It was good while it lasted, which is a way of saying it didn't last very long at all. The joyride that followed my season best round at Willow Valley came to a screeching halt just four days later at Century Pines Golf Club. This round was supposed to provide retribution for the injustice that took place at the same course one week earlier. The intervening triumph at Willow Valley had emboldened me to seek revenge. As it turned out, I emerged with even more injustice, instead of the requital I so desperately sought.
My last visit to Century Pines produced a massive blowup on hole #1, which immediately ruined the entire round. I spent the drive to the course devising a strategy to prevent this from happening again. I was thrown for a loop, therefore, when the gentleman in the pro shop informed me that I would be playing the back nine first. I resolved to treat this as a positive, figuring I could warm up fully on the back nine before applying my strategy to hole #1.
I got off to a shaky start over the first three holes, but recovered remarkably well in each case to salvage a bogey. On hole #10, my 5-iron off the tee failed to reach the fairway. My next shot stopped short of a bunker fronting the green. I pitched on and 2-putt to finish. On hole #11, I hooked a 5-iron into the woods. I found the ball, but it was unplayable, so I took a penalty. Next, I hit a beautiful 7-iron very near the flag. Once again, I 2-putt to finish. On hole #12, I pulled a drive slightly left, ending up in a hazard. After another penalty, I hit a great 6-iron to the front edge of the green. Two putts later, I had my third bogey of the day.
Hole #13 was a disaster. This is a par-3 measuring 155 yards entirely over water. I added an extra club as the wind had picked up and was directly in my face. I should have added two clubs, as my tee shot hit the embankment on the other side of the water and rolled backwards into the drink. After a penalty stroke, I duffed a pitch attempt from a side-hill lie. A second pitch was required to reach the putting surface and two putts finished things up for a triple-bogey.
No sooner did things go bad, than they got right back on track. Hole #14 is a par-5 measuring 475 yards from the blue tees. The tee shot does not suit me because the fairway bends slightly to the left, with mature trees protecting the inside corner. Without a draw, it's very easy to hit those trees or run out of fairway on the right side. I hit a laser, skirting the edge of the protective trees and propelling down the fairway. In fact, I ran through the fairway, ending up a yard or two in the right rough, which was quite sparse. From 200 yards out, I hit a 3-iron down the fairway, ending up 20 yards short of the green. The next two shots were picture perfect. The first was a crafty pitch that utilized the slope of the green to funnel the ball near the hole. The second was a beautiful 8-foot putt for birdie!
At this point, I was playing bogey golf through the first five holes. A greenside bunker gave me some mild trouble on the next hole, resulting in a double-bogey. Still, one third of the way through the round, I was just one stroke off of bogey pace. Considering I had amassed three penalty strokes already, I was pretty happy.
Hole #16 put bogey pace in jeopardy with a triple-bogey, but it wasn't until hole #17 that those hopes were entirely extinguished. More on that in a moment. Sixteen is a killer hole, the hardest of the course in my opinion. Your tee shot has to be perfect in order to set up a chance at the green. A slight miss off the tee forces a pitch shot, just to get the ball in a position to go at the green. If your miss off the tee is more than slight, you may need two more shots just to reach the "go" zone. That's exactly what happened to me. With the green in your sights, you have to contend with a meandering creek in front, trees and other shrubs left, and water in back and to the right. My approach was hit thin, somehow finding the creek. After a penalty and successful approach, I made a single putt to earn a triple-bogey.
Now, the hole that ruined my round and was the cause of the injustice I spoke of earlier. Seventeen is a long par-4 at 440 yards, but that's not the problem. Much like hole #14, this one features a fairway that bends ever so gently to the left. The inside of this bend is protected by a single tree, not very large, which sits fifty yards in front of the teeing ground, on the edge of a pond. The tree has been dead, or close to dead, for as long as I can remember. A few branches, bereft of any leaves extend outward, just enough to make players think twice about aiming to the left side. After a bit of pondering, most players wouldn't feel too threatened by it. After all, this is really a miserable excuse for a tree. An arborist would get rid of it without hesitation. Yet there it stands, year after year, and visit after visit, it interferes with my game. It is truly a "Vince" tree (inside joke).
As I did the last time I stood before the miserable stump, I made great contact with the driver. When the ball flew off the tee, I immediately thought, "Wow, this is going to be a fantastic drive!" A fraction of a second later, the ball smacked one of those extending branches, a mere 2 inches in diameter. It could have been just a glancing blow, but against the odds it struck squarely, sending the ball backwards and into the pond. Aaaargh! That bloody tree is an uncanny force of nature. Anyway, this was just the start of a horrific hole.
I took a penalty and dropped behind the pond, right at the foot of the offensive freak. Next, I topped a 5-wood right into the pond again. One more penalty stroke and another attempt later, I hit the ball to a cluster of trees on the right side of the fairway. My sixth shot was a chip through the trees to get back to the fairway, but I defied all odds again by smacking a thin trunk squarely, sending the ball backwards. At this point, I was better off playing down the adjacent fairway. I hit to a location where there was a break in the trees. Unfortunately, the ball carried about five yards too far and a tree cluster was again blocking my advance. Again, I tried the punch through the trees, only to smack a thin trunk squarely, sending the ball backwards and to the left. The only good news was I now had an open path to the green, which I hit with my ninth shot. After a good lag, I missed a short putt, probably due to the mounting frustration. I finished with a 3-putt and score of 12.
I went into great detail describing that hole, because it was clearly the turning point for my round. I bogeyed hole #18 and made the turn with a score of 55. With a good back nine, I could still keep my score under 100. Things started out well on hole #1, the one I had planned with such great care. I hit my drive right into the adjacent fairway, which is far better than hitting it left and out of bounds. I hit a massive 5-wood into the wind, 10 yards in front of the 150-yard stick. Next, I hit a very poor 7-iron, hooking it left of the green to a chain link fence bounding the property. I had no stance or swing due to the fence, so I tried a one-handed swing with my back to the target. This is a useful shot sometimes, but I was too near the fence with a bad lie. Two attempts failed, before I smartened up and declared the ball unplayable. I made a nice chip after the penalty and tapped in for a triple-bogey. Obviously, the strategy wasn't to take a triple, but these were extenuating circumstances.
I made a beautiful par on the next hole, judging my approach to the green over a pond perfectly. My birdie putt, a slippery downhill type, stopped four inches short of the hole. That was the last hurrah. At this point, the wind picked up something fierce and I didn't have the focus to deal with it. I felt like the round was already lost, so I really just went through the motions. I made one more par on a medium length par-3 hole, but I also dropped some balls into hazards, leading to a pair of quadruple bogeys.
Overall, this was a frustrating round. The joy over my good play at Willow Valley was short-lived and I failed to get revenge on Century Pines. The "Vince" tree was the cause of it all, in my mind.
Score: 111
Putts: 36
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 9
September 16, 2011
September 12, 2011
Wonderful at Willow Valley
Sometimes I wonder if bipolar disorder is more prevalent among golfers than non-golfers. I'm half kidding, but it's not a huge stretch of the imagination to link the ups and downs of the game to the mood swings of a manic-depressive. Golf can beat you up mentally. When things go badly, it chews you up, spits you out, and stomps on you just for good measure. Then, without warning, it can suddenly reverse course. When things go well, golf generates elevated focus and a rush of euphoria.
I've had my share of disappointing golf rounds this season. None was more upsetting than the fourth installment of the Deepwoods Golf Association championship. The debacle at Dragon's Fire cost me 126 strokes, but the toll taken on my ego was much heavier. In stark contrast, the fifth and final round of the Deepwoods season, which was contested at Willow Valley Golf Club, produced my best score of the season. In fact, it equalled my best score of the last three seasons and fell shy of my all-time personal best by just two strokes. That's good enough in my book for a hole-by-hole account, so here it goes:
Hole # 1 - Par 4, 345 yards
A straight tee shot of 200-210 yards is ideal on the opening hole. Anything left brings bunkers and a pond into play, while the right side is out of bounds. Long shots run out of fairway on this dog-leg to the left. I mis-hit a 3-iron, sending the ball straight, but only 135 yards. I could have gone for the green over the water, but opted to play a pitching wedge to the 100-yard stick. In retrospect, I should have played an 8-iron, as I just failed to clear a bunker that pinches the fairway. Beyond the bunker, the fairway widens considerably. With a high bunker lip in front of me, it was going to be very tough to reach the green. I hit one out to the fairway, leaving about 40 yards to the flag. Unfortunately, I duffed my next shot into a greenside bunker. Next, I hit the sand shot thin, sending the ball clear past the green. I finally pitched on and 2-putt for a quadruple-bogey.
Hole # 2 - Par 5, 480 yards
After a rough start, I needed something good to happen. I pulled my drive left, but distance was good and the ball ended up just two yards off the fairway. A large, nasty hazard crosses the fairway in front of this green, so the prudent play was to lay up to the 100-yard stick. The hazard and 100-yard marker were not actually visible from my position, but I nevertheless hit a pitching wedge directly at my target. Next, I hit a beautiful sand wedge over the bunkers fronting the green, which stopped about eight feet from the cup. I took my time reading the putt and drained it for birdie!
Hole # 3 - Par 4, 365 yards
Once again, I pulled my drive slightly to the left, but with decent distance. I missed the fairway by about four yards, but my lie in the rough was good. From 140 yards out, I pulled a pitching wedge flag-high, left of the green. With the ball below my feet, I pitched one onto the green and then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 4 - Par 3, 145 yards
The pin was at the back of this large green, so it was playing more like 160 yards. I hit a 7-iron which came out low. Nevertheless, the ball came to rest a little short of the flag, on the right fringe. A long putt from the fringe is never easy, and this one had a lot of break, but I read it well and cozied one up nicely. A tap-in gave me a satisfactory par.
Hole # 5 - Par 4, 350 yards
This is only the #9 handicap hole on the course, but I consider it one of the hardest. Featuring a near 90-degree dog-leg to the right, there is a large pond covering the inside corner and out-of-bounds protecting the other side from tee to green. Deep fescue and mounding adds to the danger. To avoid penalties, you need to be straight on every shot. I played 5-wood off the tee, clearing the corner of the pond and finding the right side of the fairway at the 100-yard marker. The pin was tucked in a small section of green at the back right. It was a bold shot to go right at it, as bunkers line the front, while water guards the right. I hit a perfect gap wedge, leaving just a five-footer for birdie. The putt looked straight, so I must have pulled it a hair, burning the left edge. This should have been birdie, but I had to settle for par.
Hole # 6 - Par 3, 105 yards
The hole is short to begin with, but the tees were playing up, making this an awkward 90-yard hole. The green is surrounded on three sides by water. I hit my 60-degree wedge well, probably twelve feet behind the hole. I looked at the putt carefully, but didn't take a peek from the other side of the cup. Had I done that, I would have seen that the putt was more downhill than I first thought. I hit the left edge, but too much speed sent the ball well past. Facing a knee-knocker coming the other way, I managed to drain the putt for par. Whew!
Hole # 7 - Par 5, 465 yards
Knowing I had pulled a couple of drives slightly, I cheated to the right side of this fairway. Sure enough, the ball went dead straight, coming to rest two or three yards right of the fairway. I was 215 yards away from the green with a decent lie, so I went for it with a 5-wood. I caught the ball very thin, sending it skipping through a bunker directly in front of me. I still had 190 yards to the green, but a huge mound topped with a cluster of small trees made it a blind shot. I hit a pure 4-iron high over the trees and deep. I thought my ball would be on the green, but it ended up in a greenside bunker. I made a nice out and 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 8 - Par 3, 130 yards
This is a fun par-3, featuring an elevated tee, along with a carry over a large pond and bunker. The pin was tucked at the very back of the green, very near the edge of the property. Despite the scariness of the pin position, I went right after it. I hit a 9-iron, which drew a little more than I intended. The first bounce was on the green, but the ball trickled into the rough just behind. Next, I hit a chip shot with the 60-degree wedge. This was a mistake. I was on a bit of an upslope, so I didn't need nearly that much loft. I came up well short and 2-putt for a slightly disappointing bogey.
Hole # 9 - Par 5, 505 yards
I hit a low drive off the heel of the club, but the ball landed safely in the left fairway. The next shot was a blind one over the crest of a hill. I tried 3-iron, but didn't make good contact. The ball travelled a very short distance and nestled down in the left rough. I was too far from the green to go for it and the lie didn't help matters. I resolved to hit a 7-iron to the middle of the fairway and did exactly that. Next, I hit a loft wedge to the green, but I was well past the hole. I made a good long-bomb putt, but burned the edge of the cup. Once again, I had failed to look at the putt from below the hole, and didn't realize how much of a downhill putt it was. I burned the edge coming back the other way, leading to a 3-putt and double-bogey. I gave away a stroke, for sure.
Hole # 10 - Par 4, 340 yards
A tough stretch begins with this hole, which features a forced carry off the tee, a hazard lining the entire left side of the fairway, and a green pinched by water and woods. I hit a perfect drive to the centre of the fairway, leaving 110 yards to the green. Knowing the depth of the green, and seeing that the pin was tucked right at the back, I estimated the distance to the flag as 125 yards. A full pitching wedge would go over the back, so I took a little off it. It was absolute perfection. The ball hit the back of the green and spun back a couple of feet. I just missed the 8-footer for birdie, leaving with par.
Hole # 11 - Par 4, 370 yards
I've learned from experience that you don't want to go left on this tee shot. A slope on that side carries balls into a hazard with alarming regularity. My drive was to the right, about six or seven yards off the fiarway. This put me behind a small tree, eliminating the chance of challenging the green. Instead, I punched a 5-iron below the tree branches to the fairway, about 20 yards short of the green. From there, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 12 - Par 4, 360 yards
This is the #2 handicap hole and deservedly so. Wetlands pinch the fairway severely on the right side and continue right up to the side of the green. If you lay up with your tee shot in front of the wetlands, you face a scary second shot over the large expanse of bullrushes. If you drive the ball left of the wetlands, you're going after a narrow fairway and will be pinched out by trees left of the green on your approach. I opted to go left. The ball faded more than I had hoped for, but the result was perfect. The ball came to rest a foot into the right rough, but I had an unobstructed path to the flag. The trees on the left were not a factor. From 140 yards out, I hit pitching wedge to the front edge of the green. My birdie putt came up two feet short, but I made the par.
Hole # 13 - Par 5, 445 yards
Normally reachable from the white tee position, the hole was playing even shorter this time. I had visions of an eagle putt dancing through my head as I reached for the driver. My opening shot was not bad, but I pushed it slightly and a fade carried the ball well right of the fairway. Luckily, the ball stopped in the rough a few feet before the wetlands. The lie was good, so I decided to have a go at the hidden green from 215 yards out. I hit a great 5-wood, but ended up in the fairway, 20 yards short of target. My pitch shot was mediocre, failing to reach the pin at the back of the green. I burned the edge of the cup on the birdie putt, but had way too much speed. I went well past the hole, then missed the comebacker. A 3-putt produced a disappointing bogey. Gave one away here for sure!
Hole # 14 - Par 3, 185 yards
The hole was playing a little longer, but luckily there was no wind. I hit a weak slicing 4-iron short and right of the green. Standing with a severe side-hill lie, I choked down on the loft wedge and pitched one over a bunker and onto the green. I must have been very concerned about the bunker as I went way too far, leaving a monstrously long, breaking putt. I made an amazing lag and a two-foot finish to earn bogey. Whew!
Hole # 15 - Par 5, 515 yards
I opened with a lovely drive to the left side of the fairway. A valley pinches the fairway on that side, so I actually ended up a foot in the rough, but my lie was good. Next, I hit a useful 5-iron to the right side of the fairway, 80 yards from the green. Despite the fact I was comfortably in the fairway, the path to the pin was blocked by mounds low and an overhanging tree high. I figured the tree was the lesser of two evils and took aim with the loft wedge. The ball came out a little low, but got through the tree branches, settling just off the right edge of the green. I duffed a chip attempt next, which cost me a stroke. Finally, I 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 16 - Par 4, 295 yards
A short one, but danger in the form of bunkers is all concentrated where those who challenge the green are likely to land. I took it easy, driving one a foot off the right edge of the fairway, leaving 70 yards to the flag. Unfortunately, the ball was well above my feet and I duffed my first approach. Facing the same shot, albeit a bit shorter now, I executed well to hit the green. After a careful analysis of the putting surface, I made a lovely 15-foot putt to salvage par!
Hole # 17 - Par 3, 105 yards
Last year I gave away the Deepwoods championship on this very hole. After sticking my tee shot to within 3 feet of the cup, I missed two putts and finished with bogey. With the memories of that episode running through my head, I hit a sand wedge to about 8-feet from the cup. This was actually a nicer approach than the one made the previous year, as the pin was tucked in a much more precarious position, guarded by bunkers and water. The putting was way better, as I calmly drained this one for birdie. Revenge is sweet!
Hole # 18 - Par 4, 310 yards
I hit one of my best drives of the day over the pond stretching out beyond the teeing ground and coming to rest in the fairway, 80 yards from the green. Next, I hit one with the loft wedge. The ball was all over the flag, coming to rest about eight feet in behind. The birdie putt was a downhill breaker that I just missed. I finished with a very satisfactory par.
When all was said and done, I shot 83, my best of the season. By comparison, my best last year was an 85 at Osprey Valley Heathlands. In 2009, my best was an 83 at Carlisle. I had an 82 at Granite Ridge Cobalt in 2008 and an 81 at Deer Creek South in 2007, which remain the only rounds I've had that were better than this one.
I may have to pop some champagne and enjoy the rush that accompanies this result. After all, it won't be long before this game punches me in the gut once again.
Score: 83
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 9
Penalties: 0
I've had my share of disappointing golf rounds this season. None was more upsetting than the fourth installment of the Deepwoods Golf Association championship. The debacle at Dragon's Fire cost me 126 strokes, but the toll taken on my ego was much heavier. In stark contrast, the fifth and final round of the Deepwoods season, which was contested at Willow Valley Golf Club, produced my best score of the season. In fact, it equalled my best score of the last three seasons and fell shy of my all-time personal best by just two strokes. That's good enough in my book for a hole-by-hole account, so here it goes:
Hole # 1 - Par 4, 345 yards
A straight tee shot of 200-210 yards is ideal on the opening hole. Anything left brings bunkers and a pond into play, while the right side is out of bounds. Long shots run out of fairway on this dog-leg to the left. I mis-hit a 3-iron, sending the ball straight, but only 135 yards. I could have gone for the green over the water, but opted to play a pitching wedge to the 100-yard stick. In retrospect, I should have played an 8-iron, as I just failed to clear a bunker that pinches the fairway. Beyond the bunker, the fairway widens considerably. With a high bunker lip in front of me, it was going to be very tough to reach the green. I hit one out to the fairway, leaving about 40 yards to the flag. Unfortunately, I duffed my next shot into a greenside bunker. Next, I hit the sand shot thin, sending the ball clear past the green. I finally pitched on and 2-putt for a quadruple-bogey.
Hole # 2 - Par 5, 480 yards
After a rough start, I needed something good to happen. I pulled my drive left, but distance was good and the ball ended up just two yards off the fairway. A large, nasty hazard crosses the fairway in front of this green, so the prudent play was to lay up to the 100-yard stick. The hazard and 100-yard marker were not actually visible from my position, but I nevertheless hit a pitching wedge directly at my target. Next, I hit a beautiful sand wedge over the bunkers fronting the green, which stopped about eight feet from the cup. I took my time reading the putt and drained it for birdie!
Hole # 3 - Par 4, 365 yards
Once again, I pulled my drive slightly to the left, but with decent distance. I missed the fairway by about four yards, but my lie in the rough was good. From 140 yards out, I pulled a pitching wedge flag-high, left of the green. With the ball below my feet, I pitched one onto the green and then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 4 - Par 3, 145 yards
The pin was at the back of this large green, so it was playing more like 160 yards. I hit a 7-iron which came out low. Nevertheless, the ball came to rest a little short of the flag, on the right fringe. A long putt from the fringe is never easy, and this one had a lot of break, but I read it well and cozied one up nicely. A tap-in gave me a satisfactory par.
Hole # 5 - Par 4, 350 yards
This is only the #9 handicap hole on the course, but I consider it one of the hardest. Featuring a near 90-degree dog-leg to the right, there is a large pond covering the inside corner and out-of-bounds protecting the other side from tee to green. Deep fescue and mounding adds to the danger. To avoid penalties, you need to be straight on every shot. I played 5-wood off the tee, clearing the corner of the pond and finding the right side of the fairway at the 100-yard marker. The pin was tucked in a small section of green at the back right. It was a bold shot to go right at it, as bunkers line the front, while water guards the right. I hit a perfect gap wedge, leaving just a five-footer for birdie. The putt looked straight, so I must have pulled it a hair, burning the left edge. This should have been birdie, but I had to settle for par.
Hole # 6 - Par 3, 105 yards
The hole is short to begin with, but the tees were playing up, making this an awkward 90-yard hole. The green is surrounded on three sides by water. I hit my 60-degree wedge well, probably twelve feet behind the hole. I looked at the putt carefully, but didn't take a peek from the other side of the cup. Had I done that, I would have seen that the putt was more downhill than I first thought. I hit the left edge, but too much speed sent the ball well past. Facing a knee-knocker coming the other way, I managed to drain the putt for par. Whew!
Hole # 7 - Par 5, 465 yards
Knowing I had pulled a couple of drives slightly, I cheated to the right side of this fairway. Sure enough, the ball went dead straight, coming to rest two or three yards right of the fairway. I was 215 yards away from the green with a decent lie, so I went for it with a 5-wood. I caught the ball very thin, sending it skipping through a bunker directly in front of me. I still had 190 yards to the green, but a huge mound topped with a cluster of small trees made it a blind shot. I hit a pure 4-iron high over the trees and deep. I thought my ball would be on the green, but it ended up in a greenside bunker. I made a nice out and 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 8 - Par 3, 130 yards
This is a fun par-3, featuring an elevated tee, along with a carry over a large pond and bunker. The pin was tucked at the very back of the green, very near the edge of the property. Despite the scariness of the pin position, I went right after it. I hit a 9-iron, which drew a little more than I intended. The first bounce was on the green, but the ball trickled into the rough just behind. Next, I hit a chip shot with the 60-degree wedge. This was a mistake. I was on a bit of an upslope, so I didn't need nearly that much loft. I came up well short and 2-putt for a slightly disappointing bogey.
Hole # 9 - Par 5, 505 yards
I hit a low drive off the heel of the club, but the ball landed safely in the left fairway. The next shot was a blind one over the crest of a hill. I tried 3-iron, but didn't make good contact. The ball travelled a very short distance and nestled down in the left rough. I was too far from the green to go for it and the lie didn't help matters. I resolved to hit a 7-iron to the middle of the fairway and did exactly that. Next, I hit a loft wedge to the green, but I was well past the hole. I made a good long-bomb putt, but burned the edge of the cup. Once again, I had failed to look at the putt from below the hole, and didn't realize how much of a downhill putt it was. I burned the edge coming back the other way, leading to a 3-putt and double-bogey. I gave away a stroke, for sure.
Hole # 10 - Par 4, 340 yards
A tough stretch begins with this hole, which features a forced carry off the tee, a hazard lining the entire left side of the fairway, and a green pinched by water and woods. I hit a perfect drive to the centre of the fairway, leaving 110 yards to the green. Knowing the depth of the green, and seeing that the pin was tucked right at the back, I estimated the distance to the flag as 125 yards. A full pitching wedge would go over the back, so I took a little off it. It was absolute perfection. The ball hit the back of the green and spun back a couple of feet. I just missed the 8-footer for birdie, leaving with par.
Hole # 11 - Par 4, 370 yards
I've learned from experience that you don't want to go left on this tee shot. A slope on that side carries balls into a hazard with alarming regularity. My drive was to the right, about six or seven yards off the fiarway. This put me behind a small tree, eliminating the chance of challenging the green. Instead, I punched a 5-iron below the tree branches to the fairway, about 20 yards short of the green. From there, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 12 - Par 4, 360 yards
This is the #2 handicap hole and deservedly so. Wetlands pinch the fairway severely on the right side and continue right up to the side of the green. If you lay up with your tee shot in front of the wetlands, you face a scary second shot over the large expanse of bullrushes. If you drive the ball left of the wetlands, you're going after a narrow fairway and will be pinched out by trees left of the green on your approach. I opted to go left. The ball faded more than I had hoped for, but the result was perfect. The ball came to rest a foot into the right rough, but I had an unobstructed path to the flag. The trees on the left were not a factor. From 140 yards out, I hit pitching wedge to the front edge of the green. My birdie putt came up two feet short, but I made the par.
Hole # 13 - Par 5, 445 yards
Normally reachable from the white tee position, the hole was playing even shorter this time. I had visions of an eagle putt dancing through my head as I reached for the driver. My opening shot was not bad, but I pushed it slightly and a fade carried the ball well right of the fairway. Luckily, the ball stopped in the rough a few feet before the wetlands. The lie was good, so I decided to have a go at the hidden green from 215 yards out. I hit a great 5-wood, but ended up in the fairway, 20 yards short of target. My pitch shot was mediocre, failing to reach the pin at the back of the green. I burned the edge of the cup on the birdie putt, but had way too much speed. I went well past the hole, then missed the comebacker. A 3-putt produced a disappointing bogey. Gave one away here for sure!
Hole # 14 - Par 3, 185 yards
The hole was playing a little longer, but luckily there was no wind. I hit a weak slicing 4-iron short and right of the green. Standing with a severe side-hill lie, I choked down on the loft wedge and pitched one over a bunker and onto the green. I must have been very concerned about the bunker as I went way too far, leaving a monstrously long, breaking putt. I made an amazing lag and a two-foot finish to earn bogey. Whew!
Hole # 15 - Par 5, 515 yards
I opened with a lovely drive to the left side of the fairway. A valley pinches the fairway on that side, so I actually ended up a foot in the rough, but my lie was good. Next, I hit a useful 5-iron to the right side of the fairway, 80 yards from the green. Despite the fact I was comfortably in the fairway, the path to the pin was blocked by mounds low and an overhanging tree high. I figured the tree was the lesser of two evils and took aim with the loft wedge. The ball came out a little low, but got through the tree branches, settling just off the right edge of the green. I duffed a chip attempt next, which cost me a stroke. Finally, I 2-putt for bogey.
Hole # 16 - Par 4, 295 yards
A short one, but danger in the form of bunkers is all concentrated where those who challenge the green are likely to land. I took it easy, driving one a foot off the right edge of the fairway, leaving 70 yards to the flag. Unfortunately, the ball was well above my feet and I duffed my first approach. Facing the same shot, albeit a bit shorter now, I executed well to hit the green. After a careful analysis of the putting surface, I made a lovely 15-foot putt to salvage par!
Hole # 17 - Par 3, 105 yards
Last year I gave away the Deepwoods championship on this very hole. After sticking my tee shot to within 3 feet of the cup, I missed two putts and finished with bogey. With the memories of that episode running through my head, I hit a sand wedge to about 8-feet from the cup. This was actually a nicer approach than the one made the previous year, as the pin was tucked in a much more precarious position, guarded by bunkers and water. The putting was way better, as I calmly drained this one for birdie. Revenge is sweet!
Hole # 18 - Par 4, 310 yards
I hit one of my best drives of the day over the pond stretching out beyond the teeing ground and coming to rest in the fairway, 80 yards from the green. Next, I hit one with the loft wedge. The ball was all over the flag, coming to rest about eight feet in behind. The birdie putt was a downhill breaker that I just missed. I finished with a very satisfactory par.
When all was said and done, I shot 83, my best of the season. By comparison, my best last year was an 85 at Osprey Valley Heathlands. In 2009, my best was an 83 at Carlisle. I had an 82 at Granite Ridge Cobalt in 2008 and an 81 at Deer Creek South in 2007, which remain the only rounds I've had that were better than this one.
I may have to pop some champagne and enjoy the rush that accompanies this result. After all, it won't be long before this game punches me in the gut once again.
Score: 83
Putts: 37
Fairways: 8
Greens: 9
Penalties: 0
September 10, 2011
Cliff Clavin Appears at Century Pines
"It's a little known fact that golf has its origins in the highlands of Central America. Contrary to popular belief, the game was not invented in 15th century Scotland. Centuries earlier, it was part of an elaborate religious ritual performed by the ancient Mayans. Using stone balls and wooden clubs, the Mayans used the ritual to pay equal homage to the gods of the earth, from which the balls were played, the heavens, through which the balls flew, and the underworld, where the balls ultimately came to rest. Constellations representing each of the gods, or more specifically the number of stars making up each constellation, determined whether a hole was to be played in three, four, or five strokes. Since each of the three gods was to be appeased for all six segments of the Mayan calendar, 3x6, or 18 holes were to be completed during each ceremony."
Of course, everything in the preceding paragraph is bunk. It's the kind of thing you'd expect to hear from Cliff Clavin, the likeable, but nevertheless annoying, know-it-all who traded bar room tales with a cast of other characters on Cheers, the popular sitcom that ran on NBC for much of the eighties and early nineties. For those who didn't follow the show, here's a clip of Cliff that hints at his rather unique personality.
If I didn't know any better, I would say that I ran into Cliff Clavin himself at Century Pines Golf Club, the site of my latest round of golf. You see, I went as a single and was paired up with a couple of other players. One was a quiet, friendly guy who turned out to be great company. His friend was a likeable, but nevertheless annoying sort, who I frankly had trouble tolerating. Don't get me wrong; there wasn't an ounce of bad in this guy. He just happened to be a chatterbox of epic proportions. From the start of the round to the finish, he described the minutiae of local golf courses, schooled me on historic golf events, even peppered me with obscure golf trivia. Add to this the fact that he had a penchant for exaggerated reactions to every shot taken as we played. I swear, he was Cliff Clavin reincarnated.
Before "Cliff" even got to me, I shot my round to pieces. Teeing off shortly after sunrise on a September morning, it was cold and misty. The best weather for golf is now behind us and I really felt it at that moment. I pulled my first ball out of bounds, then blocked my third off the tee across the opposite fairway. What happened next was a string of truly horrific mis-hits. With a tree disrupting my backswing, I barely advanced the ball. Next, I hit four duffs in a row, ending with a ball in a pond. After a second penalty stroke, I hooked one straight across the first fairway. Two chips later I was on the green, only to finish with a 3-putt. My score on the hole was 15. I could not believe it!
Cliff was not responsible in any way for my opening hole fiasco. In fact, perhaps it was the miserable start that soured me to his myriad stories. When you blow up on a hole like that, the last thing you feel like doing is to exchange pleasantries. In any case, I abandoned any hope of getting a good score for the round. All I hoped for was to play well on the remaining holes and to salvage whatever score I could.
I went on to struggle for about three more holes, before settling down into something more typical of my recent performances. I made a quadruple-bogey, bogey, and triple-bogey on holes #2 through #4, before stringing together four bogeys in a row. On hole #9 however, I was back to the nonsense, registering another quad. My score at the turn was an embarassing 63.
I don't know what happened. My driving, which had been so encouraging at Hockley Valley and Indian Wells, went off the rails again. A couple of short irons were shanked when I was attempting seemingly simple shots. My putting wasn't terrrible, but I still collected three 3-putts.
The back nine was mostly a different story. I drove the ball a little better and avoided shanks or duffs. This helped me collect a couple of pars, to go along with a series of bogeys. Hole #16, the #2 handicap on the course, finally ended the good streak. I pushed a 3-iron off the tee into a hazard. I hooked my approach to the green into another hazard. Poor shots on this hole are hard to recover from, due to the abundant hazards and out of bounds. I finished the hole with a quad. This took some of the wind out of my sails and I stumbled a bit to finish the round. I shot 49 on the back nine, which isn't great, but is a heck of a lot better than 63!
What can I say? This round was like a punch in the stomach. It was two steps back, after taking a step forward at the previous round. The season is winding down and my game is grim. Sigh.
Score: 112
Putts: 34
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 6
Of course, everything in the preceding paragraph is bunk. It's the kind of thing you'd expect to hear from Cliff Clavin, the likeable, but nevertheless annoying, know-it-all who traded bar room tales with a cast of other characters on Cheers, the popular sitcom that ran on NBC for much of the eighties and early nineties. For those who didn't follow the show, here's a clip of Cliff that hints at his rather unique personality.
If I didn't know any better, I would say that I ran into Cliff Clavin himself at Century Pines Golf Club, the site of my latest round of golf. You see, I went as a single and was paired up with a couple of other players. One was a quiet, friendly guy who turned out to be great company. His friend was a likeable, but nevertheless annoying sort, who I frankly had trouble tolerating. Don't get me wrong; there wasn't an ounce of bad in this guy. He just happened to be a chatterbox of epic proportions. From the start of the round to the finish, he described the minutiae of local golf courses, schooled me on historic golf events, even peppered me with obscure golf trivia. Add to this the fact that he had a penchant for exaggerated reactions to every shot taken as we played. I swear, he was Cliff Clavin reincarnated.
Before "Cliff" even got to me, I shot my round to pieces. Teeing off shortly after sunrise on a September morning, it was cold and misty. The best weather for golf is now behind us and I really felt it at that moment. I pulled my first ball out of bounds, then blocked my third off the tee across the opposite fairway. What happened next was a string of truly horrific mis-hits. With a tree disrupting my backswing, I barely advanced the ball. Next, I hit four duffs in a row, ending with a ball in a pond. After a second penalty stroke, I hooked one straight across the first fairway. Two chips later I was on the green, only to finish with a 3-putt. My score on the hole was 15. I could not believe it!
Cliff was not responsible in any way for my opening hole fiasco. In fact, perhaps it was the miserable start that soured me to his myriad stories. When you blow up on a hole like that, the last thing you feel like doing is to exchange pleasantries. In any case, I abandoned any hope of getting a good score for the round. All I hoped for was to play well on the remaining holes and to salvage whatever score I could.
I went on to struggle for about three more holes, before settling down into something more typical of my recent performances. I made a quadruple-bogey, bogey, and triple-bogey on holes #2 through #4, before stringing together four bogeys in a row. On hole #9 however, I was back to the nonsense, registering another quad. My score at the turn was an embarassing 63.
I don't know what happened. My driving, which had been so encouraging at Hockley Valley and Indian Wells, went off the rails again. A couple of short irons were shanked when I was attempting seemingly simple shots. My putting wasn't terrrible, but I still collected three 3-putts.
The back nine was mostly a different story. I drove the ball a little better and avoided shanks or duffs. This helped me collect a couple of pars, to go along with a series of bogeys. Hole #16, the #2 handicap on the course, finally ended the good streak. I pushed a 3-iron off the tee into a hazard. I hooked my approach to the green into another hazard. Poor shots on this hole are hard to recover from, due to the abundant hazards and out of bounds. I finished the hole with a quad. This took some of the wind out of my sails and I stumbled a bit to finish the round. I shot 49 on the back nine, which isn't great, but is a heck of a lot better than 63!
What can I say? This round was like a punch in the stomach. It was two steps back, after taking a step forward at the previous round. The season is winding down and my game is grim. Sigh.
Score: 112
Putts: 34
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 6
September 02, 2011
Confidence Swells at Indian Wells
In a post written last year, I described Indian Wells Golf Club as my new nemesis. After my latest round there, I may have to rescind the comment.
Employing the wrist cock that seemed to help my driving at Hockley Valley, I opened with a nice, straight drive on hole #1. I pushed my second shot way right into the fescue, but recovered nicely for a bogey on this par-5. I went on to hit six of seven fairways on the front nine holes. That included a 260-yard laser to the 150-yard stick on hole #2. Hitting the fairway on this hole is a must if one is to reach the green in regulation. The entire left side is out-of-bounds, while the rough on the right side makes it difficult to carry a large pond that bisects the fairway. I hit the green with an 8-iron and went on to make par.
A fairway and green in regulation was also the result on hole #3, which features two forced carries over ponds. I used driver and pitching wedge to accomplish the feat. My first putt was a bit short and as a result, I finished with a 3-putt bogey. I didn't let that happen on hole #5, another par-4. This time, I used driver and sand wedge to set up a birdie chance. The putt broke just behind the hole, so I settled for a tap-in par.
The only fairway I missed on the front half of the course was on hole #6, an uphill par-5. I pulled that one a couple of yards into the fescue on the left side. I soon recovered, hitting the fairway on the next two opportunities. The last of these was on hole #9, which can be very intimidating from the tee. A narrow and elevated fairway is lined by thick woods on both sides. I hit a 255-yard drive to the centre of the carpet, followed by a gap wedge to the green. Par was the final result.
Besides being happy with my driver, I was also very pleased with my irons. In addition to hitting six fairways, I hit six greens in regulation on the front nine. This helped me earn five pars. If anything let me down, it was my putting. I would have had two more pars, if not for a 3-putt and 4-putt that resulted in a bogey and double-bogey respectively. Even with these miscues, I made the turn with a healthy score of 42.
I started the back nine playing well, but strung together a bunch of bogeys, rather than pars. I was no longer hitting the fairways with regularity, though a couple of those misses came with the 3-iron. I wasn't striking the ball badly, but everything was a little less precise. I also seemed to make one bad shot on each hole. On hole #11, for example, a pitch from 65 yards landed ten yards short of the green. On hole #13, a par-3, I missed a short putt for par. On hole #14, I mis-hit my second shot from a side-hill lie on the sloped fairway. Despite all this, I was in great shape with four holes to play. Indeed, I was on track to break 90.
A pulled tee shot and penalty stroke contributed to a double-bogey on hole #15, a challenging par-5. Still, if I played bogey golf through the final three holes, I would break 90. Unfortunately, that was not possible after hole #16. At 325 yards, this is a short par-4, but don't let that fool you. Players tee off from the top of a ridge to a narrow fairway below. Thick woods line both sides of the fairway, while rough vegetation covers the slope directly in front. The hole is a dog-leg, so players must control their length, as well as direction. A long ball can easily run out of fairway and into the woods. To top it all off, a creek meanders along the left side of the fairway. If you manage to navigate all this with your tee shot, you face an approach to a severely elevated green. The challenge however, is really in the tee shot. I topped my first into the weed-covered slope. After a penalty stroke, my third was a hook to the edge of the woods. With no backswing available, I plunked my fourth into the creek. I played my fifth from a muddy creek bed, sending the ball skidding into the woods across the fairway. With little backswing and a terrible lie, I barely managed to get the ball loose with my sixth. From a side-hill lie, I hit my seventh to the slope fronting the green. My eighth was a short pitch to the putting surface. My ninth was a 13-foot putt, my best of the day, which found the bottom of the cup. Talk about irony!
After the disaster hole, I finished with a double-bogey and bogey to record a final tally of 93. Of course, a better performance on hole #16 would have given me a chance to break 90, but once I made a couple of bad tee shots, there really was no recovery. I did all I could do from the positions I was in. There were enough miscues elsewhere that could have been avoided, helping to shave a few strokes off my score. Most of those were putts. I calculate that I gave away five strokes in putts alone. Avoid those mistakes and I finish with a score of 88, even with the blowup hole. That's typical of this game. As soon as you get your driving and irons to a level you're happy with, the flat stick abandons you.
Score: 93
Putts: 39
Fairways: 8
Greens: 7
Penalties: 3
Employing the wrist cock that seemed to help my driving at Hockley Valley, I opened with a nice, straight drive on hole #1. I pushed my second shot way right into the fescue, but recovered nicely for a bogey on this par-5. I went on to hit six of seven fairways on the front nine holes. That included a 260-yard laser to the 150-yard stick on hole #2. Hitting the fairway on this hole is a must if one is to reach the green in regulation. The entire left side is out-of-bounds, while the rough on the right side makes it difficult to carry a large pond that bisects the fairway. I hit the green with an 8-iron and went on to make par.
A fairway and green in regulation was also the result on hole #3, which features two forced carries over ponds. I used driver and pitching wedge to accomplish the feat. My first putt was a bit short and as a result, I finished with a 3-putt bogey. I didn't let that happen on hole #5, another par-4. This time, I used driver and sand wedge to set up a birdie chance. The putt broke just behind the hole, so I settled for a tap-in par.
The only fairway I missed on the front half of the course was on hole #6, an uphill par-5. I pulled that one a couple of yards into the fescue on the left side. I soon recovered, hitting the fairway on the next two opportunities. The last of these was on hole #9, which can be very intimidating from the tee. A narrow and elevated fairway is lined by thick woods on both sides. I hit a 255-yard drive to the centre of the carpet, followed by a gap wedge to the green. Par was the final result.
Besides being happy with my driver, I was also very pleased with my irons. In addition to hitting six fairways, I hit six greens in regulation on the front nine. This helped me earn five pars. If anything let me down, it was my putting. I would have had two more pars, if not for a 3-putt and 4-putt that resulted in a bogey and double-bogey respectively. Even with these miscues, I made the turn with a healthy score of 42.
I started the back nine playing well, but strung together a bunch of bogeys, rather than pars. I was no longer hitting the fairways with regularity, though a couple of those misses came with the 3-iron. I wasn't striking the ball badly, but everything was a little less precise. I also seemed to make one bad shot on each hole. On hole #11, for example, a pitch from 65 yards landed ten yards short of the green. On hole #13, a par-3, I missed a short putt for par. On hole #14, I mis-hit my second shot from a side-hill lie on the sloped fairway. Despite all this, I was in great shape with four holes to play. Indeed, I was on track to break 90.
A pulled tee shot and penalty stroke contributed to a double-bogey on hole #15, a challenging par-5. Still, if I played bogey golf through the final three holes, I would break 90. Unfortunately, that was not possible after hole #16. At 325 yards, this is a short par-4, but don't let that fool you. Players tee off from the top of a ridge to a narrow fairway below. Thick woods line both sides of the fairway, while rough vegetation covers the slope directly in front. The hole is a dog-leg, so players must control their length, as well as direction. A long ball can easily run out of fairway and into the woods. To top it all off, a creek meanders along the left side of the fairway. If you manage to navigate all this with your tee shot, you face an approach to a severely elevated green. The challenge however, is really in the tee shot. I topped my first into the weed-covered slope. After a penalty stroke, my third was a hook to the edge of the woods. With no backswing available, I plunked my fourth into the creek. I played my fifth from a muddy creek bed, sending the ball skidding into the woods across the fairway. With little backswing and a terrible lie, I barely managed to get the ball loose with my sixth. From a side-hill lie, I hit my seventh to the slope fronting the green. My eighth was a short pitch to the putting surface. My ninth was a 13-foot putt, my best of the day, which found the bottom of the cup. Talk about irony!
After the disaster hole, I finished with a double-bogey and bogey to record a final tally of 93. Of course, a better performance on hole #16 would have given me a chance to break 90, but once I made a couple of bad tee shots, there really was no recovery. I did all I could do from the positions I was in. There were enough miscues elsewhere that could have been avoided, helping to shave a few strokes off my score. Most of those were putts. I calculate that I gave away five strokes in putts alone. Avoid those mistakes and I finish with a score of 88, even with the blowup hole. That's typical of this game. As soon as you get your driving and irons to a level you're happy with, the flat stick abandons you.
Score: 93
Putts: 39
Fairways: 8
Greens: 7
Penalties: 3
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