Last year, a tremendous final round at Willow Valley eased the pain of an otherwise disappointing season on the Deepwoods Golf Association Tour. This year, I had no such luck. I shot a familiar score of 102 and finished well back in the overall standings. The Deepwoods championship that I earned in 2008 now feels like a distant memory. Second place finishes in 2007 and 2010 now smell of opportunity lost.
On the practice range before the final round was played, I tried shortening my backswing and focused on trapping the ball with the irons. The result was good, so I took the new approach to the course itself. I must say, my irons were better than they have been all year. I had absolutely no side spin on my iron shots, producing very straight trajectories. A few of my irons came out lower than usual, but nevertheless, my distances were very predictable. I experienced a feeling of control with the irons that has been absent for a long time.
On hole #3, a 7-iron into the wind from 150 yards found the green left of the flag. On the next hole, a 4-iron off the tee stopped just off the green but flag high, 190 yards away. On hole #5, a 6-iron from 170 yards felt rock solid, but found water right of the green. After taking a drop, I hit an immaculate shot with the gap wedge to within three feet of the cup. On hole #8, a 9-iron off the tee found the centre of the green. Great iron shots continued on the back nine, including wonderful approaches that found the green on holes #10, #15 and #17. I managed to make par on each of those holes.
With my irons working so well, how did I manage to score 102? For one thing, my driver was poor. I pulled drives into opposite fairways and even into bunkers of opposite fairways. I also hit drives into some gnarly fescue. From those positions, all one could do is take a hack to get the ball back in play. On one occasion, I tried a 5-wood off the tee with disastrous results. While my driver seems to come and go, I have not been able to hit my fairway woods for a long time.
In addition, my putting was terrible. I had only 34 putts overall and just two 3-putts, but I missed some very short ones. On hole #2, I missed a two and a half footer after a great chip. The same thing happened on hole #13. On hole #5, I missed another of similar length after a great approach. On holes #3 and #8, I made terrible lag attempts, resulting in a pair of 3-putts. Right there, you can see I gave away about five strokes through putting alone.
It's one of the cruel things about golf that even with improvements in mechanics, your scores don't necessarily get better. That certainly was the case this time around. My dreams of another Deepwoods championship will have to wait at least one more year.
Score: 102
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 4
September 23, 2012
September 08, 2012
One Third at The Highlands
There are a few courses that I've played twice this year: Granite Ridge Cobalt, Century Pines, Victoria Park East, and King's Forest. You can add The Highlands to that list, as I returned to the Bradford area course for my latest round of golf. I fired my second-worst score of the season, matching the 111 that I tallied in my return visit to Granite Ridge. A debacle at Bond Head's South Course is the only round that was more pitiful...and painful too.
I won't bore you with shot-by-shot accounts of the holes that were played. I do that far too much on this blog, admittedly for my own benefit rather than for readers. Suffice to say that just one third of the eighteen holes played were acceptable. Four of these produced pars, while the other two resulted in bogeys. If one half represents a passing grade (and one can make a very good argument that it shouldn't), then one third is a clear and utter failure. It's a fraction that also applies to my entire season, but more on that later.
The remaining two thirds of my round were comprised of four double-bogeys, four triples, three quads, and a quintuple! We're talking bogeys here, not toe-loops, salchows or Dionne siblings. I had no control off the tee and hit practically every other shot thin. In fact, to describe some of my shots as thin wold be generous; many of them were stone cold sculls. On a couple of occasions when my playing partners had moved ahead of me, they had to be very attentive, lest they receive a screaming Titleist to the knee caps or family jewels.
I've now played 21 rounds this season and just one third of those (there's that number again) have produced a score below 100. After levelling off in 2010 and taking a bit of a step backwards in 2011, this represents a huge setback for my game. It reminds me of my very early days in golf, when breaking 100 was considered something of an achievement. However, after going through a period when I shot consistently in the low 90's and occasionally in the high 80's, breaking 100 just doesn't cut it anymore.
To put things in perspective, take a look at my handicap factor. In 2009, it dipped to 15.7, a personal best. I spent the entire 2010 season at about 17.5, then crept up to 19.0 by the end of 2011. At the moment, my handicap factor is 22.0, or six points higher than it was three years ago. If I don't have a good round next time out, my handicap will likely jump to about 23.5. This is because my sensational round at Willow Valley late last year will come off my scoring record.
As fate would have it, my next round happens to be this weekend at Willow Valley. We'll see what happens.
Score: 111
Putts: 38
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 6
I won't bore you with shot-by-shot accounts of the holes that were played. I do that far too much on this blog, admittedly for my own benefit rather than for readers. Suffice to say that just one third of the eighteen holes played were acceptable. Four of these produced pars, while the other two resulted in bogeys. If one half represents a passing grade (and one can make a very good argument that it shouldn't), then one third is a clear and utter failure. It's a fraction that also applies to my entire season, but more on that later.
The remaining two thirds of my round were comprised of four double-bogeys, four triples, three quads, and a quintuple! We're talking bogeys here, not toe-loops, salchows or Dionne siblings. I had no control off the tee and hit practically every other shot thin. In fact, to describe some of my shots as thin wold be generous; many of them were stone cold sculls. On a couple of occasions when my playing partners had moved ahead of me, they had to be very attentive, lest they receive a screaming Titleist to the knee caps or family jewels.
I've now played 21 rounds this season and just one third of those (there's that number again) have produced a score below 100. After levelling off in 2010 and taking a bit of a step backwards in 2011, this represents a huge setback for my game. It reminds me of my very early days in golf, when breaking 100 was considered something of an achievement. However, after going through a period when I shot consistently in the low 90's and occasionally in the high 80's, breaking 100 just doesn't cut it anymore.
To put things in perspective, take a look at my handicap factor. In 2009, it dipped to 15.7, a personal best. I spent the entire 2010 season at about 17.5, then crept up to 19.0 by the end of 2011. At the moment, my handicap factor is 22.0, or six points higher than it was three years ago. If I don't have a good round next time out, my handicap will likely jump to about 23.5. This is because my sensational round at Willow Valley late last year will come off my scoring record.
As fate would have it, my next round happens to be this weekend at Willow Valley. We'll see what happens.
Score: 111
Putts: 38
Fairways: 3
Greens: 3
Penalties: 6
September 07, 2012
Satisfied at King's Forest
My first visit to King's Forest Golf Club was in competition four years ago. I shot a gross score 95, which was good enough for low net and victory on the now defunct Duffer's Dream Tour. Since then, I returned to the club four times and have never broken 100. I'm glad to report that I finally broke that streak with my latest visit. I didn't play especially well, but I avoided big numbers and finished with a satisfactory score of 97.
At the start of the round, it looked like I was set to do much better. I opened with a couple of pars, thanks to drives that found the fairways, followed by flag-high approach shots that just missed the greens. On both occasions, I made the up and down look easy. Unfortunately, I made hole #3 look ugly. I topped a 3-iron off the tee, forcing a layup to the 120-yard area. A brutal approach with the gap wedge ensued, followed by a great lofted pitch to a plateau on the green. Unfortunately, I didn't capitalize, making a 3-putt for triple-bogey.
Luckily, that was the first and last blowup of the day. I spent the rest of the round making bogeys and double-bogeys. The only exception was a par on hole #17, a medium length par-3. I was not sharp, but I managed to space out my mistakes. On a couple of occasions, I was forced to take penalty strokes. Whenever that happened, I managed to limit the damage. It's amazing how mistakes in quick succession can have an exponential effect on your score.
Key to breaking 100 was my play on holes #11 through #13, which I consider the hardest stretch on the course. I made a nice drive from the elevated tee on hole #11, leaving about 120 yards to the green. The gap wedge got me safely on the green, but I 3-putt for bogey. Still, it wasn't too bad. On hole #12, my 3-iron off the tee drifted right toward the forest. I found my ball and was able to chip back to the fairway. My third was struck thin and stopped short of the green, but I made a great chip and putt for another bogey.
On hole #13, I hit what I thought was the perfect drive. The ball dropped at the end of the fairway, right in front of the river that bisects the hole. I saw the ball bounce two or three times, so I figured I was safe. When I approached my ball, I saw that I had in fact slipped over the edge of the hazard, by about a foot. I tried to hit the ball as it lay, which was about waist high after I took my stance. It was a dumb move, as I proceeded to shank it. The ball nestled down in some fescue and this time I declared it unplayable. Now playing my fourth, I was unable to clear some trees between me and the green. The ball lay in the right rough, 50 yards from the flag. My next shot was the shot of the day, as I stuck it within two feet of the pin. With a lone putt, I managed to save double-bogey.
Overall, I felt like this was a round I could build on.
Score: 97
Putts: 32
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
At the start of the round, it looked like I was set to do much better. I opened with a couple of pars, thanks to drives that found the fairways, followed by flag-high approach shots that just missed the greens. On both occasions, I made the up and down look easy. Unfortunately, I made hole #3 look ugly. I topped a 3-iron off the tee, forcing a layup to the 120-yard area. A brutal approach with the gap wedge ensued, followed by a great lofted pitch to a plateau on the green. Unfortunately, I didn't capitalize, making a 3-putt for triple-bogey.
Luckily, that was the first and last blowup of the day. I spent the rest of the round making bogeys and double-bogeys. The only exception was a par on hole #17, a medium length par-3. I was not sharp, but I managed to space out my mistakes. On a couple of occasions, I was forced to take penalty strokes. Whenever that happened, I managed to limit the damage. It's amazing how mistakes in quick succession can have an exponential effect on your score.
Key to breaking 100 was my play on holes #11 through #13, which I consider the hardest stretch on the course. I made a nice drive from the elevated tee on hole #11, leaving about 120 yards to the green. The gap wedge got me safely on the green, but I 3-putt for bogey. Still, it wasn't too bad. On hole #12, my 3-iron off the tee drifted right toward the forest. I found my ball and was able to chip back to the fairway. My third was struck thin and stopped short of the green, but I made a great chip and putt for another bogey.
On hole #13, I hit what I thought was the perfect drive. The ball dropped at the end of the fairway, right in front of the river that bisects the hole. I saw the ball bounce two or three times, so I figured I was safe. When I approached my ball, I saw that I had in fact slipped over the edge of the hazard, by about a foot. I tried to hit the ball as it lay, which was about waist high after I took my stance. It was a dumb move, as I proceeded to shank it. The ball nestled down in some fescue and this time I declared it unplayable. Now playing my fourth, I was unable to clear some trees between me and the green. The ball lay in the right rough, 50 yards from the flag. My next shot was the shot of the day, as I stuck it within two feet of the pin. With a lone putt, I managed to save double-bogey.
Overall, I felt like this was a round I could build on.
Score: 97
Putts: 32
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5
September 03, 2012
Pressing Late at Woodington Lake
Round 4 of the Deepwoods Golf Association season was contested on the Legend Course at Woodington Lake Golf Club. In order to have a realistic chance at the championship, I needed to score 40 points. Given my Deepwoods handicap, that translates roughly into a gross score of 90, or perhaps a little bit better. In other words, I needed to have my best round of the season.
On the front nine, I played mostly well, amassing 18 points with a gross score of 45. I messed up only the fourth hole, a par-5 that is fairly straightforward, though ranked as the course's most difficult. I topped my tee shot, sending the ball just 75 yards ahead. Next, I pushed one well right of the fairway. After a good shot to advance the ball to within 100 yards of the flag, I pulled my approach just left of the green. A chip and three putts ensued for a triple-bogey.
I gave away a stroke on the first hole as well. A perfect 3-iron off the tee was followed by a fairly good approach with the 6-iron. I was a couple yards off the green, but had lots of putting surface to work with. The problem was the angle I was left with to the pin. A mound on the back of the green would push a low runner well left of the flag, while the flop shot over the mound carried its own risks. I left my chip well short of the target, then 3-putt for a double-bogey. I really should have done no worse than bogey.
Aside from those mistakes, the front nine was marvellous. I hit a good drive and striped a scintillating 3-iron on my second shot, leaving a 50-yard pitch to the par-5 second hole. The pitch wasn't great, but I still made par. A poor tee shot on hole #3, a short par-3, was followed by a great pitch and a couple of putts for bogey. I made par on hole #5 with a magnificent sand save and on hole #9 with a 2-putt from distance. I bogeyed holes #6 through #8 with good chips and putts.
In spite of my solid front nine, I felt like I was a couple of points behind the pace I needed to keep. I opened the back nine with a double-bogey and two bogeys, so I didn't make up any ground. A birdie putt on hole #12 passed right over the hole, but had too much pace and I needed two more putts to hole out. The real turning point, however, was hole #13.
On this par-4 measuring 386 yards, I hit a beautiful drive to the left fairway. Actually, I just thought it was in the fairway. As I approached my ball, I saw that it was a yard or two in the left rough. No worries though, as I had a good lie and just 140 yards to the flag. Next, I pulled a 9-iron left of the green, though flag-high. With the green falling away from me, I tried to bounce the ball through the rough in order to scrub some speed off. The ball carried two feet further than I wanted, bouncing in the fringe, which carried it right off the green on the other side. I slid my wedge right under the ball on my next chip attempt and 2-putt for a double-bogey.
It's fair to say that I lost some composure at that point. I was four points behind pace, with just five holes to play, so I could see the writing on the wall. I felt like I got robbed on hole #13, which really upset me. As a result, I proceeded to collect a pair of triple-bogeys and a quadruple-bogey over the next three holes. Golf is as much a mental sport as it is physical, and at that point my head was not in the game.
On hole #18, a real killer to finish things off, I decided to blast one off the tee. The hole measures only 361 yards from the white tees, but it is a dogleg left, so the distance directly to the green is quite a bit less. The problem is that the direct line forces you to go over the edge of a lake and some thick trees. It is also a blind shot, as the trees obscure the view of the landing area. I hit a monster shot exactly on the line I wanted and sky high. I had no problem clearing the lake or trees and expected to find my ball very near the green. As it turned out, I never found the ball. It was disappointing, because I felt that I had hit a spectacular tee shot.
Score: 102
Putts: 36
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 2
On the front nine, I played mostly well, amassing 18 points with a gross score of 45. I messed up only the fourth hole, a par-5 that is fairly straightforward, though ranked as the course's most difficult. I topped my tee shot, sending the ball just 75 yards ahead. Next, I pushed one well right of the fairway. After a good shot to advance the ball to within 100 yards of the flag, I pulled my approach just left of the green. A chip and three putts ensued for a triple-bogey.
I gave away a stroke on the first hole as well. A perfect 3-iron off the tee was followed by a fairly good approach with the 6-iron. I was a couple yards off the green, but had lots of putting surface to work with. The problem was the angle I was left with to the pin. A mound on the back of the green would push a low runner well left of the flag, while the flop shot over the mound carried its own risks. I left my chip well short of the target, then 3-putt for a double-bogey. I really should have done no worse than bogey.
Aside from those mistakes, the front nine was marvellous. I hit a good drive and striped a scintillating 3-iron on my second shot, leaving a 50-yard pitch to the par-5 second hole. The pitch wasn't great, but I still made par. A poor tee shot on hole #3, a short par-3, was followed by a great pitch and a couple of putts for bogey. I made par on hole #5 with a magnificent sand save and on hole #9 with a 2-putt from distance. I bogeyed holes #6 through #8 with good chips and putts.
In spite of my solid front nine, I felt like I was a couple of points behind the pace I needed to keep. I opened the back nine with a double-bogey and two bogeys, so I didn't make up any ground. A birdie putt on hole #12 passed right over the hole, but had too much pace and I needed two more putts to hole out. The real turning point, however, was hole #13.
On this par-4 measuring 386 yards, I hit a beautiful drive to the left fairway. Actually, I just thought it was in the fairway. As I approached my ball, I saw that it was a yard or two in the left rough. No worries though, as I had a good lie and just 140 yards to the flag. Next, I pulled a 9-iron left of the green, though flag-high. With the green falling away from me, I tried to bounce the ball through the rough in order to scrub some speed off. The ball carried two feet further than I wanted, bouncing in the fringe, which carried it right off the green on the other side. I slid my wedge right under the ball on my next chip attempt and 2-putt for a double-bogey.
It's fair to say that I lost some composure at that point. I was four points behind pace, with just five holes to play, so I could see the writing on the wall. I felt like I got robbed on hole #13, which really upset me. As a result, I proceeded to collect a pair of triple-bogeys and a quadruple-bogey over the next three holes. Golf is as much a mental sport as it is physical, and at that point my head was not in the game.
On hole #18, a real killer to finish things off, I decided to blast one off the tee. The hole measures only 361 yards from the white tees, but it is a dogleg left, so the distance directly to the green is quite a bit less. The problem is that the direct line forces you to go over the edge of a lake and some thick trees. It is also a blind shot, as the trees obscure the view of the landing area. I hit a monster shot exactly on the line I wanted and sky high. I had no problem clearing the lake or trees and expected to find my ball very near the green. As it turned out, I never found the ball. It was disappointing, because I felt that I had hit a spectacular tee shot.
Score: 102
Putts: 36
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 2
August 12, 2012
Sensational Sand Saves
After playing Victoria Park East for the first time earlier this year, I decided to return for another round. My debut at the course was fairly good, except for a couple of par-3 holes where I repeatedly dunked balls in the water. That experience was rather unusual, so I felt pretty good about the layout.
When all was said and done, I finished with a score of 93, which is my lowest so far of this difficult season. The funny thing is that, for the most part, I didn't feel like I played any better than I have during my other rounds this year. I hit some good drives, but I also mis-hit a couple. I avoided the hooks that have plagued my iron play recently, but I wasn't exactly striking the ball with precision. The fact is, I hit a modest number of fairways and greens. My chipping was just okay and my putting was rather routine.
So what made the difference? In a nutshell, it was sand play. On the first hole, a par-5, I found myself in a greenside bunker after four shots. With lots of green between me and the flagstick, I barely managed to get the ball on the green. It wasn't a good sand shot at all, but at least I got the ball on the green. In similar situations over the last couple years, I have either picked the ball clean and sent it 50 yards past the target, or hit too much sand and left the ball in the bunker.
On hole #2, a par-4 measuring 396 yards, I hit a straight, deep drive. Unfortunately, I pulled my approach with the 9-iron, landing in a bunker. Once again, I had a lot of green between me and the flag. This time, I hit a perfect out, with the ball releasing on contact with the putting surface and coming to rest just a couple feet from the hole. I tapped in for a satisfying par save.
On hole #3, a longer par-4 at 424 yards, I hit another straight drive to the fairway. This was straight into a strong wind, so I was left with 190 yards to the flag. This time, I pulled a 4-iron to a bunker left of the green. I had played three holes and already found three bunkers. No worries though, as I hit an even better sand shot than the last time. This one came out high on a cushion of sand and landed ultra soft, right beside the cup. Again, I tapped in for an up and down par.
Those sand shots gave me some much needed confidence, which carried through for the rest of the round. I believe that mindset was a large factor in collecting a pair of birdies on the back nine. The first came on hole #14, a short par 4 at 340 yards. After a drive into the right rough, a couple of yards off the fairway, I hit a sand wedge safely onto the green. From there I drained a pretty 15 footer.
The second birdie came on hole #17, another short par-4 measuring 356 yards. My approach from the fairway, 120 yards away from the flag, was pulled left of the green. From there, I lofted up a chip shot that took its first bounce on the fringe. The ball released and rolled, taking a slight break to the right and finding the centre of the cup. What a great feeling!
My final score was certainly not spectacular, but given the trouble I've had this year, it felt good to score comfortably. During most of my other rounds, I've unwillingly flirted with the dreaded century mark. This time, it felt like it was never a possibility.
Score: 93
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
When all was said and done, I finished with a score of 93, which is my lowest so far of this difficult season. The funny thing is that, for the most part, I didn't feel like I played any better than I have during my other rounds this year. I hit some good drives, but I also mis-hit a couple. I avoided the hooks that have plagued my iron play recently, but I wasn't exactly striking the ball with precision. The fact is, I hit a modest number of fairways and greens. My chipping was just okay and my putting was rather routine.
So what made the difference? In a nutshell, it was sand play. On the first hole, a par-5, I found myself in a greenside bunker after four shots. With lots of green between me and the flagstick, I barely managed to get the ball on the green. It wasn't a good sand shot at all, but at least I got the ball on the green. In similar situations over the last couple years, I have either picked the ball clean and sent it 50 yards past the target, or hit too much sand and left the ball in the bunker.
On hole #2, a par-4 measuring 396 yards, I hit a straight, deep drive. Unfortunately, I pulled my approach with the 9-iron, landing in a bunker. Once again, I had a lot of green between me and the flag. This time, I hit a perfect out, with the ball releasing on contact with the putting surface and coming to rest just a couple feet from the hole. I tapped in for a satisfying par save.
On hole #3, a longer par-4 at 424 yards, I hit another straight drive to the fairway. This was straight into a strong wind, so I was left with 190 yards to the flag. This time, I pulled a 4-iron to a bunker left of the green. I had played three holes and already found three bunkers. No worries though, as I hit an even better sand shot than the last time. This one came out high on a cushion of sand and landed ultra soft, right beside the cup. Again, I tapped in for an up and down par.
Those sand shots gave me some much needed confidence, which carried through for the rest of the round. I believe that mindset was a large factor in collecting a pair of birdies on the back nine. The first came on hole #14, a short par 4 at 340 yards. After a drive into the right rough, a couple of yards off the fairway, I hit a sand wedge safely onto the green. From there I drained a pretty 15 footer.
The second birdie came on hole #17, another short par-4 measuring 356 yards. My approach from the fairway, 120 yards away from the flag, was pulled left of the green. From there, I lofted up a chip shot that took its first bounce on the fringe. The ball released and rolled, taking a slight break to the right and finding the centre of the cup. What a great feeling!
My final score was certainly not spectacular, but given the trouble I've had this year, it felt good to score comfortably. During most of my other rounds, I've unwillingly flirted with the dreaded century mark. This time, it felt like it was never a possibility.
Score: 93
Putts: 31
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
August 05, 2012
Return to King's Forest
Last year, I played King's Forest a number of times and took a liking to it, which is not to say that I played well there. In fact, I failed to break 100 on three separate occasions. With a new season comes new hope, so I decided to try my luck once again. While I may have had new hope, I certainly didn't have new skill or new talent, so the result was regrettably the same.
One of my downfalls on this occasion was putting. More disappointing than the fact I amassed 39 putts in total was that I 3-putt three of the first four holes and seven holes overall. It is simply impossible to score well with that many putts. On hole #1, a bogey turned into double-bogey with a poor lag, followed by a burned edge. On holes #3 and #4, pars turned into bogeys when greens in regulation were wasted with suspect putting. Throughout the entire round, my lag putts from distance were just too short.
Another downfall, not surprisingly, was my play from bunkers. I've consumed a lot of bits over the last couple of years describing my bunker trouble. At this point, every time I step into a bunker, I fear either picking the ball clean and blasting it past the green or hitting too much sand and failing to get the ball out at all. On hole #7, after a trio of bogeys and a birdie had steadied my game, I found a greenside bunker with my tee shot. Of course, I blasted the ball 40 yards past the green, behind some tall trees. I made a complete mess of the hole, finishing with a score of 7 on this par-3.
Last, but certainly not least, was some wildness with the driver. I hit some good shots with it throughout the round, but when I missed, I missed badly. On hole #8, I sliced one right into some long fescue. On the next hole, I sliced another into the trees. Both balls were lost, resulting in penalty strokes and re-teeing. Both holes produced a double-bogey, which is essentially a par after hitting your third shot from the tee. Considering that I've spent most of the past two years trying to avoid straight pulls, I was perplexed by the sudden regression to wild slices.
And so it was for yet another round. I hit some beautiful 3-irons, including a tee shot on hole #12, which I consider to be the most intimidating tee shot on the course. Another came on my second at hole #18, a par-5. It was also a 3-iron that set up my birdie on hole #5, a par-3 measuring 203 yards. Generally, my low irons were better than my high irons. It seems like I can't even hit a green with a wedge in my hands. Overall, the bright spots were few and far between.
Score: 102
Putts: 39
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 4
One of my downfalls on this occasion was putting. More disappointing than the fact I amassed 39 putts in total was that I 3-putt three of the first four holes and seven holes overall. It is simply impossible to score well with that many putts. On hole #1, a bogey turned into double-bogey with a poor lag, followed by a burned edge. On holes #3 and #4, pars turned into bogeys when greens in regulation were wasted with suspect putting. Throughout the entire round, my lag putts from distance were just too short.
Another downfall, not surprisingly, was my play from bunkers. I've consumed a lot of bits over the last couple of years describing my bunker trouble. At this point, every time I step into a bunker, I fear either picking the ball clean and blasting it past the green or hitting too much sand and failing to get the ball out at all. On hole #7, after a trio of bogeys and a birdie had steadied my game, I found a greenside bunker with my tee shot. Of course, I blasted the ball 40 yards past the green, behind some tall trees. I made a complete mess of the hole, finishing with a score of 7 on this par-3.
Last, but certainly not least, was some wildness with the driver. I hit some good shots with it throughout the round, but when I missed, I missed badly. On hole #8, I sliced one right into some long fescue. On the next hole, I sliced another into the trees. Both balls were lost, resulting in penalty strokes and re-teeing. Both holes produced a double-bogey, which is essentially a par after hitting your third shot from the tee. Considering that I've spent most of the past two years trying to avoid straight pulls, I was perplexed by the sudden regression to wild slices.
And so it was for yet another round. I hit some beautiful 3-irons, including a tee shot on hole #12, which I consider to be the most intimidating tee shot on the course. Another came on my second at hole #18, a par-5. It was also a 3-iron that set up my birdie on hole #5, a par-3 measuring 203 yards. Generally, my low irons were better than my high irons. It seems like I can't even hit a green with a wedge in my hands. Overall, the bright spots were few and far between.
Score: 102
Putts: 39
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 4
July 27, 2012
Century Pines...Literally
I've played Century Pines a number of times over the last two years and the results have not been good. In fact, the last time I had a decent result there was back in 2010. Since then, I haven't even been able to break 100 at the Troy, Ontario course. I guess the course has lived up to its name, as the century mark has proven to be a tough level for me to break there.
The opening hole invariably sets me off on the wrong path. Out of bounds lines the entire left side of this straightaway par-5. Lately, I have taken to hitting my tee shot to the opposite fairway on the right hand side. This is better than OB, but I've been so far right, that I've had to chip out of trees just to get the ball to a fairway. This time was no different. My third shot left me in the proper fairway, 170 yards from the green. I made good contact on the next shot, but pushed the ball slightly right into a large tree. A low punch travelled well past the green, so I required a pitch to get on. Facing a lengthy putt, I was well short, as I failed to factor how the morning dew would slow the ball down. Two more putts finished things for a quadruple-bogey. I struggled similarly on the next two holes, slicing drives and finding hazards on my way to a pair of triple-bogeys.
Then for a while, it seemed like I got the junk out of my system. I made three consecutive pars, beginning with a short par-4, followed by a par-3 and a more lengthy par-4. Irons worked off the tee and off the grass, giving me chances at birdies. These mini stretches of good golf are so tantalizing. They make the poor stretches all the more confounding.
On hole #7, a par-3 over water, I landed in a greenside bunker, flag high. I had a good lie and stance, no lip to speak of, and plenty of green to work with. What I didn't have is confidence, as I have been terrible at bunker shots for the past three years. Sure enough, I unintentionally picked the ball clean, sending it 60 yards past the green. I needed a pitch shot and two putts to salvage double-bogey. A double ensued on the next hole as well, thanks to a 3-putt, while I blew up for a quad on hole #9. At the turn, I was shooting 54.
My back nine was better, as I shot 49, but I still hit a number of disappointing shots. On holes #10 and #11, I hit some fat wedges from the fairway, failing to convert some great drives. Frustration probably spilled over to the next two holes, where I collected penalty strokes for finding hazards. Over the last five holes, I collected two pars and two bogeys, but also recorded a triple-bogey on hole #16, the toughest on the course.
In the end, I finished with a score of 103. My handicap inched up to 21.5, a full six points higher than it was two years ago. That is a huge increase. At the moment, I am basically no better than a hacker who has just picked up the game and perhaps played a handful of rounds. Pretty sad.
Score: 103
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
The opening hole invariably sets me off on the wrong path. Out of bounds lines the entire left side of this straightaway par-5. Lately, I have taken to hitting my tee shot to the opposite fairway on the right hand side. This is better than OB, but I've been so far right, that I've had to chip out of trees just to get the ball to a fairway. This time was no different. My third shot left me in the proper fairway, 170 yards from the green. I made good contact on the next shot, but pushed the ball slightly right into a large tree. A low punch travelled well past the green, so I required a pitch to get on. Facing a lengthy putt, I was well short, as I failed to factor how the morning dew would slow the ball down. Two more putts finished things for a quadruple-bogey. I struggled similarly on the next two holes, slicing drives and finding hazards on my way to a pair of triple-bogeys.
Then for a while, it seemed like I got the junk out of my system. I made three consecutive pars, beginning with a short par-4, followed by a par-3 and a more lengthy par-4. Irons worked off the tee and off the grass, giving me chances at birdies. These mini stretches of good golf are so tantalizing. They make the poor stretches all the more confounding.
On hole #7, a par-3 over water, I landed in a greenside bunker, flag high. I had a good lie and stance, no lip to speak of, and plenty of green to work with. What I didn't have is confidence, as I have been terrible at bunker shots for the past three years. Sure enough, I unintentionally picked the ball clean, sending it 60 yards past the green. I needed a pitch shot and two putts to salvage double-bogey. A double ensued on the next hole as well, thanks to a 3-putt, while I blew up for a quad on hole #9. At the turn, I was shooting 54.
My back nine was better, as I shot 49, but I still hit a number of disappointing shots. On holes #10 and #11, I hit some fat wedges from the fairway, failing to convert some great drives. Frustration probably spilled over to the next two holes, where I collected penalty strokes for finding hazards. Over the last five holes, I collected two pars and two bogeys, but also recorded a triple-bogey on hole #16, the toughest on the course.
In the end, I finished with a score of 103. My handicap inched up to 21.5, a full six points higher than it was two years ago. That is a huge increase. At the moment, I am basically no better than a hacker who has just picked up the game and perhaps played a handful of rounds. Pretty sad.
Score: 103
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
July 26, 2012
Opportunity Squandered at Oakridge
An old playing partner once told me that golf is not a game of aggression. There's a lot of wisdom in that statement, but then again, this particular playing partner didn't see how I played the final hole at Oakridge Golf Club during my last round. More on that in a moment.
It was Round 3 of the Deepwoods Golf Association championship, and I needed a good result to stay in contention. My plan was to survive the first three holes and to remain patient. Even if the opening trio of holes did not go well, there would be plenty of golf left to make up some points.
I played the first two holes rather well. A solid 3-iron off the tee on hole #1 found the right rough, taking a pesky pond out of play on the approach to the green. Unfortunately, this area is severely sloped, which complicates the approach in a different manner. Pick your poison. My approach was well short of the green, but I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. On hole #2, a par-3 measuring 182 yards, my 6-iron just failed to clear a bunker on the right side. Surprisingly, I hit a great bunker shot, rolling just past the hole. My par putt was good, but just missed. Bogey was the final result.
On hole #3, the hardest on the course, I finished with a triple-bogey. My 3-iron off the elevated tee was off the toe and dribbled into a hazard. After a penalty stroke and drop, all I could do was punch the ball to the fairway. From 200 yards out, I went for the green, but came up short. No doubt the water on the right side had a lot to do with that. A medium length pitch shot and two putts closed out the troublesome hole.
Hole #4, a 140-yard par-4,is the easiest on the course, but you wouldn't know that from my result. I came up short of the green, then sculled one over the green entirely and into a hazard. I found the ball, but it was unplayable. After a penalty stroke and drop, I completely duffed two chip attempts. My sixth shot stopped on the putting surface and a pair of strokes with the flat stick produced a disgusting score of 8 for the hole.
On hole #5, I was finally able to get driver in my hands. The result was my first fairway hit. Unfortunately, my approach with the gap wedge was short and in a bunker. This time, I picked the ball too clean, overshooting the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for double-bogey. Another great drive on hole #6 split a couple of ponds and came to rest in the fairway. My approach with the 8-iron was also good, coming to rest on the green and flag high. After a good lag, I made par with a tap-in.
The first par of the day was followed by the first birdie. Hole #7 is a par-5 measuring 453 yards from the tees we were playing. I hit a piercing drive deep through some trees protecting the corner of this slight dogleg. From the left rough 180 yards out, I hit a nice 5-iron just off the right edge of the green. Reaching a par-5 in two shots is one of the best feelings in golf. It paid off, as I completed the up and down for birdie.
A bogey and par ensued on holes #8 and #9 respectively. At the turn, I had already made up for my early troubles and was on pace to score valuable Deepwoods points. The good streak continued through hole #10, but stalled beginning at hole #11. I hit my first slice of the day, forcing a sideways chip back to the fairway. This left me on a downslope, and as a result, my ball found a bunker 20 yards in front of the green. I hit a great out to the fringe, flag high. My bogey putt burned the edge of the cup, so double-bogey was the final result.
On hole #12, a poor drive was pulled into the trees. After a penalty stroke, I hit a nice lob wedge to get the ball over some high trees. This left me with 75 yards to the flag. Like an idiot, I duffed the approach and landed in a bunker. After a pair of shots to get out, another to get on the green, and three putts, I marked a 10 on my scorecard. Hole #13, a par-3 was almost as bad. I pulled my 9-iron slightly, but this left me in a terrible position behind some trees. I declared the ball unplayable and took my drop well back, on a line from the flag to the point where my ball lay, extended. My third shot failed to clear the trees, so I had to repeat the process. My fifth shot was good, and two putts closed things out for a score of 7.
On hole #14, I earned a bogey and on hole #15, I began with a great drive. My third shot into this par-5 was terribly unlucky. I was near a large net that protects the adjoining property from flying golf balls. The posts that support the net are tethered to the ground with wires. From 50 yards away, I hit one of these tiny wires. To make matters worse, the ball deflected out of bounds, through a gap under the net. If I miss that wire, my ball ends up somewhere very near the green. Instead, I get a penalty and have to shoot again from the location of my last shot. This irritated me to no end, and I finished with a quadruple-bogey.
At this point, the round was basically lost, which brings me to the very last hole. This is a par- 5 measuring 446 yards. To reach the green in two, you have to fly some trees left of the fairway. Then you have to carry a pond and navigate a large tree smack dab in front of the green. On the tee, I pummelled a monster drive right on target. I let out a primal scream in reaction to the shot, then cursed this game for thinking it could keep me down. I was left with 180 yards to the green from the right rough. I hit a beautiful 4-iron that carried the water and skirted the tree, finishing on the green, behind the flag. Again, I let out a guttural scream of aggression. I studied my eagle putt carefully. It looked like there was no break, just a bit of a downhill. Unfortunately, I left the putt four feet short. Thankfully, I salvaged the birdie.
So golf is not a game of aggression. Perhaps it's true, but I have to tell you, aggression worked pretty well on that final hole.
Score: 103
Putts: 37
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 7
It was Round 3 of the Deepwoods Golf Association championship, and I needed a good result to stay in contention. My plan was to survive the first three holes and to remain patient. Even if the opening trio of holes did not go well, there would be plenty of golf left to make up some points.
I played the first two holes rather well. A solid 3-iron off the tee on hole #1 found the right rough, taking a pesky pond out of play on the approach to the green. Unfortunately, this area is severely sloped, which complicates the approach in a different manner. Pick your poison. My approach was well short of the green, but I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. On hole #2, a par-3 measuring 182 yards, my 6-iron just failed to clear a bunker on the right side. Surprisingly, I hit a great bunker shot, rolling just past the hole. My par putt was good, but just missed. Bogey was the final result.
On hole #3, the hardest on the course, I finished with a triple-bogey. My 3-iron off the elevated tee was off the toe and dribbled into a hazard. After a penalty stroke and drop, all I could do was punch the ball to the fairway. From 200 yards out, I went for the green, but came up short. No doubt the water on the right side had a lot to do with that. A medium length pitch shot and two putts closed out the troublesome hole.
Hole #4, a 140-yard par-4,is the easiest on the course, but you wouldn't know that from my result. I came up short of the green, then sculled one over the green entirely and into a hazard. I found the ball, but it was unplayable. After a penalty stroke and drop, I completely duffed two chip attempts. My sixth shot stopped on the putting surface and a pair of strokes with the flat stick produced a disgusting score of 8 for the hole.
On hole #5, I was finally able to get driver in my hands. The result was my first fairway hit. Unfortunately, my approach with the gap wedge was short and in a bunker. This time, I picked the ball too clean, overshooting the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for double-bogey. Another great drive on hole #6 split a couple of ponds and came to rest in the fairway. My approach with the 8-iron was also good, coming to rest on the green and flag high. After a good lag, I made par with a tap-in.
The first par of the day was followed by the first birdie. Hole #7 is a par-5 measuring 453 yards from the tees we were playing. I hit a piercing drive deep through some trees protecting the corner of this slight dogleg. From the left rough 180 yards out, I hit a nice 5-iron just off the right edge of the green. Reaching a par-5 in two shots is one of the best feelings in golf. It paid off, as I completed the up and down for birdie.
A bogey and par ensued on holes #8 and #9 respectively. At the turn, I had already made up for my early troubles and was on pace to score valuable Deepwoods points. The good streak continued through hole #10, but stalled beginning at hole #11. I hit my first slice of the day, forcing a sideways chip back to the fairway. This left me on a downslope, and as a result, my ball found a bunker 20 yards in front of the green. I hit a great out to the fringe, flag high. My bogey putt burned the edge of the cup, so double-bogey was the final result.
On hole #12, a poor drive was pulled into the trees. After a penalty stroke, I hit a nice lob wedge to get the ball over some high trees. This left me with 75 yards to the flag. Like an idiot, I duffed the approach and landed in a bunker. After a pair of shots to get out, another to get on the green, and three putts, I marked a 10 on my scorecard. Hole #13, a par-3 was almost as bad. I pulled my 9-iron slightly, but this left me in a terrible position behind some trees. I declared the ball unplayable and took my drop well back, on a line from the flag to the point where my ball lay, extended. My third shot failed to clear the trees, so I had to repeat the process. My fifth shot was good, and two putts closed things out for a score of 7.
On hole #14, I earned a bogey and on hole #15, I began with a great drive. My third shot into this par-5 was terribly unlucky. I was near a large net that protects the adjoining property from flying golf balls. The posts that support the net are tethered to the ground with wires. From 50 yards away, I hit one of these tiny wires. To make matters worse, the ball deflected out of bounds, through a gap under the net. If I miss that wire, my ball ends up somewhere very near the green. Instead, I get a penalty and have to shoot again from the location of my last shot. This irritated me to no end, and I finished with a quadruple-bogey.
At this point, the round was basically lost, which brings me to the very last hole. This is a par- 5 measuring 446 yards. To reach the green in two, you have to fly some trees left of the fairway. Then you have to carry a pond and navigate a large tree smack dab in front of the green. On the tee, I pummelled a monster drive right on target. I let out a primal scream in reaction to the shot, then cursed this game for thinking it could keep me down. I was left with 180 yards to the green from the right rough. I hit a beautiful 4-iron that carried the water and skirted the tree, finishing on the green, behind the flag. Again, I let out a guttural scream of aggression. I studied my eagle putt carefully. It looked like there was no break, just a bit of a downhill. Unfortunately, I left the putt four feet short. Thankfully, I salvaged the birdie.
So golf is not a game of aggression. Perhaps it's true, but I have to tell you, aggression worked pretty well on that final hole.
Score: 103
Putts: 37
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 7
July 24, 2012
Destiny at The Highlands of Bradford
Anticipating the next Deepwoods Golf Association event, I headed out to The Highlands of Bradford for a much needed tune-up. The course is usually in good shape and offers a decent golf experience at good value. Long rounds can be a problem on weekends, but since I was playing on a Thursday, I had nothing to worry about.
I hit my opening drive fat, which meant I had to lay up in front of a hazard with my second shot on this par-4. My third shot from 90 yards was just off the back of the green. Patchy rough resulted in a sculled chip shot, which I followed up with a 3-putt for a depressing triple bogey. I've stalled out of the gate a few times this year, and I can tell you it's not fun.
Despite stumbling on the first hole, I put together quite a good round. There was one exception, which I'll get to in a moment. Over the last 17 holes, I tallied six pars, six bogeys, and four double bogeys. Half of the pars were of the traditional variety (i.e. reach the green in regulation, lag one close, then tap in to finish), while the rest resulted from excellent putting.
My driving was not especially sharp, but I did hit a number of good shots off the tee. My irons were not as bad as they have been lately, but I still managed to hook some balls and top some others. These miscues were behind most of the bogeys on my scorecard. The double-bogeys resulted from an encounter with a water hazard, poor bunker play, an untimely 3-putt, and a couple of bad chip shots.
The real story of the day was hole #6, a par-4 measuring just 361 yards. I've struggled, indeed blown up, on this hole before. Out of bounds lines the entire right side, while the left is protected by a small pond off the tee. The prevailing wind always seems to push balls OB. Players must carry a creek on their approach to a shallow green, also protected in front by an expansive bunker.
To make a long story short, I pushed four consecutive balls out of bounds off the tee. With a penalty stroke each, I was lying 8 and still on the tee! After finally hitting the fairway, my approach shot was short and in the bunker. Next, I overshot the green, then chipped on. Ultimately, a 2-putt finished things up for a score of 14.
How does something like that happen? I'm not really sure, but it does. Just ask John Daly, who famously (infamously?) poured (hehe) seven consecutive balls into the water at the 2011 Australian Open. Daly had the sense to call it quits that day. I don't know the meaning of quit, or perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment – either way, I played on and was glad that I did.
On the eighteenth tee, I needed a par to break 100. I hit a fantastic drive, followed by a weak iron. My third into this par-5 was not great, but I still ended up on the green and 2-putt to get the necessary par. Considering that I scored 14 on a single hole, 99 looks pretty good indeed.
Score: 99
Putts: 32
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 5
I hit my opening drive fat, which meant I had to lay up in front of a hazard with my second shot on this par-4. My third shot from 90 yards was just off the back of the green. Patchy rough resulted in a sculled chip shot, which I followed up with a 3-putt for a depressing triple bogey. I've stalled out of the gate a few times this year, and I can tell you it's not fun.
Despite stumbling on the first hole, I put together quite a good round. There was one exception, which I'll get to in a moment. Over the last 17 holes, I tallied six pars, six bogeys, and four double bogeys. Half of the pars were of the traditional variety (i.e. reach the green in regulation, lag one close, then tap in to finish), while the rest resulted from excellent putting.
My driving was not especially sharp, but I did hit a number of good shots off the tee. My irons were not as bad as they have been lately, but I still managed to hook some balls and top some others. These miscues were behind most of the bogeys on my scorecard. The double-bogeys resulted from an encounter with a water hazard, poor bunker play, an untimely 3-putt, and a couple of bad chip shots.
The real story of the day was hole #6, a par-4 measuring just 361 yards. I've struggled, indeed blown up, on this hole before. Out of bounds lines the entire right side, while the left is protected by a small pond off the tee. The prevailing wind always seems to push balls OB. Players must carry a creek on their approach to a shallow green, also protected in front by an expansive bunker.
To make a long story short, I pushed four consecutive balls out of bounds off the tee. With a penalty stroke each, I was lying 8 and still on the tee! After finally hitting the fairway, my approach shot was short and in the bunker. Next, I overshot the green, then chipped on. Ultimately, a 2-putt finished things up for a score of 14.
How does something like that happen? I'm not really sure, but it does. Just ask John Daly, who famously (infamously?) poured (hehe) seven consecutive balls into the water at the 2011 Australian Open. Daly had the sense to call it quits that day. I don't know the meaning of quit, or perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment – either way, I played on and was glad that I did.
On the eighteenth tee, I needed a par to break 100. I hit a fantastic drive, followed by a weak iron. My third into this par-5 was not great, but I still ended up on the green and 2-putt to get the necessary par. Considering that I scored 14 on a single hole, 99 looks pretty good indeed.
Score: 99
Putts: 32
Fairways: 4
Greens: 4
Penalties: 5
July 11, 2012
Fiasco at Hidden Lake
I headed out to the Old Course at Hidden Lake Golf Club after a week and a half without playing. I teed off early in the morning and the weather was perfect. Unfortunately, I could not say the same about the course conditions. The greens had been aerated and top-dressed recently, creating a terrible putting experience. The putting surface was extremely bumpy and varying levels of sand on each green made the speed unpredictable. Every time I go to Hidden Lake, regardless of the time of year, it seems the greens have been recently punched and covered with sand. What the hell?
Anyway, I started by blowing up for a score of eight on the opening par-4. I drove the ball well right of the fairway, then was stymied by trees all the way to the green. Blowing up on the opening hole is always disappointing; you feel like you're in the hole before the round has even really started. Fortunately, I rattled off a couple of pars and a couple of bogeys over the next four holes to settle down somewhat.
Even though my scores were getting better, I was not striking the ball particularly well. My drives, which had been pretty steady for a while, were completely off. The technique of stepping back at address with my right foot suddenly stopped working. I was flaring the ball short and right of target. My iron play continued to be woeful. To avoid hooking the ball, I went back to my natural takeaway, which is a straight back move, followed by a lift into a step, upright backswing. For most of the year, I had been taking the club away to the inside, then coming back to the ball from the same direction. In theory, this is good; in practice, it made me hook the ball with alarming consistency.
The only good part of my game was pitching, chipping and putting. Through the remainder of the front nine, the short game allowed me to salvage some bogeys, even though I was struggling to reach greens. At the turn, I had just 15 putts, thanks to chips and pitch shots that left me close to the hole. Considering how badly I was playing overall, I was lucky to be shooting 48 heading to the back nine.
Holes #10 through #15 were played much like the earlier holes of the round. My drives continued to miss right, except for a beauty down the pipe on hole #13. My irons were still pathetic, including some pulls and slight hooks. Worst of all, I hit a couple of shanks that seemed to defy the laws of physics. Nevertheless, I pitched and putt the ball well, salvaging quite a few bogeys.
The real problems came with three holes to play. On hole #16, I once again flared my drive to the right side. That side of the hole features a steep embankment, with not a flat stance in sight. This made it very difficult to reach the green. After two attempted approaches, I was in a bunker fronting the putting surface. My bunker play has been terrible for a few years now and I know it, which only seems to further impair my ability to hit sand shots. My first attempt was extremely fat. My second attempt was caught thin, sending the ball over the green and out of bounds. After a penalty stroke and drop, my third attempt finally landed safely on the green. Two putts gave me a score of nine on the hole.
As poorly as I had been playing, before that hole I was on pace for a round in the mid nineties. Suddenly, the dreaded century mark was a distinct possibility. I let out a few expletives in an attempt to rid myself of the disgust that I was feeling. It didn't work. On hole #17, I popped my drive straight up, failing to reach the fairway. An ensuing 6-iron was pulled left under a tree. Next, I hit a shocking shank that bounded across the fairway and through a bunker, coming to rest in some knee-high fescue. Are you kidding me? I hacked it out, but crossed entirely over the fairway, once again under some trees. A low punch bounded off the back of the green. After a chip and two putts, I recorded an eight on this par-4 hole. Needless to say, the expletives continued.
I needed a birdie on hole #18, a 180-yard par-3, in order to break 100. Instead, I made bogey and walked away with a gag-inducing score of 101. One of the reasons I play golf is to generate positive feelings that carry over into other parts of life. When the only feelings generated by the game are negative, this approach backfires completely and utterly – one ends up creating exactly the opposite effect than desired.
Score: 101
Putts: 32
Fairways: 2
Greens: 2
Penalties: 3
Anyway, I started by blowing up for a score of eight on the opening par-4. I drove the ball well right of the fairway, then was stymied by trees all the way to the green. Blowing up on the opening hole is always disappointing; you feel like you're in the hole before the round has even really started. Fortunately, I rattled off a couple of pars and a couple of bogeys over the next four holes to settle down somewhat.
Even though my scores were getting better, I was not striking the ball particularly well. My drives, which had been pretty steady for a while, were completely off. The technique of stepping back at address with my right foot suddenly stopped working. I was flaring the ball short and right of target. My iron play continued to be woeful. To avoid hooking the ball, I went back to my natural takeaway, which is a straight back move, followed by a lift into a step, upright backswing. For most of the year, I had been taking the club away to the inside, then coming back to the ball from the same direction. In theory, this is good; in practice, it made me hook the ball with alarming consistency.
The only good part of my game was pitching, chipping and putting. Through the remainder of the front nine, the short game allowed me to salvage some bogeys, even though I was struggling to reach greens. At the turn, I had just 15 putts, thanks to chips and pitch shots that left me close to the hole. Considering how badly I was playing overall, I was lucky to be shooting 48 heading to the back nine.
Holes #10 through #15 were played much like the earlier holes of the round. My drives continued to miss right, except for a beauty down the pipe on hole #13. My irons were still pathetic, including some pulls and slight hooks. Worst of all, I hit a couple of shanks that seemed to defy the laws of physics. Nevertheless, I pitched and putt the ball well, salvaging quite a few bogeys.
The real problems came with three holes to play. On hole #16, I once again flared my drive to the right side. That side of the hole features a steep embankment, with not a flat stance in sight. This made it very difficult to reach the green. After two attempted approaches, I was in a bunker fronting the putting surface. My bunker play has been terrible for a few years now and I know it, which only seems to further impair my ability to hit sand shots. My first attempt was extremely fat. My second attempt was caught thin, sending the ball over the green and out of bounds. After a penalty stroke and drop, my third attempt finally landed safely on the green. Two putts gave me a score of nine on the hole.
As poorly as I had been playing, before that hole I was on pace for a round in the mid nineties. Suddenly, the dreaded century mark was a distinct possibility. I let out a few expletives in an attempt to rid myself of the disgust that I was feeling. It didn't work. On hole #17, I popped my drive straight up, failing to reach the fairway. An ensuing 6-iron was pulled left under a tree. Next, I hit a shocking shank that bounded across the fairway and through a bunker, coming to rest in some knee-high fescue. Are you kidding me? I hacked it out, but crossed entirely over the fairway, once again under some trees. A low punch bounded off the back of the green. After a chip and two putts, I recorded an eight on this par-4 hole. Needless to say, the expletives continued.
I needed a birdie on hole #18, a 180-yard par-3, in order to break 100. Instead, I made bogey and walked away with a gag-inducing score of 101. One of the reasons I play golf is to generate positive feelings that carry over into other parts of life. When the only feelings generated by the game are negative, this approach backfires completely and utterly – one ends up creating exactly the opposite effect than desired.
Score: 101
Putts: 32
Fairways: 2
Greens: 2
Penalties: 3
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