kind you just erase from memory.
Score: 120
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 0
Penalties: 9
Piper's Curse Continues
Aside from the opening round of the year, a balmy Easter Sunday, I have had no luck whatsoever at Piper's Heath Golf Club. Every time I go there, it seems to rain. It rained again this time, but the real problem was 60 km/hr gusts of wind. Quite simply, it was impossible to play in those conditions. Somehow, I managed to play the front nine in a score of 52. Given the wind, that was actually pretty good. It would have been better too, if not for an approach on hole #9 that sailed over the green. On a couple of occasions this year, I have launched approach shots with my 60 degree wedge that sail 30 yards more than expected. I seem to hit the ball a little thin with that club from a tight fairway lie. Next time, I will take the ground route with a less lofted club. On hole #10, the wind was ridiculous, and I struggled to even make contact. I did not finish the hole and while I played the rest of the round, I treated it as practice and didn't bother to keep score.
Score: 52 (9 holes)
Putts: 20
Fairways: 1
Greens: 1
Penalties: 1
Damage Control at Carlisle
I played most of this round as a single, breezing past a couple of groups who were nice enough to let me play through. Playing alone, I caught myself rushing a bit on the front nine, which was bizarre. I played reasonably well on the North nine, including a beautiful birdie on hole #8, thanks to a spectacular 50-foot putt. However, I blew up for a ridiculous score of 12 on hole #6. My first tee shot hit a cart path and bounced out of bounds. From 135 yards out, I also pulled two balls out of bounds. After nine holes, my score was unimpressive at 53. On the back (East) nine, I slowed down and started to make some pars. In fact, I made five pars on my way to a score of 43. I was glad that I salvaged a respectable score after the disaster on hole #6. I must avoid those blowup holes to score well!
Score: 96
Putts: 31
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 5
The Big Choke at Cedar Brae
This was a GTA Amateur Tour event and boy, did I get off to a great start! I pulled my first tee shot, but found my ball and managed to save par with a great up and down from 40 yards. Through the first five holes I was even par, thanks in part to a magnificent approach and birdie putt on hole #5. After a trio of bogeys and another par, I was shooting 38 at the turn. I knew I was likely leading my flight through the first nine holes, which I confirmed after the round. Things started to go bad on hole #11, a par-3. I shanked an iron off the tee en route to a triple bogey. An equally poor tee shot produced another triple on hole #13, a par-5. Double bogeys were the result on a few of the back nine holes, as the nerves of leading clearly got to me. I shot a terrible 55 on the back nine, ruining a great start.
Score: 93
Putts: 36
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
Good Focus at Oakridge
After some questionable performances, I finally had a round I can be proud of, and it came during a Deepwoods event. It would have been even better, if not for one horrific hole that marred an otherwise solid scorecard. I opened with a pair of double bogeys, followed by a hole where I was six over par. Hole #3 is the number one handicap at Oakridge, for good reason. I put the terrible hole behind me and managed eight over par for the remaining 15 holes. It was a fantastic stretch, including one birdie, five pars, and nine bogeys. I was very satisfied with my mental fortitude. This round proved to me that I can shoot in the 80's consistently if I find a way to avoid one or two holes that plague many of my outings.
Score: 89
Putts: 34
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
August 28, 2010
Rain and Rain at Piper's Heath
I was in a scramble tournament at Piper's Heath, but played only eight holes, as the event was cut short by rain and lightning. Prior to teeing off, I spent some time on the driving range, attempting to fix the problems I've been having with my driver. I straightened my left elbow on setup, which seemed to improve my takeaway. In turn, this improved my swing path, whch had been terribly outside-in. I made solid contact on the course, though I was still pulling the ball slightly.
Making use of a rain check, I returned to Piper's Heath after a weekend with no golf. Once again, the weather did not cooperate. I managed nine holes this time and took home yet another rain check. The driver was good at times, bad at others. In fact, the same was true of my irons. A poor 5-iron from a par-3 teeing ground put me in trouble, leading to a quadruple-bogey. I launched the ball from one patch of fescue to another, resulting in a lost ball. It's just not possible to score well with penalty strokes.
Another problem was holding the greens when pitching the ball from inside 100 yards. I hit some high pitch shots with my most lofted club directly on target, only to watch the ball release forward and roll right off the green. It was frustrating to say the least. It's one thing to take your medicine after making bad shots, but being forced to take that medicine after seemingly good shots is pretty cruel. Alas, such is the game of golf at times.
Score: 51 (9 holes)
Putts: 18
Fairways: 2
Greens: 0
Penalties: 1
Making use of a rain check, I returned to Piper's Heath after a weekend with no golf. Once again, the weather did not cooperate. I managed nine holes this time and took home yet another rain check. The driver was good at times, bad at others. In fact, the same was true of my irons. A poor 5-iron from a par-3 teeing ground put me in trouble, leading to a quadruple-bogey. I launched the ball from one patch of fescue to another, resulting in a lost ball. It's just not possible to score well with penalty strokes.
Another problem was holding the greens when pitching the ball from inside 100 yards. I hit some high pitch shots with my most lofted club directly on target, only to watch the ball release forward and roll right off the green. It was frustrating to say the least. It's one thing to take your medicine after making bad shots, but being forced to take that medicine after seemingly good shots is pretty cruel. Alas, such is the game of golf at times.
Score: 51 (9 holes)
Putts: 18
Fairways: 2
Greens: 0
Penalties: 1
August 14, 2010
Familiar Story at The Highlands
My latest round at The Highlands had the same rotten stench of previous visits gone bad.
Every time I play this course, I have three or four disastrous holes that ruin my score. Aside from those holes however, I seem to play quite well. It was no different this time. I played fourteen holes in a score of thirteen over par. Better than bogey golf is fantastic, if only I could do it over all eighteen holes. On this occasion, the remaining four holes resulted in two triple-bogeys, a quadruple-bogey, and one hole where I was an embarassing six over par.
Three of the bad holes came on the front nine. On one hole, my tee shot with the 3-iron was lost in the fescue right of the fairway. On another, my bunker shot from beside the green sailed twenty yards over the putting surface. On the last of the terrible holes, a mis-hit tee shot with the driver rolled into a pond. On the same hole, I also duffed a couple of pitch shots from in front of the green. As you can see, trouble came in all forms.
I didn't hit a single green in regulation on the front nine. On the back nine, I suddenly got hot, hitting five of the first six greens in regulation. The only problem was that I finished with a 3-putt on four of those greens. It was frustrating to remedy one part of my game, only to have another break down at precisely the same time.
In the end, I felt good about my game despite the score. I felt like I corrected a flaw that had plagued my driver for a number of rounds, and I'm confident that my putting will get better again.
Score: 101
Putts: 38
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 4
Every time I play this course, I have three or four disastrous holes that ruin my score. Aside from those holes however, I seem to play quite well. It was no different this time. I played fourteen holes in a score of thirteen over par. Better than bogey golf is fantastic, if only I could do it over all eighteen holes. On this occasion, the remaining four holes resulted in two triple-bogeys, a quadruple-bogey, and one hole where I was an embarassing six over par.
Three of the bad holes came on the front nine. On one hole, my tee shot with the 3-iron was lost in the fescue right of the fairway. On another, my bunker shot from beside the green sailed twenty yards over the putting surface. On the last of the terrible holes, a mis-hit tee shot with the driver rolled into a pond. On the same hole, I also duffed a couple of pitch shots from in front of the green. As you can see, trouble came in all forms.
I didn't hit a single green in regulation on the front nine. On the back nine, I suddenly got hot, hitting five of the first six greens in regulation. The only problem was that I finished with a 3-putt on four of those greens. It was frustrating to remedy one part of my game, only to have another break down at precisely the same time.
In the end, I felt good about my game despite the score. I felt like I corrected a flaw that had plagued my driver for a number of rounds, and I'm confident that my putting will get better again.
Score: 101
Putts: 38
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 4
August 06, 2010
Catching Up
Blogging about golf has been impossible lately. To make up for it, I hereby present a stream of concise updates. Rounds are listed in reverse chronological order. The format is:
Course (Score, Putts, Fairways, Greens, Penalties) Description
Cardinal West (94, 29, 2, 1, 5) First round of the year with The Unreliables. Nervous start, then settled down. Driver still erratic, but short game was best it's been all year. Par on all five par-3 holes, without hitting any of the greens in regulation. Chipping and putting saved my bacon.
Century Pines (97, 37, 2, 5, 3) Terrible with the driver. Wicked pulls off the tee or a big slice. Nothing in between. Can't stop swinging from the outside-in. Irons not so bad. Bogey golf, except for two blowup holes. Putting not bad, but stats say otherwise. Every green in regulation followed by a 3-putt.
Dragon's Fire (98, 39, 8, 6, 5) Round 3 of Deepwoods Tour. Solid front nine, marred only by a duffed tee shot on hole #8. Shot 45 at the turn, which was good for 18 points. Wayward iron shots on holes #10 and #12 cost me some points and had me pressing the rest of the way. Played better than the score reflects.
Lionhead Masters (100, 43, 10, 6, 3) Five over par through the first six holes, followed by three double-bogeys for a score of 47 going out. Hit every fairway on the front nine, but only three greens in regulation. Bogey golf on the back nine until a blowup on hole #16 ruined everything. Putting numbers brutal.
Whitevale (101, 35, 5, 4, 1) GTA Amateur Tour major. Four over par through the first five holes, followed by a disastrous quadruple bogey. Duffed a 3-iron off the tee, then struggled with chipping near the green. Driver let me down a few times on the back nine. Straight pull or big slice the only options.
Century Pines (93, 33, 5, 6, 3) Course better than I remembered. Great start with five pars on the front nine. Short par-4 holes #11 and #12 killed me. Went out of bounds from a bunker on the former, and failed to clear a forced carry on the latter. If not for those holes, would have scored in the eighties.
Riverstone (87, 32, 6, 5, 3) Something different, as I don't usually play this kind of course. Short and tight, with small greens and water often in play. Must plot your way around, which I did well. Rarely used driver and erred to the side of caution often. Eight pars, but an admitted easy course.
Lionhead Legends (101, 38, 5, 4, 5) Playing consistently, I felt ready to tackle the beast. Bunker trouble on hole #5 led to a triple-bogey. Why the trouble with sand? Pulled iron on hole #7 went out of bounds. Same on hole #16. Played well overall, but just enough mistakes to reach the dreaded century mark.
Peninsula Lakes (91, 29, 3, 2, 2) Round 2 of Deepwoods Tour. In the water on Quarry #1, and shenanigans on #8. Otherwise a good front nine. Excellent play on the back nine, including a birdie on Hillside #3. Putting got hot on the back nine. A couple fewer mistakes and score would have been in the eighties.
North Halton (91, 32, 8, 4, 2) GTA Amateur Tour event. Amazing start, just two over par through the first six holes, including a birdie on hole #3. Score of 42 at the turn still very strong. Then the rain came and shot everything to hell. Did well to finish with a 91 in the torrential downpour.
Glen Eagle (92, 34, 9, 5, 2) First visit here in a long time. Started and ended the front (Blue) nine with a par, but the rest was not so great. Gave strokes away by duffing from the fairway with the 60-degree wedge. Made up for it with a 42 on the back (Yellow) nine, including a birdie on the last hole.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (85, 34, 8, 3, 0) Day 2 of the GTA Amateur Tour major. Easily my best round of the season. Practically flawless front nine, with five bogeys and four pars. A few double-bogeys on the back nine, but also a birdie on hole #16. In control with all parts of the game. Nice feeling.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (96, 35, 8, 5, 3) Day 1 of a 2-day GTA Amateur Tour major. Would have been a great round, if not for a buried ball in the greenside bunker of hole #12. It was a freak incident, so I have to put it aside. Six pars on the day was nice. Felt like I managed my game very well.
Lionhead Masters (91, 35, 8, 5, 3) Best result ever for this course. Shot 42 on the front nine, including four pars, four bogeys, and one double-bogey. Faltered a little on the back nine after losing a ball inexplicably on hole #13, but held it together for a satisfying final tally of 91. Could have been in the eighties.
Course (Score, Putts, Fairways, Greens, Penalties) Description
Cardinal West (94, 29, 2, 1, 5) First round of the year with The Unreliables. Nervous start, then settled down. Driver still erratic, but short game was best it's been all year. Par on all five par-3 holes, without hitting any of the greens in regulation. Chipping and putting saved my bacon.
Century Pines (97, 37, 2, 5, 3) Terrible with the driver. Wicked pulls off the tee or a big slice. Nothing in between. Can't stop swinging from the outside-in. Irons not so bad. Bogey golf, except for two blowup holes. Putting not bad, but stats say otherwise. Every green in regulation followed by a 3-putt.
Dragon's Fire (98, 39, 8, 6, 5) Round 3 of Deepwoods Tour. Solid front nine, marred only by a duffed tee shot on hole #8. Shot 45 at the turn, which was good for 18 points. Wayward iron shots on holes #10 and #12 cost me some points and had me pressing the rest of the way. Played better than the score reflects.
Lionhead Masters (100, 43, 10, 6, 3) Five over par through the first six holes, followed by three double-bogeys for a score of 47 going out. Hit every fairway on the front nine, but only three greens in regulation. Bogey golf on the back nine until a blowup on hole #16 ruined everything. Putting numbers brutal.
Whitevale (101, 35, 5, 4, 1) GTA Amateur Tour major. Four over par through the first five holes, followed by a disastrous quadruple bogey. Duffed a 3-iron off the tee, then struggled with chipping near the green. Driver let me down a few times on the back nine. Straight pull or big slice the only options.
Century Pines (93, 33, 5, 6, 3) Course better than I remembered. Great start with five pars on the front nine. Short par-4 holes #11 and #12 killed me. Went out of bounds from a bunker on the former, and failed to clear a forced carry on the latter. If not for those holes, would have scored in the eighties.
Riverstone (87, 32, 6, 5, 3) Something different, as I don't usually play this kind of course. Short and tight, with small greens and water often in play. Must plot your way around, which I did well. Rarely used driver and erred to the side of caution often. Eight pars, but an admitted easy course.
Lionhead Legends (101, 38, 5, 4, 5) Playing consistently, I felt ready to tackle the beast. Bunker trouble on hole #5 led to a triple-bogey. Why the trouble with sand? Pulled iron on hole #7 went out of bounds. Same on hole #16. Played well overall, but just enough mistakes to reach the dreaded century mark.
Peninsula Lakes (91, 29, 3, 2, 2) Round 2 of Deepwoods Tour. In the water on Quarry #1, and shenanigans on #8. Otherwise a good front nine. Excellent play on the back nine, including a birdie on Hillside #3. Putting got hot on the back nine. A couple fewer mistakes and score would have been in the eighties.
North Halton (91, 32, 8, 4, 2) GTA Amateur Tour event. Amazing start, just two over par through the first six holes, including a birdie on hole #3. Score of 42 at the turn still very strong. Then the rain came and shot everything to hell. Did well to finish with a 91 in the torrential downpour.
Glen Eagle (92, 34, 9, 5, 2) First visit here in a long time. Started and ended the front (Blue) nine with a par, but the rest was not so great. Gave strokes away by duffing from the fairway with the 60-degree wedge. Made up for it with a 42 on the back (Yellow) nine, including a birdie on the last hole.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (85, 34, 8, 3, 0) Day 2 of the GTA Amateur Tour major. Easily my best round of the season. Practically flawless front nine, with five bogeys and four pars. A few double-bogeys on the back nine, but also a birdie on hole #16. In control with all parts of the game. Nice feeling.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (96, 35, 8, 5, 3) Day 1 of a 2-day GTA Amateur Tour major. Would have been a great round, if not for a buried ball in the greenside bunker of hole #12. It was a freak incident, so I have to put it aside. Six pars on the day was nice. Felt like I managed my game very well.
Lionhead Masters (91, 35, 8, 5, 3) Best result ever for this course. Shot 42 on the front nine, including four pars, four bogeys, and one double-bogey. Faltered a little on the back nine after losing a ball inexplicably on hole #13, but held it together for a satisfying final tally of 91. Could have been in the eighties.
June 16, 2010
Strong Finish Saves Round at Copetown Woods
Mother Nature turned up the heat for the opening round of the Deepwoods 2010 Tour at Copetown Woods. After a solid opening drive, I fumbled my way to a regretable triple bogey on hole #10, a short par-5.
A good drive was also wasted on hole #14, a par-5 measuring 469 yards. With just 195 yards to the flag on my second shot, I pulled my trusty 4-iron from the bag. Unfortunately, it was no match for the rough where my ball lay, a mere yard from the edge of the fairway. The ball bounced into a waste bunker and settled in a nasty crater. When all was said and done, I registered another triple-bogey.
Thankfully, it wasn't all bad. On hole #12, a dog-leg par-4 measuring 294 yards, I drove the ball to the centre of the fairway, leaving just 50 yards to the flag. After a well-executed bump and run, I drained a 10-foot putt for only my second birdie of the season. I closed out the first nine holes with a trio of bogeys and a satisfying par on a short par-3.
To salvage a good round, I needed to play well over the last nine holes. I did exactly that, piling up five pars, two bogeys and two double-bogeys. On hole #1, a par-5, I was at the front of the green after two shots. An excellent chip left a legitimate chance at birdie, but my attempt burned the edge of the cup. The double-bogeys came back-to-back on the next two holes.
A streak of steady golf over the last six holes really saved my bacon. I was not driving the ball particularly well, but I maintained control and took up the slack with good iron play and strong putting. If not for a 3-putt on hole #5 and a burned edge putt on hole #18, I would have finished the round with six consecutive pars.
Score: 89
Putts: 37
Fairways: 4
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
A good drive was also wasted on hole #14, a par-5 measuring 469 yards. With just 195 yards to the flag on my second shot, I pulled my trusty 4-iron from the bag. Unfortunately, it was no match for the rough where my ball lay, a mere yard from the edge of the fairway. The ball bounced into a waste bunker and settled in a nasty crater. When all was said and done, I registered another triple-bogey.
Thankfully, it wasn't all bad. On hole #12, a dog-leg par-4 measuring 294 yards, I drove the ball to the centre of the fairway, leaving just 50 yards to the flag. After a well-executed bump and run, I drained a 10-foot putt for only my second birdie of the season. I closed out the first nine holes with a trio of bogeys and a satisfying par on a short par-3.
To salvage a good round, I needed to play well over the last nine holes. I did exactly that, piling up five pars, two bogeys and two double-bogeys. On hole #1, a par-5, I was at the front of the green after two shots. An excellent chip left a legitimate chance at birdie, but my attempt burned the edge of the cup. The double-bogeys came back-to-back on the next two holes.
A streak of steady golf over the last six holes really saved my bacon. I was not driving the ball particularly well, but I maintained control and took up the slack with good iron play and strong putting. If not for a 3-putt on hole #5 and a burned edge putt on hole #18, I would have finished the round with six consecutive pars.
Score: 89
Putts: 37
Fairways: 4
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
Delightful Day at Woodington Lake Legacy
I played the Legacy Course at Woodington Lake and it ended up being a fantastic day. It's a course I enjoyed the first time I played it and it seems to grow on me with each return visit. Conditions were quite windy, but that only added to the challenge.
To say my driver was hit and miss would be an understatement. I hit a number of sliced drives that found the fairway, but which were extremely short. I can control those "baby slices" rather well, but that's not at all the shot shape I want. It tends to be the result when I get tentative off the tee. When I got more aggressive, I actually hit some pretty straight drives. The key is to do this consistently. It's tough because every once in a while I'll connect with a straight pull that goes well left of target.
Unlike my driver, my irons were consistent all day. A few years ago, I rarely played my low irons, as I found it difficult to get the ball launched in the air. Nowadays, I have no reservations when hitting a 4-iron or 3-iron. In fact, I often have more confidence with the low irons because I feel like I can control the ball better with a lower trajectory.
My short game was also pretty good this day. I made decent pitch and chip shots when necessary, getting up and down on a couple of occasions. My putting was solid, though not spectacular. I had five 3-putts, but made up for them with an equal number of 1-putts.
Overall, it was a solid result on a really great day.
Score: 92
Putts: 36
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
To say my driver was hit and miss would be an understatement. I hit a number of sliced drives that found the fairway, but which were extremely short. I can control those "baby slices" rather well, but that's not at all the shot shape I want. It tends to be the result when I get tentative off the tee. When I got more aggressive, I actually hit some pretty straight drives. The key is to do this consistently. It's tough because every once in a while I'll connect with a straight pull that goes well left of target.
Unlike my driver, my irons were consistent all day. A few years ago, I rarely played my low irons, as I found it difficult to get the ball launched in the air. Nowadays, I have no reservations when hitting a 4-iron or 3-iron. In fact, I often have more confidence with the low irons because I feel like I can control the ball better with a lower trajectory.
My short game was also pretty good this day. I made decent pitch and chip shots when necessary, getting up and down on a couple of occasions. My putting was solid, though not spectacular. I had five 3-putts, but made up for them with an equal number of 1-putts.
Overall, it was a solid result on a really great day.
Score: 92
Putts: 36
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
Hot and Cold at Devil's Pulpit
I played the back nine first and got shellacked right off the bat. A 3-iron pulled into the woods, a topped punch shot, a successful punch that ended up lost and a 3-putt were some of the misadventures that led to a score of 10 on hole #10. Brutal.
I followed this up with a beautiful par, first hitting the fairway, then hitting a spectacular 4-iron 190 yards to the flag. A good lag and great finishing putt completed the feat.
The rest of the round was as hot and cold as the first two holes played. I was able to control the driver, as shown by the fact that I hit ten fairways. My long irons were also very good. However, my short game left a lot to be desired. I shanked wedge shots from 80 yards out, duffed or blasted some greenside chips, and left some putts way short of the hole.
On the front nine, I shot a respectable 44, including four pars and three bogeys. These holes were played very well. Sand saves on holes #2 and #5 were especially satisfying. Unfortunately, the front nine was marred by a pair of triple bogeys, both on par-3 holes. Hole #7 was particularly bedevilling.
Score: 101
Putts: 40
Fairways: 10
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
I followed this up with a beautiful par, first hitting the fairway, then hitting a spectacular 4-iron 190 yards to the flag. A good lag and great finishing putt completed the feat.
The rest of the round was as hot and cold as the first two holes played. I was able to control the driver, as shown by the fact that I hit ten fairways. My long irons were also very good. However, my short game left a lot to be desired. I shanked wedge shots from 80 yards out, duffed or blasted some greenside chips, and left some putts way short of the hole.
On the front nine, I shot a respectable 44, including four pars and three bogeys. These holes were played very well. Sand saves on holes #2 and #5 were especially satisfying. Unfortunately, the front nine was marred by a pair of triple bogeys, both on par-3 holes. Hole #7 was particularly bedevilling.
Score: 101
Putts: 40
Fairways: 10
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
Bad Company at Ussher's Creek
Last year I made my first visit to Legends on the Niagara, playing the Battlefield course designed by Doug Carrick. On a recent return to Legends, I made my debut on the Ussher's Creek course designed by Tom McBroom. This isn't going to be a course comparison, but from my perspective, there's little to differentiate one from the other.
Ponds feature a little more prominently on Battlefield, while the creek that gives Ussher's its name is that course's dominant water feature. Otherwise, the courses traverse very similar terrain. Both tracks feature wide fairways, often bounded by strands of thick woods. Flip a coin when deciding which course to play and you won't really go wrong.
The problem this day was that I ventured out as a solo. To be more accurate, the problem was the people I happened to get paired up with. One was a solo player herself, while the other two were a couple of long-time buddies. As a group, they were slow as molasses. I was practically dragging them behind me at every hole. It was simply impossible to get into any kind of rhythm.
Worse than the pace of play was one particular guy's personality. He talked too much, boasted even more, and was an all-around clown. In a previous post, I wrote about the dos and don'ts of playing with strangers. This guy was basically a poster-child for the don'ts.
If you're preoccupied with the personality of your playing partners, chances are you're not concentrating as you should on your golf game. This was certainly the case on this occasion. I hit plenty of good shots, but golf is a game that demands your full attention on every shot. I just didn't have the focus this time. I was more concerned with finishing the round and getting out of the heat than I was with my shots.
In the end, I suffered a double whammy; I didn't have fun, and I produced a terrible score. My next visit to Legends will have to be with friends.
Score: 110
Putts: 40
Fairways: 4
Greens: 3
Penalties: 6
Ponds feature a little more prominently on Battlefield, while the creek that gives Ussher's its name is that course's dominant water feature. Otherwise, the courses traverse very similar terrain. Both tracks feature wide fairways, often bounded by strands of thick woods. Flip a coin when deciding which course to play and you won't really go wrong.
The problem this day was that I ventured out as a solo. To be more accurate, the problem was the people I happened to get paired up with. One was a solo player herself, while the other two were a couple of long-time buddies. As a group, they were slow as molasses. I was practically dragging them behind me at every hole. It was simply impossible to get into any kind of rhythm.
Worse than the pace of play was one particular guy's personality. He talked too much, boasted even more, and was an all-around clown. In a previous post, I wrote about the dos and don'ts of playing with strangers. This guy was basically a poster-child for the don'ts.
If you're preoccupied with the personality of your playing partners, chances are you're not concentrating as you should on your golf game. This was certainly the case on this occasion. I hit plenty of good shots, but golf is a game that demands your full attention on every shot. I just didn't have the focus this time. I was more concerned with finishing the round and getting out of the heat than I was with my shots.
In the end, I suffered a double whammy; I didn't have fun, and I produced a terrible score. My next visit to Legends will have to be with friends.
Score: 110
Putts: 40
Fairways: 4
Greens: 3
Penalties: 6
Nauseous in Willow Valley Heat
I've had golf rounds cut short due to rain, but never due to illness. I've felt terrible during a few rounds, but always found a way to finish eighteen holes. I can't say the same for my recent round at Willow Valley Golf Club.
The day was not particularly hot, but it was extremely humid. I teed off late in the afternoon, joining up with with a very nice lady and two gentlemen. The company was fine, but I only managed 11 holes before calling it quits.
My tee shot on hole #1 was a complete mis-hit. I have been struggling badly with my fairway woods, whether hitting off the tee or otherwise. This was a 5-wood that I topped left of the teeing area into a fescue-covered hillside. It took a few hacks to get out, leading to a triple-bogey.
It was too early to get upset over a bad hole, so I focused on each hole as I played it and on each individual shot. On hole #2, I hit a great approach shot, but it trickled off the back of the green, setting up a tricky downhill chip. The approach on hole # 3 was better, setting up a par. I struck another great approach on the ensuing par-3, but followed with a 3-putt for bogey.
On hole #5, I employed a different strategy than I normally do. This par-4, which measures 360 yards, is a sharp dogleg, with out of bounds along the entire left side and a pond along the entire right side. I usually try to hit a straight, low-iron about 190-200 yards, setting up a 150-160 yard approach to the green. This time, I decided to cut the corner with my driver, which involves carrying the water. The shot came off perfectly, leaving just 100 yards to the green. I placed the approach shot on the green and 2-putt for par. Nice!
The round continued this way until about the ninth hole. I made a sand save for par on hole #8, so I was feeling good, even if the humidity was already getting to me. I had trouble with my approach from 100 yards, finding a large bunker in front of the green. I struggled getting out, leading to a triple bogey. Still, my score at the turn was 47, which isn't bad.
At this point, I was really battling the heat and humidity. I made a pit-stop at the clubhouse, where I doused myself with cool water and replenished the water I had for drinking. I also got started eating a granola bar that I had brought with me. By the time I reached the tenth green, I was hurting bad. I quickly putted out, then walked to the side of the green because I was suddenly feeling nauseous. I threw up almost immediately, but it was a painful, dry heave.
I decided to try playing on, just to see if I would begin feeling better. I had another dry heaving incident on the side of the eleventh fairway. After hitting a tee shot on hole #12, I still wasn't feeling better. The prospect of another hour and a half in the heat and humidity wasn't very appealing, so I called it quits and walked off the course.
Score: 47 (9 holes)
Putts: 21
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 3
The day was not particularly hot, but it was extremely humid. I teed off late in the afternoon, joining up with with a very nice lady and two gentlemen. The company was fine, but I only managed 11 holes before calling it quits.
My tee shot on hole #1 was a complete mis-hit. I have been struggling badly with my fairway woods, whether hitting off the tee or otherwise. This was a 5-wood that I topped left of the teeing area into a fescue-covered hillside. It took a few hacks to get out, leading to a triple-bogey.
It was too early to get upset over a bad hole, so I focused on each hole as I played it and on each individual shot. On hole #2, I hit a great approach shot, but it trickled off the back of the green, setting up a tricky downhill chip. The approach on hole # 3 was better, setting up a par. I struck another great approach on the ensuing par-3, but followed with a 3-putt for bogey.
On hole #5, I employed a different strategy than I normally do. This par-4, which measures 360 yards, is a sharp dogleg, with out of bounds along the entire left side and a pond along the entire right side. I usually try to hit a straight, low-iron about 190-200 yards, setting up a 150-160 yard approach to the green. This time, I decided to cut the corner with my driver, which involves carrying the water. The shot came off perfectly, leaving just 100 yards to the green. I placed the approach shot on the green and 2-putt for par. Nice!
The round continued this way until about the ninth hole. I made a sand save for par on hole #8, so I was feeling good, even if the humidity was already getting to me. I had trouble with my approach from 100 yards, finding a large bunker in front of the green. I struggled getting out, leading to a triple bogey. Still, my score at the turn was 47, which isn't bad.
At this point, I was really battling the heat and humidity. I made a pit-stop at the clubhouse, where I doused myself with cool water and replenished the water I had for drinking. I also got started eating a granola bar that I had brought with me. By the time I reached the tenth green, I was hurting bad. I quickly putted out, then walked to the side of the green because I was suddenly feeling nauseous. I threw up almost immediately, but it was a painful, dry heave.
I decided to try playing on, just to see if I would begin feeling better. I had another dry heaving incident on the side of the eleventh fairway. After hitting a tee shot on hole #12, I still wasn't feeling better. The prospect of another hour and a half in the heat and humidity wasn't very appealing, so I called it quits and walked off the course.
Score: 47 (9 holes)
Putts: 21
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 3
Good Improvement at Coppinwood
This is another summary that I'm writing well after the round was played, so it may lack some of the more vivid details. A year after playing Coppinwood for the first time ever, I returned to play my second event of the season on the GTA Amateur Tour.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with my performance. I improved my score by twenty strokes over the previous visit to Coppinwood. What was the difference? In one word: experience.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: knowledge of a course goes an extremely long way in helping a golfer score well. Golf is a game of decisions. Do I hit driver or 3-iron off the tee? Do I go for the par-5 green in two, or do I lay up? Can I get out of the rough with a 4-iron, or do I need more loft? Do I give this putt 2 feet or 4 feet of break? How firmly do I have to hit it? Knowledge of a course helps immensely with all of these questions.
At Coppinwood, even a single round played there previously helped me make good choices. I knew what line to take off the tee to avoid hazards and other danger zones. I knew how the greens were tilted and hence, how to approach them. I knew the importance of keeping the ball below the hole. I also knew which holes called for conservative play and which ones I could get aggressive on.
The round was a little bit like my previous round at Hidden Lake. I had a few double-bogeys on the front nine, but I kept my head in the game and avoided any disaster holes. With a score of 49 at the turn, I started to play better, producing bogeys and pars. A couple of those pars were very nearly birdies, but the putts lipped out for me. Once again, I finished with a 43 on the back nine, and 92 overall.
I'll take it. That's three decent results in a row!
Score: 92
Putts: 38
Fairways: 10
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
Overall, I am extremely pleased with my performance. I improved my score by twenty strokes over the previous visit to Coppinwood. What was the difference? In one word: experience.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: knowledge of a course goes an extremely long way in helping a golfer score well. Golf is a game of decisions. Do I hit driver or 3-iron off the tee? Do I go for the par-5 green in two, or do I lay up? Can I get out of the rough with a 4-iron, or do I need more loft? Do I give this putt 2 feet or 4 feet of break? How firmly do I have to hit it? Knowledge of a course helps immensely with all of these questions.
At Coppinwood, even a single round played there previously helped me make good choices. I knew what line to take off the tee to avoid hazards and other danger zones. I knew how the greens were tilted and hence, how to approach them. I knew the importance of keeping the ball below the hole. I also knew which holes called for conservative play and which ones I could get aggressive on.
The round was a little bit like my previous round at Hidden Lake. I had a few double-bogeys on the front nine, but I kept my head in the game and avoided any disaster holes. With a score of 49 at the turn, I started to play better, producing bogeys and pars. A couple of those pars were very nearly birdies, but the putts lipped out for me. Once again, I finished with a 43 on the back nine, and 92 overall.
I'll take it. That's three decent results in a row!
Score: 92
Putts: 38
Fairways: 10
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
Comfortable on Old Course at Hidden Lake
I'm writing this well after the round was played, so forgive me if my memory is a little sketchy. My recent visits to Hidden Lake have been to the New Course, so I was glad to challenge the Old Course once again.
The front nine featured a lot of double-bogeys - six of them, to be exact. I was playing inconsistently, alternating between good shots and bad ones. On hole #1 for instance, I hit an excellent drive, straight and long. On hole #3 however, I pull-sliced one. On hole #2, a par-3, I had trouble getting up and down. On hole #4 however, which is also a par-3, I got up and down beautifully to save par.
Though I was inconsistent, I was happy that I avoided any blow-up holes - those where the result is triple-bogey or worse. My score at the turn was 49, which meant I had some work to do to salvage a good score.
On the back nine, I played very well. The driver was working fairly, as were the irons. If I have one complaint, it was the fact that I missed some greens from the middle of the fairway and inside 150 yards. You have to hit those if you want to reach the next level. My putting was not spectacular, but I got the job done.
A couple of pars on the last two holes gave me a 43 for the back nine, and 92 overall. That's a decent result - one I can build on next time out.
Score: 92
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 1
The front nine featured a lot of double-bogeys - six of them, to be exact. I was playing inconsistently, alternating between good shots and bad ones. On hole #1 for instance, I hit an excellent drive, straight and long. On hole #3 however, I pull-sliced one. On hole #2, a par-3, I had trouble getting up and down. On hole #4 however, which is also a par-3, I got up and down beautifully to save par.
Though I was inconsistent, I was happy that I avoided any blow-up holes - those where the result is triple-bogey or worse. My score at the turn was 49, which meant I had some work to do to salvage a good score.
On the back nine, I played very well. The driver was working fairly, as were the irons. If I have one complaint, it was the fact that I missed some greens from the middle of the fairway and inside 150 yards. You have to hit those if you want to reach the next level. My putting was not spectacular, but I got the job done.
A couple of pars on the last two holes gave me a 43 for the back nine, and 92 overall. That's a decent result - one I can build on next time out.
Score: 92
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 1
Almost a Legend at Sleepy Hollow
In The Legend of Sleppy Hollow, the short story by American Washington Irving, bumbling schoolmaster Ichabod Crane vies for the hand of the lovely Katrina Van Tassel. A midnight encounter with the Headless Horseman, thought to be another of Katrina's suitors in disguise, ultimately drives Crane out of town empty-handed.
My first GTA Amateur Tour event of the season unfolded like this classic tale in many ways. To begin with, it took place at the appropriately named Sleepy Hollow Country Club, a private club located in Stouffville, Ontario. I played the role of Ichabod Crane, but it was a championship I was pursuing, rather than a young lady. Other suitors for the title were many. I guess you could describe them as a veritable gang of headless horsemen.
On the opening hole, a par-4, I was just off the green after two shots. I completely duffed a chip attempt and then took three putts to register a triple-bogey. It was my only triple of the day, but the failed chip shot is one I would come to regret at the end of the day.
My play was a little choppy over the next four holes, but I managed to avoid another blowout. I just missed a birdie putt on hole #19, a short par-3, which we played as the second hole because #10 was closed for maintenance. Hole #3, a long par-3, also produced a decent result. Unfortunately, holes #2 and #4, which are both par-5 holes, were not so great. A couple of mis-hits on each led to a pair of double-bogeys.
Over the final thirteen holes, I played much more consistently. I was able to control the driver, while hitting good irons, chip shots and putts. Irons off the tee were especially good, setting me up well on par-3 holes and a short par-4. For the final thirteen holes I was ten over par, finishing with a total score of 89, my best of the year.
As I turned in my scorecard, I learned that I was in a four way tie for first place. I immediately thought of the duffed chip shot on the very first hole of the day. The four competitors who finished tied proceeded to a sudden death playoff. I was one of two players eliminated after the first playoff hole, when a 3-putt ruined my chance at victory. I had to settle for second place, earned on the basis of having the best back nine score among the runners-up.
Score: 89
Putts: 34
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
My first GTA Amateur Tour event of the season unfolded like this classic tale in many ways. To begin with, it took place at the appropriately named Sleepy Hollow Country Club, a private club located in Stouffville, Ontario. I played the role of Ichabod Crane, but it was a championship I was pursuing, rather than a young lady. Other suitors for the title were many. I guess you could describe them as a veritable gang of headless horsemen.
On the opening hole, a par-4, I was just off the green after two shots. I completely duffed a chip attempt and then took three putts to register a triple-bogey. It was my only triple of the day, but the failed chip shot is one I would come to regret at the end of the day.
My play was a little choppy over the next four holes, but I managed to avoid another blowout. I just missed a birdie putt on hole #19, a short par-3, which we played as the second hole because #10 was closed for maintenance. Hole #3, a long par-3, also produced a decent result. Unfortunately, holes #2 and #4, which are both par-5 holes, were not so great. A couple of mis-hits on each led to a pair of double-bogeys.
Over the final thirteen holes, I played much more consistently. I was able to control the driver, while hitting good irons, chip shots and putts. Irons off the tee were especially good, setting me up well on par-3 holes and a short par-4. For the final thirteen holes I was ten over par, finishing with a total score of 89, my best of the year.
As I turned in my scorecard, I learned that I was in a four way tie for first place. I immediately thought of the duffed chip shot on the very first hole of the day. The four competitors who finished tied proceeded to a sudden death playoff. I was one of two players eliminated after the first playoff hole, when a 3-putt ruined my chance at victory. I had to settle for second place, earned on the basis of having the best back nine score among the runners-up.
Score: 89
Putts: 34
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
Indian Wells Becoming a Nemesis
Indian Wells is the new Kedron Dells, or so it seems. For those unfamiliar with my golfing history, Kedron Dells was a nemesis of mine for quite some time. It seemed like I would have a bad round every time I ventured to the Oshawa area course. Last summer, I finally got the Kedron monkey off my back.
No sooner did I rid myself of one nemesis than have another step up to take its place. The new nemesis is Indian Wells, a Burlington area course situated in the shadow of the Niagara escarpment. I have played the course in the past without incident, but recent visits have been less than pleasant.
In fact, these unfortunate experiences encouraged me to re-visit the course. I want to replace the bad memories with good ones, or perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment. Either way, I returned to Indian Wells on a cold and windy weekend.
The fact that I hit my first shot out of bounds was a very bad omen. There is a lot of room on the first hole and no need to bring out of bounds into play. Almost every shot I atempted on the first hole was a bad one, leading to a terrible score of nine. I quickly repeated the feat, scoring a nine on hole #2. My round was over practically before it started, and I knew it. I would soldier on for the remaining holes, but there was really nothing left to salvage.
I tried to focus on every shot and actually played half of the holes very well. When I found myself in trouble however, there was simply no recovery. The rough at Indian Wells has been particularly lush of late, making it highly penal to miss the fairway. On a couple of occasions, I ventured into the woods and could not easily chip out. To top it all off, I had way too many 3-putts.
Chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.
Score: 108
Putts: 39
Fairways: 7
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
No sooner did I rid myself of one nemesis than have another step up to take its place. The new nemesis is Indian Wells, a Burlington area course situated in the shadow of the Niagara escarpment. I have played the course in the past without incident, but recent visits have been less than pleasant.
In fact, these unfortunate experiences encouraged me to re-visit the course. I want to replace the bad memories with good ones, or perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment. Either way, I returned to Indian Wells on a cold and windy weekend.
The fact that I hit my first shot out of bounds was a very bad omen. There is a lot of room on the first hole and no need to bring out of bounds into play. Almost every shot I atempted on the first hole was a bad one, leading to a terrible score of nine. I quickly repeated the feat, scoring a nine on hole #2. My round was over practically before it started, and I knew it. I would soldier on for the remaining holes, but there was really nothing left to salvage.
I tried to focus on every shot and actually played half of the holes very well. When I found myself in trouble however, there was simply no recovery. The rough at Indian Wells has been particularly lush of late, making it highly penal to miss the fairway. On a couple of occasions, I ventured into the woods and could not easily chip out. To top it all off, I had way too many 3-putts.
Chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.
Score: 108
Putts: 39
Fairways: 7
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
Successful Debut at Eagle's Nest
Owing to its stratospheric green fees, I had never played at Eagle's Nest Golf Club, though I had always heard good things about the course. On a wet weekend in May, I finally had a chance to play the Doug Carrick designed course in Maple, Ontario.
The front nine began and ended with textbook pars on a couple of par-5 holes. In each case, I hit the fairway with my tee shot, advanced the ball with a mid-iron, hit the green with a short iron, and two-putt to hole out. It makes for a boring story, but a very satisfying experience.
Between those two holes, I registered four bogeys, two doubles, and one triple. For the most part, I was hitting the ball decently. A fairway bunker on hole #2 was the cause of the triple, while an uneven fairway lie on hole #6 and a poor pitch shot on hole #7 produced the doubles.
The back nine got off to a rough start on hole #10, a par-4 measuring 383 yards. After hitting the fairway off the tee, I flared my approach shot into a massive waste bunker right of the green. I had trouble getting out, leading to a score of eight. Luckily, I bounced right back on the next hole, hitting a great approach shot to set up par.
This was followed by a pair of bogeys and two more pars, in a stretch of well controlled golf. Unfortunately, the stretch was cut short by a hazard lining the right side of hole #16. My second shot was in there and I had trouble getting out cleanly. Triple bogey ensued.
Overall, I was pleased with a score of 95 on a tough track I had never played before.
Score: 95
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
The front nine began and ended with textbook pars on a couple of par-5 holes. In each case, I hit the fairway with my tee shot, advanced the ball with a mid-iron, hit the green with a short iron, and two-putt to hole out. It makes for a boring story, but a very satisfying experience.
Between those two holes, I registered four bogeys, two doubles, and one triple. For the most part, I was hitting the ball decently. A fairway bunker on hole #2 was the cause of the triple, while an uneven fairway lie on hole #6 and a poor pitch shot on hole #7 produced the doubles.
The back nine got off to a rough start on hole #10, a par-4 measuring 383 yards. After hitting the fairway off the tee, I flared my approach shot into a massive waste bunker right of the green. I had trouble getting out, leading to a score of eight. Luckily, I bounced right back on the next hole, hitting a great approach shot to set up par.
This was followed by a pair of bogeys and two more pars, in a stretch of well controlled golf. Unfortunately, the stretch was cut short by a hazard lining the right side of hole #16. My second shot was in there and I had trouble getting out cleanly. Triple bogey ensued.
Overall, I was pleased with a score of 95 on a tough track I had never played before.
Score: 95
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 4
Penalties: 0
First Visit to Bond Head
On my first ever visit to Bond Head, I was eager to tackle the South Course. Considering I had never played the course before, I was relatively happy to register three bogeys and three double-bogeys through the first six holes. I was making some mistakes, but I was hanging in there.
Once again, I managed to score a birdie on hole #7, a par-5. My drive was left of the fairway, but I followed up with a good 5-wood to a position right of the fairway, about 175 yards from the flag. The next shot, using a 5-iron, was pure magic. It came off exactly as I envisioned, landing on the green and funneling toward the hole. This was followed by a lengthy downhill putt for bird. Sweet!
On the back nine, my driver and fairway woods became very erratic once again, leading to a couple of bad holes. To be honest, my putting was also quite bad. OK, it was terrible. On the positive side, my irons were working well. I am struggling to find the right swing path with the longer clubs right now. Need to fix that!
Score: 97
Putts: 44
Fairways: 2
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Once again, I managed to score a birdie on hole #7, a par-5. My drive was left of the fairway, but I followed up with a good 5-wood to a position right of the fairway, about 175 yards from the flag. The next shot, using a 5-iron, was pure magic. It came off exactly as I envisioned, landing on the green and funneling toward the hole. This was followed by a lengthy downhill putt for bird. Sweet!
On the back nine, my driver and fairway woods became very erratic once again, leading to a couple of bad holes. To be honest, my putting was also quite bad. OK, it was terrible. On the positive side, my irons were working well. I am struggling to find the right swing path with the longer clubs right now. Need to fix that!
Score: 97
Putts: 44
Fairways: 2
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Coming Around at Glen Cedars
I hadn't played Glen Cedars in a couple of years, so I was looking forward to it. Bad tee shots early in the round forced me to scramble often, but I didn't let the score get out of hand. Bad shots were usually followed by good ones, keeping me in the game.
A birdie on hole #7 was the turning point. A huge drive left me just 160 yards from the green on this par-5, albeit from the opposite fairway. My 8-iron had to clear some tall trees to reach the green and it just failed to do so. From 90 yards, I had the same trees to clear and this time did so with a beautiful 60 degree wedge shot. The ball stopped six feet in front of the pin and I easily drained the putt.
I was 8 over par for the last 12 holes, including that birdie and five pars. I still had a couple of bad drives, but the good ones were beginning to appear. Most of all, I felt very comfortable with short irons, such as 7-iron and above. I hit some very pure approach shots, which felt good. Putting was just average.
Score: 92
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
A birdie on hole #7 was the turning point. A huge drive left me just 160 yards from the green on this par-5, albeit from the opposite fairway. My 8-iron had to clear some tall trees to reach the green and it just failed to do so. From 90 yards, I had the same trees to clear and this time did so with a beautiful 60 degree wedge shot. The ball stopped six feet in front of the pin and I easily drained the putt.
I was 8 over par for the last 12 holes, including that birdie and five pars. I still had a couple of bad drives, but the good ones were beginning to appear. Most of all, I felt very comfortable with short irons, such as 7-iron and above. I hit some very pure approach shots, which felt good. Putting was just average.
Score: 92
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
Crossed Up at Crosswinds
I've had some great rounds at Crosswinds and I've had some stinkers. This was one of the latter. A lost ball on my very first shot was a bad way to start. After hitting my third from the tee, I effectively made par on the hole, but that equates to a double bogey.
Holes #2 through #4 set the tone for the rest of the day. I could not hit a shot to save my life! It didn't matter what club I was hitting either. I hooked shots with the driver, duffed others with fairway woods, and zeroed in on bunkers and trees with my irons. It was the kind of round you just want to forget.
In the greenside bunker on hole #10, I accidentally picked another ball clean, sending it somewhere into the woods behind the green. That was my cue to abandon any hope of salvaging a decent finish. I soldiered on, but it was not a fun day.
Score: 114
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 9
Holes #2 through #4 set the tone for the rest of the day. I could not hit a shot to save my life! It didn't matter what club I was hitting either. I hooked shots with the driver, duffed others with fairway woods, and zeroed in on bunkers and trees with my irons. It was the kind of round you just want to forget.
In the greenside bunker on hole #10, I accidentally picked another ball clean, sending it somewhere into the woods behind the green. That was my cue to abandon any hope of salvaging a decent finish. I soldiered on, but it was not a fun day.
Score: 114
Putts: 37
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 9
Some Tough Moments at Saw-Whet
There were no birdies at Saw-Whet a week later; the best I could muster was a couple of pars on holes #10 and #12. Driver play was still very erratic, with many shots off the heel of the club. At times, I set up a couple inches away from the ball and it seemed to help.
Hole #9 inflated my score as I took eleven strokes to complete this par-5. In the greenside bunker after four, I proceeded to pick the ball clean and launch it out of bounds into the driving range. After a penalty stroke and a drop, of course my next attempt was hit fat. It was a giant comedy of errors.
I settled down and went 11 over par for the back nine. On hole #12, a par-3 playing 175 yards, I nearly made a hole-in-one. My tee shot rode the wind and dropped a foot in front of the pin, coming to rest about six feet left of the cup.
Score: 104
Putts: 39
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 3
Hole #9 inflated my score as I took eleven strokes to complete this par-5. In the greenside bunker after four, I proceeded to pick the ball clean and launch it out of bounds into the driving range. After a penalty stroke and a drop, of course my next attempt was hit fat. It was a giant comedy of errors.
I settled down and went 11 over par for the back nine. On hole #12, a par-3 playing 175 yards, I nearly made a hole-in-one. My tee shot rode the wind and dropped a foot in front of the pin, coming to rest about six feet left of the cup.
Score: 104
Putts: 39
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 3
Great Start at Piper's Heath
It was Easter Sunday and the golf season started out well with a birdie on the first hole at Piper's Heath. I drove the ball to the centre of the fairway, hit an 8-iron to the front of the green, then drained a long putt. Good vibes.
I pulled my drive on the second hole and topped my tee shot on the fourth, which was pretty typical for the day. Poor scores resulted on both of those holes. Though I scored better on the remaining holes, my driver and especially my fairway woods were very inconsistent.
I was 13 over par for the last 14 holes, including 5 pars. My irons were decent and my play around the greens was actually quite good. I chipped a number of shots smartly into the mounds surrounding the greens. Overall, my putting was pretty solid.
Score: 92
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
I pulled my drive on the second hole and topped my tee shot on the fourth, which was pretty typical for the day. Poor scores resulted on both of those holes. Though I scored better on the remaining holes, my driver and especially my fairway woods were very inconsistent.
I was 13 over par for the last 14 holes, including 5 pars. My irons were decent and my play around the greens was actually quite good. I chipped a number of shots smartly into the mounds surrounding the greens. Overall, my putting was pretty solid.
Score: 92
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
May 05, 2010
Be Water, My Friend
Empty your mind
Be formless, shapeless, like water
Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle
You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot
Now water can flow, or it can crash
Be water, my friend
-Bruce Lee
Be formless, shapeless, like water
Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle
You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot
Now water can flow, or it can crash
Be water, my friend
-Bruce Lee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)