Pining for Less Than a Century

I've visited Century Pines Golf Club a couple of times each of the past few seasons. Looking back at my scores for those trips, it's apparent that I haven't really performed well at the Troy, Ontario course. In fact, I haven't broken 100 there since 2010, when I tallied 93 and 97 in a pair of outings. This time out, my final score was 101. I'm disappointed any time I reach the century mark, but I'm buoyed by the fact that my game seems to be improving steadily over the early part of this season.

In recent visits to Century Pines, I flared my opening drive to an opposite fairway, mindful of the strand of trees and out-of-bounds that line the entire left side of hole #1, a straight par-5. Since that approach hasn't worked so well, I opted for a 4-iron off the tee this time. My thinking was that I could control the iron more than the driver. Even with an iron off the tee, I could likely reach the green in three shots. Worst case scenario, I could get to the green in four shots and 2-putt for bogey, which I would be delighted with. Well, I pulled my tee shot into the trees left for a lost ball. Hitting 3 from the tee, I missed the sweet spot and barely cleared a hazard that crosses 150 yards in front of the teeing ground. With a terrible lie on the opposite bank of the creek, I barely advanced the ball. I finished up the hole with a quadruple bogey. Needless to say, the first hole got me again!

Strong winds were really gusting over the front nine. I handled them well to bogey hole #2, but they contributed greatly to double-bogeys on holes #3 through #5. Instead of attacking greens with high lofted clubs, I tried punching low shots with less lofted clubs. Uncertain about how much to shorten my swing, I either came up short or bounced straight across the greens.

On hole #6, a par-4 measuring 370 yards, I punched a 5-iron under some tree branches for my second shot. It was a very smart play and well executed, as the ball stopped in the fairway just short of the green. I chipped on and 2-putt on the highly sloped green for a satisfying bogey. I hit an absolute beauty off the tee on the par-3 seventh hole. The pin was at the front of the green, about 165 yards away. Accounting for the stiff wind blowing straight into my face, I hit a full 5-iron, which is my 180-yard club. The ball flew past the hole, hitting a bit of a backstop in the middle of the green and rolling back to within 8 feet of the hole. I burned the edge on the birdie putt, but tapped in for par.

I had trouble getting out of some trees with my second shot on hole #8. In addition, I made my first and only 3-putt of the day, resulting in a triple-bogey. I followed up with a stunning drive on the par-5 ninth hole, then hit a perfect lay up, leaving 117 yards to the flag. Unfortunately, I flushed the gap wedge over the back of the green, requiring a chip and two putts to hole out for bogey. I was shooting 52 at the turn.

Holes #10 through #12 are all short par-4 holes. Hole #10 measures 306 yards, but hitting driver off the tee comes with some risk, as you can easily run through the dogleg left or get tangled with a strand of trees that protect the line straight to the green. I went with driver anyway and ran through the end of the fairway. Luckily, I avoided three large bunkers in that area. I was just 50 yards from the green, but practically duffed the approach, leaving 15 yards to go. After a good chip, I almost made the par putt. A tap-in was required for bogey.

Hole #11 measures 309 yards, and once again, driver off the tee carries some risk. I pushed mine into some trees on the right, with a distinct possibility of being lost. I hit a provisional, which was almost perfect. The ball came to rest about 5 yards right of the green and flag high. As it turned out, I found my original ball. I was forced to chip out of the trees sideways. From 85 yards away, I hit a poor shot and failed to reach the green. I was trying to play a low runner and just took too much off of the swing. I finished with double-bogey.

I started hole #12 by losing my tee ball in a hazard on the left. Hitting 3 from the tee, I hit a stunning drive to the left fairway, leaving just 65 yards to the flag. This time, I tried to loft one in there with the 60-degree wedge, but caught it thin, sending the ball over the green and behind some trees. I had to take an unplayable, which contributed to a quadruple-bogey.

I played bogey golf over the last 6 holes, including par on the par-5 fourteenth hole and a very good bogey on hole #16. I mis-hit a 3-iron off the tee, failing to even reach the fairway. Next, I hit a controlled sand wedge to lay up in the perfect spot, 135 yards away from the green. This green is surrounded by water back and right, with a creek winding across the approach area and trees left. I hit a low drawing 9-iron into the wind that curled very near the hole. I burned the edge on the par putt, but tapped in for bogey.

I was also very happy with my drive on hole #17, a par-4 measuring 440 yards. In previous visits, I was perplexed by a tree that pinches in on the left side, just 50 yards ahead of the teeing ground. This time, I started my ball right and drew it in ever so slightly, finishing up on the right side of the fairway, 180 yards from the green. Mind you, I hit the next shot fat and ultimately made double-bogey. Hole #18 played out much like #9. I hit a perfect drive, followed by a perfect layup. From 117 yards away, I flushed a gap wedge over the back of the green. I guess I hit that club a few yards longer than I think. I made a poor chip, but 2-putt for bogey.

My game is coming around. I felt a lot more in control, whether with the driver or with the irons. I'm still not happy with the "feel" shots that are less than a full swing. My putting is good, even if the lengthy putts aren't going in.

Score: 101
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 3