My first visit ever to Oliver's Nest was earlier this year. I shot 51 on the front nine that day, followed by 42 on the back. I returned recently and had the opposite experience, shooting 42 on the front nine and 50 after the turn. This is the kind of thing that really frustrates me about golf. Looking at those figures tells me I could easily shoot 84. By the same logic, of course, I could also shoot 101, so maybe I shouldn't be too upset. A couple of scores in the low nineties isn't bad, but the inconsistency leaves me wanting better.
I began the round with a double-bogey on a long par-4. If you don't hit a deep drive, you're almost resigned to reaching the green in three strokes. I went one worse, by pulling my second shot off a side hill lie into some thick trees. Thankfully, I made up for this with a birdie on the next hole, which is a very short par-4. I hit a lob wedge just off the back edge of the green, but chipped my next shot downhill into the cup.
It was pretty smooth sailing for the rest of the front nine – a stretch that included pars on holes #3 and #4, as well as holes #8 and #9. I made bogey on hole #5, a 180-yard par-3, and felt like I let one get away. I hit a dead straight 5-iron to the back pin location, but it was a hair thin and thus rolled right through the green. Short sided and coming downhill, I faced a delicate chip. The ball took one bounce in the rough and stopped just on the green – far from tap-in range. There were also a pair of double bogeys on holes #6 and #7, owing mostly to a pulled drive and a 3-putt, respectively.
I began the back nine aboard the double-bogey train, rattling off five in a row. A pitch that went long and a 3-putt were the cause of the first. A sharply pulled second shot was the cause of the second. It's a shame, because I hit a greatly placed drive on that hole. A lob wedge shot from a naturalized area resulted in the third double. The ball was lost, so after dropping at the same location as the previous shot, I nailed the green without difficulty. The fourth double was the most disappointing, as I pushed a shot right into a hazard from just 140 yards. I hit the perfect drive just before that, going deep and cutting the corner on the dogleg left par-4. There were good shots during this period, but they were accompanied by such a variety of mistakes.
I settled down slightly, registering a trio of bogeys on holes #15 through #17. The first of these is a par-5 that I had a chance to reach in two. From 205 yards, my 3-iron was dead straight up the hill. As we got over the crest, I didn't see my ball anywhere. I even checked the hole – LOL. I eventually found it five yards behind the deep green. The low bullet of a shot travelled a total distance of about 230 yards. Too bad I made a poor chip shot and then 3-putt! Bogeys are fine when you're adding some pars here and there, but they don't do much for you when trying to overcome a string of doubles. Speaking of doubles, I made a final one on the last hole, after my approach to the green found a greenside bunker. My first attempt to splash out was fat and that was all it took.
In the end, another average score. I still feel encouraged though. I know I can do better.
Score: 92
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
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