What a year it's been. Early on, as Covid-19 spread across the globe, it was unclear if there would be a golf season at all. As it turned out, golf was one of the safest activities you could perform. Check-in procedures were modified slightly, by limiting the number of people allowed in the pro-shop, and requiring them to wear masks. Once out on the golf course, it was pretty much business as usual. The only noticeable differences were a lack of ball washers and bunker rakes. Flag sticks remained in holes, which I had already grown accustomed to over the previous year. In many ways, golf became a familiar respite from the upheaval caused by the pandemic.
While the on-course experience remained largely unaffected, there were other changes to the golf industry. For one thing, it became more difficult to find and book tee times. Demand for tee times surged, for a variety of reasons. People came back to the game, or took it up for the first time, as access to other leisure activities was restricted. International travel ceased, leaving some individuals with more time and money to devote to golf. People working from home, or perhaps not at all, as a result of the pandemic, had more flexibility to play on weekdays. In years past, I would book my golf rounds a day or two in advance. This year, I had to book a week in advance to have any hope of playing. Most significantly, deals and discounts were non-existent.
Despite the challenge of booking tee times, I played 38.7 rounds of golf in 2020, which is nearly identical to what I played in each of the previous two years. My goal is to play at least 40 rounds per year, but I'm happy with the total, all things considered. My season extended from May 18 to November 10, but that's a little misleading. My second round of the year didn't happen until June 2. By the start of June, I typically have 4 or 5 rounds under my belt. On the other hand, I played three rounds in November, which is more than usual. I avoided playing when it was too hot, most notably during a prolonged heat wave that lasted for two weeks in early July.
Where I Played Most
Where I played was a little different than usual, owing to competition for tee times. In previous years, I played at different courses all the time, with less than a handful of courses being played twice. This year, my 38.7 rounds of golf were played on just 25 courses, at 24 different clubs. I played Calerin three times, making it my most visited course. Legends on the Niagara was also the site of three rounds – two of them played on Ussher's Creek and one on Battlefield. I played 10 other courses twice: Oaks of St. George, Scenic Woods, Doon Valley, Settlers' Ghost, Rebel Creek, Silver Brooke, King's Forest, Braeben, Willodell, and Sawmill. Banty's Roost also received a second visit, but it was limited to 13 holes by darkness.
Looking at the list of courses visited, it's apparent that I travelled fairly far from home to play golf this year. I drove south to the Niagara region 9 times, including 7 trips in a row in October and early November. I drove west to the Kitchener area 4 times, and north to Barrie twice. To the east, I went as far as Lindsay for a singe round. Frankly, it was easier to find tee times the further you got from Toronto. It's also clear that I was looking for value. A dozen of my rounds were at GolfNorth properties. Though the company is sometimes criticised for cutting corners on course maintenance, I apppreciate that they try to keep the game affordable.
Handful of New Courses
The search for value pushed me to try new courses this year. Three of them came in quick succession in late July. First among these was the Beddoe course at Chedoke Golf Club, in Hamilton. Designed by Stanley Thompson, the parkland style course plays along the rolling terrain of the Niagara escarpment. Next was Silver Brooke Golf Club, which lies just southwest of CFB Borden. The course features two distinct nines, beginning with holes carved through mature woods, and ending with a series of links inspired designs. Finally, there was the Upper course at Remington Parkview G&CC. Much of this course traverses flat land and a hydro corridor. It's not exactly scenic, but decent enough for the price and conveniently located.
In August, I made my first ever visit to Trafalgar Golf & Country Club, in Milton. Formerly a private club, it was sold a couple years ago and operation was turned over to GolfNorth. The course is mostly flat, but there's enough variety in the holes to keep it interesting. My last round of October was my first ever visit to Sawmill Golf Course, west of St. Catharines. Half the holes play over gently rolling terrain, with enough space to get aggressive. The other half involve woods and water, requiring more accurate shot making. I played poorly there, but returned 8 days later and had a very respectable round. None of the new courses I played was spectacular, but they were mostly solid and worth a place in my regular rotation.
I Performed Fairly Well
Delving into performance numbers, I have to be fairly content. My handicap factor was 15.4 at the start of the year, and stood at 13.1 by season's end. November rounds don't count for handicap purposes in Ontario, or that number would be 12.7 – not bad. My factor dipped as low as 11.9 mid-season, which represents a personal best. I didn't stay there very long, but getting under 12 is an important accomplishment. Every new personal best gives me confidence that I can go a little lower. I'll be trying hard next year to reach the coveted single digit cap.
My average score in 2020 was 89.9 – the first time I've been able to keep that number under 90. Breaking 90 for a single round is one thing, but breaking 90 for your average score is a lot more satisfying. It indicates a level of consistency that has been absent from my game in the past. I broke 90 on 23 occasions this year, or 59% of the time. I did it seven times in a row over rounds 3 to 9, and nine times in a row over rounds 17 to 25. These were easily the best stretches of the season. I shot 100 or worse three times, but two of these were the first two rounds of the season. My average score improves to 89.1 if you take those two rounds out of the equation.
Best Rounds of the Year
My lowest score of the year was 80, coming mid-season on the New Course at Knollwood Golf Club. It was only my second ever visit to the course – the first was in 2017, when I managed a score of 88. The round was remarkable for the number of groups that let me play through as a single, allowing me to finish the round in under 3 hours. After waiting on the first three holes and shooting 4-over par as a result, I played the remainder of the front nine very quickly at even par. I matched the front nine 40 with another 40 on the back, to tie my second best score ever. A great approach shot on hole 18 gave me a great chance to shoot 79, but my birdie attempt burned the edge of the hole.
I shot 83 on two occasions, first at Doon Valley, and then at Rebel Creek. Kitchener golf treated me well, it seems. The 83 at Doon Valley was despite a couple of triple-bogeys on holes 1 and 15. On both occasions, I followed up with three consecutive pars. It was a similar story at Rebel Creek, where double-bogeys on the final two holes spoiled what could have been a very special round. We played the back nine first, and I then I played holes 1 through 7 at even par. Alas, a tricky little par-3 and a slick final green got the best of me. I shot 84 on four occasions, at the following courses: Calerin, Victoria Park East, Trafalgar, and Braeben.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Looking at more detailed statistics, I hit 5.9 fairways per round, compared to between 5.3 and 5.5 over each of the previous four years. It's a slight improvement, but I'd like that number to be higher. Hitting 50% of fairways, or 7 per round, should be an absolute minimum. Meanwhile, I hit 5 greens in regulation in 2020, compared to 4.8 in 2019, and between 3.7 and 3.9 over each of the three years before that. It's another improvement, albeit smaller than that of a year earlier. I'd like to hit at least 6 greens per round, however, so there is room to improve. These are modest targets and should be achievable. After that, I can set some new and improved goals.
When it comes to putts, I averaged 33.6 per round in 2020. This compares to between 34.3 and 35.4 over each of the previous four years. I'm glad to see this number also moving in the right direction. I've never considered myself a weak putter, so it's difficult to see how significant gains can be made in this area. I think there's much more room for improvement in chipping and pitching. Lastly, I averaged 2.7 penalty strokes per round in 2020, compared with 2.8 in 2019, and between 3.1 and 3.4 over each of the three years before that. Penalty strokes are score killers, so I'm pleased to maintain the improvement I made a year ago and eager to keep it going.
Overall then, it was a pretty good year. I shot in the 80s more often than not, which is great. I'd like to reach a point where 90 is my upper limit, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm not concerned about shooting 91 or 92 occasionally. What I want to eliminate completely is the odd round that balloons toward the century mark. My goals are the same as ever: drive the ball more consistently, hit more greens, and chip the ball closer to the hole.
Bring on 2021!
