I hadn't played at Pheasant Run since October 2009. Back then, they ran a fall special known as The Bitter End. As the name implies, the idea was for golfers to squeeze every possible round into the tail end of the season, weather be damned. The bitter end promotion may be gone, but my motivation was the same. I ventured out early afternoon, on a day when the temperature was expected to peak at just nine degrees Celsius. It turned out to be a spectacular day. Though the temperature was stuck in the single digits, there was plenty of sunshine and no wind whatsoever. The lack of wind made it very comfortable out there. I played alone and practically had the course all to myself. The course was in good shape, too. The greens had not been aerated, so it was like mid-summer golf.
I started on the Midlands nine, before moving on the the Highlands. If you want to score well on this combination, you have to make hay on Midlands #1 through #5. These holes are shorter than the rest and have a lot more room for error. Once you get to Midlands #6, the thick woods close in on you. Almost all of the Highlands is the same. I did pretty well on the opening stretch, collecting a couple of pars, two bogeys, and a double. The double came on a par-3, after my tee shot missed the green to the right. I made a good stroke with the lob wedge, but the club head slid right under the ball and it travelled half the intended distance. After I pitched on with my third shot, a good putt went for naught, barely missing the hole on the high side.
Though I scored reasonably well on the first five holes, I felt like I let a few strokes get away. Almost all of them were putts. I already described what happened on the par-3. Prior to that, I missed a very similar putt for birdie. They say when you miss on the high side that you've missed on the “pro” side. That may be the case, but a miss is a miss, no matter what. They all sting. Immediately after the par-3, I reached a green in regulation, only to 3-putt. Those sting even more! Even a 1-putt for par on the very next hole wasn't enough to erase the pain.
Midlands #6 is a par-5 measuring 451 yards from the white tees. Golfers tee off from an elevated teeing area to a fairway that bends slightly to the left. I struck a beauty, finishing on the right edge of the fairway, 180 yards from the green. Though it was only 180 yards away, going for the green in two is a little risky, because the green is situated on the side of a steep hill, with long fescue above and below on either side, plus a depression directly in front. The ball wasn't flying as far as it does in warmer weather, so I went for it with a 3-iron. I favoured the right side, as the left is certain death if you miss. I hit a good shot, but the ball got caught up just two feet into the fescue above the green. I chopped the ball out of there, but after it hit the green it kept rolling and rolling...right off the other side. I had to pitch to the green 10 feet above me, then 2-putt for bogey. Sigh.
That bogey was a little disappointing after I began the hole with two very good shots, but I put it out of mind and proceeded to the next hole. Midlands #7 is a 145-yard par-3. It was playing more like 165 yards in the colder weather, so I had to make sure to select the right club. I hit a beauty right near the flag, leaving 8 feet for birdie. Unfortunately, the ball stopped right on the edge of the cup and I settled for par. It's a good thing too, because the last two holes on the Midlands nine are really tough.
Hole #8 is rated as the #5 handicap, but that's misleading. With forest on both sides of the fairway, you simply can't miss anywhere. The green is perched on a bit of a shelf and tucked behind the trees on the right. Hole #9 is the #1 handicap and rightly so. The fairway landing area is bordered by water on one side and forest on the other. If you manage to find it, your next shot has to carry some of that water to an open area further ahead. Finally, the green on this par-5 is way up on a hill, 30 feet above the fairway. I finished bogey, double-bogey to make the turn with a score of 44.
The first four holes of Highlands were magical. I played conservatively on hole #1, a par-5, striping my ball safely through the forest and toward the green. A decent chip gave me a chance at par, but I was satisfied with bogey on this tough hole. On each of the next three holes, I went up and down from beside the green to make par! On hole #2, it was a little chip shot, followed by a five footer. On #3, it was a pitch from the hillside above the green and a 2-foot tap-in. On hole #3, it was a pitch from behind and below the green, followed by a nice 10-footer. Par, par, par. Woohoo!
Highlands #5 put a damper on things, all because of a poor drive. I smother hooked my tee shot into the woods on the left. Miraculously, I found my ball in the leaves, but I didn't have much of a swing and all I could do was get the ball out a few yards. Next, I pulled an iron into the woods up ahead. My ball came backwards and my only option was to chip out sideways into the fairway. From there, I hit a wedge on, then 3-putt for a terrible quadruple-bogey.
I managed bogey on Highlands #6 and #7, which are both par-5 holes. My drives straightened out again and I advanced the ball well with the irons. Only my putter let me down. Once again, I burned the edge on a couple of par putts. To finish the round, I made a spectacular approach shot into Highlands #9 green. My tee shot had gone into the left rough, leaving some tall pine trees between me and the target. I was 150 yards away, which is normally an 8-iron. Since the balls weren't flying, I needed a 6-iron to cover the distance. Unfortunately, that brought the risk that I wouldn't clear the very high pines that were in my way. To complicate things, I was on a bit of a side hill lie. I committed fully to the shot and went for it. I opened the club face to get a tad more loft and it was perfect. The ball jumped up, right on line, and was headed for the top of the pines. It cleared them by no more than two feet as I held my breath. I crouched down to get a view of the ball beyond the pines. It dropped just ahead of a bunker and onto the green, flag high! Shot of the day, for sure. I made a good attempt at birdie, but settled for an easy par.
Now here's the best part. With a slope of 131, this was technically the toughest course I played all year. The final score of 90 (on a par 73) was good enough to lower my handicap factor from 18.0 to 17.6, which is less than two points off my personal best. I may only play one or two more rounds this year, but those will be in November. As such, those scores won't count for my official handicap. All this means that I will remain at 17.6 over the winter months. I set a goal to get below 18 this year, so now I've done it!
Score: 90
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
October 27, 2015
October 23, 2015
Hungry Like The Wolf
Fall golf is great in many ways: fewer people on the course, crisp air, and the spectacular backdrop of brightly coloured foliage. The downside, of course, is that course conditions make it tougher to score well. Aerated greens are perhaps the biggest impediment, but that's simply the way it goes. Such was the case for my latest round of golf, played near the shores of Lake Scugog, at Wolf Run Golf Club. It's a very decent track, but getting there from Toronto is a royal pain. I routinely play a few courses that are farther away, but they're easier to reach because they're closer to major highways. I figured it would be a nice drive through the countryside this time of year, so I paid my second ever visit to the course.
Playing the back nine first, I began in excellent fashion. Hole #10 is a 569-yard par-5 that began driver, 5-wood, sand wedge, and finished with a greenside pitch and tap-in for par. Hole #11 is a par-3 that was playing 170 yards. Wind was a factor, but I judged it perfectly, nailing the green and very nearly making birdie. A tap-in gave me another easy par. Hole #12 is a long par-4 to begin with. At 435 yards, it was playing much longer, with a very stiff headwind. I hit driver, 5-wood, and was still 30 yards short of the green. Those two shots were pure, too. My pitch shot was pulled a bit, but I 2-putt for a well earned bogey.
The rest of the back nine wasn't so smooth. Bunker trouble and a sculled chip led to double-bogey on hole #13. The next hole produced bogey, but I missed a straight 4-foot putt for par. I blame the greens for that one. The ball was wiggling side to side, due to the aeration holes. Hole #15 was the real disaster, as I took a quadruple- bogey. After failing to emerge from a chute near the teeing ground, I was forced to play my third shot from the tee. Lo and behold, I ended up stymied, behind a small tree right of the fairway. I had a chance to save a stroke with the putter, but the bumpy greens didn't cooperate.
I had another wasted tee shot on hole #16, as well as a 3-putt (damn greens), en route to a double-bogey. On hole #17, a short par-3, I simply mis-hit two iron shots in a row. Fortunately, I managed to collect a par on hole #18, a par-5. That gave me a score of 48 at the turn. Not good, but I've had worse.
I started the front nine as hot as I started the back. I collected pars on hole #1, a 569-yard par3, and hole #2, a 170-yard par-3. The latter was particularly satisfying, as a couple of players had just let me through. They waited on the tee as I struck a marvellous 5-iron into the wind. Then they watched as I quickly 2-putt like it was never in doubt. LOL. Hole #3 began with a poor drive, but I recovered as well as can be expected, with a bogey.
Now, perhaps the best shot of the day was my drive on hole #4. This is a 305-yard par-4, but don't let the distance fool you. Woods protect the entire left side, while more woods pinch in tremendously on the right side. Golfers must decide if they want to thread a low trajectory shot through the opening, or take the ball high over the woods on the right, as the fairway opens up in behind. On my last visit, I made a mess of this hole, with multiple excursions into the woods.
This time, I lined up to take the ball over the right side and swung easily. The result was a laser, directly over the trees on the right, which found the end of the fairway. Much longer, and the ball would have run into a water hazard in front of the green, so this was absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, my next shot over the water, with the lob wedge, was a few yards short. I duffed, then sculled a pair of chips, then 2-putt for double. What a waste!
I had a little more trouble the rest of the way, but I was also mixing in a lot of great shots. My drive on hole #5 was spectacular, but the subsequent 5-wood smacked a tiny tree that stands right in the middle of the wide fairway. Aargh! This led to double-bogey. That's OK, as I rattled off a bogey and two consecutive pars over the next three holes. My 9-iron on hole #7, a par 3 through a chute of trees, was really, really good. It's very easy to get intimidated by all those trees.
I messed up near the green on the last hole of the day, by duffing, then sculling two consecutive chip attempts. The grass and the ground underneath was very inconsistent, so I had very different lies to work with. I was guessing how the sole of the club would react, and I obviously guessed wrong. Oh well, that's the way it goes.
Score: 93
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
Playing the back nine first, I began in excellent fashion. Hole #10 is a 569-yard par-5 that began driver, 5-wood, sand wedge, and finished with a greenside pitch and tap-in for par. Hole #11 is a par-3 that was playing 170 yards. Wind was a factor, but I judged it perfectly, nailing the green and very nearly making birdie. A tap-in gave me another easy par. Hole #12 is a long par-4 to begin with. At 435 yards, it was playing much longer, with a very stiff headwind. I hit driver, 5-wood, and was still 30 yards short of the green. Those two shots were pure, too. My pitch shot was pulled a bit, but I 2-putt for a well earned bogey.
The rest of the back nine wasn't so smooth. Bunker trouble and a sculled chip led to double-bogey on hole #13. The next hole produced bogey, but I missed a straight 4-foot putt for par. I blame the greens for that one. The ball was wiggling side to side, due to the aeration holes. Hole #15 was the real disaster, as I took a quadruple- bogey. After failing to emerge from a chute near the teeing ground, I was forced to play my third shot from the tee. Lo and behold, I ended up stymied, behind a small tree right of the fairway. I had a chance to save a stroke with the putter, but the bumpy greens didn't cooperate.
I had another wasted tee shot on hole #16, as well as a 3-putt (damn greens), en route to a double-bogey. On hole #17, a short par-3, I simply mis-hit two iron shots in a row. Fortunately, I managed to collect a par on hole #18, a par-5. That gave me a score of 48 at the turn. Not good, but I've had worse.
I started the front nine as hot as I started the back. I collected pars on hole #1, a 569-yard par3, and hole #2, a 170-yard par-3. The latter was particularly satisfying, as a couple of players had just let me through. They waited on the tee as I struck a marvellous 5-iron into the wind. Then they watched as I quickly 2-putt like it was never in doubt. LOL. Hole #3 began with a poor drive, but I recovered as well as can be expected, with a bogey.
Now, perhaps the best shot of the day was my drive on hole #4. This is a 305-yard par-4, but don't let the distance fool you. Woods protect the entire left side, while more woods pinch in tremendously on the right side. Golfers must decide if they want to thread a low trajectory shot through the opening, or take the ball high over the woods on the right, as the fairway opens up in behind. On my last visit, I made a mess of this hole, with multiple excursions into the woods.
This time, I lined up to take the ball over the right side and swung easily. The result was a laser, directly over the trees on the right, which found the end of the fairway. Much longer, and the ball would have run into a water hazard in front of the green, so this was absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, my next shot over the water, with the lob wedge, was a few yards short. I duffed, then sculled a pair of chips, then 2-putt for double. What a waste!
I had a little more trouble the rest of the way, but I was also mixing in a lot of great shots. My drive on hole #5 was spectacular, but the subsequent 5-wood smacked a tiny tree that stands right in the middle of the wide fairway. Aargh! This led to double-bogey. That's OK, as I rattled off a bogey and two consecutive pars over the next three holes. My 9-iron on hole #7, a par 3 through a chute of trees, was really, really good. It's very easy to get intimidated by all those trees.
I messed up near the green on the last hole of the day, by duffing, then sculling two consecutive chip attempts. The grass and the ground underneath was very inconsistent, so I had very different lies to work with. I was guessing how the sole of the club would react, and I obviously guessed wrong. Oh well, that's the way it goes.
Score: 93
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
October 21, 2015
Flamborough Greens Get Testy
At this time of year, you scrutinize the weather forecast, looking for a window of opportunity to play some golf. When there's no chance of rain, it seems like temperatures are at their lowest. When the mercury jumps up to a comfortable range, it seems like the threat of showers rears its ugly head. I managed to get out on a day when temperatures were quite good. Some rain was expected, but only after my round would be complete.
Unfortunately, weather is not the only thing that deteriorates this late in the season. Course conditions, particularly on the greens, become hit or miss. A lot of courses aerate the ground right around this time. It's a mere nuisance on the tees and fairways, but it's a real pain on the greens. Considering that Flamborough Hills had their greens aerated recently, they really weren't bad at all. Nevertheless, putting on an aerated surface is never like putting on unpunched greens. The greens at Flamborough were not receptive to approach shots, even high lofted ones. The grass itself, along with the top dressing, made the greens rather slick. I also found there were a lot of pine needles on most of the greens.
I'm going to blame the greens for my unimpressive putting. I tallied 39 putts in total, including four 3-putts. Had it not been for the poor putting performance, I would have certainly broken 90 for my third consecutive round. I drove the ball well and hit many nice iron shots. When I made an error every now and then, I followed up with some remarkable recovery shots. Many of these were punch shots below tree limbs that had to bounce through the rough in order to trickle onto the green.
I began on the Woods – the first time I had played this set of nine holes at Flamborough. At the start, it looked like this could be an epic round. I registered par on the first three holes – a par-5, followed by a par-3, and then a par-4. With all the bases covered like that, why wouldn't I be hopeful of a great round? I hit fairways and all three greens in regulation. My approach shots were particularly good. Hole #2 is a par-3 that's all carry over water and I judged the wind and distance perfectly, nailing the green below and just right of the hole.
Woods #4 is a lengthy par-4 at 445 yards. With the wind at my back though, distance was no problem. I had 170 yards into the green for my second shot, and I was barely in the right rough. The bigger problem was a huge tree, right in front of the green. You have to hit a really high shot to get over it, which would be more realistic from a shorter distance with a more lofted club. I tried to manipulate the face too much and ended up with a mis-hit that struck the tree trunk and deflected to the right. Fortunately, I made a great punch onto the green and 2-putt for bogey.
Woods #5 is a long par-3 that was playing right into the wind. I was probably thinking about the wind too much and flared my 3-iron short and to the right. I was on the side of a huge mound with the ball above my knees. I choked down so much on my club that my hands were off the grip. Nevertheless, I managed to thread the ball through some trees toward the green. The first bounce was in front of the green, but the ball had enough speed to roll right off the other side, into a bunker. I made a good out, but then collected my first 3-putt of the day for a disastrous triple-bogey.
Woods #6 was back in the other direction, which meant a helping wind. I had no real trouble on this hole and collected a bogey after a mediocre greenside chip and two putts. Unfortunately, Woods #7 was back into the teeth of the wind. This par-4, at 453 yards, is even longer than #4. With the wind in my face, the hole was playing beastly! I hit a pretty good drive and was still 250 yards away from the green. I made a mistake on my second shot, sending the ball left into an opposite fairway. It was a scramble to fly over some tall trees, chip on and 2-putt for double-bogey.
Woods #8 and #9 produced a pair of bogeys, for a score of 45 at the turn. My drive on the latter was particularly good, leaving just 35 yards into the green on this short par-4. I had to pitch over a depression fronting the small green and did so perfectly with the lob wedge. Despite the great shot, my ball released off the back and into the fringe. Sure enough, I went on to 3-putt.
Following the Woods, I proceeded to the Hills nine. I started to get a little more erratic, forcing a bunch of recovery shots. I hit beautiful punch shots on Hills #2, #3, and #4 to save double-bogey and a couple of bogeys. The one on #4 was particularly good, as I had to keep the ball low to avoid tree limbs and on line to avoid tree trunks. I used the rough to slow my ball and the contour of the ground to direct it back to the green. It was nice stuff. On Hills #6, another recovery shot into the green was of the aerial variety. I wasted that good shot by following up with a 3-putt for double-bogey.
On Hills #7, a par-5, I once again exhibited my punch shot prowess. My second shot was pulled left of the fairway half way up a sloped section of ground. I had to get the ball up to clear the top of the mound, but tree limbs were severely limiting how high I could go. I only had small opening to the green 100 yards away. To the right side, the opening was a little bigger, but not by much.
As I surveyed that part of the opening, I noticed it was aligned with a mound on the right side of the green. I calculated that if I could punch the ball to the right side of the opening, I could stay under the tree limbs and my ball had a good chance of kicking left off the greenside mound, right on the putting surface. I was discussing all this with my playing partner and two members of the grounds crew, who happened to be working right at that spot. I called the shot, and immediately executed it exactly as called. What a beauty! Everyone was impressed, which felt good. I went on to par the hole.
I also made par on the next hole, a 243-yard par-3! Yes, you read that correctly. My tee shot was to an opposite fairway, but I hit a 60-yard pitch over some tall trees to just below the hole and drained the subsequent 8-footer. It set me up to finish with a score of 91, or 18 over par on Hills/Woods, which is actually a par 73. It's too bad about the 3-putts, as they cost me a sub-90 round.
Score: 91
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 0
Unfortunately, weather is not the only thing that deteriorates this late in the season. Course conditions, particularly on the greens, become hit or miss. A lot of courses aerate the ground right around this time. It's a mere nuisance on the tees and fairways, but it's a real pain on the greens. Considering that Flamborough Hills had their greens aerated recently, they really weren't bad at all. Nevertheless, putting on an aerated surface is never like putting on unpunched greens. The greens at Flamborough were not receptive to approach shots, even high lofted ones. The grass itself, along with the top dressing, made the greens rather slick. I also found there were a lot of pine needles on most of the greens.
I'm going to blame the greens for my unimpressive putting. I tallied 39 putts in total, including four 3-putts. Had it not been for the poor putting performance, I would have certainly broken 90 for my third consecutive round. I drove the ball well and hit many nice iron shots. When I made an error every now and then, I followed up with some remarkable recovery shots. Many of these were punch shots below tree limbs that had to bounce through the rough in order to trickle onto the green.
I began on the Woods – the first time I had played this set of nine holes at Flamborough. At the start, it looked like this could be an epic round. I registered par on the first three holes – a par-5, followed by a par-3, and then a par-4. With all the bases covered like that, why wouldn't I be hopeful of a great round? I hit fairways and all three greens in regulation. My approach shots were particularly good. Hole #2 is a par-3 that's all carry over water and I judged the wind and distance perfectly, nailing the green below and just right of the hole.
Woods #4 is a lengthy par-4 at 445 yards. With the wind at my back though, distance was no problem. I had 170 yards into the green for my second shot, and I was barely in the right rough. The bigger problem was a huge tree, right in front of the green. You have to hit a really high shot to get over it, which would be more realistic from a shorter distance with a more lofted club. I tried to manipulate the face too much and ended up with a mis-hit that struck the tree trunk and deflected to the right. Fortunately, I made a great punch onto the green and 2-putt for bogey.
Woods #5 is a long par-3 that was playing right into the wind. I was probably thinking about the wind too much and flared my 3-iron short and to the right. I was on the side of a huge mound with the ball above my knees. I choked down so much on my club that my hands were off the grip. Nevertheless, I managed to thread the ball through some trees toward the green. The first bounce was in front of the green, but the ball had enough speed to roll right off the other side, into a bunker. I made a good out, but then collected my first 3-putt of the day for a disastrous triple-bogey.
Woods #6 was back in the other direction, which meant a helping wind. I had no real trouble on this hole and collected a bogey after a mediocre greenside chip and two putts. Unfortunately, Woods #7 was back into the teeth of the wind. This par-4, at 453 yards, is even longer than #4. With the wind in my face, the hole was playing beastly! I hit a pretty good drive and was still 250 yards away from the green. I made a mistake on my second shot, sending the ball left into an opposite fairway. It was a scramble to fly over some tall trees, chip on and 2-putt for double-bogey.
Woods #8 and #9 produced a pair of bogeys, for a score of 45 at the turn. My drive on the latter was particularly good, leaving just 35 yards into the green on this short par-4. I had to pitch over a depression fronting the small green and did so perfectly with the lob wedge. Despite the great shot, my ball released off the back and into the fringe. Sure enough, I went on to 3-putt.
Following the Woods, I proceeded to the Hills nine. I started to get a little more erratic, forcing a bunch of recovery shots. I hit beautiful punch shots on Hills #2, #3, and #4 to save double-bogey and a couple of bogeys. The one on #4 was particularly good, as I had to keep the ball low to avoid tree limbs and on line to avoid tree trunks. I used the rough to slow my ball and the contour of the ground to direct it back to the green. It was nice stuff. On Hills #6, another recovery shot into the green was of the aerial variety. I wasted that good shot by following up with a 3-putt for double-bogey.
On Hills #7, a par-5, I once again exhibited my punch shot prowess. My second shot was pulled left of the fairway half way up a sloped section of ground. I had to get the ball up to clear the top of the mound, but tree limbs were severely limiting how high I could go. I only had small opening to the green 100 yards away. To the right side, the opening was a little bigger, but not by much.
As I surveyed that part of the opening, I noticed it was aligned with a mound on the right side of the green. I calculated that if I could punch the ball to the right side of the opening, I could stay under the tree limbs and my ball had a good chance of kicking left off the greenside mound, right on the putting surface. I was discussing all this with my playing partner and two members of the grounds crew, who happened to be working right at that spot. I called the shot, and immediately executed it exactly as called. What a beauty! Everyone was impressed, which felt good. I went on to par the hole.
I also made par on the next hole, a 243-yard par-3! Yes, you read that correctly. My tee shot was to an opposite fairway, but I hit a 60-yard pitch over some tall trees to just below the hole and drained the subsequent 8-footer. It set me up to finish with a score of 91, or 18 over par on Hills/Woods, which is actually a par 73. It's too bad about the 3-putts, as they cost me a sub-90 round.
Score: 91
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 0
October 15, 2015
Mill Run Outing Tips the Scales
My handicap factor hasn't been below 18 for at least five years. In fact, it ballooned to as high as 26.5 during the same period. After my latest round at Mill Run Golf Club, I'm happy to say that my handicap is once again below 18. If you're an 18 handicap, you're a true bogey golfer. Getting below this threshold is an important milestone; it gives you the feeling that you could be better than a bogey golfer. It brings you one step closer to 15, then 12, and so on. The next major milestone is 9, when you can call yourself a single digit handicap, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's a long road to that point, so let's just enjoy the current achievement.
I last played Mill Run in September 2014 on a cold, windy day. Navigating my way through the Grind and Grist nines, I finished that day with a score of 101. This time around, the weather wasn't much better. Playing as a single helped greatly, however, as I was able to move around the course very quickly. This allowed me to stay warm throughout. By the middle of the round, the sun also came out and warmed everything up by a couple of degrees. Playing the Grind and Grist nines once again, I managed to finish with a tidy score of 89. It was the second time in a row that I broke 90, and my fifth time this year.
The Grind got off to a marvellous start, thanks to a pair of bogeys, followed by three consecutive pars. The pars played out in very similar fashion, with an approach shot just off the green, followed by an excellent chip and a single putt. What a difference it makes when you can pitch and chip the ball close!
Holes #6 through #8 on Grind were my worst of the day, producing a pair of double-bogeys and a triple. The first of these started so promisingly when I hit a pinpoint 5-wood off the tee. This was followed by a mid iron to the 100-yard stick. I chose sand wedge for the approach into the par-5 green, but should have added more club. There was a tailwind, but due to the cold temperatures, the ball was not flying anywhere near normal distance. I came up short and then had some trouble on a slick section of green, 3-putting for a double.
I made the turn with a score of 46 and headed for The Grist. With a wide open fairway on Grist #1, I can't believe I found the fairway bunker on the right side. I had some lip trouble and only managed to get the ball short and right of the green. I had to punch under a huge tree and did so perfectly. The ball bounced into a mound and looked to roll very near the pin, which was positioned at the back of the green. Unfortunately, it had enough speed to roll right off the green. Despite a good chip, the ball rolled well past the hole on the quick surface. A very good putt almost saved bogey, but a tap-in was needed for double.
After this, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way, with 2 pars and 6 bogeys on the remainder of Grist. I was in control of my drives and the long irons were piercing through the wind when I needed them to. I got out of a few bunkers, both fairway and greenside, with relative ease. Last, but certainly not least, I was making some putts. When your driver, irons and short game are all working pretty well, what more can you ask for?
On the last hole, I piped a drive deep and to the centre of the fairway from the elevated tee. I took a look around to make sure nobody was watching, then raised both arms in the air in a mini celebration. Little moments like this are the reason I love golf so much. That feeling when you strike a ball purely, regardless of the outcome for the hole, is simply incredible. As it turns out, I thinned my approach into the green from 105 yards, leaving myself on the green, but extremely far from the hole. I almost made the 2-putt, but had to settle for bogey. It was my only 3-putt of the day.
And with this outing, 17.9 is my new handicap factor. Clawing my way back hasn't been easy and I'm not done yet. I'm still 2.2 points away from my personal best, and my goal is to go even lower than that. Let's set 15 as the next goal, starting now!
Score: 89
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
I last played Mill Run in September 2014 on a cold, windy day. Navigating my way through the Grind and Grist nines, I finished that day with a score of 101. This time around, the weather wasn't much better. Playing as a single helped greatly, however, as I was able to move around the course very quickly. This allowed me to stay warm throughout. By the middle of the round, the sun also came out and warmed everything up by a couple of degrees. Playing the Grind and Grist nines once again, I managed to finish with a tidy score of 89. It was the second time in a row that I broke 90, and my fifth time this year.
The Grind got off to a marvellous start, thanks to a pair of bogeys, followed by three consecutive pars. The pars played out in very similar fashion, with an approach shot just off the green, followed by an excellent chip and a single putt. What a difference it makes when you can pitch and chip the ball close!
Holes #6 through #8 on Grind were my worst of the day, producing a pair of double-bogeys and a triple. The first of these started so promisingly when I hit a pinpoint 5-wood off the tee. This was followed by a mid iron to the 100-yard stick. I chose sand wedge for the approach into the par-5 green, but should have added more club. There was a tailwind, but due to the cold temperatures, the ball was not flying anywhere near normal distance. I came up short and then had some trouble on a slick section of green, 3-putting for a double.
I made the turn with a score of 46 and headed for The Grist. With a wide open fairway on Grist #1, I can't believe I found the fairway bunker on the right side. I had some lip trouble and only managed to get the ball short and right of the green. I had to punch under a huge tree and did so perfectly. The ball bounced into a mound and looked to roll very near the pin, which was positioned at the back of the green. Unfortunately, it had enough speed to roll right off the green. Despite a good chip, the ball rolled well past the hole on the quick surface. A very good putt almost saved bogey, but a tap-in was needed for double.
After this, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way, with 2 pars and 6 bogeys on the remainder of Grist. I was in control of my drives and the long irons were piercing through the wind when I needed them to. I got out of a few bunkers, both fairway and greenside, with relative ease. Last, but certainly not least, I was making some putts. When your driver, irons and short game are all working pretty well, what more can you ask for?
On the last hole, I piped a drive deep and to the centre of the fairway from the elevated tee. I took a look around to make sure nobody was watching, then raised both arms in the air in a mini celebration. Little moments like this are the reason I love golf so much. That feeling when you strike a ball purely, regardless of the outcome for the hole, is simply incredible. As it turns out, I thinned my approach into the green from 105 yards, leaving myself on the green, but extremely far from the hole. I almost made the 2-putt, but had to settle for bogey. It was my only 3-putt of the day.
And with this outing, 17.9 is my new handicap factor. Clawing my way back hasn't been easy and I'm not done yet. I'm still 2.2 points away from my personal best, and my goal is to go even lower than that. Let's set 15 as the next goal, starting now!
Score: 89
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0
October 12, 2015
Scenic Woods Smackdown: Part 2
In late October of 2014, I made my first ever visit to Scenic Woods Golf Club, just south of the Hamilton / Stoney Creek area. It was a bitter cold day, but I put on a clinic, shooting 85 and getting my handicap factor below 20 for the first time in a long time. The performance was also among my Top 10 of all time.
Flash forward to mid October of 2015, when I decided to make my return to Scenic Woods. It was a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures topping 20 degrees Celsius. It was very windy, but one can't be too picky this time of year. Once again, my performance was masterful. I equalled last year's score of 85, while knocking my handicap down to 18.4 in the process. The round easily joins those in my Top 10, pushing a couple of 86 results that came this year at Dragon's Fire to relative obscurity at positions 11 and 12.
The beautiful thing about this round was the degree of control that was displayed from start to finish. I had just one double-bogey, on a scorecard that was otherwise decorated with 6 pars and 11 bogeys. Too bad about that double – 6 pars and 12 bogeys has an even better ring to it. On hole #7, a par-3 that was playing just 140 yards, I hooked my 9-iron just enough to find a water hazard left of the green. After a penalty stroke, a pitch and two putts produced the offending double.
The opening hole at Scenic Woods is a straightforward par-5. I hit a fabulous drive to the left side, followed by a 5-wood that drifted slightly right. From 60 yards, an excellent shot gave me a chance at birdie. I judged the break perfectly, but came up just short with my putt. I tapped in for the easy par. In fact, I made par on three of the four par-5 holes on the course. Hole #10 was playing straight into a fierce wind, but I reminded myself to swing easily and hit a great drive. The 4-iron that followed was even better, as it pierced through the steady wind. Ultimately, I needed an up and down from beside the green to save par.
The 4-iron also featured prominently on hole #12, another par-5. Once again, it was my second shot and what a thing of beauty it was. Pure, pure contact and a lovely penetrating ball flight. I found the green with the lob wedge and 2-putt for par. Ironically, it was the shortest par-5 (hole #18) where I could only manage bogey. I hit a perfectly placed drive to the left edge of the fairway, leaving just 190 yards into the green for my second shot. Of course, I chose the 4-iron and decided to go for it. Water protects the entire right side, right up to the green, with bunkers on the left. Contact was pure, but the face was slightly open. I missed slightly right, hitting a slope that pushed the ball further right. I was pin high, but stymied by a big evergreen tree. My options were to flop one over the tree or punch one under. I went for the punch, trying to bump the ball into a mound on the edge of the green. Unfortunately, I cleared the mound and flew the green directly, easily skidding off the other side. After a good pitch and 2 putts, bogey was the result.
There were some lovely par-4 holes as well. On hole #6, I opted to drive the ball over a creek that crosses the fairway 125 yards from the green. There was no doubt I had enough distance to clear the hazard, but I struck a lone tree on the right side and actually had my ball bounce backwards. Fortunately, I was in the fairway and the tree branches were not impeding me in the least. I nailed the centre of the green and then 2-putt to finish.
Hole #8 is a short par-4 at just 317 yards. The wind was directly at our back, so I decided to go for it with driver. After a reminder not to overswing, I delivered a beauty right down the pipe. The ball finished just 10 yards off the front of the green! I pitched to within 5 feet, but burned the edge on the birdie try, settling for par. In fact, I barely missed about half a dozen putts. If half of those go in, this would have challenged for my best round ever. The most heartbreaking was a putt that was tracking dead centre, only to finish overhanging the cup on hole #5.
I have to share a few words about hole #11, since it is one of the more unique holes on the course. It's a par-4, but measures only 268 yards from the white tees. You can't go right at the green, as the hole is cut through thick woods and features an almost 90 degree dogleg to the right. The trees are extremely tall and for added measure, there is a creek crossing the fairway 50 yards in front of the green. A lone tree, also quite mature, protects the corner of the dogleg.
I tried to hit a 3-iron straight out past the corner, but the ball came out low and to the right. It actually missed the lone tree on the right side, heading straight to the extreme end of the fairway, right in front of the creek. When I walked up in search of my ball, there it was in the rough fronting the creek, just 60 yards from the flag. You couldn't thread a better shot in there if you tried for a million years. Very fortuitous indeed. I pitched on, leaving a makeable birdie, but this was one of those putts that I barely missed, settling for par.
While reading my blog entry for last year's visit to Scenic Woods, I felt I didn't give the course enough credit. Though I mentioned it featured a lot of nice holes, especially on the back nine, I also stated that I wouldn't go out of my way to return to the course. Having played it again, I have to change that. While the opening three holes are rather featureless, the remainder of the course is really quite well designed. It actually is a fun course, with significant challenge. No doubt, my performance there over two visits has something to do with my opinion, but I still think it's a good layout.
Score: 85
Putts: 35
Fairways: 7
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
Flash forward to mid October of 2015, when I decided to make my return to Scenic Woods. It was a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures topping 20 degrees Celsius. It was very windy, but one can't be too picky this time of year. Once again, my performance was masterful. I equalled last year's score of 85, while knocking my handicap down to 18.4 in the process. The round easily joins those in my Top 10, pushing a couple of 86 results that came this year at Dragon's Fire to relative obscurity at positions 11 and 12.
The beautiful thing about this round was the degree of control that was displayed from start to finish. I had just one double-bogey, on a scorecard that was otherwise decorated with 6 pars and 11 bogeys. Too bad about that double – 6 pars and 12 bogeys has an even better ring to it. On hole #7, a par-3 that was playing just 140 yards, I hooked my 9-iron just enough to find a water hazard left of the green. After a penalty stroke, a pitch and two putts produced the offending double.
The opening hole at Scenic Woods is a straightforward par-5. I hit a fabulous drive to the left side, followed by a 5-wood that drifted slightly right. From 60 yards, an excellent shot gave me a chance at birdie. I judged the break perfectly, but came up just short with my putt. I tapped in for the easy par. In fact, I made par on three of the four par-5 holes on the course. Hole #10 was playing straight into a fierce wind, but I reminded myself to swing easily and hit a great drive. The 4-iron that followed was even better, as it pierced through the steady wind. Ultimately, I needed an up and down from beside the green to save par.
The 4-iron also featured prominently on hole #12, another par-5. Once again, it was my second shot and what a thing of beauty it was. Pure, pure contact and a lovely penetrating ball flight. I found the green with the lob wedge and 2-putt for par. Ironically, it was the shortest par-5 (hole #18) where I could only manage bogey. I hit a perfectly placed drive to the left edge of the fairway, leaving just 190 yards into the green for my second shot. Of course, I chose the 4-iron and decided to go for it. Water protects the entire right side, right up to the green, with bunkers on the left. Contact was pure, but the face was slightly open. I missed slightly right, hitting a slope that pushed the ball further right. I was pin high, but stymied by a big evergreen tree. My options were to flop one over the tree or punch one under. I went for the punch, trying to bump the ball into a mound on the edge of the green. Unfortunately, I cleared the mound and flew the green directly, easily skidding off the other side. After a good pitch and 2 putts, bogey was the result.
There were some lovely par-4 holes as well. On hole #6, I opted to drive the ball over a creek that crosses the fairway 125 yards from the green. There was no doubt I had enough distance to clear the hazard, but I struck a lone tree on the right side and actually had my ball bounce backwards. Fortunately, I was in the fairway and the tree branches were not impeding me in the least. I nailed the centre of the green and then 2-putt to finish.
Hole #8 is a short par-4 at just 317 yards. The wind was directly at our back, so I decided to go for it with driver. After a reminder not to overswing, I delivered a beauty right down the pipe. The ball finished just 10 yards off the front of the green! I pitched to within 5 feet, but burned the edge on the birdie try, settling for par. In fact, I barely missed about half a dozen putts. If half of those go in, this would have challenged for my best round ever. The most heartbreaking was a putt that was tracking dead centre, only to finish overhanging the cup on hole #5.
I have to share a few words about hole #11, since it is one of the more unique holes on the course. It's a par-4, but measures only 268 yards from the white tees. You can't go right at the green, as the hole is cut through thick woods and features an almost 90 degree dogleg to the right. The trees are extremely tall and for added measure, there is a creek crossing the fairway 50 yards in front of the green. A lone tree, also quite mature, protects the corner of the dogleg.
I tried to hit a 3-iron straight out past the corner, but the ball came out low and to the right. It actually missed the lone tree on the right side, heading straight to the extreme end of the fairway, right in front of the creek. When I walked up in search of my ball, there it was in the rough fronting the creek, just 60 yards from the flag. You couldn't thread a better shot in there if you tried for a million years. Very fortuitous indeed. I pitched on, leaving a makeable birdie, but this was one of those putts that I barely missed, settling for par.
While reading my blog entry for last year's visit to Scenic Woods, I felt I didn't give the course enough credit. Though I mentioned it featured a lot of nice holes, especially on the back nine, I also stated that I wouldn't go out of my way to return to the course. Having played it again, I have to change that. While the opening three holes are rather featureless, the remainder of the course is really quite well designed. It actually is a fun course, with significant challenge. No doubt, my performance there over two visits has something to do with my opinion, but I still think it's a good layout.
Score: 85
Putts: 35
Fairways: 7
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
October 07, 2015
Rattled at Silver Lakes
I had only played Silver Lakes on two previous occasions – once in 2007, and again in 2009. I enjoyed the course, so I was looking forward to this round. It's also getting late in the season, so each outing takes on greater importance. My handicap factor stalled at 18.5 this year, and I was really hoping to get under 18 by season end.
I play as a single very often, so I get paired up with all kinds of people. Ninety percent of the time, everything is just fine. Whether I play with men or women, young or old, high or low handicappers, I play my own game and enjoy my time on the course. Every once in a while, however, I get paired up with someone whose on-course demeanour just doesn't suit my game.
One of these personality types is the person who discusses technical aspects of the swing. I know from experience that if I have more than one thing to think about during my swing, chances are I'm going to miss a bunch of shots wildly. When that happens, frustration sets in and spills over to other parts of the game, such as chipping and putting. Try as I may to ignore the person's advice, I find it very difficult to do.
So was the case this time around. I played with a really nice guy – very friendly, clearly enjoys the game of golf, and was a good player too. Unfortunately for me, he just had that inclination to comment on my swing flaws after every bad shot. I'm sure he meant well. Having only met me that day, he just didn't know that on-course critiques like that really throw me off.
I started with a great drive, followed by a weak pitching wedge and a series of absolutely horrific pitch and chip attempts. I was short of the green, short again, sculled one over, and finished with a mediocre chip. After two putts, I had a quadruple-bogey – not the way you want to start.
Then the trouble spilled over to full swing shots. I flared a drive on hole #2 into the woods and had to hit my third from the tee. My fourth shot was a 9-iron that failed to clear a pond in front of the green. Penalty stroke, followed by a thin shot that went past the green. A nice pitch got me on the green, but after a pair of putts, I had a quintuple-bogey! Is that even a proper golf term? Sheesh!
The next thing you know, I rattled off back-to-back pars. Both came thanks to some nice up-and-down plays near the green. No sooner was I back on track, when the wheels came off again. I took another quintuple on hole #5, a par-5. I hit a wicked pull off the tee, though the woods spit my ball back out to the rough before the fairway. I duffed one, hit a nice one, duffed another couple, etc.
I didn't give up at this point, though it would have been easy to do so. I made birdie on hole #6, thanks to a pitch in from just off the green. In fact, I had a stretch of just four putts over five holes, as my short game was working well. Even over the front nine, I had just 12 putts. Unfortunately, another blowup on hole #9 pushed my score at the turn to 56 and the chances of a turnaround were slim.
My play on the back nine was less wild, except for a blowup on hole #11, a par-3. My tee shot found a greenside bunker and that's all it took. I hit my usual “clean pick” out of the sand and finished deep in the woods on the opposite side of the green. Triple-bogey was the final damage. On a positive note, I hit a marvelous approach into the last green and managed to save par.
This was only the third time this year that I reached 100 in a round. I was beginning to feel like I had left those scores in my past. Oh well. I do have three scores in the eighties this season, which provide a sort of offset, at least in my mind. After 13 years or so of regular golf, I am a solid 90's player. Break out the champagne! (sarcasm)
Score: 105
Putts: 31
Fairways: 6
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
I play as a single very often, so I get paired up with all kinds of people. Ninety percent of the time, everything is just fine. Whether I play with men or women, young or old, high or low handicappers, I play my own game and enjoy my time on the course. Every once in a while, however, I get paired up with someone whose on-course demeanour just doesn't suit my game.
One of these personality types is the person who discusses technical aspects of the swing. I know from experience that if I have more than one thing to think about during my swing, chances are I'm going to miss a bunch of shots wildly. When that happens, frustration sets in and spills over to other parts of the game, such as chipping and putting. Try as I may to ignore the person's advice, I find it very difficult to do.
So was the case this time around. I played with a really nice guy – very friendly, clearly enjoys the game of golf, and was a good player too. Unfortunately for me, he just had that inclination to comment on my swing flaws after every bad shot. I'm sure he meant well. Having only met me that day, he just didn't know that on-course critiques like that really throw me off.
I started with a great drive, followed by a weak pitching wedge and a series of absolutely horrific pitch and chip attempts. I was short of the green, short again, sculled one over, and finished with a mediocre chip. After two putts, I had a quadruple-bogey – not the way you want to start.
Then the trouble spilled over to full swing shots. I flared a drive on hole #2 into the woods and had to hit my third from the tee. My fourth shot was a 9-iron that failed to clear a pond in front of the green. Penalty stroke, followed by a thin shot that went past the green. A nice pitch got me on the green, but after a pair of putts, I had a quintuple-bogey! Is that even a proper golf term? Sheesh!
The next thing you know, I rattled off back-to-back pars. Both came thanks to some nice up-and-down plays near the green. No sooner was I back on track, when the wheels came off again. I took another quintuple on hole #5, a par-5. I hit a wicked pull off the tee, though the woods spit my ball back out to the rough before the fairway. I duffed one, hit a nice one, duffed another couple, etc.
I didn't give up at this point, though it would have been easy to do so. I made birdie on hole #6, thanks to a pitch in from just off the green. In fact, I had a stretch of just four putts over five holes, as my short game was working well. Even over the front nine, I had just 12 putts. Unfortunately, another blowup on hole #9 pushed my score at the turn to 56 and the chances of a turnaround were slim.
My play on the back nine was less wild, except for a blowup on hole #11, a par-3. My tee shot found a greenside bunker and that's all it took. I hit my usual “clean pick” out of the sand and finished deep in the woods on the opposite side of the green. Triple-bogey was the final damage. On a positive note, I hit a marvelous approach into the last green and managed to save par.
This was only the third time this year that I reached 100 in a round. I was beginning to feel like I had left those scores in my past. Oh well. I do have three scores in the eighties this season, which provide a sort of offset, at least in my mind. After 13 years or so of regular golf, I am a solid 90's player. Break out the champagne! (sarcasm)
Score: 105
Putts: 31
Fairways: 6
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
October 04, 2015
Fairly Good at Paris Grand
I headed out to Paris Grand recently for my second visit of the season. I've had some rounds this year where I drove the ball better and others where my irons were more accurate. I've also had rounds this year where my chipping and putting were better. While none of these elements were at my very best this time around, they were all actually quite good, producing a very balanced round and one of my better results of the year. It was still a score in the very familiar nineties, but nearer to the low end. I've only gone lower this year on the three occasions when I cracked into the eighties (84, 86, 86).
After some iron troubles on the opening par-5, including a wild shank from the left rough, I marked double-bogey on my scorecard. A strong pull off the tee started things poorly on the next hole, but a great punch shot and deft short game salvaged par. Hole #3 is a tricky par-3. With danger short, right and long, I inevitably pull or hook my tee shot to the left every single time. This time, my ball ended up against a tree trunk, leading to double-bogey.
The rest of the front nine was noticeably better. I hit all of the remaining fairways, along with three greens in regulation. Hole #4 would have produced par, if not for a 3-putt, my only one of the day. My par putt from about 5 feet looked really good, but lipped out. Holes #5 through #7 produced three pars in a row! On the last of these, I chipped one right near the pin, leaving a simple tap-in. Getting up and down from near the green is so crucial.
Holes #8 and #9 are a pair of par-5 beasts! On #8, I opted to blast a drive over the ravine. I hit a dead straight shot, but it came out a little low. It was a nervous moment, as you need all the carry you have in order to get over the danger. Luckily, I made it over. The problem on this hole was that my third shot found a greenside bunker. I splashed out, but the ball got hung up in the rough very near the green. Another chip went long, leading to a 2-putt and double-bogey.
On #8, I hit a great drive to the left centre of the fairway. The thing with this hole is you need your drive to be placed absolutely perfectly, in order to go over the ravine with your second shot. Just left of centre or a few yards back of the fairway ending, and trees on the left start to impede your shot. They force you to aim more to the right, where the carry over the ravine is much, much longer. I miss hit one into the ravine and had to use the drop zone. With the penalty stroke and average short game near the green, I collected another double-bogey.
The back nine also has some challenging holes, but I did well to keep things under control. I actually made par on hole #12, the hardest on the back side. The difficulty on this hole is the tee shot, which must carry a long stretch of marsh. The right side is covered in thick woods, while the left side has some very tall trees that push you to the right, where the danger is greatest. It definitely calls for a draw for right handers, but I don't really have a reliable draw with the driver in my arsenal. Instead, I took the ball high, straight over the tall trees on the left. It worked like a charm, as I finished a yard off the left edge of the fairway. Near the green, I pitched one very near the flag, leaving a 4 foot par putt that I drained.
The rest of the back nine was composed mostly of bogeys and doubles. I collected a few more penalty strokes (three on the back nine, as opposed to one on the front). These weren't terrible shots, just unlucky. Despite this, I managed the same score on the back nine, as I did on the front. Mind you, the back nine is a par 35, while the front is a par 37. One thing that helped was another par on hole #18. This is a shorter par-4 that I played in textbook fashion. Driver found the left rough, but the subsequent gap wedge found the dance floor. Two putts later, and the par was recorded.
Overall, not a bad effort. It does nothing to lower my handicap though. I can't get below 18.
Score: 92
Putts: 31
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
After some iron troubles on the opening par-5, including a wild shank from the left rough, I marked double-bogey on my scorecard. A strong pull off the tee started things poorly on the next hole, but a great punch shot and deft short game salvaged par. Hole #3 is a tricky par-3. With danger short, right and long, I inevitably pull or hook my tee shot to the left every single time. This time, my ball ended up against a tree trunk, leading to double-bogey.
The rest of the front nine was noticeably better. I hit all of the remaining fairways, along with three greens in regulation. Hole #4 would have produced par, if not for a 3-putt, my only one of the day. My par putt from about 5 feet looked really good, but lipped out. Holes #5 through #7 produced three pars in a row! On the last of these, I chipped one right near the pin, leaving a simple tap-in. Getting up and down from near the green is so crucial.
Holes #8 and #9 are a pair of par-5 beasts! On #8, I opted to blast a drive over the ravine. I hit a dead straight shot, but it came out a little low. It was a nervous moment, as you need all the carry you have in order to get over the danger. Luckily, I made it over. The problem on this hole was that my third shot found a greenside bunker. I splashed out, but the ball got hung up in the rough very near the green. Another chip went long, leading to a 2-putt and double-bogey.
On #8, I hit a great drive to the left centre of the fairway. The thing with this hole is you need your drive to be placed absolutely perfectly, in order to go over the ravine with your second shot. Just left of centre or a few yards back of the fairway ending, and trees on the left start to impede your shot. They force you to aim more to the right, where the carry over the ravine is much, much longer. I miss hit one into the ravine and had to use the drop zone. With the penalty stroke and average short game near the green, I collected another double-bogey.
The back nine also has some challenging holes, but I did well to keep things under control. I actually made par on hole #12, the hardest on the back side. The difficulty on this hole is the tee shot, which must carry a long stretch of marsh. The right side is covered in thick woods, while the left side has some very tall trees that push you to the right, where the danger is greatest. It definitely calls for a draw for right handers, but I don't really have a reliable draw with the driver in my arsenal. Instead, I took the ball high, straight over the tall trees on the left. It worked like a charm, as I finished a yard off the left edge of the fairway. Near the green, I pitched one very near the flag, leaving a 4 foot par putt that I drained.
The rest of the back nine was composed mostly of bogeys and doubles. I collected a few more penalty strokes (three on the back nine, as opposed to one on the front). These weren't terrible shots, just unlucky. Despite this, I managed the same score on the back nine, as I did on the front. Mind you, the back nine is a par 35, while the front is a par 37. One thing that helped was another par on hole #18. This is a shorter par-4 that I played in textbook fashion. Driver found the left rough, but the subsequent gap wedge found the dance floor. Two putts later, and the par was recorded.
Overall, not a bad effort. It does nothing to lower my handicap though. I can't get below 18.
Score: 92
Putts: 31
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
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