Most people would agree that you can't simply will something to happen; desire just isn't enough. In fact, desire may even get in the way. I can't help but feel that this applies to my latest round of golf, played on The Club at Bond Head's South course. It was my second ever trip to the club, two years removed from my initial visit.
With the exception of Deepwoods Golf Association events, all of my rounds this year have been played as a single. There are a few nice things about that. For one thing, it's easy to play whenever and wherever you want, as there are no schedules to accommodate but your own. Occasionally, you also meet some pleasant people. On the whole, however, playing as a single just isn't as fun as playing with friends. To begin with, you miss out on the banter and good natured joking that only comes with familiarity. Most of all, you miss out on the shared experience – the opportunity to follow your partners' development and to offer support and encouragement, while they do the same for you.
The visit to Bond Head was a chance to play with some good friends whom I haven't seen in over a year. As a result, I was incredibly pumped up about the outing. I arrived at the club later than planned, thanks to heavier than expected traffic. More unsettling was the stiff wind whipping about as we emerged from the clubhouse and made our way over to the first tee. Hole #1 is a short par-4 that calls for an iron off the tee. My irons have been uncontrollable lately, even under ideal conditions. Throw in a strong wind and you have a recipe for disaster. I hooked a 3-iron into the fescue, which required two hacks to get out. Next, I duffed a pitch shot before placing one near the green. Up and down was only good for a triple-bogey.
With driver in my hands on the second tee, the result was no better. I failed to clear a hazard, earning a penalty stroke. My approach shot hooked into some knee-high fescue, which forced me to declare the ball unplayable. After another penalty stroke, I chipped and 2-putt for another triple-bogey.
All of this was just a warmup for what would ensue on hole #3, a par-3 measuring 190 yards. Battling the tendency to hook the ball, I pushed two consecutive balls right off the tee. The first hit a tree and was lost, while the second required a sideways chip to get to the shorter grass. My fifth shot found a greenside bunker, while my sixth sailed clear over the green. After a poor chip and a 3-putt, I marked a ten on my scorecard. Unbelievable!
At this point, it was hard to recover. I was not in the right frame of mind and the severe wind clearly had me rattled. Beginning with the third hole, I managed to 3-putt six consecutive holes. My putting has been good all year, so this had to be a mental issue. Mind you, I tallied 44 putts during my first visit to Bond Head, so maybe it has something to do with the greens there. I registered 42 putts this time around.
I only played two decent holes on the front nine. On hole #4, I hit the fairway with a low trajectory drive, then drew a 7-iron into the green. On hole #7, another low drive found the left rough. This was followed by a good 5-iron, leaving 100 yards into this par-5. Next, I hit a lob wedge thin, but nevertheless found the green in regulation. On both holes, a 3-putt turned a potential par into bogey.
On the back nine, the wind subsided. A slow group ahead of us also let us play through. Both of these factors helped me play a more regular game, coming in with a score of 51. A great up and down earned par on hole #10, while bogeys and double-bogeys began to replace triples or worse. My driving was not as sharp as it has been, but I did manage a couple of good ones. My irons were still bad, but my short game was better. In spite of the improvement, I collected three additional 3-putts.
In the end, I had mixed feelings. I was thankful to have had the opportunity to play with some good buddies and enjoyed our time on the course. However, I was terribly disappointed in my personal performance. I wanted a good result more than at any other time this year, but actually walked away with my worst score. The experience confirmed what I already knew: desire just isn't enough.
Score: 115
Putts: 42
Fairways: 2
Greens: 3
Penalties: 5
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