The good times continued with a solid score of 84 at Victoria Park East. The weather was perfect -- lots of sun, but not hot or humid, with a gentle breeze. I played bogey golf on the front nine, shooting 45, thanks to one par, seven bogeys, and a double-bogey. The par was on the opening par-5. I hit driver to the right rough, followed by a punch shot under some tree branches. Still in the right rough, I hit a lovely 7-iron over a front bunker in line with the flagstick. A lag putt and tap-in finished things off.
The double-bogey was on hole 4, a 176-yard par-3 over water. The further left you go, the further you have to carry to clear the water. For some reason, I pulled my tee shot badly and failed to make it over. Had the shot been more on line, it would have been fine. As it was, I had to use the drop zone. After adding a penalty stroke, I pitched on and 2-putt to conclude the hole.
I was hitting the ball reasonably well, but making a slight mistake each hole, which resulted in bogeys rather than pars. On hole 2, I hit a beautiful driver, 7-iron combination, finishing 12 feet from the hole, but off the green. My chip was good but rolled past the hole a bit, leaving a longer than desired par putt. My attempt was good, but it burned the edge. I hit good drives on holes 3 and 5, but followed up with poor second shots using 4-iron and 5-iron, respectively. A similar thing happened on hole 9 with the 7-iron. On hole 7, I hit my best drive of the day, but thinned a wedge to the fringe at the back of the green. Next came my only 3-putt of the day.
Thankfully, I straightened these things out on the back nine, shooting a nice score of 39 (4 over). After bogeys on holes 10 and 11, I rattled off three pars in a row. On hole 12, my drive finished a yard in the right rough. My approach finished flag high, but far from the hole in the left side fringe. A great putt almost dropped, leaving just a tap-in. Hole 13 is another par-3 over water. My tee shot was flag high, a couple yards left of the green. A lovely chip and putt earned the par. On hole 14, I hit my drive to the 100-yard stick, followed by a wedge to within 10 feet. I burned the edge of the hole with the birdie putt, tapping in again for par.
I finished the round going bogey, par, par, bogey. My approach from 155 yards on hole 16 was a beauty. Coming out of the left rough, I hit a laser to the flagstick. Unfortunately, a headwind kept it from reaching the hole. I faced an uphill birdie putt of about 12 feet and unfortunately pulled it. I hit a 70 yard shot over some tall trees to reach the green in regulation on hole 17. Not only that, but I left it very near the hole. It was a legit birdie chance, but I missed that one too. On a positive note, I recovered from two horrible shots to start hole 18. My third shot on this par-4 was a towering 5-iron that stopped just short of the severely elevated green. I followed that up with a good pitch and a downhill curling putt.
Score: 84
Putts: 34
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
June 27, 2020
June 22, 2020
One Better at Doon Valley
I shot a decent score of 84 for my last round, so how do you top that? How about an 83 for the very next round? Consider it done. I headed out to Doon Valley and did precisely that. This was despite a triple-bogey on the opening par-4. My drive was in the left rough, with my approach to the green blocked by a tree. I opted to punch underneath the branches, but the ball rolled into a wooded area right of the green. The ball came out surprisingly clean on my third shot, rolling off the other side of the putting surface. After a duff and a weak chip, I 2-putt to finish. I should have just tried to finish short of the green with my second shot. Lesson learned.
Three consecutive pars got me back on track. I hit a perfect iron off the tee to the back pin location on hole 2. The birdie putt just missed. A lovely gap wedge set up an uphill birdie chance on hole 3. That birdie putt also came close. A solid 4-iron off the tee found the green on hole 4. I lagged the first putt close from distance, finishing with another tap-in. Next up, came three consecutive bogeys. The last of these, on hole 7, should have been par. I split the fairway with a nice drive, then hit the front of the green with a sand wedge. Sadly, I came up way short with my first putt, requiring two more to hole out.
The par streak resumed, beginning with hole 8, as I rattled off five in a row! Two mid irons, plus a chip and a putt did the trick on hole 8. Driver, 5-iron, lob wedge got me to the green on hole 9, a par-5. Two putts on a sloped section of green were well judged. The 3-iron worked well off the tee on hole 10, but an 8-iron approach was thinned into a front bunker. For once, I hit a perfect bunker shot, with the ball taking one bounce and stopping on a dime, two feet left of the hole. I had a good look at birdie on hole 11, a 150-yard par-3. My 7-iron to the back pin position was lovely. Alas, the birdie putt just missed. Finally, 5-iron and sand wedge carried me to the green safely on hole 12. I lagged my first putt from distance and then tapped in.
After a couple of bogeys, disaster struck on hole 15. This is a par-4 with a forced carry over a creek just in front of the teeing ground. Carrying the creek is not a problem, as it's just a few yards ahead. The issue, for me, is a bunch of tall trees that create a chute effect when standing on the tee. It just doesn't suit my eye. I've duffed shots from there in the past, and I did it again this time! I struck the ball on the heel of the club, sending it diving into the creek ahead. Hitting my third from the tee, I split the fairway. Go figure. The two strokes given away at the tee cost me a triple-bogey.
Just as I did after the first hole, I followed up a triple-bogey with three consecutive pars. Driver, 5-wood, sand wedge carried me to the green on hole 16, a par-5. I wasn't really in birdie range, but I gave it a go. It ended up being a nice lag putt. Hole 17 is a par-3 that was playing about 180 yards. My 5-iron was headed directly at the flag and looked like it would finish close. I hit it pure though, and the ball rolled off the back of the green. No worries, as I chipped one close and then tapped in. It was the same finish to hole 18, a par-5. The chip and putt followed a 9-iron approach that came up just short.
A couple of silly mistakes, or I could really have broken 80.
Score: 83
Putts: 32
Fairways: 7
Greens: 8
Penalties: 2
Three consecutive pars got me back on track. I hit a perfect iron off the tee to the back pin location on hole 2. The birdie putt just missed. A lovely gap wedge set up an uphill birdie chance on hole 3. That birdie putt also came close. A solid 4-iron off the tee found the green on hole 4. I lagged the first putt close from distance, finishing with another tap-in. Next up, came three consecutive bogeys. The last of these, on hole 7, should have been par. I split the fairway with a nice drive, then hit the front of the green with a sand wedge. Sadly, I came up way short with my first putt, requiring two more to hole out.
The par streak resumed, beginning with hole 8, as I rattled off five in a row! Two mid irons, plus a chip and a putt did the trick on hole 8. Driver, 5-iron, lob wedge got me to the green on hole 9, a par-5. Two putts on a sloped section of green were well judged. The 3-iron worked well off the tee on hole 10, but an 8-iron approach was thinned into a front bunker. For once, I hit a perfect bunker shot, with the ball taking one bounce and stopping on a dime, two feet left of the hole. I had a good look at birdie on hole 11, a 150-yard par-3. My 7-iron to the back pin position was lovely. Alas, the birdie putt just missed. Finally, 5-iron and sand wedge carried me to the green safely on hole 12. I lagged my first putt from distance and then tapped in.
After a couple of bogeys, disaster struck on hole 15. This is a par-4 with a forced carry over a creek just in front of the teeing ground. Carrying the creek is not a problem, as it's just a few yards ahead. The issue, for me, is a bunch of tall trees that create a chute effect when standing on the tee. It just doesn't suit my eye. I've duffed shots from there in the past, and I did it again this time! I struck the ball on the heel of the club, sending it diving into the creek ahead. Hitting my third from the tee, I split the fairway. Go figure. The two strokes given away at the tee cost me a triple-bogey.
Just as I did after the first hole, I followed up a triple-bogey with three consecutive pars. Driver, 5-wood, sand wedge carried me to the green on hole 16, a par-5. I wasn't really in birdie range, but I gave it a go. It ended up being a nice lag putt. Hole 17 is a par-3 that was playing about 180 yards. My 5-iron was headed directly at the flag and looked like it would finish close. I hit it pure though, and the ball rolled off the back of the green. No worries, as I chipped one close and then tapped in. It was the same finish to hole 18, a par-5. The chip and putt followed a 9-iron approach that came up just short.
A couple of silly mistakes, or I could really have broken 80.
Score: 83
Putts: 32
Fairways: 7
Greens: 8
Penalties: 2
June 21, 2020
Going Low at Calerin
I can still remember when breaking 100 was a big deal. After it became common, breaking 90 was the new goal. I've done that often enough now that the goal posts have moved again – not all the way to breaking 80, mind you; that remains an elusive feat that I've accomplished only once. The new measure of excellence is breaking 85. Let me put it this way: if I break 85, I hang on to my scorecard; otherwise, it gets chucked in the bin.
I'm happy to say that my latest scorecard will be added to the keepers. I shot 84 at Calerin Golf Club, which holds a special place in my heart as the site of my only ever hole-in-one. There was no ace this time, but there was a birdie and a handful of pars. The birdie was on hole 11, a short par-3 with a large waste bunker protecting the green. Wind pushed my tee shot well right of the hole, but my ball remained on the putting surface. I surveyed the situation and proceeded to drain the long, downhill putt.
Pars came on holes 1, 3, 7, 8, 14 and 16, despite the fact that my driving was up and down. On hole 1, for instance, I nailed the centre of the fairway with a very controlled drive. Though I finished in the left rough, my drive on hole 8 was also very good. On hole 3, however, I hit a weak drive off the heel of the club. I could not reach the green of this par-4 from that far away. The same thing happened on hole 7. In that case, it was long fescue that prevented me from reaching the green in two.
The key to making pars, even after I hit a poor tee shot, was not trying to make up for the bad shot all at once. On hole 3, my second shot was an easy iron to the 100-yard stick. I managed to get up and down from there, thanks to a great lob wedge shot that finished 8 feet from the hole. On hole 7, my second shot was a sand wedge to 40 yards from the flag. I managed to get up and down again, this time with a lovely pitch shot that bounced on the green before hitting the flagstick.
The same approach limited the damage to bogey on other occasions when I got in trouble. On hole 4, a par-5, my second shot drifted right into the fescue. The lie wasn't bad, but a tree was blocking my path to the green. I merely hit a pitch shot to the 100-yard stick. I didn't get up and down from there, as my approach just missed the green right, but it was still the correct play. A chip and a putt saved bogey. On hole 6, I pulled my drive into the trees left. After a penalty and drop, I was within range of the green, but hitting from the rough. I chose a more lofted club, knowing that I would finish short of the green. This took a deep bunker near the green completely out of play. A chip and a putt once again earned bogey.
It was largely a trouble free day. My worst holes resulted in a pair of double-bogeys. One was the result of a 3-putt – my only one of the day. The other, ironically, came at the site of my precious hole-in-one. My tee shot finished short in a bunker. I splashed out with my next shot, but just barely. A chip and two putts were required to finish the hole. Not bad. If the most trouble I have during a round are a couple of double-bogeys, I'll usually be alright.
Score: 84
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
I'm happy to say that my latest scorecard will be added to the keepers. I shot 84 at Calerin Golf Club, which holds a special place in my heart as the site of my only ever hole-in-one. There was no ace this time, but there was a birdie and a handful of pars. The birdie was on hole 11, a short par-3 with a large waste bunker protecting the green. Wind pushed my tee shot well right of the hole, but my ball remained on the putting surface. I surveyed the situation and proceeded to drain the long, downhill putt.
Pars came on holes 1, 3, 7, 8, 14 and 16, despite the fact that my driving was up and down. On hole 1, for instance, I nailed the centre of the fairway with a very controlled drive. Though I finished in the left rough, my drive on hole 8 was also very good. On hole 3, however, I hit a weak drive off the heel of the club. I could not reach the green of this par-4 from that far away. The same thing happened on hole 7. In that case, it was long fescue that prevented me from reaching the green in two.
The key to making pars, even after I hit a poor tee shot, was not trying to make up for the bad shot all at once. On hole 3, my second shot was an easy iron to the 100-yard stick. I managed to get up and down from there, thanks to a great lob wedge shot that finished 8 feet from the hole. On hole 7, my second shot was a sand wedge to 40 yards from the flag. I managed to get up and down again, this time with a lovely pitch shot that bounced on the green before hitting the flagstick.
The same approach limited the damage to bogey on other occasions when I got in trouble. On hole 4, a par-5, my second shot drifted right into the fescue. The lie wasn't bad, but a tree was blocking my path to the green. I merely hit a pitch shot to the 100-yard stick. I didn't get up and down from there, as my approach just missed the green right, but it was still the correct play. A chip and a putt saved bogey. On hole 6, I pulled my drive into the trees left. After a penalty and drop, I was within range of the green, but hitting from the rough. I chose a more lofted club, knowing that I would finish short of the green. This took a deep bunker near the green completely out of play. A chip and a putt once again earned bogey.
It was largely a trouble free day. My worst holes resulted in a pair of double-bogeys. One was the result of a 3-putt – my only one of the day. The other, ironically, came at the site of my precious hole-in-one. My tee shot finished short in a bunker. I splashed out with my next shot, but just barely. A chip and two putts were required to finish the hole. Not bad. If the most trouble I have during a round are a couple of double-bogeys, I'll usually be alright.
Score: 84
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
June 19, 2020
Back to Normal at Scenic Woods
Well, that's better! 18 strokes better! After beginning the season with two rounds of 105, I visited Scenic Woods and the result was a pretty nice 87. I didn't expect to continue shooting 100+ rounds, of course, but it's nice to skip the 90s entirely and settle solidly in the 80s. Scenic Woods is a course I've played well at in the past, including four rounds of 85, so it was a perfect place to get rolling.
I shot 43 on the front nine, including two pars, six bogeys, and a double-bogey. Four consecutive bogeys started things off, as I seemed to make one mistake en route to each of the greens. Importantly, I didn't try to make up for the mistakes on my very next shot. After my drive trickled into the weeds left of the fairway on hole 1, I just hit a sand wedge back to the fairway. Blocked from reaching the green in two on hole 2, I simply aimed for an area short and right of the putting surface. In both cases, I gave myself a chance at making a par putt. Though they didn't drop, bogey was a respectable result.
The double-bogey came on hole 5, a dogleg left with a small ditch that crosses the fairway. I aimed my drive over the corner of the dogleg and hit what I thought was a beauty. In the past, I've hit that shot and found my ball on the other side of the ditch, 140 yards from the green. This time, the ditch was lush and full of long grass; it must have snagged my ball, as I was unable to find it. I played the rest of the hole pretty well, but the penalty stroke cost me. Fortunately, I recovered with back-to-back pars. My second shot on hole 6, a towering 7-iron over a large tree was particularly satisfying. It feels great to find the green that way.
I shot 44 on the back nine, adding four more pars, to go along with four bogeys, and a triple-bogey. One of the pars was on hole 10, a par-5 that began with a good drive that faded one yard into the right rough. In the past, I would be tempted to hit a 5-wood from there, as my lie wasn't bad and I could get very close to the green that way. But rough is rough, even when the lie seems good. I hit a 6-iron instead, leaving just an 90 yard shot into the green for my third. The exact same situation occurred on hole 12, another par-5. On that occasion, I duffed a chip shot near the green and made bogey. Still, small decisions like this one are a big reason for my golf improvement.
I have to mention the 5-iron I hit off the tee on hole 11, a short par-4 with a sharp dogleg right and a forced carry over a creek on approach to the green. A huge tree guards the inside corner of the dogleg. My tee shot was perfectly placed to the left of the tree. The ball rolled forward, catching a slope down and to the right, leaving no more than 70 yards to the flag. You can not place a better shot off the tee. I hit a lob wedge flag high, but burned the edge of the cup on the birdie putt. No worries, I'll take par any time!
The triple-bogey was an anomaly, occurring on hole 14, a short par-4. This time, I pulled the 5-iron slightly into the woods. I had to take a penalty and drop. My third shot was just right of the green. Unfortunately, I duffed a chip shot. My next attempt was better, but I still needed two putts to finish up. On a positive note, I collected back-to-back pars shortly thereafter, on holes 16 and 17. Hole 16 is a 194-yard par-3. Hole 17 is a longish par-4 requiring a carry over the creek in order to reach the green. No problem, and no problem.
Score: 87
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
I shot 43 on the front nine, including two pars, six bogeys, and a double-bogey. Four consecutive bogeys started things off, as I seemed to make one mistake en route to each of the greens. Importantly, I didn't try to make up for the mistakes on my very next shot. After my drive trickled into the weeds left of the fairway on hole 1, I just hit a sand wedge back to the fairway. Blocked from reaching the green in two on hole 2, I simply aimed for an area short and right of the putting surface. In both cases, I gave myself a chance at making a par putt. Though they didn't drop, bogey was a respectable result.
The double-bogey came on hole 5, a dogleg left with a small ditch that crosses the fairway. I aimed my drive over the corner of the dogleg and hit what I thought was a beauty. In the past, I've hit that shot and found my ball on the other side of the ditch, 140 yards from the green. This time, the ditch was lush and full of long grass; it must have snagged my ball, as I was unable to find it. I played the rest of the hole pretty well, but the penalty stroke cost me. Fortunately, I recovered with back-to-back pars. My second shot on hole 6, a towering 7-iron over a large tree was particularly satisfying. It feels great to find the green that way.
I shot 44 on the back nine, adding four more pars, to go along with four bogeys, and a triple-bogey. One of the pars was on hole 10, a par-5 that began with a good drive that faded one yard into the right rough. In the past, I would be tempted to hit a 5-wood from there, as my lie wasn't bad and I could get very close to the green that way. But rough is rough, even when the lie seems good. I hit a 6-iron instead, leaving just an 90 yard shot into the green for my third. The exact same situation occurred on hole 12, another par-5. On that occasion, I duffed a chip shot near the green and made bogey. Still, small decisions like this one are a big reason for my golf improvement.
I have to mention the 5-iron I hit off the tee on hole 11, a short par-4 with a sharp dogleg right and a forced carry over a creek on approach to the green. A huge tree guards the inside corner of the dogleg. My tee shot was perfectly placed to the left of the tree. The ball rolled forward, catching a slope down and to the right, leaving no more than 70 yards to the flag. You can not place a better shot off the tee. I hit a lob wedge flag high, but burned the edge of the cup on the birdie putt. No worries, I'll take par any time!
The triple-bogey was an anomaly, occurring on hole 14, a short par-4. This time, I pulled the 5-iron slightly into the woods. I had to take a penalty and drop. My third shot was just right of the green. Unfortunately, I duffed a chip shot. My next attempt was better, but I still needed two putts to finish up. On a positive note, I collected back-to-back pars shortly thereafter, on holes 16 and 17. Hole 16 is a 194-yard par-3. Hole 17 is a longish par-4 requiring a carry over the creek in order to reach the green. No problem, and no problem.
Score: 87
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
June 17, 2020
Still Rusty at Ussher's Creek
I played my second round of the season on a beautiful day at Ussher's Creek. There were very few people on the course and the starter sent me off as a solo, beginning with the back nine. I immediately made a mess of things, exploding for scores of 10 and 8 on a couple of par-4 holes. On hole 10, I topped my second shot, sculled my third into the creek, and topped my fifth into the creek again. On hole 11, I pushed my second shot into the woods. After taking a penalty and drop, all I could do was pitch out sideways to the fairway. I failed to hold the green with my fifth shot, then duffed a chip shot completely. What a disastrous start!
It's not possible to salvage a good score for the round with a start like that, so I just tried to focus on one hole and one shot at a time. I averaged bogey over the next three holes, but that still included some topped shots and sculled chips. On a positive note, I did make par on hole 14, a fun par-5. Unfortunately, that was immediately followed up with a couple of triple-bogeys. On hole 15, a par-4, I pushed my drive into the woods on the right side. On hole 16, a par-3, I miss hit an iron off the tee. Incredibly, I lost the ball in the rough just a few yards ahead of the teeing ground. Penalty strokes inflate scores like nothing else, and after a couple of double-bogeys, I was shooting 59 at the turn.
I shot 46 on the front nine (my back), which more closely resembles my usual skill level. This included a triple-bogey on hole 8, mostly because of back-to-back topped irons from the middle of the fairway. What the heck? I wasn't too pleased with those, but on the other hand, I splashed out nicely from a greenside bunker. The other holes produced four pars, two bogeys, and two doubles. The doubles, on holes 1 and 6, both came as a result of duffed pitch shots near the green. Feel shots like that are the toughest to regain after the winter layoff.
The pars came in a flurry, on holes 2 through 4, with an additional one on hole 7. Hole 2 is a par 5 featuring a green perched on a little plateau. A perfect drive and 5-wood were followed by a little pitch and two putts. Hole 3 is a par-5 with a green protected by the creek in front and on the left side. I aimed right of the flag for safety and hit a beauty flag high. A downhill lag was followed by an easy tap-in. Hole 4 is a par-4 with a slight dogleg right. My approach shot into the wind came up two yards short, but I chipped and tapped in nicely. Hole 7 is a par 3 over water. I picked the perfect club, finishing on the right edge of the green, flag high. Another nice lag and tap-in finished the deed.
There is lots of work to do. Each of my first two rounds have included stretches of good golf, but terrible play overall. The winter rust is stubborn indeed!
Score: 105
Putts: 32
Fairways: 7
Greens: 3
Penalties: 5
It's not possible to salvage a good score for the round with a start like that, so I just tried to focus on one hole and one shot at a time. I averaged bogey over the next three holes, but that still included some topped shots and sculled chips. On a positive note, I did make par on hole 14, a fun par-5. Unfortunately, that was immediately followed up with a couple of triple-bogeys. On hole 15, a par-4, I pushed my drive into the woods on the right side. On hole 16, a par-3, I miss hit an iron off the tee. Incredibly, I lost the ball in the rough just a few yards ahead of the teeing ground. Penalty strokes inflate scores like nothing else, and after a couple of double-bogeys, I was shooting 59 at the turn.
I shot 46 on the front nine (my back), which more closely resembles my usual skill level. This included a triple-bogey on hole 8, mostly because of back-to-back topped irons from the middle of the fairway. What the heck? I wasn't too pleased with those, but on the other hand, I splashed out nicely from a greenside bunker. The other holes produced four pars, two bogeys, and two doubles. The doubles, on holes 1 and 6, both came as a result of duffed pitch shots near the green. Feel shots like that are the toughest to regain after the winter layoff.
The pars came in a flurry, on holes 2 through 4, with an additional one on hole 7. Hole 2 is a par 5 featuring a green perched on a little plateau. A perfect drive and 5-wood were followed by a little pitch and two putts. Hole 3 is a par-5 with a green protected by the creek in front and on the left side. I aimed right of the flag for safety and hit a beauty flag high. A downhill lag was followed by an easy tap-in. Hole 4 is a par-4 with a slight dogleg right. My approach shot into the wind came up two yards short, but I chipped and tapped in nicely. Hole 7 is a par 3 over water. I picked the perfect club, finishing on the right edge of the green, flag high. Another nice lag and tap-in finished the deed.
There is lots of work to do. Each of my first two rounds have included stretches of good golf, but terrible play overall. The winter rust is stubborn indeed!
Score: 105
Putts: 32
Fairways: 7
Greens: 3
Penalties: 5
June 07, 2020
Golfing Again at Oaks of St. George
The Ontario government allowed golf courses to open on May 16, following a period of closure brought on by Covid-19. I headed out to the Oaks of St. George a couple of days later, on May 18. Last year, I began the season on May 6, so the delay caused by the pandemic wasn't really that bad. Like any year, the bigger problem was trying to get back in form after not touching a golf club for over six months. To complicate matters, I'm not in particularly good shape at the moment.
Somehow, I managed to make par on the opening par-4. This is a difficult hole, mostly because of a large tree protecting the front left side of the green. I hit a masterful third shot from the left rough, 80 yards away from the hole. The ball took a lofted flight path and stopped dead just right of the hole. A 6-foot putt completed the up and down. It was nice, but not a sign of things to come, as I proceeded to butcher the next eleven holes or so.
Mistakes came in all facets of the game. On hole 2, I duffed two pitch attempts near the green en route to triple-bogey. On hole 3, I deposited two short iron shots into a pond, finishing with quadruple-bogey. I failed to get drives airborne on holes 4, 6, and 9. I couldn't get out of a greenside bunker, sculled a chip attempt, and duffed yet another. Worst of all, I topped a couple of shots that went absolutely nowhere. These are all score killers – strokes that don't even advance the ball. My score at the turn was 55.
I would turn things around, but not before a couple of quads on holes 10 and 12. Hole 10 is the hardest on the course, in my opinion. This par-4 from an elevated tee demands that you drive the ball over a creek, between thick trees both left and right. There is no bail out area. I hit a decent drive, but found the trees right. After a drop, I foolishly tried to hit a full shot out of long grass. The ball went nowhere, and only then, did I pitch back to the fairway. Hole 12 is a fair challenge, but I began by twice pulling a 3-wood into the woods. When you're hitting your fifth shot from the tee, you're not going to score well.
Interestingly, those two quads were interrupted by my second par of the day, on hole 11. I went driver, 3-wood, lob wedge into this par-5, to set up a nice birdie chance, which just missed. The final six holes of the day produced six bogeys, which is my typical game. I didn't miss a fairway over this stretch, hitting the carpet multiple times with driver and once with the 5-wood. Irons were not great, but serviceable, often finishing just a couple yards off the green. The only green in regulation came on hole 17, a short par-3. Ironically, it was also the only green that produced a 3-putt all day. For what it's worth, my putting was pretty good all day. My pitching and chipping was also serviceable over the final third of the round – no complaints there.
Expectations were low, following the winter layoff, but it never feels good to shoot 100 plus!
Score: 105
Putts: 32
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
Somehow, I managed to make par on the opening par-4. This is a difficult hole, mostly because of a large tree protecting the front left side of the green. I hit a masterful third shot from the left rough, 80 yards away from the hole. The ball took a lofted flight path and stopped dead just right of the hole. A 6-foot putt completed the up and down. It was nice, but not a sign of things to come, as I proceeded to butcher the next eleven holes or so.
Mistakes came in all facets of the game. On hole 2, I duffed two pitch attempts near the green en route to triple-bogey. On hole 3, I deposited two short iron shots into a pond, finishing with quadruple-bogey. I failed to get drives airborne on holes 4, 6, and 9. I couldn't get out of a greenside bunker, sculled a chip attempt, and duffed yet another. Worst of all, I topped a couple of shots that went absolutely nowhere. These are all score killers – strokes that don't even advance the ball. My score at the turn was 55.
I would turn things around, but not before a couple of quads on holes 10 and 12. Hole 10 is the hardest on the course, in my opinion. This par-4 from an elevated tee demands that you drive the ball over a creek, between thick trees both left and right. There is no bail out area. I hit a decent drive, but found the trees right. After a drop, I foolishly tried to hit a full shot out of long grass. The ball went nowhere, and only then, did I pitch back to the fairway. Hole 12 is a fair challenge, but I began by twice pulling a 3-wood into the woods. When you're hitting your fifth shot from the tee, you're not going to score well.
Interestingly, those two quads were interrupted by my second par of the day, on hole 11. I went driver, 3-wood, lob wedge into this par-5, to set up a nice birdie chance, which just missed. The final six holes of the day produced six bogeys, which is my typical game. I didn't miss a fairway over this stretch, hitting the carpet multiple times with driver and once with the 5-wood. Irons were not great, but serviceable, often finishing just a couple yards off the green. The only green in regulation came on hole 17, a short par-3. Ironically, it was also the only green that produced a 3-putt all day. For what it's worth, my putting was pretty good all day. My pitching and chipping was also serviceable over the final third of the round – no complaints there.
Expectations were low, following the winter layoff, but it never feels good to shoot 100 plus!
Score: 105
Putts: 32
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
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