I've probably played one hundred different golf courses in southern Ontario, but until yesterday, I had never visited a City of Toronto municipal course, of which there are five. Considering that I live in Toronto, this was somewhat unusual. I don't have anything against city-run courses; some that I've played in other municipalities include: Lakeview and Braeben in Mississauga, Tyandaga in Burlington, King's Forest in Hamilton, and Grey Silo in Waterloo (before it was taken over by a private firm). A provincial government agency runs Whirlpool and Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, which I've played as well.
Primarily, I've stayed away from the Toronto courses because they're not particularly long. With the exception of Tyandaga, which I played earlier in my golfing days, the other munis that I listed can all play to a length of at least 6,300 yards, which I consider an important cutoff. Some of them stretch well over 7,000 yards from the back tees. By contrast, the longest of the Toronto courses (Don Valley) maxes out at 6,109 yards. Tam O'Shanter is close behind at 6,083 yards, followed by Humber Valley, well back at 5,446 yards.
Putting the length issue aside, I decided to venture out to Humber Valley. On a day when rain seemed to be making things miserable, the proximity of the course and the price tag were both right. Teeing off late in the afternoon ended up being a smart choice. By that time, a fine mist that had persisted all morning and early afternoon finally subsided, making for a pleasant round as far as the weather was concerned. This being a short course, my strategy for the day was to use the driver sparingly, perhaps only on hole #14, a 392-yard par-4, as well as #16 and #17, a pair of par-5 holes each measuring about 515 yards. Since my driver has been wild recently, this seemed like a sound approach.
My strategy was tested with the very first shot of the day, a mis-hit with the 3-iron. The ball travelled just a few yards ahead of the tee box, nestling into some lush, wet rough. My next shot barely got out of the rough and after two shots I was already behind the proverbial 8-ball. I struggled to a triple bogey on the first hole. On the second hole, I decided to see if the 5-wood might work better off the tee and it sure did. I piped the ball 235 yards straight down the fairway from a slightly elevated tee. What a beauty! A pitching wedge from 130 yards out landed on the front of the green, but released and trickled off the back edge. I was close to the back pin position and made a great chip, followed by a tap-in for par.
Hole #3 is a par-4 measuring only 249 yards, so I couldn't resist hitting the driver. I caught a bit of the ground in front of the ball, which scrubbed some distance off of a very straight hit. From a bunker position, I managed to get on the green in regulation, then 2-putt for another par. After this, it was back to my iron strategy off the tee. With the exception of a couple of par-3 holes, where I hit decent first shots to collect a bogey and par, this strategy was not working at all. On holes #5, #7, and #8, my 6-iron off the tee developed into a big duck hook. On two of these holes, I scrambled back to save bogey. On the third, I struggled with a green side bunker en route to a quadruple-bogey. Yech!
On hole #9, I abandoned irons off the tee in favour of the driver. It was an approach I would stick with for the remainder of the round. It helped me earn par on the last of the front nine and birdie on the first of the back. I missed the fairway in both cases, but was just a few yards into the rough and could attack the greens with lofted clubs. The approach on hole #10 was perhaps the shot of the day. The pin was tucked at the back right of the green, 130 yards away. Coming from the right rough, it was blocked by a tall, mature tree. I hit a perfect pitching wedge, which sent the ball clear over the highest branches. It barely reached the green, then released forward straight at the pin. It missed by a foot to the right, stopping some six feet past the hole. It was a brave shot, rewarded by the subsequent birdie putt.
On hole #11, I hit my best drive of the day and made an important discovery in the process. The ball travelled 250 yards straight as an arrow, leaving a 60-yard pitch to the green. I messed up the pitch shot, leading to a bogey, but that's not the point. Before I hit that drive, I realized that my left elbow was bent slightly at address. My best shots are hit when my left elbow is kept straight, both at setup and at impact. In other words, my arm and club shaft form a straight line from shoulder to club head. Since the arm and club are fully extended, the position of the club head at impact matches that at address. I had gotten away from this all season long. Could this be the solution to my driving woes?
I put the theory to the test on the next hole, a 296-yard par-4. I sliced this one into the opposite fairway, but wasn't upset because contact was good and the swing felt comfortable. Sitting 90 yards from the green, I used a 60 degree wedge to clear a massive tree blocking my way and stuck the ball on the putting surface. What a great shot! This one had some serious air and left a massive mark where it hit the green. Don't worry, I fixed it. It was too bad I missed a short second putt and had to settle for bogey. Some retribution came in the form of par on the very next hole. Yay!
Beginning with hole #14, Humber Valley stretches out into true championship calibre. There is no comparing the final stretch of this course with the miniaturized beginning. The Humber river borders #14 along the entire right side. At 392 yards, two good shots are required to hit the green, which is fronted by mounds and features fall-offs to the back and right. The green itself has a number of undulations that make putting tricky. After a good drive, my approach was a couple of yards short, so I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. Hole #15 is a par-3 measuring 167 yards. The green is tucked in front of some trees with the river on the right from tee to hole. Visually, it's a bit intimidating, though one can bail out short and left. I caught my tee shot thin and put it in the hazard 50 yards in front of the teeing ground. After a penalty stroke, I hit a great 9-iron to the green. Unfortunately, I misjudged the distance, as the ball carried all the way to the back of the green. It was legitimate 3-putt territory and that's exactly what happened. I was forced to mark a triple-bogey on my scorecard.
Holes #16 and #17, a pair of back-to-back par-5 holes, offer a great challenge. After a sliced drive on #16, I smartly played down the opposite fairway. My third shot got me flag-high, but 40 yards right of the green. I managed to hole out with three more shots for a bogey. My drive on #17 was better, finding the centre of the fairway. Next, I hit a rare 3-wood to the left rough, leaving just 100 yards to the green. The 60-degree wedge got me there safely and two putts finished things up for par. I also made par on hole #18, a 197-yard par-3. My 4-iron off the tee stopped in the rough at the front right of the green, very near the flag. I made a great chip and tap-in to close things out.
Overall, I think I played to my current potential. I finished with a score of 86, which is okay, but not great for this particular course. With one or two errors avoided, I could have been at about 80, as a single error often adds two or three strokes to one's score. More importantly, I think I may have found something to help my driver. We'll see how it goes at the next round!
Score: 86
Putts: 32
Fairways: 3
Greens: 7
Penalties: 1
July 29, 2011
July 26, 2011
Hacking Away at Hidden Lake
If there was a twelve-step program for disconsolate golfers, it would probably begin with each participant acknowledging that he is a hack. Well, sign me up for the first available program, because I fully admit it. Where I stand today is not the result of bad luck, faulty equipment, tricked-up courses, poor weather, or stupid playing partners. It is a reflection of my current skill level and ability (or lack thereof). There is a reason my handicap factor has jumped almost five points over the past two years. I'm simply not as good as I was back then.
I just finished my latest round on the Old Course at Hidden Lake Golf Club. Having played a few rounds on less familiar territory this season, I was looking forward to playing a course I know very well. My last three visits to the Old Course produced scores of 92, 90, and 87. At that rate, I was on pace to shoot about 85, right? Well, let's just say it didn't work out that way. Though conditions were ideal, I struggled all day long and had to grind hard just to break 100. It was a good thing I broke the century mark, otherwise authorities may have had to pull a body from the bottom of Hidden Lake - mine! Drowning would be a cakewalk compared to the suffering I endure at the hands of this wretched game.
I won't bore you with any shot by shot accounts. Instead, allow me to analyse the major components of the game, with the inclusion of a few examples to add some colour.
Driver. This has been the worst part of my game this season, by far. Early in the year, I was pulling a lot of drives left. There was no hook to the ball flight, just a straight pull off the tee. Occasionally, I would pipe a beauty deep and straight down the fairway. These good shots actually made it harder to determine what I was doing wrong on the bad ones. To me, they all felt the same. Sometimes, a reverse pivot was the obvious culprit. I could feel my left foot lose traction or even come off the ground, while my weight shifted violently to the right foot. However, this only explains a small percentage of the misses.
Over the last few rounds, my misses with the driver have become more varied. The full variety was on display at Hidden Lake. Of twelve shots taken with the driver, four were straight pulls, one was a pull-hook, three were fades or slices, and one was a topped ball. Only three of the drives were well struck. Many of the pulls involved trees just ahead of the teeing ground. These trees intimidate players who can only hit the ball from left to right. Hole #15 is a classic example, and I fell into the trap sure as God made little green apples. Hole #17 is another example, so I opted to play a 3-iron for safety. Too bad that shot was a complete duff that didn't even reach the forward tees.
I am at a complete loss with the driver right now. I'm all over the place, looking for a swing that I can control, but I'm not finding it. Maybe I should start from the beginning and try to build it out piece by piece. Look at ball position at address, posture, grip, takeaway, swing plane, swing length, tempo, balance, etc. I don't know.
Fairway woods. These used to be a strength of my game, but I completely lost any feel I had with them beginning two years ago. It hasn't been a huge problem, since my long irons improved substantially and I use them when I might have used a fairway wood in the past. Still, it's nice to have options. Surprisingly, my woods worked well at Hidden Lake. I hit 5-wood a couple of times after duffed or topped tee shots to good effect.
Irons. Early in the season, I was hooking my irons too much for my liking. The problem was more pronounced with the short irons, say 7-iron and up. This was disappointing because these are supposed to be your scoring clubs. It was also more pronounced off the tee, for reasons I can't explain. After working on this during a round at Tunberry, I largely corrected the problem. At Hidden Lake, my irons were only so-so. Actually, I didn't have a lot of iron shots that I could hit full out. Most of the time, I was using them to punch low shots underneath tree branches. With the exception of a 195-yard tee shot on the par-3 eighth hole, my tee shots with irons were a letdown. I came up short on hole #2, while hooking the approach to holes #4, #14, and #18.
Wedges. Full wedge shots have been satisfactory this season, but they could have been better. While I can't recall any disastrous wedge shots, I can recall a few that missed the green when they really shouldn't have. At Hidden Lake, wedge shots were the best part of my game. Out of position on holes #1, #6, #7, and #16, I used the 52 degree club to clear high trees while advancing the ball in the direction of the green. It was the right call each time and execution was flawless. On the other hand, I topped the ball with the same club on my approach to hole #13. I also sculled the ball with the 56 degree club on my approach to hole #9. Nobody's perfect.
Pitching & chipping. My short game has been less than stellar a couple of times this season, but overall, I've been quite pleased. I'd love to get up and down more routinely, but as long as no egregious errors are committed, I'm generally happy. My pitching and chipping worked pretty well at Hidden Lake. I was able to get up and down four times. On many other occasions, I chipped reasonably well, but left the ball outside of single-putt range. On three separate occasions, I had a pitch shot land shorter than I wanted it to. Two of those resulted in a 3-putt, while one required an additional chip to get on the green.
Bunkers. Two years ago, my bunker play went to pieces. I used to have no trouble with sand near the green, then all of a sudden, I was vacillating between picking balls clean and catching too much sand. I lost my confidence and I'm still trying to get it back. I only had one bunker shot at Hidden Lake, my second on hole #18, a par-3. It was a good one, even though it rolled well past the hole.
Putting. I have no complaints with my putting this year. Some days are better than others, that's just the way it goes. My putting at Hidden Lake was solid, though I did have a pair of 3-putts. One of these came on hole #1, before I had an opportunity to feel the speed of the greens. The other came on hole #10, where my second putt was a short miss. This miss, along with another short one, were the only putts that left me disappointed.
Score: 99
Putts: 34
Fairways: 3
Greens: 1
Penalties: 0
I just finished my latest round on the Old Course at Hidden Lake Golf Club. Having played a few rounds on less familiar territory this season, I was looking forward to playing a course I know very well. My last three visits to the Old Course produced scores of 92, 90, and 87. At that rate, I was on pace to shoot about 85, right? Well, let's just say it didn't work out that way. Though conditions were ideal, I struggled all day long and had to grind hard just to break 100. It was a good thing I broke the century mark, otherwise authorities may have had to pull a body from the bottom of Hidden Lake - mine! Drowning would be a cakewalk compared to the suffering I endure at the hands of this wretched game.
I won't bore you with any shot by shot accounts. Instead, allow me to analyse the major components of the game, with the inclusion of a few examples to add some colour.
Driver. This has been the worst part of my game this season, by far. Early in the year, I was pulling a lot of drives left. There was no hook to the ball flight, just a straight pull off the tee. Occasionally, I would pipe a beauty deep and straight down the fairway. These good shots actually made it harder to determine what I was doing wrong on the bad ones. To me, they all felt the same. Sometimes, a reverse pivot was the obvious culprit. I could feel my left foot lose traction or even come off the ground, while my weight shifted violently to the right foot. However, this only explains a small percentage of the misses.
Over the last few rounds, my misses with the driver have become more varied. The full variety was on display at Hidden Lake. Of twelve shots taken with the driver, four were straight pulls, one was a pull-hook, three were fades or slices, and one was a topped ball. Only three of the drives were well struck. Many of the pulls involved trees just ahead of the teeing ground. These trees intimidate players who can only hit the ball from left to right. Hole #15 is a classic example, and I fell into the trap sure as God made little green apples. Hole #17 is another example, so I opted to play a 3-iron for safety. Too bad that shot was a complete duff that didn't even reach the forward tees.
I am at a complete loss with the driver right now. I'm all over the place, looking for a swing that I can control, but I'm not finding it. Maybe I should start from the beginning and try to build it out piece by piece. Look at ball position at address, posture, grip, takeaway, swing plane, swing length, tempo, balance, etc. I don't know.
Fairway woods. These used to be a strength of my game, but I completely lost any feel I had with them beginning two years ago. It hasn't been a huge problem, since my long irons improved substantially and I use them when I might have used a fairway wood in the past. Still, it's nice to have options. Surprisingly, my woods worked well at Hidden Lake. I hit 5-wood a couple of times after duffed or topped tee shots to good effect.
Irons. Early in the season, I was hooking my irons too much for my liking. The problem was more pronounced with the short irons, say 7-iron and up. This was disappointing because these are supposed to be your scoring clubs. It was also more pronounced off the tee, for reasons I can't explain. After working on this during a round at Tunberry, I largely corrected the problem. At Hidden Lake, my irons were only so-so. Actually, I didn't have a lot of iron shots that I could hit full out. Most of the time, I was using them to punch low shots underneath tree branches. With the exception of a 195-yard tee shot on the par-3 eighth hole, my tee shots with irons were a letdown. I came up short on hole #2, while hooking the approach to holes #4, #14, and #18.
Wedges. Full wedge shots have been satisfactory this season, but they could have been better. While I can't recall any disastrous wedge shots, I can recall a few that missed the green when they really shouldn't have. At Hidden Lake, wedge shots were the best part of my game. Out of position on holes #1, #6, #7, and #16, I used the 52 degree club to clear high trees while advancing the ball in the direction of the green. It was the right call each time and execution was flawless. On the other hand, I topped the ball with the same club on my approach to hole #13. I also sculled the ball with the 56 degree club on my approach to hole #9. Nobody's perfect.
Pitching & chipping. My short game has been less than stellar a couple of times this season, but overall, I've been quite pleased. I'd love to get up and down more routinely, but as long as no egregious errors are committed, I'm generally happy. My pitching and chipping worked pretty well at Hidden Lake. I was able to get up and down four times. On many other occasions, I chipped reasonably well, but left the ball outside of single-putt range. On three separate occasions, I had a pitch shot land shorter than I wanted it to. Two of those resulted in a 3-putt, while one required an additional chip to get on the green.
Bunkers. Two years ago, my bunker play went to pieces. I used to have no trouble with sand near the green, then all of a sudden, I was vacillating between picking balls clean and catching too much sand. I lost my confidence and I'm still trying to get it back. I only had one bunker shot at Hidden Lake, my second on hole #18, a par-3. It was a good one, even though it rolled well past the hole.
Putting. I have no complaints with my putting this year. Some days are better than others, that's just the way it goes. My putting at Hidden Lake was solid, though I did have a pair of 3-putts. One of these came on hole #1, before I had an opportunity to feel the speed of the greens. The other came on hole #10, where my second putt was a short miss. This miss, along with another short one, were the only putts that left me disappointed.
Score: 99
Putts: 34
Fairways: 3
Greens: 1
Penalties: 0
July 18, 2011
Oakridge Result Typical for Season
Deepwoods events have been a special part of my golf season dating back to 2006, when I first joined the association. This year, I have looked forward to these events even more than usual, as I have yet to play any other organized events during 2011. After a poor showing in the season opener at Copetown Woods, I bounced back with a decent performance at Peninsula Lakes, which remains my best result of the 2011 season. Unfortunately, any hope of recapturing the Deepwoods championship went out the window with my latest effort at Oakridge Golf Club.
On a hot and humid Sunday afternoon, I teed off determined to survive the first three holes at Oakridge. My 5-wood on the opening hole was struck well, but the ball was pulled left, ending up in some fescue and pine trees. Lost ball. Hitting three from the tee, my next shot with the 5-wood was perfect, leaving a 130-yard approach from the right edge of the fairway. I curled a pitching wedge just past the flag at the back of the green and 2-putt for double-bogey. If not for the opening miscue, this would have been a pretty par. On hole #2, a 182-yard par-3, my tee shot landed in the rough two yards left of the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. Not bad.
Hole #3 was the real killer. Then again, it usually is. At 377 yards from the gold tees, the hole is not overly long. However, an elevated tee and a small landing zone bordered by out-of bounds, a pond and some forest conspire to make the opening shot very challenging. Hitting 5-wood, my first attempt was struck well, but a little too far left for my liking. Fearing that I had gone out of bounds, I hit a provisional ball. This one was also a tad left, but not in danger of being OB. Approaching the landing zone, I saw that my first ball was indeed OB by about five yards. My provisional ball was in play, but directly behind a small, low bush. With my fourth shot, I was forced to chip sideways to the fairway. My next shot, 125 yards from the green, was a shank into the pond. The ball was below my feet in a drainage ditch of sorts. Taking a penalty, I hit my seventh shot pin high, but off the green. After a chip and two putts, I recorded an ugly 10 on my scorecard. Of all the shots I took, I felt like only the shank was a truly bad shot. Nevertheless, the rest were bad enough that they added up to a horrific score for the hole.
I bogeyed the next hole, a short par-3, in much the same fashion as I had the previous par-3. Tee shot just off the green, followed by a chip and two putts. In contrast to hole #3, I played hole #5 like a pro. Driver off the tee was straight and plenty deep, leaving a pitching wedge to the green. My approach rolled off the back of the green, but was very near the pin. I hit a great chip and tap-in for an easy-looking up and down. Par seems so simple at times. In fact, my short game was strong all day. After topping some balls en route to green #6, I finished with a chip and tap-in. It was for a triple-bogey, but the finish was strong. The same thing happened on hole #7, though this time the chip and tap-in were for bogey. Actually, I did very well to bogey that hole after my tee shot was lost in a hazard and my third was a chip to the fairway from a cluster of trees. On hole #8, a chip and a putt once again helped me earn bogey. The up-and-down streak ended at four consecutive holes, as I earned par on hole #9 with a conventional green in regulation, followed by two putts.
Half way through the round my score was at 50 even. Considering I scored 10 on a single hole, I felt like I was playing decently.
Unfortunately, I managed to "out-do" that score of 10 on hole #10. At just 324 yards from the gold tees, you would think that this hole should not pose a problem. My 4-iron off the tee was pulled left into a cluster of trees and fescue. The ball was unplayable, so I was forced to take a penalty. With my third shot, I tried to advance the ball through an opening in the trees. I smacked a tree trunk and had no idea where the ball deflected. Add another penalty. With my fifth shot, I successfully executed the chip through the opening. My sixth shot, 130 yards from the flag in the right fairway, found a bunker fronting the right edge of the green. Next, I picked the ball too clean, overshooting the green into another bunker. Of course, this bunker shot was too fat, stopping in the rough near the green edge. After a chip and two putts, the final damage was 11 on the scorecard. It seems almost impossible, yet it happened.
Over the next few holes, I was back to playing bogey golf. Once again, a chip and putt earned that result on hole #12. However, whenever I hit a bad shot, it turned out to be very costly. My tee shot on hole #13, a par-3 over water was struck thin and found the drink. My drive on hole #14 faded a tad too much into the forest. Hitting three from the tee, I finished that hole with a double bogey. Much like hole #1, if not for the opening error, this would have been a pretty par. A bad tee shot on hole #15 put me into a temporary mental funk that ruined the hole. I smothered the ball off the tee, then topped a couple more shots en route to the green. A two putt would have salvaged double-bogey, but after a great lag, I missed an easy two-footer. It was my only 3-putt of the day and I promptly threw the offending ball into the woods.
The highlight of the day came on hole #16, a par-3 measuring 130 yards from the gold tees. The flag was at the back of the green, adding about 15 yards of distance. In addition, there was a 2-club wind directly in our face. I hit an 8-iron pure and straight, landing on the green about 15 feet short of the cup. The birdie putt was slightly uphill, with little break. Thankfully, I drained it. I almost made another birdie on the next hole, after a thundering drive to the fairway and an 88-yard approach to within 8 feet. The birdie putt burned the right edge of the cup, so I walked away with par.
The final hole of the day produced another great shot, even though the result wasn't perfect. This par-5 measures just 446 yards, but getting to the green in two is tough, due to a bend in the fairway, which is bordered by many trees, as well as a pond that protects the front of the green. I aimed my tee shot over the trees on the left, hoping to get over them entirely, or at least to a place where I could punch out to the fairway. Sure enough, I was among the trees. My punch attempt hit the base of a tree trunk and I was left in the trees and in the rough. However, there was enough of an opening or chute that I could see the area just right of the green. I was 160 yards away and my swing was unimpeded. My next shot with the 7-iron was a thing of beauty. Contact was crisp. The ball jumped off the club face and exited the opening in the trees. It then started drawing left, toward the centre of the green. It missed a large tree that fronts the green. For a moment, it looked like I would be putting for birdie. However, the ball carried to the back of the green, ending up in a shallow bunker sitting above the putting surface. I used the putter to get out of the bunker then hit two more traditional putts to finish with a bogey. So while the final result was nothing special, that shot with the 7-iron felt really good.
Wen all was said and done, I finished with a disappointing score of 102. Overlook the two holes where I shot 10 and 11 however, and things don't look all that bad. An 81 through 16 holes is pretty good for me. Then again, you have to play all 18 holes in golf. You don't have the luxury of dropping your two worst holes. So, I'm left with a mixed bag once again. Drives that alternate between excellent and horrific. A couple of blowup holes mixed in with quite a few good ones. Poor sand play, along with great chipping and putting. I need to put it all together to save this season. If I do however, it will be too late to earn the Deepwoods crown.
Score: 102
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 3
Penalties: 8
On a hot and humid Sunday afternoon, I teed off determined to survive the first three holes at Oakridge. My 5-wood on the opening hole was struck well, but the ball was pulled left, ending up in some fescue and pine trees. Lost ball. Hitting three from the tee, my next shot with the 5-wood was perfect, leaving a 130-yard approach from the right edge of the fairway. I curled a pitching wedge just past the flag at the back of the green and 2-putt for double-bogey. If not for the opening miscue, this would have been a pretty par. On hole #2, a 182-yard par-3, my tee shot landed in the rough two yards left of the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. Not bad.
Hole #3 was the real killer. Then again, it usually is. At 377 yards from the gold tees, the hole is not overly long. However, an elevated tee and a small landing zone bordered by out-of bounds, a pond and some forest conspire to make the opening shot very challenging. Hitting 5-wood, my first attempt was struck well, but a little too far left for my liking. Fearing that I had gone out of bounds, I hit a provisional ball. This one was also a tad left, but not in danger of being OB. Approaching the landing zone, I saw that my first ball was indeed OB by about five yards. My provisional ball was in play, but directly behind a small, low bush. With my fourth shot, I was forced to chip sideways to the fairway. My next shot, 125 yards from the green, was a shank into the pond. The ball was below my feet in a drainage ditch of sorts. Taking a penalty, I hit my seventh shot pin high, but off the green. After a chip and two putts, I recorded an ugly 10 on my scorecard. Of all the shots I took, I felt like only the shank was a truly bad shot. Nevertheless, the rest were bad enough that they added up to a horrific score for the hole.
I bogeyed the next hole, a short par-3, in much the same fashion as I had the previous par-3. Tee shot just off the green, followed by a chip and two putts. In contrast to hole #3, I played hole #5 like a pro. Driver off the tee was straight and plenty deep, leaving a pitching wedge to the green. My approach rolled off the back of the green, but was very near the pin. I hit a great chip and tap-in for an easy-looking up and down. Par seems so simple at times. In fact, my short game was strong all day. After topping some balls en route to green #6, I finished with a chip and tap-in. It was for a triple-bogey, but the finish was strong. The same thing happened on hole #7, though this time the chip and tap-in were for bogey. Actually, I did very well to bogey that hole after my tee shot was lost in a hazard and my third was a chip to the fairway from a cluster of trees. On hole #8, a chip and a putt once again helped me earn bogey. The up-and-down streak ended at four consecutive holes, as I earned par on hole #9 with a conventional green in regulation, followed by two putts.
Half way through the round my score was at 50 even. Considering I scored 10 on a single hole, I felt like I was playing decently.
Unfortunately, I managed to "out-do" that score of 10 on hole #10. At just 324 yards from the gold tees, you would think that this hole should not pose a problem. My 4-iron off the tee was pulled left into a cluster of trees and fescue. The ball was unplayable, so I was forced to take a penalty. With my third shot, I tried to advance the ball through an opening in the trees. I smacked a tree trunk and had no idea where the ball deflected. Add another penalty. With my fifth shot, I successfully executed the chip through the opening. My sixth shot, 130 yards from the flag in the right fairway, found a bunker fronting the right edge of the green. Next, I picked the ball too clean, overshooting the green into another bunker. Of course, this bunker shot was too fat, stopping in the rough near the green edge. After a chip and two putts, the final damage was 11 on the scorecard. It seems almost impossible, yet it happened.
Over the next few holes, I was back to playing bogey golf. Once again, a chip and putt earned that result on hole #12. However, whenever I hit a bad shot, it turned out to be very costly. My tee shot on hole #13, a par-3 over water was struck thin and found the drink. My drive on hole #14 faded a tad too much into the forest. Hitting three from the tee, I finished that hole with a double bogey. Much like hole #1, if not for the opening error, this would have been a pretty par. A bad tee shot on hole #15 put me into a temporary mental funk that ruined the hole. I smothered the ball off the tee, then topped a couple more shots en route to the green. A two putt would have salvaged double-bogey, but after a great lag, I missed an easy two-footer. It was my only 3-putt of the day and I promptly threw the offending ball into the woods.
The highlight of the day came on hole #16, a par-3 measuring 130 yards from the gold tees. The flag was at the back of the green, adding about 15 yards of distance. In addition, there was a 2-club wind directly in our face. I hit an 8-iron pure and straight, landing on the green about 15 feet short of the cup. The birdie putt was slightly uphill, with little break. Thankfully, I drained it. I almost made another birdie on the next hole, after a thundering drive to the fairway and an 88-yard approach to within 8 feet. The birdie putt burned the right edge of the cup, so I walked away with par.
The final hole of the day produced another great shot, even though the result wasn't perfect. This par-5 measures just 446 yards, but getting to the green in two is tough, due to a bend in the fairway, which is bordered by many trees, as well as a pond that protects the front of the green. I aimed my tee shot over the trees on the left, hoping to get over them entirely, or at least to a place where I could punch out to the fairway. Sure enough, I was among the trees. My punch attempt hit the base of a tree trunk and I was left in the trees and in the rough. However, there was enough of an opening or chute that I could see the area just right of the green. I was 160 yards away and my swing was unimpeded. My next shot with the 7-iron was a thing of beauty. Contact was crisp. The ball jumped off the club face and exited the opening in the trees. It then started drawing left, toward the centre of the green. It missed a large tree that fronts the green. For a moment, it looked like I would be putting for birdie. However, the ball carried to the back of the green, ending up in a shallow bunker sitting above the putting surface. I used the putter to get out of the bunker then hit two more traditional putts to finish with a bogey. So while the final result was nothing special, that shot with the 7-iron felt really good.
Wen all was said and done, I finished with a disappointing score of 102. Overlook the two holes where I shot 10 and 11 however, and things don't look all that bad. An 81 through 16 holes is pretty good for me. Then again, you have to play all 18 holes in golf. You don't have the luxury of dropping your two worst holes. So, I'm left with a mixed bag once again. Drives that alternate between excellent and horrific. A couple of blowup holes mixed in with quite a few good ones. Poor sand play, along with great chipping and putting. I need to put it all together to save this season. If I do however, it will be too late to earn the Deepwoods crown.
Score: 102
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 3
Penalties: 8
July 13, 2011
Mixed Bag at Glen Eagle
I ventured out to Glen Eagle Golf Club, a 27-hole facility in Caledon, Ontario, and the starter told me I would be playing the Original 18. Dating back to the club's inception in the early 1960's, the Original 18 are comprised of the first three holes of today's Blue nine, followed by the last six holes of the Yellow nine and finishing up with the Red nine.
Three guys were teeing off as I approached the first tee, so I asked if I could join them. As a single, I would be right on their heels anyway, so it seemed to make sense. As it turned out, this was a mistake. I lost my putter's head cover somewhere between the first tee and the middle of the first fairway, but none of these guys (who were in power carts, while I was walking) offered to drive back for a quick look. That was the first strike.
My approach to the first green came up a few yards short, but was on the short grass near the right edge of the fairway. The three guys were already on the green as I approached the area where I last saw my ball. Now, it was nowhere to be seen. I found a different ball in the rough, a couple of yards to the right. I asked the guys if it belonged to any of them and one guy said it was his. Clearly, he had hit my ball instead of his. I asked if anyone hit my ball by mistake, but nobody admitted it.
At this point, I thought maybe I was wrong about my ball stopping in the fairway. I walked away from the green to see if my ball was in the rough somewhere and the guys came over to help. Seeing nothing, I turned around to face the green once again. Lo and behold, my ball was now propped up in the rough, just two yards away from my stand bag. There is no way I failed to see that ball the first time. Obviously, the guy who hit my ball took advantage of the time my back was turned to drop it in the rough. How stupid is that? It's not uncommon to hit a playing partner's ball by mistake every now and then. Just admit it. What's the big deal? There is no penalty to the guy who has his ball hit by someone else. Is there really a need for these stupid games? Unbelievable! That was strike two.
Incidentally, I made double-bogey on the opening hole. Next up was a par-5 measuring 524 yards from the blue tees, which I was playing. I hit a slight fade off the tee, sending the ball about five yards right of the fairway. There were some trees there, but nothing that should conceal a ball. When I approached the area, I could not find the ball. The trees were well spaced and the rough beneath them was regular length. There were no weeds or anything else where a ball could hide. There was no cart path, off which a ball could ricochet. There was a slight hump, which might propel a ball forward, but I covered a wide swath and still came up empty.
What bothered me was that my playing partners didn't even help me look. One guy drove his cart around for ten seconds before giving up. The other two did nothing. Having spent five minutes looking, I just dropped a ball in the area and proceeded. On a subsequent shot, my backswing hit a tree branch, ruining the attempt. I took a swipe at the offensive branch in frustration and the momentum of the club carried it forward, smashing into the top of my right foot. I played in some pain for the rest of the round and it got worse after the round was over. The foot incident was no fault of my playing partners, but their failure to help me find a lost ball was strike three. I teed off with them on the next hole, a 188-yard par-3, but stayed on the tee and told them to go ahead without me. It was the smartest thing I did all day.
By the way, that last tee shot ended up being another lost ball, so I re-teed (in blissful solitude) en route to a triple bogey, one of two on the day. With the annoying partners gone, I settled into a stretch of bogey golf over the last six holes of the Yellow nine. My scores would have been better, if not for a series of missed putts, all in the five to six-foot range. I missed a pair of these while playing with The Three Stooges, but I added four more of them over the remainder of the front nine. My pace on these putts was good, finishing just past the hole every time. Unfortunately, I did not judge the break equally well. I was off by just a fraction, burning the edge of the cup either high or low.
The highlight of the front nine was Yellow #9, a par-4 measuring 354 yards from the blue tees. I hit 4-iron from the tee, sending the ball over some trees that pinch the right side of the fairway. The ball came to rest in the right rough, exactly 150 yards from the pin. Ninety percent of the green was blocked out by trees on the right, leaving just a sliver of green available for an approach. I took dead aim at the left edge of the green with an 8-iron, figuring that a miss on the left would leave plenty of green to work with on a subsequent chip shot. The approach came off perfectly, as the ball nailed the green and trickled to the edge of the fringe. Even though I was flag high, I was over 30 feet away from the cup. However, I judged the speed and line perfectly, earning the lone birdie of the day.
The Red nine proceeded much like the first nine did. When I missed a shot, I missed badly, almost embarassingly so. I pull-hooked a 4-iron of the tee on hole #1 and did the same thing with the driver on hole #2. Speaking of hooks, I also hit a wicked one off the tee on hole #8, a medium length par-3. On the other hand, when I hit a good shot, I hit it really good. I hit my driver sky-high and deep on hole #3, travelling 280 yards to the left centre of the fairway. Timing was perfect, as the par-4 measures 430 yards from the blue tees. I followed up with a pitching wedge, as the flag was situated at the front of the green. My birdie putt lipped out, leaving a tap-in for par. Solid tee shots were also registered on holes #5 and #6, thanks to the 6-iron and 5-iron, respectively. On hole #7, a 412-yard par-4, it was back to the driver and I piped another beauty 280 yards down the fairway.
I double-bogeyed the final hole for a total score of 99. Good thing I didn't check my score before I teed off, or I almost certainly would have reached the century mark. Overall, I am still not happy with my game. I am inconsistent off the tee, either hitting a perfect shot or pulling one badly. The slice has disappeared from my game entirely and I am even hitting very few fades. My short game is average, including my putting. I have struggled to judge the distance on low punch shots, which I've been forced to hit a lot of lately. Worst of all, my handicap is consistently creeping up, which is hurting my confidence.
Score: 99
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
Three guys were teeing off as I approached the first tee, so I asked if I could join them. As a single, I would be right on their heels anyway, so it seemed to make sense. As it turned out, this was a mistake. I lost my putter's head cover somewhere between the first tee and the middle of the first fairway, but none of these guys (who were in power carts, while I was walking) offered to drive back for a quick look. That was the first strike.
My approach to the first green came up a few yards short, but was on the short grass near the right edge of the fairway. The three guys were already on the green as I approached the area where I last saw my ball. Now, it was nowhere to be seen. I found a different ball in the rough, a couple of yards to the right. I asked the guys if it belonged to any of them and one guy said it was his. Clearly, he had hit my ball instead of his. I asked if anyone hit my ball by mistake, but nobody admitted it.
At this point, I thought maybe I was wrong about my ball stopping in the fairway. I walked away from the green to see if my ball was in the rough somewhere and the guys came over to help. Seeing nothing, I turned around to face the green once again. Lo and behold, my ball was now propped up in the rough, just two yards away from my stand bag. There is no way I failed to see that ball the first time. Obviously, the guy who hit my ball took advantage of the time my back was turned to drop it in the rough. How stupid is that? It's not uncommon to hit a playing partner's ball by mistake every now and then. Just admit it. What's the big deal? There is no penalty to the guy who has his ball hit by someone else. Is there really a need for these stupid games? Unbelievable! That was strike two.
Incidentally, I made double-bogey on the opening hole. Next up was a par-5 measuring 524 yards from the blue tees, which I was playing. I hit a slight fade off the tee, sending the ball about five yards right of the fairway. There were some trees there, but nothing that should conceal a ball. When I approached the area, I could not find the ball. The trees were well spaced and the rough beneath them was regular length. There were no weeds or anything else where a ball could hide. There was no cart path, off which a ball could ricochet. There was a slight hump, which might propel a ball forward, but I covered a wide swath and still came up empty.
What bothered me was that my playing partners didn't even help me look. One guy drove his cart around for ten seconds before giving up. The other two did nothing. Having spent five minutes looking, I just dropped a ball in the area and proceeded. On a subsequent shot, my backswing hit a tree branch, ruining the attempt. I took a swipe at the offensive branch in frustration and the momentum of the club carried it forward, smashing into the top of my right foot. I played in some pain for the rest of the round and it got worse after the round was over. The foot incident was no fault of my playing partners, but their failure to help me find a lost ball was strike three. I teed off with them on the next hole, a 188-yard par-3, but stayed on the tee and told them to go ahead without me. It was the smartest thing I did all day.
By the way, that last tee shot ended up being another lost ball, so I re-teed (in blissful solitude) en route to a triple bogey, one of two on the day. With the annoying partners gone, I settled into a stretch of bogey golf over the last six holes of the Yellow nine. My scores would have been better, if not for a series of missed putts, all in the five to six-foot range. I missed a pair of these while playing with The Three Stooges, but I added four more of them over the remainder of the front nine. My pace on these putts was good, finishing just past the hole every time. Unfortunately, I did not judge the break equally well. I was off by just a fraction, burning the edge of the cup either high or low.
The highlight of the front nine was Yellow #9, a par-4 measuring 354 yards from the blue tees. I hit 4-iron from the tee, sending the ball over some trees that pinch the right side of the fairway. The ball came to rest in the right rough, exactly 150 yards from the pin. Ninety percent of the green was blocked out by trees on the right, leaving just a sliver of green available for an approach. I took dead aim at the left edge of the green with an 8-iron, figuring that a miss on the left would leave plenty of green to work with on a subsequent chip shot. The approach came off perfectly, as the ball nailed the green and trickled to the edge of the fringe. Even though I was flag high, I was over 30 feet away from the cup. However, I judged the speed and line perfectly, earning the lone birdie of the day.
The Red nine proceeded much like the first nine did. When I missed a shot, I missed badly, almost embarassingly so. I pull-hooked a 4-iron of the tee on hole #1 and did the same thing with the driver on hole #2. Speaking of hooks, I also hit a wicked one off the tee on hole #8, a medium length par-3. On the other hand, when I hit a good shot, I hit it really good. I hit my driver sky-high and deep on hole #3, travelling 280 yards to the left centre of the fairway. Timing was perfect, as the par-4 measures 430 yards from the blue tees. I followed up with a pitching wedge, as the flag was situated at the front of the green. My birdie putt lipped out, leaving a tap-in for par. Solid tee shots were also registered on holes #5 and #6, thanks to the 6-iron and 5-iron, respectively. On hole #7, a 412-yard par-4, it was back to the driver and I piped another beauty 280 yards down the fairway.
I double-bogeyed the final hole for a total score of 99. Good thing I didn't check my score before I teed off, or I almost certainly would have reached the century mark. Overall, I am still not happy with my game. I am inconsistent off the tee, either hitting a perfect shot or pulling one badly. The slice has disappeared from my game entirely and I am even hitting very few fades. My short game is average, including my putting. I have struggled to judge the distance on low punch shots, which I've been forced to hit a lot of lately. Worst of all, my handicap is consistently creeping up, which is hurting my confidence.
Score: 99
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
July 06, 2011
Return to Westview
A month and a half after my 54-hole introduction to Westview Golf Club, I returned with the aim of improving upon my early scores. Since my feet took some punishment during the last visit, I decided to play a mere 36 holes this time around. I'm happy to report that my scores improved, but I'm still very disappointed with my performance this season. My handicap factor is now over 20, which is about five points higher than it was two years ago.
Middle / Lakeland
Starting on the Middle nine, I opened with a triple bogey. The opening holes on the Middle and Lakeland nines, which run parallel to eachother, are pretty stiff indeed. Besides being long, they both play severely uphill from tee to green. While the fairways are straight, mature trees line both sides. If your tee shot misses the short grass, there is little chance of reaching the green in regulation. The greens are also tilted from back to front, making front pin positions especially testy. Where were the pins on this day? You guessed it.
My struggles continued for the first four holes, as I amassed a couple of double-bogeys, along with a quadruple. The quad came on a par-5 after a topped second shot and a third that dribbled into a hazard on the right side. However, I played the remainder of the Middle nine fairly well. A par on hole #6 was particularly satisfying. Right handers who hit driver on this hole must fade the ball, or they will run through the end of the fairway on this dog-leg par-4. My fade worked like a charm, coming to rest a yard into the right rough, but just 110 yards from the flag. My approach with a gap wedge flew high and landed just in front of the pin, but the green contour pushed the ball to the fringe. Nevertheless, I two-putt for the par.
The Lakeland nine brought a slight improvement, but I still made triple bogey on the opening hole. I tell you, those holes are beasts. Aside from the opening hole, I also had trouble with #6, another straight and long par-4 that plays uphill. Playing my third from the fairway, 100 yards from the pin, I hit the shank to end all shanks! I mean, this thing went immediately to the right, almost 90 degrees from my intended direction of travel. I almost hit one of the guys who was playing with me. It was ugly. On the positive side, I made par on hole #7, a shorter par-4 from an elevated tee. I wasted a nice drive on hole #8, when my approach from a downhill lie came up short and found a hazard.
Overall, I was not happy to exceed 100, but I improved my lone previous score on Middle / Lakeland by five strokes.
Score: 104
Putts: 34
Fairways: 2
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
Middle / Lakeland
The good news is that I played Middle / Lakeland again for my second round of the day. Once again, I played the opening holes terribly. Middle #1 produced a quadruple-bogey this time, thanks to a careless short putt thrown into the mix. On the next few holes I struggled with different parts of the game. I mis-hit my tee shot on hole #2, had a low punch shot carry too far on hole #3, topped an approach on hole #4, and so on. I thought I turned things around when my tee shot on hole #5, a par-3 measuring 200 yards, came to rest on the putting surface some 15 feet from the hole. Unfortunately, my birdie putt came up way short. I was misled by the speed of the greens earlier in the day. I ended that hole with a 3-putt bogey. The Middle nine ended well, with pars on the last two holes, helping me shave one stroke from my score earlier in the day.
My second crack at the Lakeland nine went well, except for the opening hole which I've already described. It was another triple-bogey to get things started. Aside from that, I played bogey golf the rest of the way. I learned from my first pass on the course where to aim my tee shot on hole #2, leading to a par. My tee shot actually ran through the end of the fairway on this dog-leg par-4, but a solid approach and textbook up-and-down saw me safely to par. I also made par on hole #8, making up for the wasted tee-shot the first time around. Once again, I piped a drive deep down the fairway. This time however, my approach shot found the green and par was the result. A par on hole #9, a par-3 playing 172 yards, would have given me a final score of 99. Unfortunately, I messed up my tee shot. With some rain falling at this point, I felt some moisture on my grip. Instead of backing off and wiping the water away, I proceeded and duffed the ball. After I wiped the grips I was fine and finished with a bogey.
In the end it was a score of 100, which I hate. On the positive side, I lowered my score once again, so it can't be all bad. Still, my handicap is now 20.5, which is painful to see. I must turn things around. I must!
Score: 100
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 1
Middle / Lakeland
Starting on the Middle nine, I opened with a triple bogey. The opening holes on the Middle and Lakeland nines, which run parallel to eachother, are pretty stiff indeed. Besides being long, they both play severely uphill from tee to green. While the fairways are straight, mature trees line both sides. If your tee shot misses the short grass, there is little chance of reaching the green in regulation. The greens are also tilted from back to front, making front pin positions especially testy. Where were the pins on this day? You guessed it.
My struggles continued for the first four holes, as I amassed a couple of double-bogeys, along with a quadruple. The quad came on a par-5 after a topped second shot and a third that dribbled into a hazard on the right side. However, I played the remainder of the Middle nine fairly well. A par on hole #6 was particularly satisfying. Right handers who hit driver on this hole must fade the ball, or they will run through the end of the fairway on this dog-leg par-4. My fade worked like a charm, coming to rest a yard into the right rough, but just 110 yards from the flag. My approach with a gap wedge flew high and landed just in front of the pin, but the green contour pushed the ball to the fringe. Nevertheless, I two-putt for the par.
The Lakeland nine brought a slight improvement, but I still made triple bogey on the opening hole. I tell you, those holes are beasts. Aside from the opening hole, I also had trouble with #6, another straight and long par-4 that plays uphill. Playing my third from the fairway, 100 yards from the pin, I hit the shank to end all shanks! I mean, this thing went immediately to the right, almost 90 degrees from my intended direction of travel. I almost hit one of the guys who was playing with me. It was ugly. On the positive side, I made par on hole #7, a shorter par-4 from an elevated tee. I wasted a nice drive on hole #8, when my approach from a downhill lie came up short and found a hazard.
Overall, I was not happy to exceed 100, but I improved my lone previous score on Middle / Lakeland by five strokes.
Score: 104
Putts: 34
Fairways: 2
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
Middle / Lakeland
The good news is that I played Middle / Lakeland again for my second round of the day. Once again, I played the opening holes terribly. Middle #1 produced a quadruple-bogey this time, thanks to a careless short putt thrown into the mix. On the next few holes I struggled with different parts of the game. I mis-hit my tee shot on hole #2, had a low punch shot carry too far on hole #3, topped an approach on hole #4, and so on. I thought I turned things around when my tee shot on hole #5, a par-3 measuring 200 yards, came to rest on the putting surface some 15 feet from the hole. Unfortunately, my birdie putt came up way short. I was misled by the speed of the greens earlier in the day. I ended that hole with a 3-putt bogey. The Middle nine ended well, with pars on the last two holes, helping me shave one stroke from my score earlier in the day.
My second crack at the Lakeland nine went well, except for the opening hole which I've already described. It was another triple-bogey to get things started. Aside from that, I played bogey golf the rest of the way. I learned from my first pass on the course where to aim my tee shot on hole #2, leading to a par. My tee shot actually ran through the end of the fairway on this dog-leg par-4, but a solid approach and textbook up-and-down saw me safely to par. I also made par on hole #8, making up for the wasted tee-shot the first time around. Once again, I piped a drive deep down the fairway. This time however, my approach shot found the green and par was the result. A par on hole #9, a par-3 playing 172 yards, would have given me a final score of 99. Unfortunately, I messed up my tee shot. With some rain falling at this point, I felt some moisture on my grip. Instead of backing off and wiping the water away, I proceeded and duffed the ball. After I wiped the grips I was fine and finished with a bogey.
In the end it was a score of 100, which I hate. On the positive side, I lowered my score once again, so it can't be all bad. Still, my handicap is now 20.5, which is painful to see. I must turn things around. I must!
Score: 100
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 1
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