The temperature reached 11 degrees Celsius today in Toronto. The long-term forecast is calling for highs no greater than 7 degrees, so I took advantage of today's double-digit high to put my winter tires on the car. In recent years, this has served as a reminder to write my year-end golf review. After all, when the winter tires go on, you can be sure that golf season has come to an end. So here we go!
Overall, I have to say that 2014 was a success. Keep in mind that my game peaked in 2009, before levelling off in 2010. Since then, it has been three years of steady decline. The clearest indicator of this has been my handicap factor. It got as low as 15.7 in 2009, albeit briefly. In 2010, it stayed in a tight range between 17 and 18. It climbed to 19.3 by the end of 2011, then to 22.2 by the end of 2012. By the end of last year, it had risen all the way to 25.8 – not far from my estimated handicap when I first took up the game. All season long, I chipped away at the handicap factor, reaching 19.7 after my last round of the year. I stalled a bit at 20, which was a barrier I set out to overcome at the start of the year, so I'm glad I busted through with a final surge.
Last year, I broke 100 only five times. More than my handicap, this was a very telling stat. In my early golf days, breaking 100 was the goal. As my game improved, it became the rule, rather than the exception. In fact, 100 or greater became the mark of failure. To go lower than the century mark only a handful of times in 2013 was like starting the game all over again. For that reason, I'm happy to report that I managed to break 100 thirty times in 2014. Perhaps because I was back in the 90s with regularity, I didn't even mind the occasions when I “missed the cut” by a stroke or two. On seven occasions, I scored 100 or 101, but brushed it aside as no different than shooting 99 or 98. That's a big mental adjustment for me – one I will strive to carry forward next year. Bad rounds happen. It's no big deal and doesn't always reflect on your overall ability.
One of the reasons I was able to improve was the sheer number of games played. My dip in performance over the three previous years corresponded directly with fewer games played. I played only 31 rounds each of those years. This year, I was aiming for about 35 games, but a late season flurry pushed my total up to 44. That's very close to the levels I reached in the years leading up to 2011, when my game was at its best. I know some people who are able to maintain their performance level with very few games played, but I'm not one of them. I need to be active to keep my game as sharp as it can be.
Those 44 rounds were played at 34 different golf courses. The course I played most often, with three visits, was Lowville. Two of those rounds were played back-to-back in late October. I played 8 courses twice – Dragon's Fire, Willodell, Hidden Lake Old, Legends Battlefield, Century Pines, Calerin, Bradford Highlands, and Glen Eagle. On my second visit to Glen Eagle, I played the Original 18, which was substantially different than the first time around.
The courses I played for the first time this year were: Glencairn, Calerin, Royal Ontario, Caledon, and Scenic Woods. Glencairn was the nicest of these, and I played it with some good friends, which is always a treat. Despite the fact that it was only my fourth round of the year, I had a good result. Calerin is the only 9-hole course I've ever played, but you go around twice to complete 18 holes. I was pleasantly surprised with the layout. Royal Ontario was finally crossed off my list of unplayed courses, as it hosted the Deepwoods Golf Association final. I had heard much about the course, so it was nice to be able to form my own opinion. Caledon is another course that I never got around to playing, so I enjoyed getting out there as well. Finally, there was Scenic Woods. I won't be rushing back any time soon, but I'll remember it fondly because it was the site of my best round in 2014 – a respectable 85 in late October.
Looking at my average stats for the year reveals some improvement over last season. My average score was 98.1 – down from 103.5 a year earlier. While it's now heading in the right direction, I would like to see this number closer to 93 or so. With a normal distribution, that would see the bulk of my scores falling between 87 and 99. This year, my typical scoring range was between 89 and 101, with a slight skew toward the upper end. I averaged 35.3 putts in 2014, which was not all that different from the 35.6 averaged in 2013. I've never had many complaints about my putting, but I'll save strokes wherever I can find them. Fairways hit improved from 4.1 to 5.3 during this year's campaign. Greens in regulation saw a similar bump – to 3.3 from just 2.8 last season. Improvement is always good, but these numbers are still far too low. I figure I should be able to hit at least 7 fairways per round, every time out. Greens are harder for me, but 6 per round is a good goal. That's a long way off, but a guy can dream, right?
Finally, a few words about my performance in the Deepwoods Golf Association championship. There was a time (2007-2010) when I had a lot of confidence at this competition. With a win and two runner-up finishes in the span of four years, I had reason to be. Then came three years where I wasn't even a factor. Poor performances early in the season took me right out of contention. 2013 was particularly gruesome, as I finished near the bottom of the standings. For all of these reasons, it felt great to challenge for the championship once again in 2014. I finished in 8th place, which is still some distance from the leader, but just to be mathematically alive going into the final round was an accomplishment. I will take some confidence from this season and channel it into next year's competition.
And now, I have 6 months without golf to endure. Ugh!
November 10, 2014
November 01, 2014
Season Finale at Glen Eagle
My last round of the season was on October 29th at Glen Eagle Golf Club. They have 27 holes, but on this occasion, the Original 18 were in play. It was a little chilly and overcast, with an occasional light drizzle. I teed off on the first hole and played the entire round alone. Normally, that helps me focus, but it was hard to do so because of course conditions. Leaves were everywhere, even in fairway landing zones and on the greens. Speaking of greens, they had been aerated, which is to be expected at this time of year. However, there was an inordinate amount of top dressing on some greens, making it near impossible to get the speed correct.
Once again, I focused on the wrist roll during my swing. A few rounds ago, it was working wonders, but it got a little shaky at my last outing. This time, I'm sorry to say, it was a little worse still. With the driver in hand, it produced a few high pop-ups to the left side. Perhaps I wasn't rolling the wrists enough, leaving the club face open at impact. Combine this with my typical outside-in swing path, and the result is not good. I popped up drives on holes #1, #7, and #10. At other times, I caught the ball near the heel of the club, producing an even worse result. That happened on holes #4, #7, and #12. Hole #7 is listed twice because I hit my third from the tee after a particularly horrific attempt. I had some good drives, but they were few and far between.
With irons in hand, the results were better. I shanked a 7-iron off the tee on hole #3, but after taking a penalty and re-teeing, I hit a fabulous one to within 5 feet of the pin. It seems when I miss with this wrist roll, it's always because I fail to execute it fast enough, leaving the face open at impact. This was an extreme case, but when I adjusted, the result was fantastic. I also hit some great recovery shots with the irons. I had to punch a couple of low shots due to tree trouble on hole #2, a par-5. I managed to get near the green after three shots, then pitched and 2-putt for bogey. On hole #4, also a par-5, I hit another pair of punch shots to get to the green in four. The last of these was particularly impressive, threading through a thick strand of tree trunks to find the green edge.
I was shooting 55 at the turn, thanks to a pair of triple-bogeys and a massive blowup on hole #5, a short par-4. My tee shot found a fairway bunker on the right side, and I had trouble getting out and through some trees directly ahead. I took an ugly 9 on that hole. All of this meant I had a lot of work to do on the back nine to salvage a respectable score. Four pars and a birdie helped immensely, as I tallied 41 on the back nine to walk away with an overall score of 96.
I still had some issues with the driver, but I hit it well on holes #11, #13, and #16 – all of which produced pars. While the drives got me off to a good start, it was really the irons that earned those pars. Even when I made bogey, I displayed some nice control with the irons. There were multiple occasions where I had to shape a shot in a particular way, and I managed to do so nicely. On hole #10, I was well left of the fairway, with massive trees blocking out the green. I aimed the 9-iron well left of the green to get over the treetops, looking for a cut to bring the ball back near the putting surface. It worked just as I envisioned. On hole #13, I needed a low hook on my second shot to get around and under some trees and keep the ball in the fairway. I did exactly that. On hole #15, I was right of the fairway, with tall trees blocking the green once again. This time, I hoisted an 8-iron over the treetops, drawing it back to just in front of the green. That one was most impressive of all.
Even when I didn't need to shape a shot, the irons were working well. I hit a nice pitching wedge to reach the green in regulation on hole #11. On hole #14, a par-3, it was a 6-iron off the tee that did the trick, finishing flag high. On hole #16, I hit a wonderful 5-iron that was all over the flag. I let out a yell of satisfaction after that one. I didn't even care about my score or round at that point – I just loved the shot. On hole #17, a short par-3, my pitching wedge was also perfect, setting up a 6-foot birdie putt that I drained with confidence.
In the end, I was happy that I managed to get on track over the back nine. I'm still committed to the wrist roll, even though it's been shaky, at times, over the last two rounds. I just have to remind myself to commit to it. That way, I won't leave the club face open when it strikes the ball.
The season is over. Soon, I'll have to reflect back and write my year-end review.
Score: 96
Putts: 34
Fairways: 1
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
Once again, I focused on the wrist roll during my swing. A few rounds ago, it was working wonders, but it got a little shaky at my last outing. This time, I'm sorry to say, it was a little worse still. With the driver in hand, it produced a few high pop-ups to the left side. Perhaps I wasn't rolling the wrists enough, leaving the club face open at impact. Combine this with my typical outside-in swing path, and the result is not good. I popped up drives on holes #1, #7, and #10. At other times, I caught the ball near the heel of the club, producing an even worse result. That happened on holes #4, #7, and #12. Hole #7 is listed twice because I hit my third from the tee after a particularly horrific attempt. I had some good drives, but they were few and far between.
With irons in hand, the results were better. I shanked a 7-iron off the tee on hole #3, but after taking a penalty and re-teeing, I hit a fabulous one to within 5 feet of the pin. It seems when I miss with this wrist roll, it's always because I fail to execute it fast enough, leaving the face open at impact. This was an extreme case, but when I adjusted, the result was fantastic. I also hit some great recovery shots with the irons. I had to punch a couple of low shots due to tree trouble on hole #2, a par-5. I managed to get near the green after three shots, then pitched and 2-putt for bogey. On hole #4, also a par-5, I hit another pair of punch shots to get to the green in four. The last of these was particularly impressive, threading through a thick strand of tree trunks to find the green edge.
I was shooting 55 at the turn, thanks to a pair of triple-bogeys and a massive blowup on hole #5, a short par-4. My tee shot found a fairway bunker on the right side, and I had trouble getting out and through some trees directly ahead. I took an ugly 9 on that hole. All of this meant I had a lot of work to do on the back nine to salvage a respectable score. Four pars and a birdie helped immensely, as I tallied 41 on the back nine to walk away with an overall score of 96.
I still had some issues with the driver, but I hit it well on holes #11, #13, and #16 – all of which produced pars. While the drives got me off to a good start, it was really the irons that earned those pars. Even when I made bogey, I displayed some nice control with the irons. There were multiple occasions where I had to shape a shot in a particular way, and I managed to do so nicely. On hole #10, I was well left of the fairway, with massive trees blocking out the green. I aimed the 9-iron well left of the green to get over the treetops, looking for a cut to bring the ball back near the putting surface. It worked just as I envisioned. On hole #13, I needed a low hook on my second shot to get around and under some trees and keep the ball in the fairway. I did exactly that. On hole #15, I was right of the fairway, with tall trees blocking the green once again. This time, I hoisted an 8-iron over the treetops, drawing it back to just in front of the green. That one was most impressive of all.
Even when I didn't need to shape a shot, the irons were working well. I hit a nice pitching wedge to reach the green in regulation on hole #11. On hole #14, a par-3, it was a 6-iron off the tee that did the trick, finishing flag high. On hole #16, I hit a wonderful 5-iron that was all over the flag. I let out a yell of satisfaction after that one. I didn't even care about my score or round at that point – I just loved the shot. On hole #17, a short par-3, my pitching wedge was also perfect, setting up a 6-foot birdie putt that I drained with confidence.
In the end, I was happy that I managed to get on track over the back nine. I'm still committed to the wrist roll, even though it's been shaky, at times, over the last two rounds. I just have to remind myself to commit to it. That way, I won't leave the club face open when it strikes the ball.
The season is over. Soon, I'll have to reflect back and write my year-end review.
Score: 96
Putts: 34
Fairways: 1
Greens: 5
Penalties: 2
October 31, 2014
Streak Ends at Bradford Highlands
With scores of 94, 95, 91 and 85 over my last four rounds, I was looking to keep the momentum going. The “wrist roll” adjustment that I made a few rounds back had me hitting very decent drives and pure iron shots. There was no reason it shouldn't continue, right? I headed to Bradford Highlands to see if that line of reasoning would hold up.
Playing the back nine first, I popped my first drive way up in the air and slightly left. I've driven the ball to the end of that fairway before, so this was a little disappointing. With a tree in my way, I was forced to chip back to the fairway. No problem though, as I hit one of those pure 8-irons from 150 yards to within five feet of the pin, then drained the putt to save par. “It's still working,” I thought.
On hole #11, a par-5, I hit my drive straight, but it once again popped straight up in the air. I was so far back that I had to lay up before a creek that crosses the fairway. That left me with a long third shot into the green, and I came up well short. A pitch and 2-putt would have been fine for bogey, but I blasted my first putt well past the hole, en route to a double bogey. What the hell? Why were the greens lightning fast at Bradford Highlands?
My drive on hole #12 was truly disgusting. I caught the ball low on the club face and it sliced into a pond on the right side of the fairway. My irons on the remainder of the hole were no better, as I found some deep fescue and had a heck of a time getting out. I finished with a triple-bogey, and began wondering what on earth was going on.
My scores were better for the rest of the back nine, as I registered a par and five bogeys. Despite the results, I wasn't feeling confident. I had a couple of good drives, particularly on holes #14, #17, and #18. However, I hit a huge push slice off the tee on hole #15, a short par-4. Only a spectacular 7-iron from the opposite fairway enabled me to save par on that hole. My irons continued to be pretty good overall, but my chip shots were running right across the speedy greens. I've never seen the greens that fast at Bradford.
I made the turn with a score of 46, so you could say I was right on track for a score in the low 90s. A 3-putt on hole #1 produced double-bogey, but it was my tee shot on hole #2 that started a big, downward spiral. The group ahead let mine play through, so they had a front row seat for my atrocious 5-iron off the tee on this par-5 hole. The ball came out low and to the right, diving into thick fescue just 60 yards ahead of the teeing ground. I found the ball, but it was all I could do to hack it back to the primary rough. Double-bogey was the final result.
The next five holes included three bogeys, along with a pair of massive blowups. I took a score of 10 on hole #3, a par-4 of modest length. There is out of bounds along the entire left side, and a pond protects the front right of the green, but I've never struggled on this hole as I did this time. I hit a poor drive off the heel of the club, then shanked a 6-iron. I flared a wedge into the pond and found the water again after taking a penalty and drop. Ugh!
The other hole that killed me was #6. Unlike #3, this one HAS killed me in the past...OFTEN! I once sliced four consecutive tee balls out of bounds on the right side. That was a long time ago. In recent visits, I managed to find a tiny pond that sits short and to the left side. It's uncanny how frequently I managed to land in that pond. This time, I popped the ball straight in the air. Lo and behold, it went in the pond. After taking a penalty, I pushed a shot into a water hazard further afield. And so it continued, as I registered a score of 9 on this par-4. Ugh!
At this point, I was on track to finish above the century mark. Out of nowhere, I put together a birdie and par on the last two holes to save a final score of 99. The birdie came on a 140-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. I hit a 9-iron flush, but the ball was headed left of my target. Miraculously, it hit a mound near the left side of the green and kicked well right, settling just 5 feet from the hole. I took advantage and drained the putt.
On hole #18, a 505-yard par-5, I hit a pretty good drive that leaked ever so slightly to the right. A creek crosses the fairway, but I never reached it before, so I swung without hesitation. As I walked up to where I thought my ball was, I didn't see anything. The cart path cuts through the area, so I feared that I might have hit it and bounced into the creek. When I looked in that area, I spotted my ball 5 yards from the creek...on the other side! Woohoo! I was only 190 yards from the green, albeit in the rough and with a couple small trees to contend with. I hit a good 4-iron to just left of the green, then pitched on to give myself a birdie chance. I missed it, but tapped in for par.
Given the two disastrous holes that added 19 strokes to my card, I'm happy to walk away with 99.
Score: 99
Putts: 35
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 5
Playing the back nine first, I popped my first drive way up in the air and slightly left. I've driven the ball to the end of that fairway before, so this was a little disappointing. With a tree in my way, I was forced to chip back to the fairway. No problem though, as I hit one of those pure 8-irons from 150 yards to within five feet of the pin, then drained the putt to save par. “It's still working,” I thought.
On hole #11, a par-5, I hit my drive straight, but it once again popped straight up in the air. I was so far back that I had to lay up before a creek that crosses the fairway. That left me with a long third shot into the green, and I came up well short. A pitch and 2-putt would have been fine for bogey, but I blasted my first putt well past the hole, en route to a double bogey. What the hell? Why were the greens lightning fast at Bradford Highlands?
My drive on hole #12 was truly disgusting. I caught the ball low on the club face and it sliced into a pond on the right side of the fairway. My irons on the remainder of the hole were no better, as I found some deep fescue and had a heck of a time getting out. I finished with a triple-bogey, and began wondering what on earth was going on.
My scores were better for the rest of the back nine, as I registered a par and five bogeys. Despite the results, I wasn't feeling confident. I had a couple of good drives, particularly on holes #14, #17, and #18. However, I hit a huge push slice off the tee on hole #15, a short par-4. Only a spectacular 7-iron from the opposite fairway enabled me to save par on that hole. My irons continued to be pretty good overall, but my chip shots were running right across the speedy greens. I've never seen the greens that fast at Bradford.
I made the turn with a score of 46, so you could say I was right on track for a score in the low 90s. A 3-putt on hole #1 produced double-bogey, but it was my tee shot on hole #2 that started a big, downward spiral. The group ahead let mine play through, so they had a front row seat for my atrocious 5-iron off the tee on this par-5 hole. The ball came out low and to the right, diving into thick fescue just 60 yards ahead of the teeing ground. I found the ball, but it was all I could do to hack it back to the primary rough. Double-bogey was the final result.
The next five holes included three bogeys, along with a pair of massive blowups. I took a score of 10 on hole #3, a par-4 of modest length. There is out of bounds along the entire left side, and a pond protects the front right of the green, but I've never struggled on this hole as I did this time. I hit a poor drive off the heel of the club, then shanked a 6-iron. I flared a wedge into the pond and found the water again after taking a penalty and drop. Ugh!
The other hole that killed me was #6. Unlike #3, this one HAS killed me in the past...OFTEN! I once sliced four consecutive tee balls out of bounds on the right side. That was a long time ago. In recent visits, I managed to find a tiny pond that sits short and to the left side. It's uncanny how frequently I managed to land in that pond. This time, I popped the ball straight in the air. Lo and behold, it went in the pond. After taking a penalty, I pushed a shot into a water hazard further afield. And so it continued, as I registered a score of 9 on this par-4. Ugh!
At this point, I was on track to finish above the century mark. Out of nowhere, I put together a birdie and par on the last two holes to save a final score of 99. The birdie came on a 140-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. I hit a 9-iron flush, but the ball was headed left of my target. Miraculously, it hit a mound near the left side of the green and kicked well right, settling just 5 feet from the hole. I took advantage and drained the putt.
On hole #18, a 505-yard par-5, I hit a pretty good drive that leaked ever so slightly to the right. A creek crosses the fairway, but I never reached it before, so I swung without hesitation. As I walked up to where I thought my ball was, I didn't see anything. The cart path cuts through the area, so I feared that I might have hit it and bounced into the creek. When I looked in that area, I spotted my ball 5 yards from the creek...on the other side! Woohoo! I was only 190 yards from the green, albeit in the rough and with a couple small trees to contend with. I hit a good 4-iron to just left of the green, then pitched on to give myself a birdie chance. I missed it, but tapped in for par.
Given the two disastrous holes that added 19 strokes to my card, I'm happy to walk away with 99.
Score: 99
Putts: 35
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 5
October 30, 2014
Smackdown at Scenic Woods
I was feeling good about my last couple of rounds and eager for my next outing at Scenic Woods. This was the first time I've played the course, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I wouldn't go out of my way to play there again, but overall, it wasn't a bad layout. The first three holes were wide and flat, leading me to believe it was going to be a bland experience. The greens, in particular, were rather featureless. The remainder of the front nine was comprised of some more interesting holes, including some short par-4 holes that require carefully placed tee shots to avoid water hazards. The back nine was much more interesting, with some solid par-5 holes and a couple of challenging par-3 tests. Meandering creeks feature a little more prominently, calling for well struck shots to avoid penalties.
Despite the fact it was cold and a little windy, I got off to an amazing start. I was paired up with a threesome, who quickly asked me what my handicap was. I told them, truthfully, that I was a 20. After going par, par, bogey, and par over the first four holes, they had good reason to believe I was feeding them a load of bull. It wasn't just the results that were great; it was the way I achieved them. On the opening par-5, I hit the left side of the fairway, then bombed a huge 5-wood down the pipe, leaving 60 yards to the green. I striped my drive on hole #2, leaving 120 yards to the green. On hole #4, I hit 5-iron off the tee, placing the ball exactly where my playing partners had recommended. On the greens, I made four great lag putts from distance, leaving easy finishing putts.
I had an errant second shot on hole #5, a dogleg left, that led to double-bogey. After that, I resumed my surgical attack against the course. On hole #6, I carried one creek and laid up just in front of another, using the 6-iron. It was the perfect location to place the ball. On holes #7 and #9, a pair of par-3 holes, I struck pure irons off the tee that were all over the flags. The birdie putts did not drop, but my ball striking was really looking good. I owe it all to the adjustment I made a few rounds back – the wrist roll that keeps the club face open during the backswing and closes it to square at impact. It was helping my drives, but it was making my iron play spectacular. At the turn, I was shooting 40, so I knew I had something special going.
After going bogey, par, par to start the back nine, I was just six over par through twelve holes. That put me right on pace to challenge my personal best score of 81, but I wasn't thinking about that at the time. Hole #13 is a nice par-3, nestled perfectly into the surrounding landscape. The flag was 170 yards away, near the back left of the green. I hit a beautiful 6-iron, but it was just a fraction right of my intended target and managed to find some trees. It's a shame because I really didn't miss by much at all, but ended up with a double-bogey.
Solid play continued through hole #16, but I was making bogeys instead of pars. After recovering from a shaky drive on hole #15, I stuck a 90-yard shot right near the pin, for a chance at saving par. Unfortunately, I just burned the edge of the cup. On hole #16, a 200-yard par-3, I hit a lovely 3-iron off the tee. It was so good that it rolled through the back of the green. My chip was mediocre and a bogey ensued.
Perhaps the magic was wearing off, as I hit another bad drive on hole #17, a par-4 with a dogleg left. I was forced, not only to take my third and last penalty of the day, but also to lay up in front of a water hazard, as there were trees blocking me out from the green. Double bogey ensued. Thankfully, I played hole #18, a par-5, in textbook fashion. After hitting the fairway with a good drive, I was within range of the green, but wisely decided to play a baby 8-iron to the 100 yard stick, followed by a sand wedge into the green. A large pond right of the fairway and green was simply too risky to take on.
In the end, I shot an 85. This was my best result of the year and my best since September 2011, when I shot an 83 at Willow Valley. In fact, I've only had four rounds better than this one, ever. Besides that 83 at Willow Valley, I also have an 83 at Carlisle North/East, an 82 at Granite Ridge Cobalt, and an 81 at Deer Creek South. I have scored 85 on three other occasions (at Lochness Links, Osprey Valley Heathlands, and Kleinburg), but those were some time ago.
With this result, my handicap factor also dipped below 20 for the first time since 2011. Considering I started this season as a 25.8 handicap, it's nice to currently be at 19.8 and trending in the right direction.
Score: 85
Putts: 34
Fairways: 9
Greens: 7
Penalties: 3
Despite the fact it was cold and a little windy, I got off to an amazing start. I was paired up with a threesome, who quickly asked me what my handicap was. I told them, truthfully, that I was a 20. After going par, par, bogey, and par over the first four holes, they had good reason to believe I was feeding them a load of bull. It wasn't just the results that were great; it was the way I achieved them. On the opening par-5, I hit the left side of the fairway, then bombed a huge 5-wood down the pipe, leaving 60 yards to the green. I striped my drive on hole #2, leaving 120 yards to the green. On hole #4, I hit 5-iron off the tee, placing the ball exactly where my playing partners had recommended. On the greens, I made four great lag putts from distance, leaving easy finishing putts.
I had an errant second shot on hole #5, a dogleg left, that led to double-bogey. After that, I resumed my surgical attack against the course. On hole #6, I carried one creek and laid up just in front of another, using the 6-iron. It was the perfect location to place the ball. On holes #7 and #9, a pair of par-3 holes, I struck pure irons off the tee that were all over the flags. The birdie putts did not drop, but my ball striking was really looking good. I owe it all to the adjustment I made a few rounds back – the wrist roll that keeps the club face open during the backswing and closes it to square at impact. It was helping my drives, but it was making my iron play spectacular. At the turn, I was shooting 40, so I knew I had something special going.
After going bogey, par, par to start the back nine, I was just six over par through twelve holes. That put me right on pace to challenge my personal best score of 81, but I wasn't thinking about that at the time. Hole #13 is a nice par-3, nestled perfectly into the surrounding landscape. The flag was 170 yards away, near the back left of the green. I hit a beautiful 6-iron, but it was just a fraction right of my intended target and managed to find some trees. It's a shame because I really didn't miss by much at all, but ended up with a double-bogey.
Solid play continued through hole #16, but I was making bogeys instead of pars. After recovering from a shaky drive on hole #15, I stuck a 90-yard shot right near the pin, for a chance at saving par. Unfortunately, I just burned the edge of the cup. On hole #16, a 200-yard par-3, I hit a lovely 3-iron off the tee. It was so good that it rolled through the back of the green. My chip was mediocre and a bogey ensued.
Perhaps the magic was wearing off, as I hit another bad drive on hole #17, a par-4 with a dogleg left. I was forced, not only to take my third and last penalty of the day, but also to lay up in front of a water hazard, as there were trees blocking me out from the green. Double bogey ensued. Thankfully, I played hole #18, a par-5, in textbook fashion. After hitting the fairway with a good drive, I was within range of the green, but wisely decided to play a baby 8-iron to the 100 yard stick, followed by a sand wedge into the green. A large pond right of the fairway and green was simply too risky to take on.
In the end, I shot an 85. This was my best result of the year and my best since September 2011, when I shot an 83 at Willow Valley. In fact, I've only had four rounds better than this one, ever. Besides that 83 at Willow Valley, I also have an 83 at Carlisle North/East, an 82 at Granite Ridge Cobalt, and an 81 at Deer Creek South. I have scored 85 on three other occasions (at Lochness Links, Osprey Valley Heathlands, and Kleinburg), but those were some time ago.
With this result, my handicap factor also dipped below 20 for the first time since 2011. Considering I started this season as a 25.8 handicap, it's nice to currently be at 19.8 and trending in the right direction.
Score: 85
Putts: 34
Fairways: 9
Greens: 7
Penalties: 3
October 28, 2014
Rolling Along at Calerin
A day after playing Century Pines, I payed a visit to Calerin Golf Club. I played the front nine with an interesting threesome. These guys were good buddies and took extreme pleasure in giving each other the gears. Had I been playing poorly, it was the kind of thing that might get on my nerves. Fortunately, I was playing reasonably well, so it had no effect on me. I shot 49 on the front, with six bogeys, two doubles, and a triple.
That doesn't sound so great, but I was actually hitting some nice shots. My drives on holes #3 and #4 were among my best, travelling a healthy distance and dead straight. Ironically, those were the two holes that produced double-bogey. On #3, I followed up my drive with a 4-iron that flared right into a large pond. The wrist roll that I used at my last round worked well on the drive, but not so well on the next shot. I simply didn't execute the roll well enough, leaving the club face a little open at impact. On #4, the problem was not full shots, but the fact that I 3-putt. The triple-bogey came on hole #6 after a drive into the woods and a poor shot from a greenside bunker, with the ball below my feet.
Where the wrist roll really helped was with my iron shots. Before employing this move, I could make reasonable contact with the ball, advance a predictable distance based on the club used, and finish in relative safety. However, only one out of every ten shots had that feeling of pure contact. With the wrist roll, a much greater percentage of shots give me that feeling. Contact is more crisp, while the ball flight is higher and much prettier to watch. It also seems to cut down on the number of mis-hits due to hitting the ball fat or thin. My approach shots on holes #8 and #9 come to mind as great examples. The former was with a 7-iron, but I hit it so pure that I flew the green. An 8-iron would have been enough to reach the back pin location. The latter was with the 8-iron.
Calerin is a 9-hole course, which you play twice if you want to complete a full round. A substantially different set of tees are used the second time around, so there's enough variety to keep things interesting. My playing partners had already played nine before I joined them, so I was on my own for my back nine. I've had some good streaks playing alone, so I was looking forward to it. Sure enough, the added focus really helped me get hot. I shot 42 on the back nine, with a birdie, two pars, five bogeys, and a double. The double only came about as a result of a 3-putt.
The birdie was on hole #14, a par-3 measuring 142 yards. I hit one of those pure 9-irons to the front of the green, then drained a 10-footer that found the bottom of the cup. The birdie was sandwiched between a couple of pars. Hole #13 is a par-5 that I played in textbook style. My drive found the left side of the fairway. I hit an easy 5-iron to the fairway centre, leaving 130 yards to the pin. I played to the fat of the green with pitching wedge, then lagged a putt and tapped in. Hole #15 was a satisfying par, since that was the same hole I made triple-bogey on the first time around.
A final score of 91 tied my second best of the year, so this was a good result.
Score: 91
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 2
That doesn't sound so great, but I was actually hitting some nice shots. My drives on holes #3 and #4 were among my best, travelling a healthy distance and dead straight. Ironically, those were the two holes that produced double-bogey. On #3, I followed up my drive with a 4-iron that flared right into a large pond. The wrist roll that I used at my last round worked well on the drive, but not so well on the next shot. I simply didn't execute the roll well enough, leaving the club face a little open at impact. On #4, the problem was not full shots, but the fact that I 3-putt. The triple-bogey came on hole #6 after a drive into the woods and a poor shot from a greenside bunker, with the ball below my feet.
Where the wrist roll really helped was with my iron shots. Before employing this move, I could make reasonable contact with the ball, advance a predictable distance based on the club used, and finish in relative safety. However, only one out of every ten shots had that feeling of pure contact. With the wrist roll, a much greater percentage of shots give me that feeling. Contact is more crisp, while the ball flight is higher and much prettier to watch. It also seems to cut down on the number of mis-hits due to hitting the ball fat or thin. My approach shots on holes #8 and #9 come to mind as great examples. The former was with a 7-iron, but I hit it so pure that I flew the green. An 8-iron would have been enough to reach the back pin location. The latter was with the 8-iron.
Calerin is a 9-hole course, which you play twice if you want to complete a full round. A substantially different set of tees are used the second time around, so there's enough variety to keep things interesting. My playing partners had already played nine before I joined them, so I was on my own for my back nine. I've had some good streaks playing alone, so I was looking forward to it. Sure enough, the added focus really helped me get hot. I shot 42 on the back nine, with a birdie, two pars, five bogeys, and a double. The double only came about as a result of a 3-putt.
The birdie was on hole #14, a par-3 measuring 142 yards. I hit one of those pure 9-irons to the front of the green, then drained a 10-footer that found the bottom of the cup. The birdie was sandwiched between a couple of pars. Hole #13 is a par-5 that I played in textbook style. My drive found the left side of the fairway. I hit an easy 5-iron to the fairway centre, leaving 130 yards to the pin. I played to the fat of the green with pitching wedge, then lagged a putt and tapped in. Hole #15 was a satisfying par, since that was the same hole I made triple-bogey on the first time around.
A final score of 91 tied my second best of the year, so this was a good result.
Score: 91
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 3
Penalties: 2
Finding Something at Century Pines
With golf season rapidly coming to a close, I planned a series of rounds in quick succession. The first of these was at Century Pines. Weather was good, and I was fortunate to get paired with a good partner. He was friendly, but not too chatty. More importantly, he moved along the course efficiently. We played as a twosome, which certainly helped. It was a pleasant day, and I was able to focus completely on my game.
During my last couple of rounds, I was experimenting with a particular swing adjustment. I set up with the club face open to the target line, but in line with my left arm. Picture a straight line starting from my left shoulder and extending through my left arm and the shaft of the club. The club face at address would be in line with that. On the backswing, I maintained that open club face. On the downswing, I rotated (or rolled) the wrists to square the club face at impact, then continued to roll over to a closed club face position in the follow through. I thought of nothing else during the swing but that rotation.
At Century Pines, I employed this move consistently, and the results were good. In previous visits to the course, I struggled with the opening tee shot, which features trees and out of bounds left. I often bailed to the opposite fairway on the right side. This time, I used that move to stripe one down the middle of the fairway, with just a hint of draw action. I continued to do the same with the driver for the rest of the round. The results weren't always as great as they were on the first hole, but they were consistently good.
My second shot on hole #1, which is a lengthy par-5, came with the 4-iron. The move I described earlier can be applied to irons, just as with the driver. In this particular case, I failed to close the club face enough during the downswing. At impact, it was still open, resulting in a ball pushed to the right. It landed in a pond and I was forced to take a penalty stroke. I immediately adjusted, and the next shot was a fabulous high 6-iron that sailed across the pond and over a huge tree protecting the right side of the green.
For the remainder of the round, I used that rotating move with my irons to great effect. It produced an excellent approach shot on hole #2, along with a great tee shot on hole #4. I paired it up with a half swing on hole #9 to lay up in front of a creek with my second shot on the par-5. On the back nine, I cracked a wicked 5-iron off the tee on hole #10. The best one may have been a 7-iron off the tee on hole #13, a 150-yard par-3 over water to a pin at the back of the green. On the odd occasion when I missed, it was a slight miss to the right due to the club face not closing quickly enough.
I shot 46 on the front nine, with two pars, four bogeys, and three doubles. A pair of consecutive 3-putts to open the back nine contributed to three double bogeys in a row. I followed with pars on hole #13 and hole #14. Two bad chips near the green on hole #16 led to triple bogey – the only one on the day. I finished the back nine with a score of 49, which was good enough for 95 overall.
Score: 95
Putts: 34
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 2
During my last couple of rounds, I was experimenting with a particular swing adjustment. I set up with the club face open to the target line, but in line with my left arm. Picture a straight line starting from my left shoulder and extending through my left arm and the shaft of the club. The club face at address would be in line with that. On the backswing, I maintained that open club face. On the downswing, I rotated (or rolled) the wrists to square the club face at impact, then continued to roll over to a closed club face position in the follow through. I thought of nothing else during the swing but that rotation.
At Century Pines, I employed this move consistently, and the results were good. In previous visits to the course, I struggled with the opening tee shot, which features trees and out of bounds left. I often bailed to the opposite fairway on the right side. This time, I used that move to stripe one down the middle of the fairway, with just a hint of draw action. I continued to do the same with the driver for the rest of the round. The results weren't always as great as they were on the first hole, but they were consistently good.
My second shot on hole #1, which is a lengthy par-5, came with the 4-iron. The move I described earlier can be applied to irons, just as with the driver. In this particular case, I failed to close the club face enough during the downswing. At impact, it was still open, resulting in a ball pushed to the right. It landed in a pond and I was forced to take a penalty stroke. I immediately adjusted, and the next shot was a fabulous high 6-iron that sailed across the pond and over a huge tree protecting the right side of the green.
For the remainder of the round, I used that rotating move with my irons to great effect. It produced an excellent approach shot on hole #2, along with a great tee shot on hole #4. I paired it up with a half swing on hole #9 to lay up in front of a creek with my second shot on the par-5. On the back nine, I cracked a wicked 5-iron off the tee on hole #10. The best one may have been a 7-iron off the tee on hole #13, a 150-yard par-3 over water to a pin at the back of the green. On the odd occasion when I missed, it was a slight miss to the right due to the club face not closing quickly enough.
I shot 46 on the front nine, with two pars, four bogeys, and three doubles. A pair of consecutive 3-putts to open the back nine contributed to three double bogeys in a row. I followed with pars on hole #13 and hole #14. Two bad chips near the green on hole #16 led to triple bogey – the only one on the day. I finished the back nine with a score of 49, which was good enough for 95 overall.
Score: 95
Putts: 34
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 2
October 21, 2014
Second Crack at Lowville
I often wonder if I would score better if I played the same course repeatedly, as the members at many private clubs do. There's no doubt that increased familiarity with a golf course leads to better decision making. Over time, one learns which areas to avoid at all cost and which ones are more forgiving. One also learns which clubs work best in given situations, and perhaps most importantly, how the greens roll and break. The second of back to back rounds at Lowville Golf Club gave me a rare opportunity to see if a repeat round would produce a better score. As it turned out, I improved my score by nine strokes. Granted, some of that had to do with better weather conditions, but I really felt like the round a day earlier left me feeling much more comfortable on the course.
I like the format I tried in my last post, so I decided to do it again. Here we go.
Worst Shots
5. Hole #11 is a short par-4, measuring 313 yards. After a pretty good tee shot just into the left rough, I hit a sand wedge shot into a greenside bunker. My bunker troubles have been well documented on this blog. My first attempt in the trap was fat and the ball didn't get out. My second attempt was fine, but the damage was done.
4. Hole #6 is another short par-4, at just 295 yards. I played my second shot to the front edge of the green, which was ideal, since you definitely want to be below the hole. I had been putting well so far, but inexplicably, I blasted the uphill putt way past the hole. I failed to make the comebacker, so the result was a 3-putt.
3. Hole #13 is a 150-yard par-3, with out of bounds along the right side. As I was going through my pre-shot routine on the teeing ground, my attention turned to the pace at which I take my practice swing and then my actual swing. It was a dumb thought and I rushed my shot, topping the ball badly with an 8-iron. Yech!
2. Hole #9 almost made my Worst Shots list last time, thanks to a terrible drive attempt off the heel of the club. I guess it was destiny, as this time, I hit basically the same shot, but watched as my ball dribbled into a pond left of the teeing ground. It was a truly terrible shot, as I was forced to hit my third from the tee.
1. Hole #2 was on the Worst Shots list last time, and here it is again. Cue up the instant replay, because there was very little differentiating this tee shot from the last. A huge outside-in swing started things out. I caught the ball on the heel and watched as it dove into the pond directly in front of the teeing ground. Unbelievable.
Best Shots
5. Hole #7 is an uphill par-5. After finding the centre of the fairway with a mediocre drive, I opted to play a half-swing 5-iron to advance the ball. I've been using this shot quite a bit recently, and I like the control it gives me. I advanced the ball perfectly, avoiding OB right and bunkers left, while leaving 100 yards to the flag.
4. Hole #18 was the scene of one of my best shots last time, but it wasn't my initial tee shot. That one failed to carry some intimidating marshland. This time, I aimed further to the right and it worked like a charm. My ball carried the marsh with no trouble, bounced into a hillside, and settled in the fairway centre. Nice.
3. Hole #6 is where I made a terrible lag putt, but my tee shot on the same hole was marvellous. My playing partners hit driver or fairway wood off the tee, which is an aggressive play. I opted for the conservative route with a 5-iron. It was an absolute thing of beauty, travelling straight and rolling downhill a distance of 225 yards.
2. Hole #12 is an uphill par-5 with a couple of valleys to cross en route to the green. I hacked my way up to the side of the green with three shots. After duffing a pitch shot, I made a decent chip, but the ball rolled right to the green collar. No problem, as I made a brilliant uphill putt through the fringe, that curled right into the hole!
1. Hole #8 is one I've described as a devilish par-3. It's only 121yards, but the tee is elevated and it's always windy up there. Behind the shallow green is a steep drop-off, also known as death. In front is a huge bunker. It's all about club selection, and I hit a full 60 degree wedge shot all over the flag, settling 6 feet behind. Take that!
Score: 94
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
I like the format I tried in my last post, so I decided to do it again. Here we go.
Worst Shots
5. Hole #11 is a short par-4, measuring 313 yards. After a pretty good tee shot just into the left rough, I hit a sand wedge shot into a greenside bunker. My bunker troubles have been well documented on this blog. My first attempt in the trap was fat and the ball didn't get out. My second attempt was fine, but the damage was done.
4. Hole #6 is another short par-4, at just 295 yards. I played my second shot to the front edge of the green, which was ideal, since you definitely want to be below the hole. I had been putting well so far, but inexplicably, I blasted the uphill putt way past the hole. I failed to make the comebacker, so the result was a 3-putt.
3. Hole #13 is a 150-yard par-3, with out of bounds along the right side. As I was going through my pre-shot routine on the teeing ground, my attention turned to the pace at which I take my practice swing and then my actual swing. It was a dumb thought and I rushed my shot, topping the ball badly with an 8-iron. Yech!
2. Hole #9 almost made my Worst Shots list last time, thanks to a terrible drive attempt off the heel of the club. I guess it was destiny, as this time, I hit basically the same shot, but watched as my ball dribbled into a pond left of the teeing ground. It was a truly terrible shot, as I was forced to hit my third from the tee.
1. Hole #2 was on the Worst Shots list last time, and here it is again. Cue up the instant replay, because there was very little differentiating this tee shot from the last. A huge outside-in swing started things out. I caught the ball on the heel and watched as it dove into the pond directly in front of the teeing ground. Unbelievable.
Best Shots
5. Hole #7 is an uphill par-5. After finding the centre of the fairway with a mediocre drive, I opted to play a half-swing 5-iron to advance the ball. I've been using this shot quite a bit recently, and I like the control it gives me. I advanced the ball perfectly, avoiding OB right and bunkers left, while leaving 100 yards to the flag.
4. Hole #18 was the scene of one of my best shots last time, but it wasn't my initial tee shot. That one failed to carry some intimidating marshland. This time, I aimed further to the right and it worked like a charm. My ball carried the marsh with no trouble, bounced into a hillside, and settled in the fairway centre. Nice.
3. Hole #6 is where I made a terrible lag putt, but my tee shot on the same hole was marvellous. My playing partners hit driver or fairway wood off the tee, which is an aggressive play. I opted for the conservative route with a 5-iron. It was an absolute thing of beauty, travelling straight and rolling downhill a distance of 225 yards.
2. Hole #12 is an uphill par-5 with a couple of valleys to cross en route to the green. I hacked my way up to the side of the green with three shots. After duffing a pitch shot, I made a decent chip, but the ball rolled right to the green collar. No problem, as I made a brilliant uphill putt through the fringe, that curled right into the hole!
1. Hole #8 is one I've described as a devilish par-3. It's only 121yards, but the tee is elevated and it's always windy up there. Behind the shallow green is a steep drop-off, also known as death. In front is a huge bunker. It's all about club selection, and I hit a full 60 degree wedge shot all over the flag, settling 6 feet behind. Take that!
Score: 94
Putts: 37
Fairways: 5
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
October 20, 2014
Lowville Highs and Lows
With the 2014 season just about done, I headed out to Lowville Golf Club for the first round of a weekend double header. The high was 10 degrees Celsius, but cloud cover and wind gusts made it feel a little worse than that. Considering we're in late October, the weather actually wasn't that bad. What I found more problematic was the fact that I had only one October round under my belt. There were definite signs of rust, especially with the driver. I had one of my poorer results of the season, but I enjoyed myself, so it wasn't all bad. Rather than providing my typical post-round narrative, here's a look at the best and worst shots of the day.
Worst Shots
5. Hole #7 is an uphill par-5. My third shot was just two yards off the back of the green. I sculled a chip attempt clear across the entire green, but my next shot was even worse. I completely duffed the second chip attempt, and still wasn't on the green. It was a bad shot, made worse by the fact it was the second stinker in a row.
4. Hole #4 is also a par-5. My fourth shot was into the green from 107 yards out, in the centre of the fairway. I thinned a shot badly with the heel of the sand wedge. The ball went screaming towards out of bounds, but was kept in by some mounding. Unfortunately, I was in the bushes, needing two more shots to get on the green.
3. Hole #5 is a par-3 that was playing 170 yards. I hit my tee shot fat, but worse would come very soon. From 50 yards out in the rough, I slid right under the ball with the lob wedge. Then, I fluffed another from 30 yards out. Any of those shots could make the list, but the last one gets the pick, due to the cumulative effect.
2. Hole #2 is a par-4 from an elevated tee. I had already messed up my first driver attempt on hole #1, catching the ball off the heel with a terrible outside-in swing. On the second hole, I did the very same thing, but this time I paid a greater penalty, as my ball dove into a pond just in front of the teeing ground.
1. Hole #15 is a 175-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. Shots must carry a valley to the green on the other side. It's only about 90 yards to clear a hazard in the lowest part of the valley, but when you duff a 6-iron, as I did, you're going to find the junk. It was a horrific shot and a horrific hole, as I finished with a 3-putt for a quad.
Best Shots
5. Hole #1 is an uphill par-5 with a highly sloped fairway. After messing up my drive attempt, I was in the left rough short of the fairway. Needing to make up some lost ground, I pulled 5-wood from the bag. I've struggled with the woods recently, but this time I hit a straight and deep shot to the fairway, 145 yards from the hole.
4. Hole #18 is a par-4 featuring a long carry off the tee. After hitting my third from the tee, I found myself in the fairway centre, 180 yards from the flag. Next came an absolutely pure 5-iron that found the centre of the green. Contact was crisp and the flight was a lovely baby draw. These are the shots that keep me going.
3. Hole #9 is a downhill par-4. My drive attempt could have made the Worst Shots list, as I pulled one off the heel, almost 45 degrees left of target. Fortunately, I cleared a pond, settling on the other side of the opposite fairway. Judging distance was near impossible, but I had to be about 230 yards from the flag. I could see the green and hit a cracker of a 5-wood. It was dead straight and high. While in the air, I thought it would land softly right near the pin. As it turned out, it came up about ten yards short, landing in a bunker. Still, it was great.
2. Hole #3 is a basic, 180-yard par-3, which inexplicably ranks as the #1 handicap hole. I hit a picture perfect 5-iron off the tee. Contact was perfect and the ball flight was even better. The ball moved slightly from right to left, directly at the flag. I don't know if it was a draw, or if the wind was responsible. Either way, it was lovely.
1. Hole #2 was the scene of the second-worst shot of the day, but it was also the scene of the best. On the green fringe of this par-4 after five shots, I was just thinking about 2-putting for triple-bogey. I faced an uphill breaking putt of 25 feet. I picked my line, took a stroke, and watched the ball curl smoothly into the centre of the cup!
Score: 103
Putts: 33
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
Worst Shots
5. Hole #7 is an uphill par-5. My third shot was just two yards off the back of the green. I sculled a chip attempt clear across the entire green, but my next shot was even worse. I completely duffed the second chip attempt, and still wasn't on the green. It was a bad shot, made worse by the fact it was the second stinker in a row.
4. Hole #4 is also a par-5. My fourth shot was into the green from 107 yards out, in the centre of the fairway. I thinned a shot badly with the heel of the sand wedge. The ball went screaming towards out of bounds, but was kept in by some mounding. Unfortunately, I was in the bushes, needing two more shots to get on the green.
3. Hole #5 is a par-3 that was playing 170 yards. I hit my tee shot fat, but worse would come very soon. From 50 yards out in the rough, I slid right under the ball with the lob wedge. Then, I fluffed another from 30 yards out. Any of those shots could make the list, but the last one gets the pick, due to the cumulative effect.
2. Hole #2 is a par-4 from an elevated tee. I had already messed up my first driver attempt on hole #1, catching the ball off the heel with a terrible outside-in swing. On the second hole, I did the very same thing, but this time I paid a greater penalty, as my ball dove into a pond just in front of the teeing ground.
1. Hole #15 is a 175-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. Shots must carry a valley to the green on the other side. It's only about 90 yards to clear a hazard in the lowest part of the valley, but when you duff a 6-iron, as I did, you're going to find the junk. It was a horrific shot and a horrific hole, as I finished with a 3-putt for a quad.
Best Shots
5. Hole #1 is an uphill par-5 with a highly sloped fairway. After messing up my drive attempt, I was in the left rough short of the fairway. Needing to make up some lost ground, I pulled 5-wood from the bag. I've struggled with the woods recently, but this time I hit a straight and deep shot to the fairway, 145 yards from the hole.
4. Hole #18 is a par-4 featuring a long carry off the tee. After hitting my third from the tee, I found myself in the fairway centre, 180 yards from the flag. Next came an absolutely pure 5-iron that found the centre of the green. Contact was crisp and the flight was a lovely baby draw. These are the shots that keep me going.
3. Hole #9 is a downhill par-4. My drive attempt could have made the Worst Shots list, as I pulled one off the heel, almost 45 degrees left of target. Fortunately, I cleared a pond, settling on the other side of the opposite fairway. Judging distance was near impossible, but I had to be about 230 yards from the flag. I could see the green and hit a cracker of a 5-wood. It was dead straight and high. While in the air, I thought it would land softly right near the pin. As it turned out, it came up about ten yards short, landing in a bunker. Still, it was great.
2. Hole #3 is a basic, 180-yard par-3, which inexplicably ranks as the #1 handicap hole. I hit a picture perfect 5-iron off the tee. Contact was perfect and the ball flight was even better. The ball moved slightly from right to left, directly at the flag. I don't know if it was a draw, or if the wind was responsible. Either way, it was lovely.
1. Hole #2 was the scene of the second-worst shot of the day, but it was also the scene of the best. On the green fringe of this par-4 after five shots, I was just thinking about 2-putting for triple-bogey. I faced an uphill breaking putt of 25 feet. I picked my line, took a stroke, and watched the ball curl smoothly into the centre of the cup!
Score: 103
Putts: 33
Fairways: 4
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
October 12, 2014
Fall Round at Carlisle
I booked a last minute round for Saturday afternoon at Carlisle Golf Club. I was a little worried about the temperature, but it ended up being a very comfortable day. I also had some concern about finishing before sundown, but we managed to finish with plenty of light to spare. The course was in good condition, although the greens had been aerated recently, which made putting less than ideal.
We began on the South course, which I had not played in ages. I have a good memory for golf courses, but I couldn't remember a single hole. This wasn't really a problem, as virtually all of the holes stretch out before you in plain sight. A bigger problem was the fact that I had not played in almost two weeks. It took a while to get comfortable, both with full shots and with the short game. Arguably, I never got fully comfortable, as I alternated between good and bad shots for the entire round.
Things were shakiest at the start, as I made one bogey and four doubles over the first five holes. On hole #1, a par-4, I was just off the green collar after two shots. Unfortunately, I sculled a chip attempt and left my first putt way short. I went on to 3-putt this hole, as well as #2. I hit a great drive on hole #3, a par-5, leaving just 166 yards to the green on my second shot. I went for it, but a mis-hit trickled into some water fronting the green. After a penalty and drop, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey. A slicing tee shot made hole #4 play harder than it should have, while another poor iron shot from the fairway killed me on hole #5. From 170 yards, I flared the 6-iron badly on this par-4, finding some water on the right side.
The remainder of the South course was a little better, but just barely, as I added two bogeys and two doubles to my scorecard. The first of the bogeys came on hole #6, a par-3, thanks to a 3-putt after a very decent tee shot. A 3-putt was also responsible for bogey on hole #8, a dogleg par-4. I nailed the centre of the fairway with my drive and finished flag high on the right edge of the green after my approach with the gap wedge. Double bogeys came on holes #7 and #9, a par-3 and par-5, respectively. On both occasions, a bad tee shot put me behind the 8-ball early. I did make a nice putt to close out the front 9, however, making the turn with a score of 51.
My first par of the day came on hole #1 of the East course, a straightaway par-5. I hit a good drive, followed by a half-swing 5-iron, leaving 110 yards to the flag. The half-swing is a shot that has been working for me lately; I may have to use it more often. It allows me to keep the ball low with a less lofted club. More importantly, it greatly increases the accuracy of my line of play. I opted for a different strategy from the fairway on hole #2 and it backfired miserably. I slid the lob wedge right under the ball, failing to reach the green. I compounded the problem by duffing a subsequent chip, en route to double bogey.
I finished the last seven holes of the East course on a similar pace as the first two, going 8-over par. Back to back 3-putts on holes #4 and #5 ensured that I wouldn't finish with a terribly good score. On #4, the result was a bogey, after reaching the green in regulation. On #5, the result was a double, after beginning the hole with a sliced drive well right of target. My drives were good again on holes #6 and #7, leading to a bogey and par, respectively. Hole #7 is a challenging par-5, with a fairway that narrows significantly as you get closer to the green. From 200 yards, I hit my second shot well, drawing ever so slightly around a large tree and finishing flag high, just right of the green. After a chip, I left myself an uphill putt of modest length, but I burned the edge.
On the last hole, I pulled my tee shot behind a spruce tree. After chipping back to the fairway, I flared a shot with the gap wedge into a pond right of the green. For fun, I played practice shot from the same location, but this time, it was a half-swing 8-iron. The ball traveled directly on my intended line and settled on the green 12 feet from the pin. Lesson learned? We shall see. I finished with a double-bogey and overall score of 97.
Looking at my stats, what stands out is the fact that I had 40 putts. Aerated greens had a little to do with this, but the truth is I also made some bad putts.
Score: 97
Putts: 40
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 3
We began on the South course, which I had not played in ages. I have a good memory for golf courses, but I couldn't remember a single hole. This wasn't really a problem, as virtually all of the holes stretch out before you in plain sight. A bigger problem was the fact that I had not played in almost two weeks. It took a while to get comfortable, both with full shots and with the short game. Arguably, I never got fully comfortable, as I alternated between good and bad shots for the entire round.
Things were shakiest at the start, as I made one bogey and four doubles over the first five holes. On hole #1, a par-4, I was just off the green collar after two shots. Unfortunately, I sculled a chip attempt and left my first putt way short. I went on to 3-putt this hole, as well as #2. I hit a great drive on hole #3, a par-5, leaving just 166 yards to the green on my second shot. I went for it, but a mis-hit trickled into some water fronting the green. After a penalty and drop, I pitched on and 2-putt for bogey. A slicing tee shot made hole #4 play harder than it should have, while another poor iron shot from the fairway killed me on hole #5. From 170 yards, I flared the 6-iron badly on this par-4, finding some water on the right side.
The remainder of the South course was a little better, but just barely, as I added two bogeys and two doubles to my scorecard. The first of the bogeys came on hole #6, a par-3, thanks to a 3-putt after a very decent tee shot. A 3-putt was also responsible for bogey on hole #8, a dogleg par-4. I nailed the centre of the fairway with my drive and finished flag high on the right edge of the green after my approach with the gap wedge. Double bogeys came on holes #7 and #9, a par-3 and par-5, respectively. On both occasions, a bad tee shot put me behind the 8-ball early. I did make a nice putt to close out the front 9, however, making the turn with a score of 51.
My first par of the day came on hole #1 of the East course, a straightaway par-5. I hit a good drive, followed by a half-swing 5-iron, leaving 110 yards to the flag. The half-swing is a shot that has been working for me lately; I may have to use it more often. It allows me to keep the ball low with a less lofted club. More importantly, it greatly increases the accuracy of my line of play. I opted for a different strategy from the fairway on hole #2 and it backfired miserably. I slid the lob wedge right under the ball, failing to reach the green. I compounded the problem by duffing a subsequent chip, en route to double bogey.
I finished the last seven holes of the East course on a similar pace as the first two, going 8-over par. Back to back 3-putts on holes #4 and #5 ensured that I wouldn't finish with a terribly good score. On #4, the result was a bogey, after reaching the green in regulation. On #5, the result was a double, after beginning the hole with a sliced drive well right of target. My drives were good again on holes #6 and #7, leading to a bogey and par, respectively. Hole #7 is a challenging par-5, with a fairway that narrows significantly as you get closer to the green. From 200 yards, I hit my second shot well, drawing ever so slightly around a large tree and finishing flag high, just right of the green. After a chip, I left myself an uphill putt of modest length, but I burned the edge.
On the last hole, I pulled my tee shot behind a spruce tree. After chipping back to the fairway, I flared a shot with the gap wedge into a pond right of the green. For fun, I played practice shot from the same location, but this time, it was a half-swing 8-iron. The ball traveled directly on my intended line and settled on the green 12 feet from the pin. Lesson learned? We shall see. I finished with a double-bogey and overall score of 97.
Looking at my stats, what stands out is the fact that I had 40 putts. Aerated greens had a little to do with this, but the truth is I also made some bad putts.
Score: 97
Putts: 40
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 3
October 02, 2014
Close to Good at Granite Ridge Ruby
On a quiet, overcast afternoon, I headed out to play the Ruby course at Granite Ridge. What a fun round! I guess it's getting late in the season and everybody feared the weather. I played in blissful solitude, barely coming across any other players on either of the two courses at Granite Ridge. Even a little drizzle over the last couple of holes couldn't spoil the experience. I basically had the entire course to myself – a rare treat.
I started hole #1, a short par-4, with a picture perfect 7-iron, my ball finishing 20 yards past the 150-yard stick in the middle of the fairway. My approach with the pitching wedge would settle in a greenside bunker, but I made a good out and almost saved par. Driver and gap wedge got me safely to the green on hole #2, and this time I made par. I went one better on hole #3, a 173-yard par-3. My 6-iron was just left of the green, but I pitched one right in the cup for birdie! Through three holes, I was even par. Woohoo!
My third shot into the par-5 fourth hole was from just left of the fairway, 135 yards from the flag. I missed the sweet spot and ended up in a bunker fronting the green. I got out safely, but was at the opposite end of the green, resulting in a 3-putt and double-bogey. I had the same result on holes #6 and #7, under different circumstances. On the former, my drive was left of the fairway. I successfully punched a 3-iron under a tree, but the ball rolled right across the entire green into a water hazard. After a penalty and a pitch, two putts closed things out. On the latter, my lob wedge slid under the ball from the right rough on my second shot, with my ball carrying only half the intended distance. My next pitch went a little long, requiring a chip and two putts to finish up. I wrapped up the front nine with a nice par and bogey, for a score of 43 at the turn. I slipped a little after the hot start, but I was on good pace to break 90.
Hole #10 is not overly difficult, but the tee shot looks more intimidating than it really is. The ball must carry a creek directly in front of the teeing ground. However, the creek angles up alongside the entire left side of the hole. The creek bed is wide and full of bushes and other vegetation. I hit a laser, right over a pair of taller trees on the left side of the fairway. When I drove up to the landing area, I found my ball in the middle of the fairway, 130 yards from the flag. What a feeling! I wasted it by finding a bunker with my approach shot, then 3-putting for double-bogey. LOL
Greatness would come, but before that, I needed to endure some horrific play on hole #13. It's been many years since I played the Ruby Course at Granite Ridge and I didn't really have any bad memories of this hole. However, it is easily the toughest hole on the course. A par 5, measuring 527 yards, there is water on the left side for the first half of the hole, and water on the right side for the second half right up to the green. My drive trickled into the left rough, but the lie seemed okay. A miss to the right side would certainly find water, so I played to miss left. As long as I made decent contact, I could carry the remaining water on the left side pretty easily. Unfortunately, contact was poor and I lost a lot of distance. I failed to clear the corner of the left pond by a yard or two. After a penalty and drop, I tried to blast one left of the green from 200 yards with the 5-wood. I topped the ball and it squirted into the right pond. Another penalty and drop. From 130 yards, I flared my approach short and right...into the water again. Another penalty and drop. From 60 yards, I shanked one...into the water again. Another penalty and drop. This time, I got on the green and 2-putt, but that was for a terrible score of 12.
With that bit of nonsense out of the way, I closed out the remaining five holes with a bogey and four consecutive pars! The bogey came on a par-4 after my approach from the fairway was short of the green. A mediocre pitch and 2 putts finished things up. The par on hole #15 was a bit of a gift, as I mis-hit my second shot on this par-4, leaving a 50 yard pitch from very near the out of bounds stakes. The pitch was great, but the ensuing putt for par was even better, especially with a light drizzle now coming down. Over the final three holes, everything was textbook. I hit fairways with the driver and nailed greens with a variety of irons in hand. The drive on hole #18 was especially satisfying, travelling deep and straight. It felt as good as the one on #10, but this time I capitalized on it. The 6-iron into hole #17, a par-3, was also impressive. A pond protects the green short, while out of bounds (and the lovely Greystone Golf Club) loom large on the left side.
In the end, I shot 91, for one of my better scores of the year. Just imagine what could have been without the debacle on hole #13. An 86 surely was in reach. Too bad. This may have been my last round of the year. If it is, I'll finish with my handicap factor at 20.5 – just outside my goal of reaching the teens again. If we're lucky enough to get some nice weather days in October, I may try to play up to three rounds more.
Score: 91
Putts: 34
Fairways: 9
Greens: 5
Penalties: 5
I started hole #1, a short par-4, with a picture perfect 7-iron, my ball finishing 20 yards past the 150-yard stick in the middle of the fairway. My approach with the pitching wedge would settle in a greenside bunker, but I made a good out and almost saved par. Driver and gap wedge got me safely to the green on hole #2, and this time I made par. I went one better on hole #3, a 173-yard par-3. My 6-iron was just left of the green, but I pitched one right in the cup for birdie! Through three holes, I was even par. Woohoo!
My third shot into the par-5 fourth hole was from just left of the fairway, 135 yards from the flag. I missed the sweet spot and ended up in a bunker fronting the green. I got out safely, but was at the opposite end of the green, resulting in a 3-putt and double-bogey. I had the same result on holes #6 and #7, under different circumstances. On the former, my drive was left of the fairway. I successfully punched a 3-iron under a tree, but the ball rolled right across the entire green into a water hazard. After a penalty and a pitch, two putts closed things out. On the latter, my lob wedge slid under the ball from the right rough on my second shot, with my ball carrying only half the intended distance. My next pitch went a little long, requiring a chip and two putts to finish up. I wrapped up the front nine with a nice par and bogey, for a score of 43 at the turn. I slipped a little after the hot start, but I was on good pace to break 90.
Hole #10 is not overly difficult, but the tee shot looks more intimidating than it really is. The ball must carry a creek directly in front of the teeing ground. However, the creek angles up alongside the entire left side of the hole. The creek bed is wide and full of bushes and other vegetation. I hit a laser, right over a pair of taller trees on the left side of the fairway. When I drove up to the landing area, I found my ball in the middle of the fairway, 130 yards from the flag. What a feeling! I wasted it by finding a bunker with my approach shot, then 3-putting for double-bogey. LOL
Greatness would come, but before that, I needed to endure some horrific play on hole #13. It's been many years since I played the Ruby Course at Granite Ridge and I didn't really have any bad memories of this hole. However, it is easily the toughest hole on the course. A par 5, measuring 527 yards, there is water on the left side for the first half of the hole, and water on the right side for the second half right up to the green. My drive trickled into the left rough, but the lie seemed okay. A miss to the right side would certainly find water, so I played to miss left. As long as I made decent contact, I could carry the remaining water on the left side pretty easily. Unfortunately, contact was poor and I lost a lot of distance. I failed to clear the corner of the left pond by a yard or two. After a penalty and drop, I tried to blast one left of the green from 200 yards with the 5-wood. I topped the ball and it squirted into the right pond. Another penalty and drop. From 130 yards, I flared my approach short and right...into the water again. Another penalty and drop. From 60 yards, I shanked one...into the water again. Another penalty and drop. This time, I got on the green and 2-putt, but that was for a terrible score of 12.
With that bit of nonsense out of the way, I closed out the remaining five holes with a bogey and four consecutive pars! The bogey came on a par-4 after my approach from the fairway was short of the green. A mediocre pitch and 2 putts finished things up. The par on hole #15 was a bit of a gift, as I mis-hit my second shot on this par-4, leaving a 50 yard pitch from very near the out of bounds stakes. The pitch was great, but the ensuing putt for par was even better, especially with a light drizzle now coming down. Over the final three holes, everything was textbook. I hit fairways with the driver and nailed greens with a variety of irons in hand. The drive on hole #18 was especially satisfying, travelling deep and straight. It felt as good as the one on #10, but this time I capitalized on it. The 6-iron into hole #17, a par-3, was also impressive. A pond protects the green short, while out of bounds (and the lovely Greystone Golf Club) loom large on the left side.
In the end, I shot 91, for one of my better scores of the year. Just imagine what could have been without the debacle on hole #13. An 86 surely was in reach. Too bad. This may have been my last round of the year. If it is, I'll finish with my handicap factor at 20.5 – just outside my goal of reaching the teens again. If we're lucky enough to get some nice weather days in October, I may try to play up to three rounds more.
Score: 91
Putts: 34
Fairways: 9
Greens: 5
Penalties: 5
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