Having finished a full round at Royal Woodbine, I had the option of playing some more, so I did exactly that. The first few holes of the front nine produced identical scores the second time around, albeit in somewhat different fashion. Hole #3, for example, began with a drive that sliced into the water hazard – a far cry from the 300-yard laser I nailed the first time up. After taking a penalty and drop, I hit a 3-wood from 240 yards. It was a little short and right of the green, but I made a lovely 30-yard pitch and drained the putt to earn another par.
Hole #6 began with a good drive, but the ball nestled up against the lip of a fairway bunker. I could not go for the green, but managed to advance the ball to the same position I was in after two shots earlier in the day. This time, I successfully hit the high lob wedge shot, finishing 10 feet from the cup. Unfortunately, I missed the par putt, but took bogey for the second time on the hole.
I moved along at better than bogey pace until hole #7, the 136-yard par-3 over water. This hole, as well as #4 (the other par-3) were playing directly into the setting sun. It was almost impossible to track the ball off the tee and definitely distracting. I pushed a 7-iron into the creek on #4, but stuck a shot close from the drop zone and 1-putt to salvage bogey.
No such luck on #7, as my tee shot drifted a bit right and failed to clear the pond. The sun was worse on this hole because it was reflecting off the pond. It was like playing on an alien planet with two suns shining directly into your eyes. The drop zone on this hole is at the red tees and I pulled a sand wedge from that location. I faced an impossible chip shot with the green falling steeply away from me. Rather carelessly, I blasted a putt through the fringe, requiring two more putts to finish. My final score was a nasty 7.
With that out of the way, I played the rest of the holes better than I had the first time around. On hole #8, I hit a 260 yard drive to the left rough, followed by an 8-iron to just in front of the green. I lagged one close through the fringe and finished with a 3-footer for par. On hole #8, I hit a drive 280 yards to the right side of the fairway. The ball actually rolled about six inches into the rough. With that lie, it was a bit risky to go for the green in two, so I hit 5-iron just short and right of the green. This set up a 30-yard pitch and 6-foot putt for birdie!
The last hole and a half were played in the shadows and we were losing light fast, so we decided to cart back to the clubhouse. We teed off on hole #18, but it was in vain. You could not see a thing and we had no idea where the balls went. No problem, it was great to get an extra nine holes played.
Score: 44
Putts: 14
Fairways: 2
Greens: 1
Penalties: 3
October 21, 2016
Nothing to Fear at Royal Woodbine
I like to play 18-hole golf courses that are at least 6,000 yards in length. Among such public courses, Royal Woodbine is perhaps the closest to home. Only Don Valley and Lakeview are a comparable distance away. Despite its proximity, I only played Royal Woodbine once, and that was ten years ago! In the past, the course was one of the more expensive ones around. Not only that, but it's a tight layout with water on every hole. A significant creek meanders across and alongside fairways, often setting up multiple carries on a single hole. You can not bomb away on this course – it's target golf at every single turn. I was a novice golfer when I first played here, and not surprisingly, I got beat up badly. I don't remember my score, but it would have been way past the century mark. In fact, this was the primary reason for my decade long hiatus.
As it turns out, circumstances recently coalesced, and I had an opportunity to make my return to this course that I had feared for so long. I teed off at half past noon on an unseasonably warm fall day. It was 20 degrees Celsius throughout the afternoon – not quite as warm as the day earlier, but this time there was no pesky wind to deal with. I basked in the sunshine, knowing full well that this was likely the last warm weather round of the year. If the long term forecasts were correct, it might even be the final round at all. I was paired up and shared a cart with another single, who turned out to be a decent fellow. On another day, I might have found him chatty and annoying, but on this day, I was not perturbed at all by his storytelling. We played with another pair, who were also friendly, but went about their rounds a bit more quietly.
As for my game, it was pretty sharp right off the bat. I employed irons off the tee whenever additional length was not necessary. Hole #2, for example, is a 338-yard par-4. I hit 3-iron just past a bunker in the middle of the fairway, leaving a 9-iron approach. I was left of the green, but pitched on and 2-putt for bogey. When the situation called for driver, I also hit it well. Hole #3 is a 508-yard par-5 with a little more room than many other holes on the course. I bombed a drive 300 yards down the pipe, settling just behind and left of the 200-yard stick. I went for the green with 3-iron, but I had to be mindful of a lone tree on the left side that was causing some interference. In an effort to keep the ball below any branches, I completely duffed the shot. No worries, however, as I followed up with a brilliant 8-iron from 150 yards to set up a birdie chance. The downhill putt just missed, so I took par.
My first misstep of the round came on hole #5, which at 277 yards, is the shortest par-4 on the course. A large pond protects the right side of this hole from tee to green. The smart play is to hit a mid-iron to the fairway, followed by a wedge into the green. I tried to do just that, but pulled a 7-iron left into a fescue covered hillside. One hack got it out, but an uneven stance on the subsequent shot produced another miss hit. After four shots, I was just off the back of the green. Fortunately, a decent chip and a great putt salvaged double-bogey.
The rest of the front nine was smooth sailing, thanks in large part, to some excellent putting. Hole #6 began with a flared 5-wood to the right side. A 100-yard layup was the right call on the next shot, but I followed this up by sculling a wedge shot straight through the green. No worries, as I made a beautiful pitch and putt for the up-and-down bogey. Another up-and-down earned par on hole #7, a short par-3 that's all carry over water. The best up-and-down, if you can call it that, came on hole #9. My drive on this par-5 was a slice that bounced off the cart path and into the creek. After a penalty stroke and drop, I topped an 8-iron that sent the ball dribbling ahead, still 180 yards from the green. Skirting the trees on the left side, I hit a bullet of a 5-iron that I thought would roll off the back of the green. The ball stopped in the centre of the green, which allowed me to drain a very long par putt to the hole at the front of the putting surface. Sometimes the putter can really make up for other errors.
So how do you follow up a 6-over score of 42 on the front nine? How about with an 8-over score of 43 on the back! Beginning with hole #11, things get even tougher at Royal Woodbine. Hole #11 is a par-4 that doglegs to the left. As a right-hander, if you don't draw the ball with your driver, this is a test. You either have to flirt with tall trees and OB in the elbow of the dogleg, or you have to play to the right – exactly where the ever-present creek follows a path all the way to the green. I pulled my drive into the trees, but it kicked back to the rough, albeit just 50 yards ahead. A good 5-wood and wedge got me to the front of the green and I 2-putt to save bogey.
It was a pattern that would repeat itself on a couple more holes during the day. On hole #12, a par-5, I pulled my drive into a bush covered hillside. It was all I could do to hack one out to the rough. No problem though, as I hit a pure 7-iron, followed by a magnificent lob wedge over a tall tree. Each of these carried the meandering creek without issue. One putt later, par was the result. On hole #16, I pushed my drive slightly, hitting a very large willow. I was 180 yards away from the green on this par-4, but I would have to carry the creek twice in order to reach it. Feeling confident, I hit a brilliant 5-iron from a barren lie to just left of the green. An easy pitch and 2-putt saved bogey.
And so we come to the final hole of the round. Hole #18 is the longest par-5 on the course, measuring 575 yards from the blue tees. I hit a great drive, about 275 yards to the middle of the fairway. The problem now, is that the wind picked up and was in my face as I contemplated the next shot. I had to carry the creek to reach the landing zone near the 100-yard marker. However, the creek angles in such a way that the required carry distance varies greatly, depending on the line you take. It's a fairly long carry, no matter what, so I opted to lay up by punching a 4-iron just 100 yards with a baby swing. I threaded the ball surgically to the perfect layup spot – not too close to flirt with the creek and leaving 180 yards to the green. The wind was still there, and now I had to carry the creek directly in front and a large pond fronting the green if I wanted a chance to putt for birdie. Figuring that 5-wood was enough club to overcome the wind, I went for it. Boom! A perfect high cut that sailed over all the water and found the front of the green, directly below the hole. The uphill birdie putt was straight, but lengthy. I gave it a go and just missed, leaving an 8-inch tap-in for par.
This was the third time I shot 85 this season, equalling my second-best score of the year (I'm still loving that 78 at Braeben). It was an incredibly fun day that makes me wonder why I stayed away from Royal Woodbine for so long. It really is a brilliantly designed course. It's funny how success (or failure) on a particular layout shapes your view of that course. :)
And the day wasn't over yet. I played an extra nine, which I'll talk about in a separate post.
Score: 85
Putts: 32
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
As it turns out, circumstances recently coalesced, and I had an opportunity to make my return to this course that I had feared for so long. I teed off at half past noon on an unseasonably warm fall day. It was 20 degrees Celsius throughout the afternoon – not quite as warm as the day earlier, but this time there was no pesky wind to deal with. I basked in the sunshine, knowing full well that this was likely the last warm weather round of the year. If the long term forecasts were correct, it might even be the final round at all. I was paired up and shared a cart with another single, who turned out to be a decent fellow. On another day, I might have found him chatty and annoying, but on this day, I was not perturbed at all by his storytelling. We played with another pair, who were also friendly, but went about their rounds a bit more quietly.
As for my game, it was pretty sharp right off the bat. I employed irons off the tee whenever additional length was not necessary. Hole #2, for example, is a 338-yard par-4. I hit 3-iron just past a bunker in the middle of the fairway, leaving a 9-iron approach. I was left of the green, but pitched on and 2-putt for bogey. When the situation called for driver, I also hit it well. Hole #3 is a 508-yard par-5 with a little more room than many other holes on the course. I bombed a drive 300 yards down the pipe, settling just behind and left of the 200-yard stick. I went for the green with 3-iron, but I had to be mindful of a lone tree on the left side that was causing some interference. In an effort to keep the ball below any branches, I completely duffed the shot. No worries, however, as I followed up with a brilliant 8-iron from 150 yards to set up a birdie chance. The downhill putt just missed, so I took par.
My first misstep of the round came on hole #5, which at 277 yards, is the shortest par-4 on the course. A large pond protects the right side of this hole from tee to green. The smart play is to hit a mid-iron to the fairway, followed by a wedge into the green. I tried to do just that, but pulled a 7-iron left into a fescue covered hillside. One hack got it out, but an uneven stance on the subsequent shot produced another miss hit. After four shots, I was just off the back of the green. Fortunately, a decent chip and a great putt salvaged double-bogey.
The rest of the front nine was smooth sailing, thanks in large part, to some excellent putting. Hole #6 began with a flared 5-wood to the right side. A 100-yard layup was the right call on the next shot, but I followed this up by sculling a wedge shot straight through the green. No worries, as I made a beautiful pitch and putt for the up-and-down bogey. Another up-and-down earned par on hole #7, a short par-3 that's all carry over water. The best up-and-down, if you can call it that, came on hole #9. My drive on this par-5 was a slice that bounced off the cart path and into the creek. After a penalty stroke and drop, I topped an 8-iron that sent the ball dribbling ahead, still 180 yards from the green. Skirting the trees on the left side, I hit a bullet of a 5-iron that I thought would roll off the back of the green. The ball stopped in the centre of the green, which allowed me to drain a very long par putt to the hole at the front of the putting surface. Sometimes the putter can really make up for other errors.
So how do you follow up a 6-over score of 42 on the front nine? How about with an 8-over score of 43 on the back! Beginning with hole #11, things get even tougher at Royal Woodbine. Hole #11 is a par-4 that doglegs to the left. As a right-hander, if you don't draw the ball with your driver, this is a test. You either have to flirt with tall trees and OB in the elbow of the dogleg, or you have to play to the right – exactly where the ever-present creek follows a path all the way to the green. I pulled my drive into the trees, but it kicked back to the rough, albeit just 50 yards ahead. A good 5-wood and wedge got me to the front of the green and I 2-putt to save bogey.
It was a pattern that would repeat itself on a couple more holes during the day. On hole #12, a par-5, I pulled my drive into a bush covered hillside. It was all I could do to hack one out to the rough. No problem though, as I hit a pure 7-iron, followed by a magnificent lob wedge over a tall tree. Each of these carried the meandering creek without issue. One putt later, par was the result. On hole #16, I pushed my drive slightly, hitting a very large willow. I was 180 yards away from the green on this par-4, but I would have to carry the creek twice in order to reach it. Feeling confident, I hit a brilliant 5-iron from a barren lie to just left of the green. An easy pitch and 2-putt saved bogey.
And so we come to the final hole of the round. Hole #18 is the longest par-5 on the course, measuring 575 yards from the blue tees. I hit a great drive, about 275 yards to the middle of the fairway. The problem now, is that the wind picked up and was in my face as I contemplated the next shot. I had to carry the creek to reach the landing zone near the 100-yard marker. However, the creek angles in such a way that the required carry distance varies greatly, depending on the line you take. It's a fairly long carry, no matter what, so I opted to lay up by punching a 4-iron just 100 yards with a baby swing. I threaded the ball surgically to the perfect layup spot – not too close to flirt with the creek and leaving 180 yards to the green. The wind was still there, and now I had to carry the creek directly in front and a large pond fronting the green if I wanted a chance to putt for birdie. Figuring that 5-wood was enough club to overcome the wind, I went for it. Boom! A perfect high cut that sailed over all the water and found the front of the green, directly below the hole. The uphill birdie putt was straight, but lengthy. I gave it a go and just missed, leaving an 8-inch tap-in for par.
This was the third time I shot 85 this season, equalling my second-best score of the year (I'm still loving that 78 at Braeben). It was an incredibly fun day that makes me wonder why I stayed away from Royal Woodbine for so long. It really is a brilliantly designed course. It's funny how success (or failure) on a particular layout shapes your view of that course. :)
And the day wasn't over yet. I played an extra nine, which I'll talk about in a separate post.
Score: 85
Putts: 32
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
October 20, 2016
Wind Issues at Indian Wells
At this time of year, the typical high in southern Ontario is about 14 degrees Celsius. I was elated, therefore, when the forecast called for a high of 25, with the humidity making it feel even warmer. I booked an early afternoon round at Indian Wells Golf Club, no questions asked. In fact, it was some very pleasant weather. The fall colours looked spectacular in the sunshine, as I strolled the fairways wearing short pants and a short-sleeved shirt. The only problem, in terms of scoring well, was the stiffest wind I've experienced all season.
It was worst on the front nine, with the wind whipping down mercilessly off the escarpment. Nevertheless, I found the green in regulation on the opening par-5 and made par. On hole #2, a 413-yard par-4, a gentle poke off the tee rode the wind 280 yards. The ball travelled through the end of the fairway, across the cart path and stopped just two yards short of a large pond. I used every yard of space available, leaving just 130 yards to the flag. I thought the wind would carry a sand wedge the required distance, but it came up 10 yards short. As a result, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey.
While the wind was at my back on hole #2, it was right in my face on hole #3. This is a par-4 featuring two forced carries over large ponds. I waited for a break in the wind but it wouldn't come, so I swung away. I was completely off balance and deposited a low bullet into the first pond. Using the drop zone on the other side, I was too far to carry the second pond with my third shot, so I laid up to the 100-yard marker. I hit a decent gap wedge to the left side of the green, but it skirted the edge and caught a slope that kicked the ball toward a creek. There were tons of leaves there and I didn't find my ball. I assumed it was in the creek and took another penalty. I chipped on and 2-putt for a disastrous score of 8.
I wasn't upset, because the conditions were pretty ridiculous, and that helped me on the next hole. I hit a beautiful 5-wood flag-high to this 180-yard par-3. Two putts later, I had another par under my belt. The same composure earned bogey on hole #5. This par-4 features a drop-off to a green that is surrounded on three sides by forest. I played hole #6 well, although the result was double-bogey. This is an uphill par-5 that runs parallel to hole #3, where I had exploded earlier. Once again, I was playing straight into the wind. Again, the tee shot was the problem, as I pulled one left into some long fescue. I was forced to take a penalty, but from then on I managed things quite well.
Hole #7 is a par 3, measuring 239 yards from an elevated tee. I used 5-wood, which was the same club I had used on the 180-yard par-3 earlier. I took aim at the left side, hoping to ride the wind back to the flag position. The ball didn't come back as much as I anticipated, but I was on the green safely. I made a lengthy lag putt and then a 4-footer for par.
The worst stretch of the day came over the next two holes. On hole #8, I drove my ball to the right side, inches away from some fescue. The green was blocked out by thick trees and I should have pitched back to the fairway. Because of the windy conditions, it didn't look like this was going to be a scoring day, so I tried the hero shot over the trees. The lie wasn't conducive to the high shot and I nailed one straight into the forest. I took a penalty stroke and was still in the same predicament. By the time the hole was done, I registered another score of 8. I only did marginally better on hole #9, earning a triple-bogey after two duffed irons to start. I was shooting 52 at the turn.
Suddenly, the wind died down. Don't get me wrong – it was still pretty heavy wind. However, it became much more manageable for the remainder of the round. I seized the opportunity and started belting some lasers. A 3-iron off the tee on hole #10 was down the pipe. A 5-iron from the elevated tee on hole #11 was the same. Most impressive was another 3-iron off the tee on hole #12 – a straight par-4 with thick forest on both sides. Approaches were not perfect on these three holes, but entirely serviceable. I earned bogey on all three.
Double-bogey was the result on hole #13, a par-3 that plays much tougher from the back tees where I was playing. I had a rough start to hole #14, but recovered extremely well to save bogey. The hole of the day, however, was #15. This is a 492-yard par-5 that doglegs left, before crossing a creek that is bordered on both sides by trees. A wonderful drive went 292-yards, settling about five yards right of the 200-yard stick. This left an ideal angle to the green, about 205 yards away. I went for it with 5-wood, launching a high cut that cleared a greenside bunker and settled flag-high. Amazing shot! I had a 14-foot putt for eagle and just burned the edge, settling for birdie.
The last three holes were all bogeys, thanks mostly to the fact that I 1-putted them all. A 3-iron off the tee on hole #16 was good but trees blocked my path to the green on this sharp dogleg par-4. A 5-iron off the tee on hole #17 was struck well, but just a hair left of the par-3 target and long due to the wind. A drive attempt into the wind on the final hole was disastrous, but getting up and down from 130 yards has a way of erasing those mistakes.
I shot a wonderful 43 on the back nine. Had I known that was coming, I would have buckled down on a couple front nine holes where I tried difficult shots just for the heck of it. Oh well, I'm happy with the final score, given the conditions.
Score: 95
Putts: 33
Fairways: 5
Greens: 5
Penalties: 6
It was worst on the front nine, with the wind whipping down mercilessly off the escarpment. Nevertheless, I found the green in regulation on the opening par-5 and made par. On hole #2, a 413-yard par-4, a gentle poke off the tee rode the wind 280 yards. The ball travelled through the end of the fairway, across the cart path and stopped just two yards short of a large pond. I used every yard of space available, leaving just 130 yards to the flag. I thought the wind would carry a sand wedge the required distance, but it came up 10 yards short. As a result, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey.
While the wind was at my back on hole #2, it was right in my face on hole #3. This is a par-4 featuring two forced carries over large ponds. I waited for a break in the wind but it wouldn't come, so I swung away. I was completely off balance and deposited a low bullet into the first pond. Using the drop zone on the other side, I was too far to carry the second pond with my third shot, so I laid up to the 100-yard marker. I hit a decent gap wedge to the left side of the green, but it skirted the edge and caught a slope that kicked the ball toward a creek. There were tons of leaves there and I didn't find my ball. I assumed it was in the creek and took another penalty. I chipped on and 2-putt for a disastrous score of 8.
I wasn't upset, because the conditions were pretty ridiculous, and that helped me on the next hole. I hit a beautiful 5-wood flag-high to this 180-yard par-3. Two putts later, I had another par under my belt. The same composure earned bogey on hole #5. This par-4 features a drop-off to a green that is surrounded on three sides by forest. I played hole #6 well, although the result was double-bogey. This is an uphill par-5 that runs parallel to hole #3, where I had exploded earlier. Once again, I was playing straight into the wind. Again, the tee shot was the problem, as I pulled one left into some long fescue. I was forced to take a penalty, but from then on I managed things quite well.
Hole #7 is a par 3, measuring 239 yards from an elevated tee. I used 5-wood, which was the same club I had used on the 180-yard par-3 earlier. I took aim at the left side, hoping to ride the wind back to the flag position. The ball didn't come back as much as I anticipated, but I was on the green safely. I made a lengthy lag putt and then a 4-footer for par.
The worst stretch of the day came over the next two holes. On hole #8, I drove my ball to the right side, inches away from some fescue. The green was blocked out by thick trees and I should have pitched back to the fairway. Because of the windy conditions, it didn't look like this was going to be a scoring day, so I tried the hero shot over the trees. The lie wasn't conducive to the high shot and I nailed one straight into the forest. I took a penalty stroke and was still in the same predicament. By the time the hole was done, I registered another score of 8. I only did marginally better on hole #9, earning a triple-bogey after two duffed irons to start. I was shooting 52 at the turn.
Suddenly, the wind died down. Don't get me wrong – it was still pretty heavy wind. However, it became much more manageable for the remainder of the round. I seized the opportunity and started belting some lasers. A 3-iron off the tee on hole #10 was down the pipe. A 5-iron from the elevated tee on hole #11 was the same. Most impressive was another 3-iron off the tee on hole #12 – a straight par-4 with thick forest on both sides. Approaches were not perfect on these three holes, but entirely serviceable. I earned bogey on all three.
Double-bogey was the result on hole #13, a par-3 that plays much tougher from the back tees where I was playing. I had a rough start to hole #14, but recovered extremely well to save bogey. The hole of the day, however, was #15. This is a 492-yard par-5 that doglegs left, before crossing a creek that is bordered on both sides by trees. A wonderful drive went 292-yards, settling about five yards right of the 200-yard stick. This left an ideal angle to the green, about 205 yards away. I went for it with 5-wood, launching a high cut that cleared a greenside bunker and settled flag-high. Amazing shot! I had a 14-foot putt for eagle and just burned the edge, settling for birdie.
The last three holes were all bogeys, thanks mostly to the fact that I 1-putted them all. A 3-iron off the tee on hole #16 was good but trees blocked my path to the green on this sharp dogleg par-4. A 5-iron off the tee on hole #17 was struck well, but just a hair left of the par-3 target and long due to the wind. A drive attempt into the wind on the final hole was disastrous, but getting up and down from 130 yards has a way of erasing those mistakes.
I shot a wonderful 43 on the back nine. Had I known that was coming, I would have buckled down on a couple front nine holes where I tried difficult shots just for the heck of it. Oh well, I'm happy with the final score, given the conditions.
Score: 95
Putts: 33
Fairways: 5
Greens: 5
Penalties: 6
October 13, 2016
Slipping at Rockway Vineyards
Well, this sucks. The season is winding down and my game is getting worse. I've played 38 complete golf rounds so far. Over the first 18 rounds, I broke 90 on six occasions, or once every third round. Not only that, but I broke 90 handily, with scores of 85, 86, 87, 86, 87 and 85. Over the last 20 rounds, I broke 90 just once. It happened to be a personal best of 78, but one good round out of 20 is not good enough. That stretch of 20 rounds includes close scores of 92, 91, 90, 91, 91, 93, 92 and 90, but I'm sick of missing the cut. Even more disturbing are the blowup scores I've had recently. Over the first 18 rounds, I reached 100 or more just once. Over the last 20 rounds, including this latest one, I reached the century mark five times. That is pathetic.
It's hard to pinpoint what changed. As the second part of the season began, small errors here and there crept into my games, pushing my scores into the lower nineties. Then as the season progressed, I pressed more and more to make up for this. If I was not headed for a sub-90 round, I lost interest and focus. Instead of finishing in the low nineties, as I had earlier, I started finishing in the very high nineties or over 100. Such was the case for my latest outing at Rockway Vineyards.
I started the opening par-5 with an atrocious drive off the heel of the club to an opposite fairway. A good 5-wood, 3-iron combination, followed by a great pitch and putt salvaged par, which I really didn't deserve. The wildness continued on hole #2, as I drove the ball left and out of bounds. My third from the tee was safe to the right of the fairway, but I hooked my fourth shot out of bounds again. After a penalty and drop, I hit my sixth into a greenside bunker. A decent out didn't hold the green. My eighth shot blew past the hole and I took two more putts to finish with a score of 10. Stick a fork in me, the round was over after just two holes!
I made bogey on hole #3, a 182-yard par-3, before the stupidity continued on hole #4. This is a short par-4 with OB along the entire left side. My first two tee shots both went OB. Switching to an iron, I finally put my fifth shot in play. From 150 yards, I duffed one across the fairway, under some trees. From there, I plunked one into a greenside bunker. Next , I picked the ball clean, sailing 40 yards past the green. With tree trouble and being short sided, I flew one to the opposite edge of the green. Three putts later, I collected a score of 12. It was a complete waste of time, waste of money, and waste of what might be the last great weather day we have this year.
I made four bogeys and a par to close out the front nine, but who cares? Who bloody cares if I can play five decent holes, or nine, or even fifteen! I need to play eighteen decent holes. Eighteen!
There were no massive blowup holes on the back nine, though there were four double-bogeys, thanks to some really garbage shots. Complete mis-hits! I won't describe them because I need to maintain some sanity.
I also made a couple of nice pars and respectable bogeys, but again, who the hell cares? Eighteen bloody holes! Eighteen, you idiot!
And the handicap factor jumped up to 17.6 – exactly where I finished LAST season! That is classic. I get a hole in one this year, I shoot a personal best of 78, I get my handicap factor down to a personal best of 15.5 – and a month or two later, it's all gone and I'm back to square one.
Great!
Score: 102
Putts: 35
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Penalties: 4
It's hard to pinpoint what changed. As the second part of the season began, small errors here and there crept into my games, pushing my scores into the lower nineties. Then as the season progressed, I pressed more and more to make up for this. If I was not headed for a sub-90 round, I lost interest and focus. Instead of finishing in the low nineties, as I had earlier, I started finishing in the very high nineties or over 100. Such was the case for my latest outing at Rockway Vineyards.
I started the opening par-5 with an atrocious drive off the heel of the club to an opposite fairway. A good 5-wood, 3-iron combination, followed by a great pitch and putt salvaged par, which I really didn't deserve. The wildness continued on hole #2, as I drove the ball left and out of bounds. My third from the tee was safe to the right of the fairway, but I hooked my fourth shot out of bounds again. After a penalty and drop, I hit my sixth into a greenside bunker. A decent out didn't hold the green. My eighth shot blew past the hole and I took two more putts to finish with a score of 10. Stick a fork in me, the round was over after just two holes!
I made bogey on hole #3, a 182-yard par-3, before the stupidity continued on hole #4. This is a short par-4 with OB along the entire left side. My first two tee shots both went OB. Switching to an iron, I finally put my fifth shot in play. From 150 yards, I duffed one across the fairway, under some trees. From there, I plunked one into a greenside bunker. Next , I picked the ball clean, sailing 40 yards past the green. With tree trouble and being short sided, I flew one to the opposite edge of the green. Three putts later, I collected a score of 12. It was a complete waste of time, waste of money, and waste of what might be the last great weather day we have this year.
I made four bogeys and a par to close out the front nine, but who cares? Who bloody cares if I can play five decent holes, or nine, or even fifteen! I need to play eighteen decent holes. Eighteen!
There were no massive blowup holes on the back nine, though there were four double-bogeys, thanks to some really garbage shots. Complete mis-hits! I won't describe them because I need to maintain some sanity.
I also made a couple of nice pars and respectable bogeys, but again, who the hell cares? Eighteen bloody holes! Eighteen, you idiot!
And the handicap factor jumped up to 17.6 – exactly where I finished LAST season! That is classic. I get a hole in one this year, I shoot a personal best of 78, I get my handicap factor down to a personal best of 15.5 – and a month or two later, it's all gone and I'm back to square one.
Great!
Score: 102
Putts: 35
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Penalties: 4
October 12, 2016
Dismayed at Maples of Ballantrae
I didn't feel very good about Maples of Ballantrae the last time I played there, but I decided to give it another try. The opening shot is an awkward one to start a round, so I was hoping for a good one. I opted for 5-iron to carry the edge of the pond and hopefully split the woods on the other side. I ended up hitting my best shot of the day. 5-iron is my 180-yard club, but this ball finished 230 yards down the middle of the fairway! Contact was so pure, I didn't even feel the ball hitting the club face. The trajectory was perfect, with not even a hint of side spin. The first bounce in the fairway was a healthy one, which helped produce the great yardage. Shots like that are what make golf so fun.
Unfortunately, the whole round went downhill from there. I had 95 yards remaining to the flag and tried to take a little bit off a sand wedge. In the air it looked really good, but it went long and finished on the cart path, five yards behind the green. The nearest point of relief was a muddy area with almost no grass. After taking a drop, I tried to pitch on, but the sole of the club reacted strangely to the ground. The ball squirted 45 degrees to the left and I still wasn't on the putting surface. After another try and two putts, I walked away with a disappointing double-bogey. It was such a waste!
The next two holes, a par-5 and a par-4, were fine and produced bogeys. Hole #4 began with a drive that looked good from the tee, but actually trickled into a pond left of the fairway. After a penalty stroke and drop, I pulled an approach left of the green on this par-4. A delicate pitch shot and two pretty good putts could only salvage double-bogey.
At this point, I was already not feeling good about the round. Aside from the fact I was 6-over through four holes, I was preoccupied with the pace of play. It was dead slow and I had somewhere to be after the round, so it looked like I wouldn't be able to squeeze the entire round in. These are not the thoughts you should have if you want to focus on playing well.
I tried to hit a “safe” 3-iron off the tee on hole #5, instead of driver. Well, I pulled the shot left into a water hazard. After a penalty and drop, my path to the green was blocked, so I had to lay up near the 100-yard marker. The ball carried a little too far and I had tree issues on my fourth shot. I avoided the overhanging limbs, but deposited the ball in a bunker behind the green. My sand shot rolled off the other side of the green and I pulled the subsequent chip slightly. This left a tricky breaking putt, which I missed, resulting in a horrific quadruple-bogey.
I was livid at this point and it showed over the next two holes. I made a double-bogey on a par-3 and a triple on a par-4. I duffed a 9-iron attempt into a small pond and duffed two consecutive shots with the lob wedge from just short of a green. It didn't matter that I made bogey and par to close out the front nine. Even the par was disappointing given how the hole started. I blasted a 285 yard drive to the centre of the fairway, leaving just 50 yards to the flag. My pitch shot was long, but found the green. I made a beautiful lengthy putt, only to have the ball stop with a third of it hanging over the hole. Are you kidding me?
Bogey and par started the back nine, but I still wasn't feeling good. The bogey was the result of another nice putt stopping on the edge of the hole. The par was thanks to a greenside up and down, but I hit some ugly looking shots to set that up. Then on hole #12, I went off the rails again. I pushed a drive way right into the opposite fairway. My recovery shot hit a tree and then I thinned one over the green and into some thick woods. I finished with a triple-bogey 7.
The final third of the round produced five bogeys an a double. The double once again began with a drive pushed way right of target. I was taking a short backswing, but really accelerating on the downswing as much as I could. I was in no mood to take it easy out there. Once I knew I would be scoring in the mid to high nineties, there really was nothing to play for. At this point, I really consider anything over 90 to be garbage. When you finish one or two strokes above that level, you're at least in the hunt. When you're four or five strokes above that level, you've just wasted your time. Seriously, the fact that I can't shoot 90 or lower with any consistency is a cruel joke.
Score: 99
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 4
Unfortunately, the whole round went downhill from there. I had 95 yards remaining to the flag and tried to take a little bit off a sand wedge. In the air it looked really good, but it went long and finished on the cart path, five yards behind the green. The nearest point of relief was a muddy area with almost no grass. After taking a drop, I tried to pitch on, but the sole of the club reacted strangely to the ground. The ball squirted 45 degrees to the left and I still wasn't on the putting surface. After another try and two putts, I walked away with a disappointing double-bogey. It was such a waste!
The next two holes, a par-5 and a par-4, were fine and produced bogeys. Hole #4 began with a drive that looked good from the tee, but actually trickled into a pond left of the fairway. After a penalty stroke and drop, I pulled an approach left of the green on this par-4. A delicate pitch shot and two pretty good putts could only salvage double-bogey.
At this point, I was already not feeling good about the round. Aside from the fact I was 6-over through four holes, I was preoccupied with the pace of play. It was dead slow and I had somewhere to be after the round, so it looked like I wouldn't be able to squeeze the entire round in. These are not the thoughts you should have if you want to focus on playing well.
I tried to hit a “safe” 3-iron off the tee on hole #5, instead of driver. Well, I pulled the shot left into a water hazard. After a penalty and drop, my path to the green was blocked, so I had to lay up near the 100-yard marker. The ball carried a little too far and I had tree issues on my fourth shot. I avoided the overhanging limbs, but deposited the ball in a bunker behind the green. My sand shot rolled off the other side of the green and I pulled the subsequent chip slightly. This left a tricky breaking putt, which I missed, resulting in a horrific quadruple-bogey.
I was livid at this point and it showed over the next two holes. I made a double-bogey on a par-3 and a triple on a par-4. I duffed a 9-iron attempt into a small pond and duffed two consecutive shots with the lob wedge from just short of a green. It didn't matter that I made bogey and par to close out the front nine. Even the par was disappointing given how the hole started. I blasted a 285 yard drive to the centre of the fairway, leaving just 50 yards to the flag. My pitch shot was long, but found the green. I made a beautiful lengthy putt, only to have the ball stop with a third of it hanging over the hole. Are you kidding me?
Bogey and par started the back nine, but I still wasn't feeling good. The bogey was the result of another nice putt stopping on the edge of the hole. The par was thanks to a greenside up and down, but I hit some ugly looking shots to set that up. Then on hole #12, I went off the rails again. I pushed a drive way right into the opposite fairway. My recovery shot hit a tree and then I thinned one over the green and into some thick woods. I finished with a triple-bogey 7.
The final third of the round produced five bogeys an a double. The double once again began with a drive pushed way right of target. I was taking a short backswing, but really accelerating on the downswing as much as I could. I was in no mood to take it easy out there. Once I knew I would be scoring in the mid to high nineties, there really was nothing to play for. At this point, I really consider anything over 90 to be garbage. When you finish one or two strokes above that level, you're at least in the hunt. When you're four or five strokes above that level, you've just wasted your time. Seriously, the fact that I can't shoot 90 or lower with any consistency is a cruel joke.
Score: 99
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 4
October 10, 2016
No Ace This Time at Calerin
Earlier this year, I had a hole-in-one at Calerin Golf Club. I wasn't expecting the same this time around, but I was hoping for a good overall score. Well, I finished with a 98, so that didn't really happen. The elevated score was due to three horrific holes, which combined for 28 of the strokes taken (10, 8, 10). Due to equitable stroke control, my score for handicap purposes was just 91. This actually reduced my handicap factor to 16.7 – a drop of two tenths. So, I guess it wasn't a total loss.
The first five holes were great, as I went bogey, par, bogey, bogey and par. The two pars were on par-3 holes, as I was able to hit the greens in regulation and then 2-putt. The remaining holes, including a pair of par-5 tests, required one extra shot each to find the greens, followed by 2-putts. Nearly a third into the round I was in fabulous shape and feeling good.
All of a sudden, I exploded for a 10 and then 8, both on par-4 holes. In both cases, I got in serious trouble right off the tee and couldn't recover. On hole #6, I made contact with the heel of the driver, sending the ball dribbling just a few yards ahead and to the left. It was in long fescue and took two hacks to get out into the fairway. Trees on the inside of the dogleg were blocking the green, but I was in no mood to concede another stroke. I tried to slice a 4-iron, but I flushed it straight, stopping at the edge of the woods. I had no backswing and could only advance the ball into a deep greenside bunker. Shot #6 emerged from the bunker – just barely. It took two chips to get on the green and a couple of putts to hole out. Yech!
On hole #7, my drive went left and was lost in the long fescue. Hitting my third from the tee, I went left again, but found the ball on a steep slope behind a small bush. I hacked it to the fairway, 70 yards from the flag. My wedge shot sailed over the green, into the fescue again. Shot #6 came out clean, but hung up in the rough by the greenside collar. A chip and a putt finished the hole. Wow, things can go sour quickly!
Having seriously messed up two drives in a row, I vowed to try something different. I had been taking a short backswing and following through rather gently. Over the next two holes, I kept the backswing the same, but I accelerated on the downswing to produce as much speed as I could. Boy, did it work! I ripped drives straight down the pipe on holes #8 and #9, setting up a bogey and par.
Unfortunately, the same approach led to a pulled drive on hole #10. The ball was gobbled up once again by the fescue and I couldn't find it. I got frustrated and started taking silly swings. I topped a shot with the 5-wood that led to an unplayable ball, I pulled a sand wedge way left of the green, and so on. The par-5 hole produced my second double-digit score of the day.
Despite the pulled drive on #10, I stayed with the aggressive downswing action and it worked wonders for the rest of the round. I hit four of six fairways over the final eight holes and they were all straight and deep. The two misses were slightly to the right side, but the ball ended up in areas I could work with. I had a double-bogey during this stretch, due to a careless 3-putt. Otherwise, I collected five bogeys and two pars.
Fifteen holes played under control and three played in chaos. The story of my golfing career.
Score: 98
Putts: 36
Fairways: 8
Greens: 5
Penalties: 3
The first five holes were great, as I went bogey, par, bogey, bogey and par. The two pars were on par-3 holes, as I was able to hit the greens in regulation and then 2-putt. The remaining holes, including a pair of par-5 tests, required one extra shot each to find the greens, followed by 2-putts. Nearly a third into the round I was in fabulous shape and feeling good.
All of a sudden, I exploded for a 10 and then 8, both on par-4 holes. In both cases, I got in serious trouble right off the tee and couldn't recover. On hole #6, I made contact with the heel of the driver, sending the ball dribbling just a few yards ahead and to the left. It was in long fescue and took two hacks to get out into the fairway. Trees on the inside of the dogleg were blocking the green, but I was in no mood to concede another stroke. I tried to slice a 4-iron, but I flushed it straight, stopping at the edge of the woods. I had no backswing and could only advance the ball into a deep greenside bunker. Shot #6 emerged from the bunker – just barely. It took two chips to get on the green and a couple of putts to hole out. Yech!
On hole #7, my drive went left and was lost in the long fescue. Hitting my third from the tee, I went left again, but found the ball on a steep slope behind a small bush. I hacked it to the fairway, 70 yards from the flag. My wedge shot sailed over the green, into the fescue again. Shot #6 came out clean, but hung up in the rough by the greenside collar. A chip and a putt finished the hole. Wow, things can go sour quickly!
Having seriously messed up two drives in a row, I vowed to try something different. I had been taking a short backswing and following through rather gently. Over the next two holes, I kept the backswing the same, but I accelerated on the downswing to produce as much speed as I could. Boy, did it work! I ripped drives straight down the pipe on holes #8 and #9, setting up a bogey and par.
Unfortunately, the same approach led to a pulled drive on hole #10. The ball was gobbled up once again by the fescue and I couldn't find it. I got frustrated and started taking silly swings. I topped a shot with the 5-wood that led to an unplayable ball, I pulled a sand wedge way left of the green, and so on. The par-5 hole produced my second double-digit score of the day.
Despite the pulled drive on #10, I stayed with the aggressive downswing action and it worked wonders for the rest of the round. I hit four of six fairways over the final eight holes and they were all straight and deep. The two misses were slightly to the right side, but the ball ended up in areas I could work with. I had a double-bogey during this stretch, due to a careless 3-putt. Otherwise, I collected five bogeys and two pars.
Fifteen holes played under control and three played in chaos. The story of my golfing career.
Score: 98
Putts: 36
Fairways: 8
Greens: 5
Penalties: 3
October 04, 2016
Back to Normal at Settlers' Ghost
I carefully consulted the weather forecast before choosing a date for my latest round of golf, which was played at Settlers' Ghost, just north of Barrie. Let's just say the weather people got it wrong. A steady mist fell the entire time I was out on the course and I didn't see the sun all day long. Thankfully, the temperature was reasonable. As I'm writing this the next day, the sun is gleaming and it's absolutely beautiful outside. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes.
This was my first ever visit to Settlers' Ghost, which is located just a stones throw away from Horseshoe Valley Resort. The course plays over hilly terrain, with fairways either rising or falling toward the greens. None of the holes are on the side of a hill, so you usually have a fair lie. The design is links inspired, which is to say that the contours of the land provide more of an obstacle than do trees. I played the tips at 6,346 yards, which was certainly adequate. The course is wedged into a tight piece of land, but designers did a good job fitting everything in. If you look at an aerial view, the holes appear close together, but you don't really notice when playing.
I bogeyed the opening par-4, thanks mostly to a well placed drive. On hole #2, a 200-yard par-3, I hit a perfect 3-iron to find the green and finished with par. I bogeyed the next hole, a par-4, thanks to a great 2-putt from distance. On hole #4, a 369-yard par-4, I collected another par. This time, a spectacular approach with the 7-iron was the catalyst. As you can see, different parts of my game were coming up big a different moments.
Unfortunately, different parts of my game were also letting me down at different moments. My drive attempt on hole #5, a 526-yard par-5, was pulled off the heel and dove deep into some thick, lush fescue. It took all my might just to hack the ball out 40 yards. Despite good shots that followed, I ended up with double-bogey. After a nice par on hole #6, I took another double on hole #7. This is a short par-3 over water. I got the ball airborne with the 9-iron, but I pulled it left and out of bounds. Hitting my third from the tee, I found the green and 2-putt to finish.
Particularly during the middle of the round, I was struggling to keep my grips dry. This cost me a stroke on hole #9, as the 5-iron slipped completely in my hand off the tee. Luckily, I regrouped for bogey and a decent score of 44 at the turn. I don't usually play with a glove, but I opted to use one because the grip situation was getting out of hand. It didn't help on hole #10, as I hit a high push over some tall trees and straight across the 18th fairway. It was a terrible spot to be in and I ended up with a triple-bogey.
The rain eased up a bit and I got back to playing pretty good golf. After bogeys on holes #11 and #12, I collected par on hole #13. My drive on this par-4 was mediocre, finishing in the left rough and quite short. Fortunately, I delivered a perfect 8-iron to set up the 2-putt par. Bogey ensued on hole #14, a par-3, before another double-bogey reared its ugly head on hole #15. This is a 561-yard par-5 that began with another pulled drive short and into thick, long fescue. Overall, the par-5 holes were my worst. They are all long enough that if you start with a bad drive, it's very difficult to recover.
With that out of my system, I collected back-to-back pars on holes #16 and #17. In both cases, I was just off the green in regulation, but chipped and 1-putt to finish. Hole #18 is a downhill par-4, with thick trees on both sides. It's actually quite narrow, so you have to be really careful from the elevated tee. I hit a straight drive, though not overly long. I could get to the green with 7-iron, but I pushed it slightly and clipped some tall trees. The ball dropped 40 yards from the green, but I had a bush in my backswing. As a result, I needed two shots to get on the putting surface. I then 2-putt for double-bogey.
So it was 46 on the back nine and 90 overall. Not bad, considering I never played the course and weather conditions were not good.
Score: 90
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
This was my first ever visit to Settlers' Ghost, which is located just a stones throw away from Horseshoe Valley Resort. The course plays over hilly terrain, with fairways either rising or falling toward the greens. None of the holes are on the side of a hill, so you usually have a fair lie. The design is links inspired, which is to say that the contours of the land provide more of an obstacle than do trees. I played the tips at 6,346 yards, which was certainly adequate. The course is wedged into a tight piece of land, but designers did a good job fitting everything in. If you look at an aerial view, the holes appear close together, but you don't really notice when playing.
I bogeyed the opening par-4, thanks mostly to a well placed drive. On hole #2, a 200-yard par-3, I hit a perfect 3-iron to find the green and finished with par. I bogeyed the next hole, a par-4, thanks to a great 2-putt from distance. On hole #4, a 369-yard par-4, I collected another par. This time, a spectacular approach with the 7-iron was the catalyst. As you can see, different parts of my game were coming up big a different moments.
Unfortunately, different parts of my game were also letting me down at different moments. My drive attempt on hole #5, a 526-yard par-5, was pulled off the heel and dove deep into some thick, lush fescue. It took all my might just to hack the ball out 40 yards. Despite good shots that followed, I ended up with double-bogey. After a nice par on hole #6, I took another double on hole #7. This is a short par-3 over water. I got the ball airborne with the 9-iron, but I pulled it left and out of bounds. Hitting my third from the tee, I found the green and 2-putt to finish.
Particularly during the middle of the round, I was struggling to keep my grips dry. This cost me a stroke on hole #9, as the 5-iron slipped completely in my hand off the tee. Luckily, I regrouped for bogey and a decent score of 44 at the turn. I don't usually play with a glove, but I opted to use one because the grip situation was getting out of hand. It didn't help on hole #10, as I hit a high push over some tall trees and straight across the 18th fairway. It was a terrible spot to be in and I ended up with a triple-bogey.
The rain eased up a bit and I got back to playing pretty good golf. After bogeys on holes #11 and #12, I collected par on hole #13. My drive on this par-4 was mediocre, finishing in the left rough and quite short. Fortunately, I delivered a perfect 8-iron to set up the 2-putt par. Bogey ensued on hole #14, a par-3, before another double-bogey reared its ugly head on hole #15. This is a 561-yard par-5 that began with another pulled drive short and into thick, long fescue. Overall, the par-5 holes were my worst. They are all long enough that if you start with a bad drive, it's very difficult to recover.
With that out of my system, I collected back-to-back pars on holes #16 and #17. In both cases, I was just off the green in regulation, but chipped and 1-putt to finish. Hole #18 is a downhill par-4, with thick trees on both sides. It's actually quite narrow, so you have to be really careful from the elevated tee. I hit a straight drive, though not overly long. I could get to the green with 7-iron, but I pushed it slightly and clipped some tall trees. The ball dropped 40 yards from the green, but I had a bush in my backswing. As a result, I needed two shots to get on the putting surface. I then 2-putt for double-bogey.
So it was 46 on the back nine and 90 overall. Not bad, considering I never played the course and weather conditions were not good.
Score: 90
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)