My latest round was at Calerin Golf Club, a 9-hole design that you can play twice if you want the 18-hole experience. Though you play from different tees the second time around, it's fun to see how your performance changes (or not) over the first pass through. I'll describe each hole, with the results of both passes shown.
Hole #1 (Par 5) – Double, Bogey
Double bogey the first time around, as my second shot from the fairway bunker ended up lost in the fescue. It was not thick at all and I probably would have found it with more time, but there was a group behind me, so I just took the penalty and moved on. The second time through, I hit my sand wedge into the green fat from 100 yards, otherwise it was a sure par.
Hole #2 (Par-3) – Bogey, Double
Very different experience each time, as the hole played 108 from one set of tees and 170 from the other. My first tee shot caught the top of the club face and was short. Pitch on and 2-putt completed bogey. Second tee shot was just off the back of the green, but I duffed a chip attempt. Another chip and 2-putt meant I went backwards on this hole.
Hole #3 (Par-4) – Par, Bogey
A lengthy par-4, I made good tee shots both times. The second one was a 290-yard blast to the left fairway, leaving 140 yards to the green. Unfortunately, I thinned the 9-iron off the back of the green, then duffed a chip. Two putts earned bogey. The previous visit, my approach into the green was short, but I hit a beautiful pitch and tap-in for par.
Hole #4 (Par-5) – Par, Bogey
Good tee shots both times, followed by good long irons. The first time through, my sand wedge from 110 yards found the green, hole high. The second time through, I was also 110 yards to the flag, but coming from the left side. Deep bunkers fronting the green come more into play and I ended up in one. After a decent sand shot, I needed two putts to finish.
Hole #5 (Par-3) – Double, Bogey
Length is about the same from both tees, just a different angle. I pull-hooked the first attempt, finding a strand of trees but staying in bounds. My punch shot from a tough lie came out better than I thought, skidding across the green. After a mediocre chip, an excellent putt almost saved bogey. The key word is “almost”. On my second attempt, the tee shot was better, just short of the green. After a decent chip, I almost made the par putt. Oh well, a couple of good putts on this green, but neither one found the bottom of the cup.
Hole #6 (Par-4) – Double, Bogey
Took a penalty stroke both times that I played the hole. Though I teed off from different areas, the tee shots entered the same spot of the woods on the left side of this dogleg right. I hit a spectacular 6-iron the second time through to find the green and save bogey. The green sits on an elevated plateau, with deep bunkers front left, as well as a big tree. The pin was tucked way back on the left side. I hoisted the ball high, over the tree and all over the flag. It was a nice feeling.
Hole #7 (Par-4) – Triple, Bogey
Nonsense the first time through, as I smothered and topped the drive attempt. The ball dove into some long thick fescue left of the teeing area. I had to use my most lofted club, just to get out of there. This put me behind a tree right of the fairway. Next, I hit an iron fat and was in the fescue again. After two shots to get out of there, a pair of putts finished the hole. On my return to the hole, I hit a 315-yard drive to the left rough, leaving just 50 yards to the flag. It should have been no worse than par, but my short game let me down.
Hole #8 (Par-4) – Birdie, Bogey
I love the look of this hole from the tee and it showed in the results. A 260-yard drive on the first visit sailed over some fairway bunkers and left 110 yards to the green. With a front pin position, I hit a perfect sand wedge and then drained a 10-footer. Woohoo! On the second visit, the tees were up a bit. I hit another perfect drive, but now I was left with 90 yards to the green. I tried to take something off the sand wedge, but trickled off the back of the green. I made a great downhill chip, but was robbed on my 5-foot par attempt.
Hole #9 (Par-4) – Par, Triple
Nice 260-yard drive the first time around left 150 to the green from the centre of the fairway. I pushed a 9-iron right into some fescue. I was short-sided. The ball came out cleaner than I thought and skidded over the green. No worries, as I chipped in from off the green! Beautiful shot indeed. Second time around, the drive was good but I ended up in a fairway bunker. I was forced to hit 60 degree wedge to clear the lip. From 75 yards, I tried to bump one into the green, but it carried off the back edge. I duffed my chip and then 3-putt with the hole cut right on a slope. Oh well.
So I shot 45 on the first pass and 48 on the second. There were more doubles on the front nine, but there were also some pars and a birdie. The back nine felt more controlled, even though the score was worse. Funny how that works. Overall, I'm satisfied. I could have broken 90 but just missed out.
My handicap factor dipped to 19.1 - the lowest it's been since 2011. I'm basically back to the level I was playing at in 2010. I faltered over a couple of years there and it's been a long grind back. Now I want to get back to the 16-18 handicap range, which is about as good as I ever was. Of course, I want to get even better than that, but one step at a time.
Score: 93
Putts: 34
Fairways: 6
Greens: 2
Penalties: 3
June 25, 2015
June 23, 2015
Turnaround at Glen Eagle
Normally, I go deep into the season before returning to a course for the second time. Not so this time around, as I recently played my second round of the year at Glen Eagle Golf Club. I was supposed to play at Braeben instead, but plans changed at the last minute. Once again, I played the Blue and Yellow nines, so I was able to directly compare my performance to that of a month ago. I lowered my overall score by four strokes, so I guess I'm moving in the right direction.
Blue #1 is turning into something of a nemesis for me. This par-4 begins from an elevated teeing ground, with trees left and a small pond right in the landing zone. I smother hooked my last couple tee shots here, so I wasn't going to let that happen again. I made good contact, but it was a slight push headed straight for the pond. I thought I had enough power to carry the water, but a search on the other side turned up nothing, so I must have landed in the drink. The rest of the hole is all uphill, so I needed two more shots to reach the green after taking my penalty stroke and drop. I almost saved bogey with a good putt, but settled for a tap-in double.
Two pars and a bogey followed over the next three holes. Hole #2 is a par-5 that I completed in textbook fashion – three shots to get on, followed by a 2-putt. The birdie attempt was close, but just missed. Hole #3, was a little less textbook, as my 4-iron off the tee came up three yards short of the green. After an average chip, I continued my good putting – this time curling one in from about 10 feet. Hole #4 began with a decent drive just right of the fairway. Unfortunately, I had a pretty severe side hill lie, which made it difficult to reach the green in regulation. That's okay – bogey ain't bad.
What's bad is a score of 10, which I amassed on the subsequent par-5. My drive drifted right of the fairway, but in a decent spot. I had to hit a lofted club to get over some tall trees, with a slight draw to get back to position. Perhaps I thought about it too much, as I topped the ball badly. It trickled through a bunker immediately ahead of me, coming to rest in a fescue covered island within the bunker. Looking at my ball, I decided it was foolish to try to hit it out of there. I declared the ball unplayable, took my penalty and returned to the site of my last shot. This time, I executed the shot exactly as I had envisioned, with my ball finishing up right beside the 150-yard stick. Unfortunately, my fifth shot into the green was slightly right of target, finding a deep bunker. I hit the sand shot fat, popping the ball into deep fescue covering the lip of the bunker. Once again, I was forced to declare the ball unplayable. Playing from the sand with my eighth shot, I made a nice out that finished reasonably near the hole. Too bad you don't get second chances in golf. Two putts were required to end the train wreck.
A string of double-bogeys finished the front nine and I made the turn with a score of 51. I tried not to think about it, but when you're over 50 midway through the round, you know that 100 has the chance to rear its ugly head by day's end. This became an even greater possibility after a double-bogey on Yellow #1. No worries though, as I went on to play the last eight holes of the day at just 5 over par. It was a nice run, consisting of four pars, three bogeys and one double.
Yellow #2 is a great par-3, playing about 175 yards from the blue tees. The green is wide, but shallow, sitting on a plateau behind and above a treacherous pond. The flag was tucked on the left side, bringing the water more into play. I opted for 5-iron, which is my 180-yard club. The idea was to swing one in from the right side and that's exactly what I did. It didn't start out as far right as I wanted, so I was worried I might find the water. The ball ended up past the water, just off the left side of the green and flag high. It felt good to hit that one, so I had confidence as I got up and down to earn par.
Yellow #4 deserves mention because I made par while hitting some terrible shots! This is a par-5 that starts with a dogleg left, before dropping substantially downhill. The approach to the green narrows significantly, with a forest of pine trees right and some big trees left. I tried to play a draw off the tee, but overdid it, hooking the ball left and not getting much distance. Bad shot. Next, I punched a 5-iron low to avoid some overhanging branches. It wasn't a bad shot, but I was still in the left rough, 215 yards from the green. I decided to go for it with the 5-wood. The ball came out low and to the right, headed directly for the pine forest. Terrible shot. Somehow, my ball popped out of the pines back to the right rough, 100 yards from the green. The green is deep and the flag was at the back, so I went pin hunting with the 52 degree wedge. I tried to take a little off, but it was a crisp strike. My ball failed to hold the green, trickling off the back edge. Now, I was not only short-sided, but the green was falling away from me. My playing partner had hit one to the same are and he was away first. He hit a good chip, but the ball finished 20 feet past the hole. Not much he could do about that. I proceeded to hit a miraculous chip, barely popping the ball to the fringe and watching it curl down right into the hole! Oh baby!
That lucky break gave me some confidence, which I rode the rest of the way. Last time at this course, I made par on each of the last three holes, so that also helped. While the finish wasn't as smooth this time around, I did make par on the last. It's a hole I like for some reason, and one where I've had plenty of success. In the end, it was a score of 94 – safely below the dreaded century mark.
Can't wait for the next round!
Score: 94
Putts: 33
Fairways: 3
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
Blue #1 is turning into something of a nemesis for me. This par-4 begins from an elevated teeing ground, with trees left and a small pond right in the landing zone. I smother hooked my last couple tee shots here, so I wasn't going to let that happen again. I made good contact, but it was a slight push headed straight for the pond. I thought I had enough power to carry the water, but a search on the other side turned up nothing, so I must have landed in the drink. The rest of the hole is all uphill, so I needed two more shots to reach the green after taking my penalty stroke and drop. I almost saved bogey with a good putt, but settled for a tap-in double.
Two pars and a bogey followed over the next three holes. Hole #2 is a par-5 that I completed in textbook fashion – three shots to get on, followed by a 2-putt. The birdie attempt was close, but just missed. Hole #3, was a little less textbook, as my 4-iron off the tee came up three yards short of the green. After an average chip, I continued my good putting – this time curling one in from about 10 feet. Hole #4 began with a decent drive just right of the fairway. Unfortunately, I had a pretty severe side hill lie, which made it difficult to reach the green in regulation. That's okay – bogey ain't bad.
What's bad is a score of 10, which I amassed on the subsequent par-5. My drive drifted right of the fairway, but in a decent spot. I had to hit a lofted club to get over some tall trees, with a slight draw to get back to position. Perhaps I thought about it too much, as I topped the ball badly. It trickled through a bunker immediately ahead of me, coming to rest in a fescue covered island within the bunker. Looking at my ball, I decided it was foolish to try to hit it out of there. I declared the ball unplayable, took my penalty and returned to the site of my last shot. This time, I executed the shot exactly as I had envisioned, with my ball finishing up right beside the 150-yard stick. Unfortunately, my fifth shot into the green was slightly right of target, finding a deep bunker. I hit the sand shot fat, popping the ball into deep fescue covering the lip of the bunker. Once again, I was forced to declare the ball unplayable. Playing from the sand with my eighth shot, I made a nice out that finished reasonably near the hole. Too bad you don't get second chances in golf. Two putts were required to end the train wreck.
A string of double-bogeys finished the front nine and I made the turn with a score of 51. I tried not to think about it, but when you're over 50 midway through the round, you know that 100 has the chance to rear its ugly head by day's end. This became an even greater possibility after a double-bogey on Yellow #1. No worries though, as I went on to play the last eight holes of the day at just 5 over par. It was a nice run, consisting of four pars, three bogeys and one double.
Yellow #2 is a great par-3, playing about 175 yards from the blue tees. The green is wide, but shallow, sitting on a plateau behind and above a treacherous pond. The flag was tucked on the left side, bringing the water more into play. I opted for 5-iron, which is my 180-yard club. The idea was to swing one in from the right side and that's exactly what I did. It didn't start out as far right as I wanted, so I was worried I might find the water. The ball ended up past the water, just off the left side of the green and flag high. It felt good to hit that one, so I had confidence as I got up and down to earn par.
Yellow #4 deserves mention because I made par while hitting some terrible shots! This is a par-5 that starts with a dogleg left, before dropping substantially downhill. The approach to the green narrows significantly, with a forest of pine trees right and some big trees left. I tried to play a draw off the tee, but overdid it, hooking the ball left and not getting much distance. Bad shot. Next, I punched a 5-iron low to avoid some overhanging branches. It wasn't a bad shot, but I was still in the left rough, 215 yards from the green. I decided to go for it with the 5-wood. The ball came out low and to the right, headed directly for the pine forest. Terrible shot. Somehow, my ball popped out of the pines back to the right rough, 100 yards from the green. The green is deep and the flag was at the back, so I went pin hunting with the 52 degree wedge. I tried to take a little off, but it was a crisp strike. My ball failed to hold the green, trickling off the back edge. Now, I was not only short-sided, but the green was falling away from me. My playing partner had hit one to the same are and he was away first. He hit a good chip, but the ball finished 20 feet past the hole. Not much he could do about that. I proceeded to hit a miraculous chip, barely popping the ball to the fringe and watching it curl down right into the hole! Oh baby!
That lucky break gave me some confidence, which I rode the rest of the way. Last time at this course, I made par on each of the last three holes, so that also helped. While the finish wasn't as smooth this time around, I did make par on the last. It's a hole I like for some reason, and one where I've had plenty of success. In the end, it was a score of 94 – safely below the dreaded century mark.
Can't wait for the next round!
Score: 94
Putts: 33
Fairways: 3
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
June 22, 2015
Golfing in Paris
I've been playing regularly, but haven't updated the blog in a while, so it's time to catch up. A week and a half ago, I headed out to Paris Grand for a morning round. I like the course and would probably play it more if it was a little closer to home. I played most of the front nine alone, with a couple of groups letting me play through. That came to an end on hole #9, so I dropped back to rejoin the twosome that let me through on the previous hole. We played the rest of the round together and it was a good time.
I started the round with a couple of nice pars. Driver, mid-iron and sand wedge got me safely to the green on the opening par-5. On hole #2, a short par-4, two consecutive 8-irons did the trick. After some solid lag putts, I was left with simple tap-ins. Sometimes, though admittedly not often, it all seems so easy. Double-bogey and bogey brought me back to reality over the next two holes, but it was hole #5 that punched me in the face. I flared two consecutive 5-woods out of bounds off the tee. They weren't horrific shots, but they drifted just enough to escape the property. A par, sandwiched between two bogeys, got me back on track over the next three holes. The par on hole #7 was sweet, as this is rated the most difficult hole on the course. After hitting the left side of the fairway with driver, I hit a nice 6-iron uphill into the heart of the green on this par-4.
Hole #9 is the second of two consecutive par-5 holes that finish up the front nine. I hit a 280-yard drive to the perfect spot, catching the slope of a large hill that directed the ball back to the centre of the fairway. If you're too short on your drive, you have to pitch the ball just a few yards, in order to traverse a huge ravine with your third shot. If you have sufficient length but are too far left, trees block you out, forcing a similar pitch on your second shot. There was none of that for me, as I was in position “A”. From 220 yards, I was salivating at the chance to go for the green in two. Perhaps I was too anxious – I topped the 5-wood badly and dunked it in the ravine. The hole had a promising start, but I finished it with a triple bogey. My score at the turn was 50.
The back nine was played at bogey pace, with a couple of pars offsetting a couple of double-bogeys. One of the doubles came on hole #12, rated the hardest hole on the back nine. There is a long forced carry off the tee, but the other challenge is that it also demands a draw. Even slight fades will find the woods on the right. Tall trees on the left side prevent you from starting the ball to that side. I got through the hole in an ugly fashion, but the damage wasn't too bad. It enabled me to finish strong over the last three holes.
Hole #16 is a beastly 450-yard par 4. I reached the green in regulation with a driver, sand wedge combination! Yes, I went into the green with sand wedge! The fairway is split, with the cart path snaking up right through the middle. I actually aimed for the cart path, figuring I would hit the fairway whether I missed to the left or to the right. Instead, I hit my exact target, taking a nice bounce and travelling 350 yards. LOL. After getting on in regulation, I made a spectacular lag that stopped 4 inches from the cup. Needless to say, it was an easy par putt.
Hole #17 is a 146-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. The green mostly falls away from you, making it difficult to hold if you come in too low. I hit a controlled pitching wedge to the green centre, left of the flag. I had sufficient loft that the ball landed softly and didn't release. From there, I made a great uphill lag and easy tap-in for par. After a great drive and lob wedge combination, I was poised to make a third consecutive par on hole #18. Unfortunately, my birdie attempt slid well past the hole. I burned the edge on the comebacker, settling for bogey. Still, I was reasonably happy with my final score.
Score: 95
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 5
I started the round with a couple of nice pars. Driver, mid-iron and sand wedge got me safely to the green on the opening par-5. On hole #2, a short par-4, two consecutive 8-irons did the trick. After some solid lag putts, I was left with simple tap-ins. Sometimes, though admittedly not often, it all seems so easy. Double-bogey and bogey brought me back to reality over the next two holes, but it was hole #5 that punched me in the face. I flared two consecutive 5-woods out of bounds off the tee. They weren't horrific shots, but they drifted just enough to escape the property. A par, sandwiched between two bogeys, got me back on track over the next three holes. The par on hole #7 was sweet, as this is rated the most difficult hole on the course. After hitting the left side of the fairway with driver, I hit a nice 6-iron uphill into the heart of the green on this par-4.
Hole #9 is the second of two consecutive par-5 holes that finish up the front nine. I hit a 280-yard drive to the perfect spot, catching the slope of a large hill that directed the ball back to the centre of the fairway. If you're too short on your drive, you have to pitch the ball just a few yards, in order to traverse a huge ravine with your third shot. If you have sufficient length but are too far left, trees block you out, forcing a similar pitch on your second shot. There was none of that for me, as I was in position “A”. From 220 yards, I was salivating at the chance to go for the green in two. Perhaps I was too anxious – I topped the 5-wood badly and dunked it in the ravine. The hole had a promising start, but I finished it with a triple bogey. My score at the turn was 50.
The back nine was played at bogey pace, with a couple of pars offsetting a couple of double-bogeys. One of the doubles came on hole #12, rated the hardest hole on the back nine. There is a long forced carry off the tee, but the other challenge is that it also demands a draw. Even slight fades will find the woods on the right. Tall trees on the left side prevent you from starting the ball to that side. I got through the hole in an ugly fashion, but the damage wasn't too bad. It enabled me to finish strong over the last three holes.
Hole #16 is a beastly 450-yard par 4. I reached the green in regulation with a driver, sand wedge combination! Yes, I went into the green with sand wedge! The fairway is split, with the cart path snaking up right through the middle. I actually aimed for the cart path, figuring I would hit the fairway whether I missed to the left or to the right. Instead, I hit my exact target, taking a nice bounce and travelling 350 yards. LOL. After getting on in regulation, I made a spectacular lag that stopped 4 inches from the cup. Needless to say, it was an easy par putt.
Hole #17 is a 146-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. The green mostly falls away from you, making it difficult to hold if you come in too low. I hit a controlled pitching wedge to the green centre, left of the flag. I had sufficient loft that the ball landed softly and didn't release. From there, I made a great uphill lag and easy tap-in for par. After a great drive and lob wedge combination, I was poised to make a third consecutive par on hole #18. Unfortunately, my birdie attempt slid well past the hole. I burned the edge on the comebacker, settling for bogey. Still, I was reasonably happy with my final score.
Score: 95
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 5
June 08, 2015
Courses I've Played Most
Way back in 2006, I wrote a blog post listing all of the golf courses I had played in southern Ontario. I thought it would be interesting to do it again, now that I've played quite a few more rounds and visited a greater number of courses. I was surprised to see that some of the courses I played frequently in my early days remain among those that I've played most often, despite the fact that I haven't played there very much in recent years. In addition, some of the courses that seem very familiar to me are ones that I've visited relatively few times. The most obvious observation is that I really spread my golf dollar around. LOL
Here's the list of courses I've played in Ontario, in order of most rounds played. The format is rounds played, followed by name of course. If there is more than one course at a particular club, the number of courses appears in parentheses after the course name. Courses with 27 holes are followed by (1.5)
Edit: I am now using this list to keep a running total. My plan is to update the list after each round played. As a result, you might find that the original commentary does not align with the list as you currently see it. Last Updated: November 11, 2020
20 Granite Ridge (2)
20 Hidden Lake (2)
19 Bradford Highlands
19 Century Pines
19 Osprey Valley (3)
17 Kedron Dells
17 Legends on the Niagara (2)
17 Lowville
16 Copetown Woods
16 Peninsula Lakes (1.5)
15 King's Forest
14 Willow Valley
13 Bloomington Downs
12 Lionhead (2)
12 Saw Whet -- closed
11 Bushwood
11 Calerin (0.5)
11 Glen Eagle (1.5)
11 Hornby Glen
11 Woodington Lake (2)
10 Cardinal (2)
10 Crosswinds
10 Dragon's Fire
10 Mill Run (1.5)
10 Scenic Woods
10 Twenty Valley
10 Westview (1.5)
9 BraeBen
9 Carlisle (1.5)
9 Hockley Valley
9 Indian Wells
9 Piper's Heath
9 Shawneeki
8 Bond Head (2)
7 Banty's Roost (1.5)
7 Hunters Pointe (formerly Lochness Links) -- closed
7 Tangle Creek
7 Whirlpool
7 Willodell
6 Carrying Place
6 Oaks of St. George
6 Paris Grand -- closed
6 Silver Lakes
6 Victoria Park East
5 Angus Glen (2)
5 Burlington Springs
5 Deer Creek (2.5)
5 Doon Valley
5 Grey Silo
5 Lakeview
5 Mystic
5 Oakridge
5 Pheasant Run (1.5)
5 Seaton -- 9 holes closed
5 Tyandaga
5 Watson's Glen
4 Country Club (2)
4 Glen Cedars
4 Hunters Glen -- closed
4 Rebel Creek
4 Rolling Hills (3)
4 Settlers' Ghost
4 Royal Stouffville (formerly Maples of Ballantrae)
4 Wolf Run
3 Flamborough Hills (1.5)
3 Grand Niagara
3 Kleinburg (1.5) -- closed
3 Oliver's Nest
3 Richview -- closed
3 St. Andrew's Valley
3 Turnberry
2 Ballantrae
2 Blue Springs
2 Brookside -- closed
2 Cardinal Lakes (2) (formerly Sparrow Lakes)
2 Coppinwood
2 Devil's Pulpit (2)
2 Emerald Hills (1.5)
2 Guelph Lakes
2 Horseshoe Resort (2) -- 1 course closed
2 Knollwood (2)
2 Lakeridge Links
2 Oakville Executive
2 Redcrest
2 Rockway Vineyards
2 Royal Ashburn
2 Royal Niagara (1.5)
2 Royal Woodbine
2 Sawmill
2 Silver Brooke
2 Sleepy Hollow
2 Wooden Sticks
1 Black Diamond
1 Borden
1 Brampton
1 Bridgewater
1 Caledon
1 Caledon Woods
1 Cambridge
1 Cedar Brae
1 Chedoke (2)
1 Deerfield
1 Eagles Nest
1 Fergus
1 Georgian Bay
1 Glencairn (1.5)
1 Heron Point
1 Humber Valley
1 International of Niagara (1.5)
1 Mad River
1 Mayfield
1 Muskoka Bay
1 Nobleton Lakes
1 North Halton
1 Nottawasaga (2.5)
1 Remington Parkview
1 Riverstone (0.5) -- closed
1 Royal Ontario
1 St. George's
1 Station Creek
1 Tarandowah
1 Thundering Waters
1 Trafalgar
1 Turtle Creek
1 White Oaks (0.5) -- closed
1 Whitevale
1 Wildfire
I didn't think that Bloomington Downs, Kedron Dells and Saw Whet would remain among the most played courses. I was also surprised to see Hockley Valley and King's Forest as high as they are. Some courses have higher numbers because they're more conveniently located, such as Hidden Lake and Lionhead. Then again, there are two championship courses at each of those locations, so they also provide variety. I would like to play some of the lower ranked courses more often, but they are further away or a bit pricier.
Finally, there are some courses missing entirely from the list, which I should really get around to playing!
June 07, 2015
Hockley Day in Canada
The golf course at Hockley Valley Resort is one I've played a fair number of times – eight times, to be exact. My ninth visit to the course ended up being my best, though it really didn't feel like it with a final score of 98. It was only when I sat down to write this blog entry that I realized I had never before broken 100 at the Orangeville area course. Final scores of 100, 101, 102 were the norm in my most recent visits.
I joined up with a threesome who must have thought they were playing with a scratch golfer after the first hole. One of them sliced his tee shot into the woods, while the other two found the right side of the fairway on this 380-yard par-4. I found the centre of the fairway, 50 yards ahead of my playing partners. My drive was straight as an arrow, just missing the tall trees that protect the inside of this slight dogleg left. From 125 yards, I hit a gap wedge to 10 feet. The birdie attempt was a downhill breaker that I judged well, but just missed on the high side. A final tap-in locked up a seemingly effortless par.
Alas, the illusion of playing with a scratch golfer was quickly dispelled with my tee shot on hole #2. I hit the ground behind the ball and barely made it to the fairway on this par-4. With lots of danger near the green, I was forced to hit a layup. From 100 yards, I then caught the ball thin, with the ball coming to rest in some mounds in front of the green. I finished the hole with a double-bogey. The double-bogey train continued for three more holes, as I alternated between good shots and poor ones. At times, the short game failed me, while at others, it was the long irons. On hole #6, a par-5, I blew up for a quadruple-bogey by adding a 3-putt to the mix.
Hole #7, which is the #1 handicap hole on the course, was a thing of beauty. Stretching out to 430 yards from the gold tees, this par-4 features a huge gulley right and short of the green. After a 280-yard drive to the right centre of the fairway, I hit a lovely 8-iron that carried over the gulley and landed softly near the flagstick. Full iron shots that threaten the hole are some of the prettiest shots in golf and this was no exception. I missed the 10-foot birdie putt, but was satisfied with a tap-in par. I also made par on hole #8, before closing out the front nine with a double-bogey and a score of 50.
Hole #10 resulted in a disastrous score of 8 on this par-3. Like all of the par-3 holes at Hockley Valley, this one begins from a massively elevated tee. It's all carry to the green, with bushes and trees forming a thick covering on the slope down to the putting area. From the gold tees, this hole normally plays a tame 134 yards. On this occasion, the golds were back with the black tees, at 171 yards. I don't recall ever playing this hole from back there, so visual intimidation was a big factor. Anyway, I lost two balls off the tee and the related penalty strokes inflated my score quickly.
I played the rest of the round at bogey pace, which I absolutely needed in order to break 100. The run consisted of one birdie, five bogeys and two doubles. I hit a lot of fairways, as I had on the front nine, and my irons were decent as well. The difference is that I avoided penalty strokes and my short game improved. Ironically, my only 3-putt during this stretch came after a perfect drive & sand wedge combination to reach the green in regulation on hole #15. I left the uphill birdie putt woefully short and the par attempt wasn't any better.
Hole #16 merits some discussion, as it is a tricky one, well deserving of its ranking as the #2 handicap hole on the course. At 487 yards, it's not exceptionally long for a par-5. However, if your tee shot is not placed perfectly, the woods that pinch in from either side will make you think twice before getting aggressive with your second shot. My drive was almost perfect, a 290-yard laser that trickled about two yards into the left rough. I was on a mound with the ball below my feet, but the ball was sitting nicely. From 195 yards, I launched a 4-iron that skirted past the trees on the left, cutting back slightly to the left side of the green below. I wasn't even sure if I caught a piece of the green, but when I approached to search for my ball, I found it smack in the middle of the green, 12 feet from the hole! Hitting a par-5 in two shots is another of golf's great feelings and I certainly let it soak in. I studied the eagle putt well and made a good stroke, but missed on the high side, settling for birdie.
I've spoiled sub-100 rounds at Hockley before with poor play on the last hole. This time, I kept it together reasonably well and walked away with the reward. The final tally of 98 is nothing special, but I'll take it on this difficult course.
Score: 98
Putts: 35
Fairways: 9
Greens: 4
Penalties: 6
I joined up with a threesome who must have thought they were playing with a scratch golfer after the first hole. One of them sliced his tee shot into the woods, while the other two found the right side of the fairway on this 380-yard par-4. I found the centre of the fairway, 50 yards ahead of my playing partners. My drive was straight as an arrow, just missing the tall trees that protect the inside of this slight dogleg left. From 125 yards, I hit a gap wedge to 10 feet. The birdie attempt was a downhill breaker that I judged well, but just missed on the high side. A final tap-in locked up a seemingly effortless par.
Alas, the illusion of playing with a scratch golfer was quickly dispelled with my tee shot on hole #2. I hit the ground behind the ball and barely made it to the fairway on this par-4. With lots of danger near the green, I was forced to hit a layup. From 100 yards, I then caught the ball thin, with the ball coming to rest in some mounds in front of the green. I finished the hole with a double-bogey. The double-bogey train continued for three more holes, as I alternated between good shots and poor ones. At times, the short game failed me, while at others, it was the long irons. On hole #6, a par-5, I blew up for a quadruple-bogey by adding a 3-putt to the mix.
Hole #7, which is the #1 handicap hole on the course, was a thing of beauty. Stretching out to 430 yards from the gold tees, this par-4 features a huge gulley right and short of the green. After a 280-yard drive to the right centre of the fairway, I hit a lovely 8-iron that carried over the gulley and landed softly near the flagstick. Full iron shots that threaten the hole are some of the prettiest shots in golf and this was no exception. I missed the 10-foot birdie putt, but was satisfied with a tap-in par. I also made par on hole #8, before closing out the front nine with a double-bogey and a score of 50.
Hole #10 resulted in a disastrous score of 8 on this par-3. Like all of the par-3 holes at Hockley Valley, this one begins from a massively elevated tee. It's all carry to the green, with bushes and trees forming a thick covering on the slope down to the putting area. From the gold tees, this hole normally plays a tame 134 yards. On this occasion, the golds were back with the black tees, at 171 yards. I don't recall ever playing this hole from back there, so visual intimidation was a big factor. Anyway, I lost two balls off the tee and the related penalty strokes inflated my score quickly.
I played the rest of the round at bogey pace, which I absolutely needed in order to break 100. The run consisted of one birdie, five bogeys and two doubles. I hit a lot of fairways, as I had on the front nine, and my irons were decent as well. The difference is that I avoided penalty strokes and my short game improved. Ironically, my only 3-putt during this stretch came after a perfect drive & sand wedge combination to reach the green in regulation on hole #15. I left the uphill birdie putt woefully short and the par attempt wasn't any better.
Hole #16 merits some discussion, as it is a tricky one, well deserving of its ranking as the #2 handicap hole on the course. At 487 yards, it's not exceptionally long for a par-5. However, if your tee shot is not placed perfectly, the woods that pinch in from either side will make you think twice before getting aggressive with your second shot. My drive was almost perfect, a 290-yard laser that trickled about two yards into the left rough. I was on a mound with the ball below my feet, but the ball was sitting nicely. From 195 yards, I launched a 4-iron that skirted past the trees on the left, cutting back slightly to the left side of the green below. I wasn't even sure if I caught a piece of the green, but when I approached to search for my ball, I found it smack in the middle of the green, 12 feet from the hole! Hitting a par-5 in two shots is another of golf's great feelings and I certainly let it soak in. I studied the eagle putt well and made a good stroke, but missed on the high side, settling for birdie.
I've spoiled sub-100 rounds at Hockley before with poor play on the last hole. This time, I kept it together reasonably well and walked away with the reward. The final tally of 98 is nothing special, but I'll take it on this difficult course.
Score: 98
Putts: 35
Fairways: 9
Greens: 4
Penalties: 6
June 04, 2015
Slightly Off at Whirlpool
I picked a great day and headed out to Whirlpool Golf Course in Niagara Falls. I made a lot of good shots throughout the day, but also some bad ones that ended up being rather costly. It's a shame because some of those bad ones came right after I had placed the ball in the optimal position. Such is the game of golf, I suppose. I wasn't very happy with my putting either, as I amassed a lot of 3-putts and 40 putts in total. The greens had suffered some winter damage and had some patchy areas, but I can't really blame that. I struggled with pace, first coming up short, then overcompensating and blowing some putts well past the hole.
The round began with a trio of bogeys, which wasn't bad at all. On hole #1, I punched a masterful second shot low to get under some tree branches and finished on the collar at the back of the green. I was very near the flagstick and opted to use the putter, but failed to make a smooth strike. A 3-putt bogey was the result. I also had a 3-putt on hole #2, but I was in legitimate 3-putt territory after reaching the green of this par-4 in regulation. Hole #3 is a par-3 where I found the greenside bunker with my tee shot. I made a very good out and almost salvaged par with a 10-foot putt, but couldn't get off the bogey train just yet.
Hole #4 is a par-5 that started out with a mis-hit from the tee that didn't even reach the fairway. A sculled flop attempt near the green and a really bad 3-putt produced triple-bogey. Fortunately, the remainder of the front nine was played at bogey pace. It consisted of three bogeys, one double and a par. The par came on the second of back-to-back par-5 holes. Aside from the triple on hole #4, I managed bogey pace for the front nine. If I could do that for an entire round, I would shoot a respectable score of 90. Throw in one or two breaks here and there and I would be in the 80s. Too bad the game doesn't work that way.
The first half of the back nine was a little shaky. Hole #10 is a beast of a par-4, so you need a good drive to play it well. I pulled my drive into a strand of trees left and had to punch back to the fairway, still a long way from the green. I ended up with double-bogey. Hole #11 was worse, as I collected my second triple-bogey of the day. This, despite hitting one of my best drives to the centre of the fairway, right beside the 150-yard stick. The green is on an elevated plateau and the flag was at the back, so I chose 7-iron. Unfortunately, I pulled it just enough to catch some bushes left of the green. The ball was unplayable, so I took a penalty. I gave away an extra stroke by duffing a chip attempt, leading to the triple.
I got aggressive on a couple of par-5 holes, opting to hit 3-wood after some good drives put me within reach of the greens. Neither approach worked out very well. One put me in a terrible position with a side-hill lie on a mound, located behind a tree. There were branches overhead and a bunker low, so it was near impossible to manufacture any kind of good result. That hole finished with a double-bogey, while I managed bogey on the other par-5.
Luckily, I salvaged a decent overall score with a couple of pars to finish the round. Hole #17 is a par-3 that was playing 200 yards into the wind. I struck a piercing 3-iron that found the green, though I was a long way from the cup. I blasted the birdie attempt 15 feet past the hole and was resigned to the fact that I would walk away with bogey. Next thing you know, I drained the long par putt! Hole #18 is a par-5 and once again, I had a go at the green with my second shot. I pushed the 5-wood slightly right, finishing under some trees near the cart path. From there, I chipped a low one, bouncing it off the path and finding the green. A solid 2-putt closed out the par.
Overall, a decent effort with some scattered errors and generally poor putting.
Score: 96
Putts: 40
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
The round began with a trio of bogeys, which wasn't bad at all. On hole #1, I punched a masterful second shot low to get under some tree branches and finished on the collar at the back of the green. I was very near the flagstick and opted to use the putter, but failed to make a smooth strike. A 3-putt bogey was the result. I also had a 3-putt on hole #2, but I was in legitimate 3-putt territory after reaching the green of this par-4 in regulation. Hole #3 is a par-3 where I found the greenside bunker with my tee shot. I made a very good out and almost salvaged par with a 10-foot putt, but couldn't get off the bogey train just yet.
Hole #4 is a par-5 that started out with a mis-hit from the tee that didn't even reach the fairway. A sculled flop attempt near the green and a really bad 3-putt produced triple-bogey. Fortunately, the remainder of the front nine was played at bogey pace. It consisted of three bogeys, one double and a par. The par came on the second of back-to-back par-5 holes. Aside from the triple on hole #4, I managed bogey pace for the front nine. If I could do that for an entire round, I would shoot a respectable score of 90. Throw in one or two breaks here and there and I would be in the 80s. Too bad the game doesn't work that way.
The first half of the back nine was a little shaky. Hole #10 is a beast of a par-4, so you need a good drive to play it well. I pulled my drive into a strand of trees left and had to punch back to the fairway, still a long way from the green. I ended up with double-bogey. Hole #11 was worse, as I collected my second triple-bogey of the day. This, despite hitting one of my best drives to the centre of the fairway, right beside the 150-yard stick. The green is on an elevated plateau and the flag was at the back, so I chose 7-iron. Unfortunately, I pulled it just enough to catch some bushes left of the green. The ball was unplayable, so I took a penalty. I gave away an extra stroke by duffing a chip attempt, leading to the triple.
I got aggressive on a couple of par-5 holes, opting to hit 3-wood after some good drives put me within reach of the greens. Neither approach worked out very well. One put me in a terrible position with a side-hill lie on a mound, located behind a tree. There were branches overhead and a bunker low, so it was near impossible to manufacture any kind of good result. That hole finished with a double-bogey, while I managed bogey on the other par-5.
Luckily, I salvaged a decent overall score with a couple of pars to finish the round. Hole #17 is a par-3 that was playing 200 yards into the wind. I struck a piercing 3-iron that found the green, though I was a long way from the cup. I blasted the birdie attempt 15 feet past the hole and was resigned to the fact that I would walk away with bogey. Next thing you know, I drained the long par putt! Hole #18 is a par-5 and once again, I had a go at the green with my second shot. I pushed the 5-wood slightly right, finishing under some trees near the cart path. From there, I chipped a low one, bouncing it off the path and finding the green. A solid 2-putt closed out the par.
Overall, a decent effort with some scattered errors and generally poor putting.
Score: 96
Putts: 40
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
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