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
Good stuff. Slowly coming around.
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