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
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