A week since my last round of golf, I ventured to Lowville Golf Club on a sunny afternoon. Playing the first six holes alone, I managed four bogeys, one double-bogey, and a birdie. I didn't make many good shots, but I avoided danger and managed to advance the ball consistently. A good drive on the opening hole trickled just left of the fairway, leaving the ball in the rough and well below my feet on the second shot. I pitched back to the fairway, setting up an approach into the par-5 hole. My approach ended up short and right. I duffed a pitch to the green, before hitting a good one stiff. A single putt salvaged bogey.
Thus went much of my round. On hole #3, a par-3 measuring 201 yards, I came up short and right of target once again. I hit a good pitch to the green and 2-putt for bogey. On hole #4, a straightaway par-5, my approach from 120 yards came up short. I hit another chip shot stiff, leaving an easy putt for bogey. On the next hole, a 190-yard par-3, I hit the ball with the toe of the club, leaving it short and well right of the green. I made a 30-yard pitch shot and 2-putt for bogey. The stretch of solo golf ended with a birdie on hole #6, a short par-4. I hit a 5-iron right of the fairway, but followed up with a perfect gap wedge, leaving an uphill putt for the birdie.
I joined the twosome ahead of me on hole #7, a par-5 that plays 466 yards uphill. I cranked a beautiful drive to the left edge of the fairway, leaving 180 yards to the green. I went for the green with a 4-iron and hit it perfectly. Unfortunately, the ball died in the embankment fronting the green. I should have made no worse than par from there, but chipped on and 3-putt for bogey. My short game was better on the next hole, a short par-3. After hitting my tee shot fat, I was faced with a 30 yard pitch shot to a shallow green fronted by a bunker and with a steep dropoff behind. I hit a great pitch and 2-putt to make bogey. At the turn I was shooting a respectable score of 45.
I bogeyed hole #10, then found my first real trouble of the day on hole #11. My 3-iron off the tee was struck well, but I started it too far right and clipped a tree protecting that side of the fairway. The ball dropped in the rough nearby, but I had a brutal side hill lie. I tried to get back to the fairway, but shanked the ball into a hazard further up the right side. After a penalty, I hit some bad pitch shots, ultimately finishing with a quadruple-bogey.
On hole #12, I was back in the groove. I busted a wicked drive off the tee, carrying the valley up ahead and coming to rest in perfect position. I had 200 yards remaining to the green on this par-5, but opted to lay up to about 120 yards. Going for the green in that position brings another valley into play, not to mention a bunker and other dangers beside the green. Unfortunately, I pulled my approach, then came up short with a pitch shot. I chipped on and saved bogey with a long breaking putt. Another great putt, albeit shorter and with less break, saved bogey on hole #13.
With two holes to play, my score stood at 83. Two bogeys would give me a final score of 93, which is not too shabby these days. Unfortunately, I blew up massively on those holes. I pulled a drive into a hazard on hole #17. Hitting my third shot from the tee, I sliced the ball to a massive hillside right of the fairway. The ball was in the rough and well below my feet, resulting in a shank. Now, the ball was on a mound, well above my feet. I sculled the ball behind the green. Next, I duffed a chip shot, before chipping again to get on the green and 2-putting for a score of 9 on the hole. Terrible!
It didn't get much better on the next hole. The tee shot is a forced carry over a ravine. I plunked one in the bushes, before getting over safely. Just like that, two more strokes were given away. A couple more shots put me behind the green, where I hit a decent chip shot. A long uphill putt would have salvaged triple-bogey and a final score of 99, but it didn't drop. Hello century mark, my familiar friend!
Overall, there were a lot of positives in this round. I didn't hit the ball especially well, but I managed to keep it moving forward by avoiding duffs and topped balls. Every now and then, I did manage to hit a nice shot. Though I duffed a couple of pitches and chips, I compensated by hitting others very near the pin. My putting was good, as I registered only 31 putts over the round. More importantly, I drained a few tricky ones to save bogey or make birdie.
Score: 100
Putts: 31
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 4
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