I played Piper's Heath last month in uncharacteristically mild conditions, but the wind was up to its usual tricks on my most recent visit. It was by no means howling, but there was enough to make you think about club selection and target lines. In my previous visit I played the white tees (6088 yards), while this time I stepped back to the blue tees (6621 yards).
Despite a poor drive and horrific 4-iron to start things out, I managed to make bogey on the opening hole. I was lucky to find my ball in some fescue after the second shot and I took full advantage with a nice lob wedge to the green. My driver and iron shots were better over the next few holes, but I struggled with my short game near the greens. On hole #3, a par-5, my fourth shot from a greenside bunker was picked clean, with the ball ending up in some fescue 30 yards behind the green. I duffed a pair of pitch shots, before chipping one in from off the green just to save double-bogey. On hole #4, I duffed a pitch shot from 30 yards, leading to another double.
Fortunately, I settled down a bit on the remainder of the front nine. I made bogey on hole #5, despite finding a hazard with my tee shot and taking a penalty. I made par on hole #6, followed by a trio of bogeys. There were some mis-hits that resulted in some lost yardage, but nothing catastrophic. The short game came around a little bit, enabling me to limit any damage done. I made the turn with a decent score of 46. I hit five of seven fairways, but no greens in regulation. This turned out to be a sign of things to come.
The back nine was a little more shaky, with trouble coming in different forms. Poorly hit tee shots put me behind the 8-ball on holes #11 and #15. The former is a 205-yard par-3 that was playing longer with the pin tucked at the back of a deep green. I smothered and topped a 5-wood, leaving my ball buried in some fescue, 150 yards from the green. All I could do was hack out to the rough, leaving about 40 yards to the pin. A pitch and two putts earned double-bogey. Hole #15 is a fun par-5, but my drive attempt was fat, travelling almost nowhere. It took an extra shot to reach the green, resulting in another double.
When the driver worked well, other things faltered. I inadvertently opened up the face on my 7-iron attempting to find the green on hole #12. The ball sailed out of bounds, contributing to a triple-bogey. It didn't help that I collected my first 3-putt of the day on the same hole. Another 3-putt on hole #18 produced a double-bogey. On hole #14, it was another failed bunker shot that also resulted in a double. I didn't pick this one clean, but it sailed well past the hole and rolled right off the opposite side of the green. I had a chance to save bogey with an 8-foot putt, but didn't play enough break.
I ended up shooting 51 on the back nine. I hit three of six fairways, but once again, no greens in regulation. All in all, it was a decent effort, but certainly nowhere near my best.
Score: 97
Putts: 33
Fairways: 8
Greens: 0
Penalties: 2
August 30, 2015
August 19, 2015
Staying Away from Banty's Roost
The very first post on this blog, back in 2006, was about a round at Banty's Roost Golf & Country Club. Whether it's deserved or not, the place has always had a bad reputation. The course is frequently referred to as a cow pasture and tales of poor service in the pro shop abound. I've never been a golf snob, so I visited the facility a handful of times in the early and mid 2000s. There was nothing spectacular about the course, to be sure, but I found it more than acceptable and even have some fond memories of playing there with some good friends. For no particular reason though, my last visit there was way back in 2007.
Perhaps feeling some nostalgia, I booked a round there a couple of days ago. What a mistake! The course itself is what it always was – that wasn't really the problem. The issue, frankly, is the type of people the course seems to attract. I got paired up with a married couple and another single player, who shared a cart with me. The single was friendly enough, but he had no clue how to get around the course efficiently. On at least half a dozen occasions, he put his clubs in his bag and walked around to the driver's side of the cart, before realizing that he wasn't the one driving. Back around to the passenger side he went each time. Bizarre.
The really annoying thing about this fellow, however, was his pre-shot routine. He would address the ball and then launch into what I can only describe as an extended shimmy. The only thing missing was the music. I couldn't stand waiting for him to pull the trigger, so I would look away. After a few seconds, I would inevitably look back, only to find he was still dancing with the ball at his feet. On one occasion, he spent 30 seconds practising a hip thrust that would put John Travolta to shame. HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
The lady in the group was no better. Sporting a pair of those arm bands that are popular among some of the LPGA players, she would address the ball and start her swing. Six seconds later, she would reach the quarter point of her backswing. Yes, that's right. At that point, there would be a pause of another six seconds. Then the remainder of the swing would take place over another six seconds. 666? How appropriate. The last part of the swing was downright blistering, compared to the first two portions. And this happened with every shot! Chip shot – same thing. Three foot putt – same thing. HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
OK, with that little rant over I can talk about some actual golf. I was terrible off the tee. I pulled or hooked a bunch of drives. When I tried to adjust, I pushed a couple drives way right. Even on the par-3 holes, I wasn't able to deliver a good tee shot. I hit only one fairway all day. Not surprisingly, I hit zero greens in regulation. It's not that my irons or second shots were bad – it's simply hard to hit greens in regulation when you've been penalized off the tee. I tallied a whopping seven penalty strokes on the day.
Having said that, my putting was amazing. The greens were like putting on shag carpet, but nevertheless, I drained putts often and from distance. It might have been my best putting all year. Consider hole #8 on the Red nine, a par-3 that was playing 202 yards. I topped a 5-wood off the tee, leaving 100 yards to the hole. From there, I hit a nice sand wedge flag high, but about 15 feet left. No problem, as I hit the centre of the cup with a breaking putt. It was my second-last hole of the day and my first par. I went on to par the last hole of the day as well.
Though I only had two pars, I also registered no worse than double-bogey on any hole. I can't say that about every round. Honestly though, I was just glad to get the round over with. After eight years without playing Banty's Roost, I think I had enough to last for at least another eight.
HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
Score: 95
Putts: 31
Fairways: 1
Greens: 0
Penalties: 7
Perhaps feeling some nostalgia, I booked a round there a couple of days ago. What a mistake! The course itself is what it always was – that wasn't really the problem. The issue, frankly, is the type of people the course seems to attract. I got paired up with a married couple and another single player, who shared a cart with me. The single was friendly enough, but he had no clue how to get around the course efficiently. On at least half a dozen occasions, he put his clubs in his bag and walked around to the driver's side of the cart, before realizing that he wasn't the one driving. Back around to the passenger side he went each time. Bizarre.
The really annoying thing about this fellow, however, was his pre-shot routine. He would address the ball and then launch into what I can only describe as an extended shimmy. The only thing missing was the music. I couldn't stand waiting for him to pull the trigger, so I would look away. After a few seconds, I would inevitably look back, only to find he was still dancing with the ball at his feet. On one occasion, he spent 30 seconds practising a hip thrust that would put John Travolta to shame. HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
The lady in the group was no better. Sporting a pair of those arm bands that are popular among some of the LPGA players, she would address the ball and start her swing. Six seconds later, she would reach the quarter point of her backswing. Yes, that's right. At that point, there would be a pause of another six seconds. Then the remainder of the swing would take place over another six seconds. 666? How appropriate. The last part of the swing was downright blistering, compared to the first two portions. And this happened with every shot! Chip shot – same thing. Three foot putt – same thing. HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
OK, with that little rant over I can talk about some actual golf. I was terrible off the tee. I pulled or hooked a bunch of drives. When I tried to adjust, I pushed a couple drives way right. Even on the par-3 holes, I wasn't able to deliver a good tee shot. I hit only one fairway all day. Not surprisingly, I hit zero greens in regulation. It's not that my irons or second shots were bad – it's simply hard to hit greens in regulation when you've been penalized off the tee. I tallied a whopping seven penalty strokes on the day.
Having said that, my putting was amazing. The greens were like putting on shag carpet, but nevertheless, I drained putts often and from distance. It might have been my best putting all year. Consider hole #8 on the Red nine, a par-3 that was playing 202 yards. I topped a 5-wood off the tee, leaving 100 yards to the hole. From there, I hit a nice sand wedge flag high, but about 15 feet left. No problem, as I hit the centre of the cup with a breaking putt. It was my second-last hole of the day and my first par. I went on to par the last hole of the day as well.
Though I only had two pars, I also registered no worse than double-bogey on any hole. I can't say that about every round. Honestly though, I was just glad to get the round over with. After eight years without playing Banty's Roost, I think I had enough to last for at least another eight.
HIT THE BALL, DUDE!
Score: 95
Putts: 31
Fairways: 1
Greens: 0
Penalties: 7
August 10, 2015
Double Delight at Dragon's Fire
A week ago, I posted about my top ten rounds of all time. Number 10 on the list was the round I played just before writing the entry – a tune-up of sorts for an upcoming round on the Deepwoods Tour. Playing at the same course where the Deepwoods event would be held, I shot a very satisfying 86. To be honest, I thought it would hard to replicate that kind of score in competition. Well, the Deepwoods event took place last Sunday and I'm delighted to report that I shot 86 again! It looks like I'll have to update that Top 10 list.
Hole 1 (Par 4) – 295 yards. Perfect 5-wood off the tee to the right centre of the fairway. Easy sand wedge from 90 yards to a pin tucked near the extreme right side of the green. My birdie putt from 10 feet was tracking right to the centre of the hole and stopped on the lip. Par result.
Hole 2 (Par 3) – 170 yards. Playing more like 150 yards, I hooked an 8-iron near the #3 teeing ground. The ball was unplayable in the fescue, so I took a penalty. I bumped a shot near the front pin position, leaving about 12 feet for bogey. Great putt broke to the centre of the hole and stopped on the lip again. Double-bogey.
Hole 3 (Par 4) – 360 yards. 5-wood off the tee was just off the right side of the fairway, but I had an open path to the pin and a good lie. Hooked an 8-iron into the trees left of the green. Penalty stroke and a drop ensued. From there, I pulled my pitch shot a bit, setting up two putts and another double.
Hole 4 (Par 4) – 379 yards. Nice drive to the left side of the fairway, leaving 70 yards to the flag. Lob wedge inexplicably slid right under the ball, despite the tight lie. Now I faced a 35 yard shot with the same club. Carried it past the hole to make sure I cleared a front bunker, then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 5 (Par 4) – 400 yards. Narrowest hole on the course, I pulled one slightly into some long but wispy fescue. Pitched back to the fairway, leaving 100 yards to the flag. Sand wedge was good, but didn't quite reach the hole. Made a nice lag and easy tap-in for bogey.
Hole 6 (Par 4) – 352 yards. Great 5-wood off the tee to the left half of the fairway. 140 yards away and the best possible angle into the green. Pushed it a hair right of the flag, hitting the bank above a bunker and rolling backwards into it. Mediocre sand shot just got out. Putt from the fringe had more break than I thought, leaving a longer bogey putt than I would have liked. Burned the edge and took a double-bogey.
Hole 7 (Par 5) – 463 yards. The hole was playing shorter than listed and I started with a perfect drive right down the pipe. My second shot was a 150-yard 8-iron into the heart of the green. I challenged the hole on the eagle putt, setting up an easy tap-in for birdie.
Hole 8 (Par 5) – 514 yards. This hole was also playing shorter than advertised. My drive was pretty good, but very close to the left edge of the fairway. I was only 210 yards away from the green, but blocked out by some trees. I hit 7-iron and ended up just 30 yards from the green. After a weak chip shot, I 3-putt for bogey. Wasted opportunity.
Hole 9 (Par 3) – 149 yards. All carry over water. No wind at play, so I hit 8-iron to below the hole. The birdie putt was fairly lengthy with quite a bit of left to right break. Burned the edge, leaving a tricky 4-footer from above the hole that I judged perfectly for par.
Hole 10 (Par 4) – 415 yards. Weak slicing drive reached some fescue near a pond on the right side. Took a big hack with the lob wedge and was surprised how clean it came out. From the left edge of the fairway, I hit sand wedge to the front of the green. My second putt was curling to the hole, but wiggled in the opposite direction at the last second. Double-bogey.
Hole 11 (Par 4) – 378 yards. My drive was almost too good on this hole. It's a slight dogleg right and I finished in the left rough, 100 yards from the pin. The ground was bumpy behind my ball and I duffed one a few yards ahead. Second try with the sand wedge got to the green and I 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 12 (Par 3) – 146 yards. Played to miss short and right with the pitching wedge, but hooked it left of the green. I always, always hook this shot for some reason. Luckily, the ball came to rest in an open spot of wispy fescue. I pitched on and almost saved par, but needed a tap-in for bogey.
Hole 13 (Par 5) – 567 yards. A true 3-shotter. I pulled my drive left, managing to bounce over a bunker, but was now blocked out by some trees. I punched a 5-iron about 50 yards to the right fairway. From 210 yards, I had a good angle to the green and opted for 3-iron. That's my 200-yard club, so I wasn't expecting to reach the green. It was a good shot. Nice pitch gave me a chance to save par, but I burned an edge and took bogey instead.
Hole 14 (Par 3) – 186 yards. Mis-hit a 7-iron, coming up 20 yards short of the green. Horrible chip to the front pin location didn't even reach the green. Putting through five feet of fringe, I blasted the ball past the hole, requiring two more putts to finish with a double-bogey. Should have been no worse than bogey.
Hole 15 (Par 4) – 268 yards. A short par-4 that I've reached from the tee before. This time, I eased up on the driver a bit and hit a baby cut to the left side of the green, flag-high. Oh baby! Unfortunately, I had a downhill putt with lots of break. I made a terrific attempt and almost made it. Tap-in gave me a birdie!
Hole 16 (Par 5) – 523 yards. Controlled drive to the left side of the fairway started things out. Next, a 5-wood that I sort of sliced, stopping 25 yards short of the green. A fabulous pitch to a back pin location left an uphill 6-footer that I drained for my second birdie in a row!
Hole 17 (Par 3) – 122 yards. Another carry over water, much like hole #9. This one was much shorter, but the pin was tucked way right in the most dangerous position. Water wraps around 3 sides of the green there. Ignoring the pin position, I hit a solid gap wedge to the centre of the green. I had perfect weight on the long lag, but saw break where there was none. Got robbed on my par putt, which was a great read, and settled for a 3-putt bogey.
Hole 18 (Par 5) – Beautiful drive down the centre of the fairway. I had 170 yards to the flag, which was at the front of the green. A 6-iron was hit well, but leaked to the right side, where there is a large pond. The ball barely got over, stopping on the bank near the water's edge. A decent pitch carried past the hole, but I used 2 putts to take par.
With 40 putts in total, it seems like I putted terribly. In fact, this was one of my better putting performances. I was knocking the ball close from distance with regularity. It's just that none of them dropped for me. I must have had 6 balls stop on the edge of the lip. If not for that, this could have been even more special.
Score: 86
Putts: 40
Fairways: 10
Greens: 7
Penalties: 2
Hole 1 (Par 4) – 295 yards. Perfect 5-wood off the tee to the right centre of the fairway. Easy sand wedge from 90 yards to a pin tucked near the extreme right side of the green. My birdie putt from 10 feet was tracking right to the centre of the hole and stopped on the lip. Par result.
Hole 2 (Par 3) – 170 yards. Playing more like 150 yards, I hooked an 8-iron near the #3 teeing ground. The ball was unplayable in the fescue, so I took a penalty. I bumped a shot near the front pin position, leaving about 12 feet for bogey. Great putt broke to the centre of the hole and stopped on the lip again. Double-bogey.
Hole 3 (Par 4) – 360 yards. 5-wood off the tee was just off the right side of the fairway, but I had an open path to the pin and a good lie. Hooked an 8-iron into the trees left of the green. Penalty stroke and a drop ensued. From there, I pulled my pitch shot a bit, setting up two putts and another double.
Hole 4 (Par 4) – 379 yards. Nice drive to the left side of the fairway, leaving 70 yards to the flag. Lob wedge inexplicably slid right under the ball, despite the tight lie. Now I faced a 35 yard shot with the same club. Carried it past the hole to make sure I cleared a front bunker, then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 5 (Par 4) – 400 yards. Narrowest hole on the course, I pulled one slightly into some long but wispy fescue. Pitched back to the fairway, leaving 100 yards to the flag. Sand wedge was good, but didn't quite reach the hole. Made a nice lag and easy tap-in for bogey.
Hole 6 (Par 4) – 352 yards. Great 5-wood off the tee to the left half of the fairway. 140 yards away and the best possible angle into the green. Pushed it a hair right of the flag, hitting the bank above a bunker and rolling backwards into it. Mediocre sand shot just got out. Putt from the fringe had more break than I thought, leaving a longer bogey putt than I would have liked. Burned the edge and took a double-bogey.
Hole 7 (Par 5) – 463 yards. The hole was playing shorter than listed and I started with a perfect drive right down the pipe. My second shot was a 150-yard 8-iron into the heart of the green. I challenged the hole on the eagle putt, setting up an easy tap-in for birdie.
Hole 8 (Par 5) – 514 yards. This hole was also playing shorter than advertised. My drive was pretty good, but very close to the left edge of the fairway. I was only 210 yards away from the green, but blocked out by some trees. I hit 7-iron and ended up just 30 yards from the green. After a weak chip shot, I 3-putt for bogey. Wasted opportunity.
Hole 9 (Par 3) – 149 yards. All carry over water. No wind at play, so I hit 8-iron to below the hole. The birdie putt was fairly lengthy with quite a bit of left to right break. Burned the edge, leaving a tricky 4-footer from above the hole that I judged perfectly for par.
Hole 10 (Par 4) – 415 yards. Weak slicing drive reached some fescue near a pond on the right side. Took a big hack with the lob wedge and was surprised how clean it came out. From the left edge of the fairway, I hit sand wedge to the front of the green. My second putt was curling to the hole, but wiggled in the opposite direction at the last second. Double-bogey.
Hole 11 (Par 4) – 378 yards. My drive was almost too good on this hole. It's a slight dogleg right and I finished in the left rough, 100 yards from the pin. The ground was bumpy behind my ball and I duffed one a few yards ahead. Second try with the sand wedge got to the green and I 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 12 (Par 3) – 146 yards. Played to miss short and right with the pitching wedge, but hooked it left of the green. I always, always hook this shot for some reason. Luckily, the ball came to rest in an open spot of wispy fescue. I pitched on and almost saved par, but needed a tap-in for bogey.
Hole 13 (Par 5) – 567 yards. A true 3-shotter. I pulled my drive left, managing to bounce over a bunker, but was now blocked out by some trees. I punched a 5-iron about 50 yards to the right fairway. From 210 yards, I had a good angle to the green and opted for 3-iron. That's my 200-yard club, so I wasn't expecting to reach the green. It was a good shot. Nice pitch gave me a chance to save par, but I burned an edge and took bogey instead.
Hole 14 (Par 3) – 186 yards. Mis-hit a 7-iron, coming up 20 yards short of the green. Horrible chip to the front pin location didn't even reach the green. Putting through five feet of fringe, I blasted the ball past the hole, requiring two more putts to finish with a double-bogey. Should have been no worse than bogey.
Hole 15 (Par 4) – 268 yards. A short par-4 that I've reached from the tee before. This time, I eased up on the driver a bit and hit a baby cut to the left side of the green, flag-high. Oh baby! Unfortunately, I had a downhill putt with lots of break. I made a terrific attempt and almost made it. Tap-in gave me a birdie!
Hole 16 (Par 5) – 523 yards. Controlled drive to the left side of the fairway started things out. Next, a 5-wood that I sort of sliced, stopping 25 yards short of the green. A fabulous pitch to a back pin location left an uphill 6-footer that I drained for my second birdie in a row!
Hole 17 (Par 3) – 122 yards. Another carry over water, much like hole #9. This one was much shorter, but the pin was tucked way right in the most dangerous position. Water wraps around 3 sides of the green there. Ignoring the pin position, I hit a solid gap wedge to the centre of the green. I had perfect weight on the long lag, but saw break where there was none. Got robbed on my par putt, which was a great read, and settled for a 3-putt bogey.
Hole 18 (Par 5) – Beautiful drive down the centre of the fairway. I had 170 yards to the flag, which was at the front of the green. A 6-iron was hit well, but leaked to the right side, where there is a large pond. The ball barely got over, stopping on the bank near the water's edge. A decent pitch carried past the hole, but I used 2 putts to take par.
With 40 putts in total, it seems like I putted terribly. In fact, this was one of my better putting performances. I was knocking the ball close from distance with regularity. It's just that none of them dropped for me. I must have had 6 balls stop on the edge of the lip. If not for that, this could have been even more special.
Score: 86
Putts: 40
Fairways: 10
Greens: 7
Penalties: 2
August 07, 2015
Coincidence at Century Pines
I showed up as a single at Century Pines and got paired up with another player. As soon as he saw me, he said, “Hey, I played with you last year.” Searching my memory, I realized he was right. We played together last season at the very same course, under similar circumstances. While I didn't remember his name, I did recall he was pretty good company. He actually remembered where I had worked and some other details of the small talk we exchanged during our first meeting. Pretty remarkable!
Anyway, I started the round with a bogey on the opening par-5. I flared my drive to the opposite fairway, but played a fabulous second shot to get back in position. My approach into the green was a bit short, setting up a chip and two putts. I got more shaky over the next three holes, recording two double-bogeys and a triple. I was missing driver and iron shots in all sorts of ways. There were slices, hooks and balls caught thin. While chipping and putting weren't terrible, they weren't helping either.
The next eight holes were played in nine over par, so I settled down somewhat. That little run consisted of one par, five bogeys, and two doubles. Despite the improvement, I was doing a lot of scrambling. On hole #6, I drove the ball to the opposite fairway. Only a great 7-iron over some tall trees got me back in position. On hole #7, a par-3, I hit a poor tee shot, but was lucky to find a greenside bunker. I made a really nice out from the sand. On #8, my drive was in the trees. I punched a low bullet through a chute and found the putting surface. On #9, a par-5, I finally hit a good drive and followed up with a good layup. Then I thinned a pitching wedge into a greenside bunker and had some difficulty getting out, resulting in a double-bogey. On hole #10, I missed a makeable par putt.
The wheels fell off again on holes #13 and #14. The former is a 155-yard par-3 over water. I hit a 7-iron dead straight, but missed the sweet spot of the club face, resulting in a loss of distance. After taking a penalty stroke for losing my ball in the hazard, I limped in with a triple-bogey. The latter is a 475-yard par-5 with a dogleg left. I sliced my drive clear past the opposite fairway, under some trees. I hit a great punched 4-iron that was destined to put me back in position, but the ball smacked a utility cover – the kind that protude about four feet out of the ground. Terrible luck! Worse still, I ended up behind a tree, with no follow through possible. Later on, I pushed a ball into a marsh. It was bad. I finished with a score of 9 for the hole.
And with that bit of nonsense out of the way, I finished the last four holes in fine form, including back-to-back pars on holes #15 and #16. The latter is the toughest hole on the course, even though it is rated the #2 handicap. You have to be precise with your drive to set up a shot into the green on this par-4. A creek meanders across the fairway leading up to the green and along the left side, while the right side is a large pond. If your drive is on the left half of the fairway, there are trees that block you out. I hit a good 5-wood to the centre of the fairway, followed by a nice 7-iron, pin high, left of the green. A pitch and putt made it look easy.
My final score was 99. Whew! I definitely flirted with disaster there. I'm not too concerned; it had been nearly two weeks since my last round, so I was a little rusty. I'll be ready for my next round, which is in a couple of days on the Deepwoods Tour.
Score: 99
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
Anyway, I started the round with a bogey on the opening par-5. I flared my drive to the opposite fairway, but played a fabulous second shot to get back in position. My approach into the green was a bit short, setting up a chip and two putts. I got more shaky over the next three holes, recording two double-bogeys and a triple. I was missing driver and iron shots in all sorts of ways. There were slices, hooks and balls caught thin. While chipping and putting weren't terrible, they weren't helping either.
The next eight holes were played in nine over par, so I settled down somewhat. That little run consisted of one par, five bogeys, and two doubles. Despite the improvement, I was doing a lot of scrambling. On hole #6, I drove the ball to the opposite fairway. Only a great 7-iron over some tall trees got me back in position. On hole #7, a par-3, I hit a poor tee shot, but was lucky to find a greenside bunker. I made a really nice out from the sand. On #8, my drive was in the trees. I punched a low bullet through a chute and found the putting surface. On #9, a par-5, I finally hit a good drive and followed up with a good layup. Then I thinned a pitching wedge into a greenside bunker and had some difficulty getting out, resulting in a double-bogey. On hole #10, I missed a makeable par putt.
The wheels fell off again on holes #13 and #14. The former is a 155-yard par-3 over water. I hit a 7-iron dead straight, but missed the sweet spot of the club face, resulting in a loss of distance. After taking a penalty stroke for losing my ball in the hazard, I limped in with a triple-bogey. The latter is a 475-yard par-5 with a dogleg left. I sliced my drive clear past the opposite fairway, under some trees. I hit a great punched 4-iron that was destined to put me back in position, but the ball smacked a utility cover – the kind that protude about four feet out of the ground. Terrible luck! Worse still, I ended up behind a tree, with no follow through possible. Later on, I pushed a ball into a marsh. It was bad. I finished with a score of 9 for the hole.
And with that bit of nonsense out of the way, I finished the last four holes in fine form, including back-to-back pars on holes #15 and #16. The latter is the toughest hole on the course, even though it is rated the #2 handicap. You have to be precise with your drive to set up a shot into the green on this par-4. A creek meanders across the fairway leading up to the green and along the left side, while the right side is a large pond. If your drive is on the left half of the fairway, there are trees that block you out. I hit a good 5-wood to the centre of the fairway, followed by a nice 7-iron, pin high, left of the green. A pitch and putt made it look easy.
My final score was 99. Whew! I definitely flirted with disaster there. I'm not too concerned; it had been nearly two weeks since my last round, so I was a little rusty. I'll be ready for my next round, which is in a couple of days on the Deepwoods Tour.
Score: 99
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
July 30, 2015
My Top 10 Rounds of All Time
My last round was a pretty good one, which got me thinking about the current state of my game. It occurred to me that three of my best rounds of all time have occurred over the last 20 rounds or so. That's encouraging and it inspired me to recap my top rounds of all time. So here we go, starting with #10 and counting down to #1.
Edit on July 6, 2017: I had some good rounds after I wrote this post, so I decided to go back and update it. The result is now my Top 12, plus a bunch of honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
Wolf Run (May 2016) – 86 (14 over)
An early season round in 2016. I decided to add this one only because the score was the same as the next few rounds on the list. Those performances were special at the time, but they've been knocked out of the Top 10 by better results. 85 or better is the new mark of excellence.
Bradford Highlands (June 2016) – 86 (14 over)
Much like the previous round on this list, I'm including this one because it produced a score that would have been among my best not too long before it was played. While some of the magic may now be absent with a score of 86, this was a controlled round and my personal best at Bradford Highlands.
Dragon's Fire (July 2015) – 86 (14 over)
This was a recent round, played by myself on a scorcher of a day. The fact that I survived the heat was almost as impressive as the result. A score of 40 on the opening nine was close to my best ever, but I slipped a little on the back nine. On a positive note, I had no worse than double-bogey on any single hole.
Dragon's Fire (August 2015) – 86 (14 over)
Just a week after the previously listed round, I returned to Dragon's Fire for a Deepwoods event. The result was the exact same score, but this visit has to rank a little higher, since it was registered in competition. I had my share of double bogeys, but three birdies provided a welcome offset, including one where I drove the green on a par-4.
Kleinburg (Sept 2007) – 85 (14 over)
This one brings back memories of some good times. Sadly, the course no longer exists – a victim of the GTA real estate market. It's hard to believe I went this low back then, or maybe just shocking that I haven't been in this range very often since. It was a pretty clean scorecard, with only one double-bogey and one triple.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (June 2010) – 85 (14 over)
This took place on day 2 of a major event on the GTA Amateur Tour. I shot 96 a day earlier, so it was a substantial improvement. In control of all facets of the game, I scored no worse than double-bogey on any single hole. There were three of those, all on the back nine. Osprey Valley's courses remain among my favourite in the GTA.
The Top 12
# 12 – Scenic Woods (Oct 2014) – 85 (13 over)
Another recent round that makes the list. This was my first ever visit to the golf course and it was late October, so I wasn't expecting much. I started hot, with three pars over the first four holes. I was shooting 40 at the turn, then slipped just a bit on the back nine. Three double-bogeys were the only blemish on a nice scorecard.
# 11 – Scenic Woods (Oct 2015) – 85 (13 over)
Only my second visit to the course, exactly one year after #12 on this list. I lucked out with the weather, though it was fairly windy. The great thing about this round was consistency. I had only one double-bogey, to go along with 11 bogey and 6 pars. If some really close putts go down, this round would be near #1.
# 10 – Scenic Woods (May 2016) -- 85 (13 over)
What is going on with Scenic Woods? This was my third ever visit to the course. Three visits, three scores of 85. There's nothing particularly easy about the course, except perhaps the first couple of holes. It's hard to differentiate between the three rounds played there, but the edge goes to the most recent.
# 9 – Scenic Woods (July 2016) – 85 (13 over)
Given the variety of courses that I play, it's amazing that Scenic Woods features so prominently on this list. Four visits, four scores of 85. This round began with a 38 on the opening nine, matching my best ever. Deep into the round, I began thinking about a personal best. Alas, I tensed up a bit and "dropped back" to my familiar score.
# 8 – Lochness Links (Sept 2009) – 85 (13 over)
Formerly (and currently) known as Hunters Pointe, it was Lochness Links when I played this round. 45 on the front nine was good but not great. It was the back nine 40 that turned this into something special. I'll always remember this round as the first time I beat my friend Linley – an extremely rare occurrence.
# 7 – Copetown Woods (May 2015) – 84 (12 over)
Another recent round and another appearance of a Deepwoods Golf Association event. I actually began this round with a triple-bogey and registered another on hole #8. Despite that, I still shot 40 on the opening nine. My putter was especially on fire. A couple breaks here or there and this could have been even better.
# 6 – Lakeview (Jul 2017) – 83 (12 over)
My first visit to this course in over nine years! I stayed out of trouble, collecting only one penalty stroke all day. I hit a good number of fairways and kept my misses very close. Same thing with my irons on approach shots into greens. Putting was solid on some pretty sloped greens.
# 5 – Carlisle (Sep 2009) – 83 (11 over)
A week after the Lochness Links round (#8 above) I went two strokes better with this performance at Carlisle. I shot 43 on the North nine, followed by an excellent 40 on the East nine. It was the second time I beat Linley and it happened back-to-back. Unbelievable, as I only beat him 3 times ever over many, many rounds.
# 4 – Willow Valley (Sep 2011) – 83 (11 over)
Another Deepwoods event. This one was notable because I was having a terrible season when this result came out of the blue. Little did I know that a couple of grim years would soon follow. I shot 44 on the front nine, which was okay. Then I caught fire for a back nine score of 39, including a par, birdie, par finish.
# 3 – Granite Ridge Cobalt (Oct 2008) – 82 (10 over)
Wow, this was a long time ago. Nine pars, eight bogeys, and one double for a really clean scorecard. I only hit four fairways, but was on 12 greens in regulation. I stayed out of trouble with the driver and was chasing flags all day. Putting was mediocre or this might have been the time I broke 80.
# 2 – Deer Creek South (July 2007) – 81 (10 over)
The oldest round on the list and also one that brings back great memories. Amazing that this happened back then. I was playing with The Unreliables – a group of guys I joined up with when I first started playing regularly. 38 on the front nine is still my best ever, I think. That included three birdies. I wasn't keeping track of my total score, or I would have realized that bogey on the final hole would produce a score of 79. As it was, I made a triple-bogey. LOL!
# 1 – BraeBen (Sep 2016) – 78 (6 over)
Magnificent doesn't even come close to describing this special round. It took a long time, but I shattered my previous best and also broke 80 for the first time. A glorious front nine, with seven pars and two bogeys. One of those bogeys should have been another par, as I collected an untimely 3-putt. I survived a double-bogey on the back nine, along with two more bogeys. Amazingly, my best score ever came without making a single birdie! What a game.
Edit on July 6, 2017: I had some good rounds after I wrote this post, so I decided to go back and update it. The result is now my Top 12, plus a bunch of honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
Wolf Run (May 2016) – 86 (14 over)
An early season round in 2016. I decided to add this one only because the score was the same as the next few rounds on the list. Those performances were special at the time, but they've been knocked out of the Top 10 by better results. 85 or better is the new mark of excellence.
Bradford Highlands (June 2016) – 86 (14 over)
Much like the previous round on this list, I'm including this one because it produced a score that would have been among my best not too long before it was played. While some of the magic may now be absent with a score of 86, this was a controlled round and my personal best at Bradford Highlands.
Dragon's Fire (July 2015) – 86 (14 over)
This was a recent round, played by myself on a scorcher of a day. The fact that I survived the heat was almost as impressive as the result. A score of 40 on the opening nine was close to my best ever, but I slipped a little on the back nine. On a positive note, I had no worse than double-bogey on any single hole.
Dragon's Fire (August 2015) – 86 (14 over)
Just a week after the previously listed round, I returned to Dragon's Fire for a Deepwoods event. The result was the exact same score, but this visit has to rank a little higher, since it was registered in competition. I had my share of double bogeys, but three birdies provided a welcome offset, including one where I drove the green on a par-4.
Kleinburg (Sept 2007) – 85 (14 over)
This one brings back memories of some good times. Sadly, the course no longer exists – a victim of the GTA real estate market. It's hard to believe I went this low back then, or maybe just shocking that I haven't been in this range very often since. It was a pretty clean scorecard, with only one double-bogey and one triple.
Osprey Valley Heathlands (June 2010) – 85 (14 over)
This took place on day 2 of a major event on the GTA Amateur Tour. I shot 96 a day earlier, so it was a substantial improvement. In control of all facets of the game, I scored no worse than double-bogey on any single hole. There were three of those, all on the back nine. Osprey Valley's courses remain among my favourite in the GTA.
The Top 12
# 12 – Scenic Woods (Oct 2014) – 85 (13 over)
Another recent round that makes the list. This was my first ever visit to the golf course and it was late October, so I wasn't expecting much. I started hot, with three pars over the first four holes. I was shooting 40 at the turn, then slipped just a bit on the back nine. Three double-bogeys were the only blemish on a nice scorecard.
# 11 – Scenic Woods (Oct 2015) – 85 (13 over)
Only my second visit to the course, exactly one year after #12 on this list. I lucked out with the weather, though it was fairly windy. The great thing about this round was consistency. I had only one double-bogey, to go along with 11 bogey and 6 pars. If some really close putts go down, this round would be near #1.
# 10 – Scenic Woods (May 2016) -- 85 (13 over)
What is going on with Scenic Woods? This was my third ever visit to the course. Three visits, three scores of 85. There's nothing particularly easy about the course, except perhaps the first couple of holes. It's hard to differentiate between the three rounds played there, but the edge goes to the most recent.
# 9 – Scenic Woods (July 2016) – 85 (13 over)
Given the variety of courses that I play, it's amazing that Scenic Woods features so prominently on this list. Four visits, four scores of 85. This round began with a 38 on the opening nine, matching my best ever. Deep into the round, I began thinking about a personal best. Alas, I tensed up a bit and "dropped back" to my familiar score.
# 8 – Lochness Links (Sept 2009) – 85 (13 over)
Formerly (and currently) known as Hunters Pointe, it was Lochness Links when I played this round. 45 on the front nine was good but not great. It was the back nine 40 that turned this into something special. I'll always remember this round as the first time I beat my friend Linley – an extremely rare occurrence.
# 7 – Copetown Woods (May 2015) – 84 (12 over)
Another recent round and another appearance of a Deepwoods Golf Association event. I actually began this round with a triple-bogey and registered another on hole #8. Despite that, I still shot 40 on the opening nine. My putter was especially on fire. A couple breaks here or there and this could have been even better.
# 6 – Lakeview (Jul 2017) – 83 (12 over)
My first visit to this course in over nine years! I stayed out of trouble, collecting only one penalty stroke all day. I hit a good number of fairways and kept my misses very close. Same thing with my irons on approach shots into greens. Putting was solid on some pretty sloped greens.
# 5 – Carlisle (Sep 2009) – 83 (11 over)
A week after the Lochness Links round (#8 above) I went two strokes better with this performance at Carlisle. I shot 43 on the North nine, followed by an excellent 40 on the East nine. It was the second time I beat Linley and it happened back-to-back. Unbelievable, as I only beat him 3 times ever over many, many rounds.
# 4 – Willow Valley (Sep 2011) – 83 (11 over)
Another Deepwoods event. This one was notable because I was having a terrible season when this result came out of the blue. Little did I know that a couple of grim years would soon follow. I shot 44 on the front nine, which was okay. Then I caught fire for a back nine score of 39, including a par, birdie, par finish.
# 3 – Granite Ridge Cobalt (Oct 2008) – 82 (10 over)
Wow, this was a long time ago. Nine pars, eight bogeys, and one double for a really clean scorecard. I only hit four fairways, but was on 12 greens in regulation. I stayed out of trouble with the driver and was chasing flags all day. Putting was mediocre or this might have been the time I broke 80.
# 2 – Deer Creek South (July 2007) – 81 (10 over)
The oldest round on the list and also one that brings back great memories. Amazing that this happened back then. I was playing with The Unreliables – a group of guys I joined up with when I first started playing regularly. 38 on the front nine is still my best ever, I think. That included three birdies. I wasn't keeping track of my total score, or I would have realized that bogey on the final hole would produce a score of 79. As it was, I made a triple-bogey. LOL!
# 1 – BraeBen (Sep 2016) – 78 (6 over)
Magnificent doesn't even come close to describing this special round. It took a long time, but I shattered my previous best and also broke 80 for the first time. A glorious front nine, with seven pars and two bogeys. One of those bogeys should have been another par, as I collected an untimely 3-putt. I survived a double-bogey on the back nine, along with two more bogeys. Amazingly, my best score ever came without making a single birdie! What a game.
July 28, 2015
Hell of a Round at Dragon's Fire
Hell of a round. Does that mean it was bad or good? You know an expression is lousy when it has two meanings – each the exact opposite of the other. In this case, it was a good round. It was my second score in the eighties this season – just two strokes off my best of the year. There were plenty of good shots, which I'll get to in a moment. On the other hand, it was not a great round in terms of the weather conditions. I felt like I was walking through hell, as the temperature reached 33 degrees Celsius, feeling like 37 with the humidex. I suppose it was appropriate, given that I was playing a course called Dragon's Fire. I held up pretty well in the heat, which is to say there was no puking and no migraines. I drank lots of water, paced myself throughout, and rested in the shade for a good 40 minutes after the round.
Hole 1 (Par 4) – 295 yards. Perfect 5-wood off the tee to the centre fairway. Lob wedge from 80 yards bounced on the green and trickled off the left edge. Downhill chip with lots of green to work with finished 9 feet below the hole. Inside right edge putt that I judged perfectly for par!
Hole 2 (Par 3) – 170 yards. Playing more like 160 yards, I hooked a 7-iron near the #3 teeing ground. Good lie and stance, I pitched one with the lob wedge about 30 yards, releasing 10 feet past the hole. I missed the par putt just right, settling for bogey.
Hole 3 (Par 4) – 360 yards. Horrible tee shot with the driver, a smother hook that trickled into the trees left. All I could do was chip sideways to the centre of the fairway. 160 yards from the flag, I hooked a 7-iron again. This time, the trees spit it out, albeit into a greenside bunker. A good out and 2 putts finished for double-bogey.
Hole 4 (Par 4) – 379 yards. High, straight drive over the tree hedge that juts in on the right side. Walk up, expecting to find my ball in the fairway just past the trees. It was in the fairway alright, 65 yards from the green! Oh baby, a 315-yard drive! Next, a lob wedge slides right under the ball, advancing only half the intended distance. No idea how that happens off a tight lie on a firm, dry fairway. I chipped on with an 8-iron, then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 5 (Par 4) – 400 yards. Best drive I ever hit on this hole – Nick Faldo would call it a 2-yard draw. It went up the right centre of the fairway, finishing right beside the 100-yard stick. Oh baby, a 300-yard drive! Perfect sand wedge was right on line, finishing 12 feet below the hole. Good birdie attempt, but no dice. Par result.
Hole 6 (Par 4) – 352 yards. Great 5-wood off the tee to the left half of the fairway. 130 yards away and the best possible angle into the green. Lovely gap wedge shot just right of the flag, sets up legitimate birdie chance. I didn't play enough break on the 10-footer, leaving a 2-footer that I made for par.
Hole 7 (Par 5) – 463 yards. Once again, I hit the 2-yard draw with the driver. Tee shot is slightly uphill, so I only got 290 yards out of this one, but right in the fairway. Went for the green in two, with a 6-iron. Good contact, but slightly left, finishing in a greenside bunker. Good out and 2-putt for a well-earned par, my third in a row.
Hole 8 (Par 5) – 514 yards. Another 290-yard drive, this time to the right edge of the fairway. Crisp 4-iron was a thing of beauty, leaving 40 yards to the green. An accurate lob wedge sticks near the flag, inside 5 feet. Straight putt from directly below the hole drops for birdie!
Hole 9 (Par 3) – 149 yards. All carry over water. Was playing closer to 160 yards, so I opted for 7-iron. It was a perfect line, but a hair fat. Luckily carried the water and faced an uphill chip to the green. The slope kicked my chip further right than I expected, resulting in a 2-putt and bogey.
Hole 10 (Par 4) – 415 yards. Weak slicing drive meant I had 200 yards left to the green from just inside the right rough. Beautiful lie though, so I went for it with 3-iron. Nice shot, but trickled into a greenside bunker on the right. Excellent out and 2-putt on a sloped section of the green saved bogey.
Hole 11 (Par 4) – 378 yards. High cut drive travelled 290-yards to the centre of the fairway. I was drooling over the green with lob wedge in hand. Oh no, I thinned it through some trees on the left, finishing flag high but on #6 fairway. Punched a 6-iron low, trying to bump a mound just in front of the green. The ball carried about 2 yards too much, clipping the mound, but rolling off the other side of the green. Uphill chip, with lots of green to work with and a great lie – the kind where pros get up and down (at least) 100% of the time. My chip was a little short and I just missed the first putt, taking a double-bogey. Should have been better after that drive!
Hole 12 (Par 3) – 146 yards. Played to miss short and right with the pitching wedge, but hooked it to a bunker in front of the green. Absolutely beautiful bunker shot followed, flying right to the hole and stopping dead within 5 feet. Inside right edge putt drained for an up and down par!
Hole 13 (Par 5) – 567 yards. A true 3-shotter. Beautiful straight drive to the right centre of the fairway. Had a 5-iron in hand, but replaced it with the 4 when I saw I was on a bit of an up-slope. Great contact, but a little left of target. It took two bounces and dove into a cluster of trees. Ball unplayable, so I took my first penalty of the day. Only able to see the right edge of the green, so I tried to hook a low one in. It stayed straight, ending just off the right side of the green. A pitch and two putts closed things out with a double-bogey. Unfortunate.
Hole 14 (Par 3) – 186 yards. Pulled a 6-iron slightly, catching the lip of a bunker near the green. If it gets over the lip, I'm in some tame rough with lots of green to work with. As such, I hit one fat in the bunker, failing to get out. My next one gets out, but squirts left, trickling off the green. A great chip and tap-in for another double-bogey.
Hole 15 (Par 4) – 268 yards. A short par-4 that I've reached from the tee before. This time, the drive flares right, into a wooded area that plays as a lateral hazard. After a penalty stroke and drop, I hit a high lob wedge from 85 yards that finishes flag high at the back of the green. I drained the 12-footer for par!
Hole 16 (Par 5) – 523 yards. Controlled drive to the left side of the fairway started things out. Next, a laser-like 4-iron sails over some bunkers, setting up a great angle into the green, just 75 yards away. The lob wedge looked good, but drifted right and kicked further right after a bounce. A decent chip and putt almost saved par, but I needed a tap-in for bogey.
Hole 17 (Par 3) – 122 yards. Another carry over water, much like hole #9. This one was much shorter, but the pin was tucked way right in the most dangerous position. Water wraps around 3 sides of the green there. Ignoring the pin position, I hit a solid gap wedge to the extreme left side of the green. Next, I 3-putt from 100 feet away. Bogey.
Hole 18 (Par 5) – Driver failed, slicing right into a water hazard. It didn't quite reach the water, but a search on the banks of the pond turned up nothing. Penalty stroke and drop, followed by a lovely 7-iron, leaving just 60 yards to the flag. Lob wedge got me there and 2 putts finished up for another bogey.
Despite the great result, my handicap factor went up by two tenths. That's because a nice 85 from late last season at Scenic Woods came off my scoring record. Oh well. I feel good. I'll be back at Dragon's Fire in less than two weeks for a Deepwoods event. Will need a similar result to stay alive in the championship.
Score: 86
Putts: 32
Fairways: 9
Greens: 5
Penalties:3
Hole 1 (Par 4) – 295 yards. Perfect 5-wood off the tee to the centre fairway. Lob wedge from 80 yards bounced on the green and trickled off the left edge. Downhill chip with lots of green to work with finished 9 feet below the hole. Inside right edge putt that I judged perfectly for par!
Hole 2 (Par 3) – 170 yards. Playing more like 160 yards, I hooked a 7-iron near the #3 teeing ground. Good lie and stance, I pitched one with the lob wedge about 30 yards, releasing 10 feet past the hole. I missed the par putt just right, settling for bogey.
Hole 3 (Par 4) – 360 yards. Horrible tee shot with the driver, a smother hook that trickled into the trees left. All I could do was chip sideways to the centre of the fairway. 160 yards from the flag, I hooked a 7-iron again. This time, the trees spit it out, albeit into a greenside bunker. A good out and 2 putts finished for double-bogey.
Hole 4 (Par 4) – 379 yards. High, straight drive over the tree hedge that juts in on the right side. Walk up, expecting to find my ball in the fairway just past the trees. It was in the fairway alright, 65 yards from the green! Oh baby, a 315-yard drive! Next, a lob wedge slides right under the ball, advancing only half the intended distance. No idea how that happens off a tight lie on a firm, dry fairway. I chipped on with an 8-iron, then 2-putt for bogey.
Hole 5 (Par 4) – 400 yards. Best drive I ever hit on this hole – Nick Faldo would call it a 2-yard draw. It went up the right centre of the fairway, finishing right beside the 100-yard stick. Oh baby, a 300-yard drive! Perfect sand wedge was right on line, finishing 12 feet below the hole. Good birdie attempt, but no dice. Par result.
Hole 6 (Par 4) – 352 yards. Great 5-wood off the tee to the left half of the fairway. 130 yards away and the best possible angle into the green. Lovely gap wedge shot just right of the flag, sets up legitimate birdie chance. I didn't play enough break on the 10-footer, leaving a 2-footer that I made for par.
Hole 7 (Par 5) – 463 yards. Once again, I hit the 2-yard draw with the driver. Tee shot is slightly uphill, so I only got 290 yards out of this one, but right in the fairway. Went for the green in two, with a 6-iron. Good contact, but slightly left, finishing in a greenside bunker. Good out and 2-putt for a well-earned par, my third in a row.
Hole 8 (Par 5) – 514 yards. Another 290-yard drive, this time to the right edge of the fairway. Crisp 4-iron was a thing of beauty, leaving 40 yards to the green. An accurate lob wedge sticks near the flag, inside 5 feet. Straight putt from directly below the hole drops for birdie!
Hole 9 (Par 3) – 149 yards. All carry over water. Was playing closer to 160 yards, so I opted for 7-iron. It was a perfect line, but a hair fat. Luckily carried the water and faced an uphill chip to the green. The slope kicked my chip further right than I expected, resulting in a 2-putt and bogey.
Hole 10 (Par 4) – 415 yards. Weak slicing drive meant I had 200 yards left to the green from just inside the right rough. Beautiful lie though, so I went for it with 3-iron. Nice shot, but trickled into a greenside bunker on the right. Excellent out and 2-putt on a sloped section of the green saved bogey.
Hole 11 (Par 4) – 378 yards. High cut drive travelled 290-yards to the centre of the fairway. I was drooling over the green with lob wedge in hand. Oh no, I thinned it through some trees on the left, finishing flag high but on #6 fairway. Punched a 6-iron low, trying to bump a mound just in front of the green. The ball carried about 2 yards too much, clipping the mound, but rolling off the other side of the green. Uphill chip, with lots of green to work with and a great lie – the kind where pros get up and down (at least) 100% of the time. My chip was a little short and I just missed the first putt, taking a double-bogey. Should have been better after that drive!
Hole 12 (Par 3) – 146 yards. Played to miss short and right with the pitching wedge, but hooked it to a bunker in front of the green. Absolutely beautiful bunker shot followed, flying right to the hole and stopping dead within 5 feet. Inside right edge putt drained for an up and down par!
Hole 13 (Par 5) – 567 yards. A true 3-shotter. Beautiful straight drive to the right centre of the fairway. Had a 5-iron in hand, but replaced it with the 4 when I saw I was on a bit of an up-slope. Great contact, but a little left of target. It took two bounces and dove into a cluster of trees. Ball unplayable, so I took my first penalty of the day. Only able to see the right edge of the green, so I tried to hook a low one in. It stayed straight, ending just off the right side of the green. A pitch and two putts closed things out with a double-bogey. Unfortunate.
Hole 14 (Par 3) – 186 yards. Pulled a 6-iron slightly, catching the lip of a bunker near the green. If it gets over the lip, I'm in some tame rough with lots of green to work with. As such, I hit one fat in the bunker, failing to get out. My next one gets out, but squirts left, trickling off the green. A great chip and tap-in for another double-bogey.
Hole 15 (Par 4) – 268 yards. A short par-4 that I've reached from the tee before. This time, the drive flares right, into a wooded area that plays as a lateral hazard. After a penalty stroke and drop, I hit a high lob wedge from 85 yards that finishes flag high at the back of the green. I drained the 12-footer for par!
Hole 16 (Par 5) – 523 yards. Controlled drive to the left side of the fairway started things out. Next, a laser-like 4-iron sails over some bunkers, setting up a great angle into the green, just 75 yards away. The lob wedge looked good, but drifted right and kicked further right after a bounce. A decent chip and putt almost saved par, but I needed a tap-in for bogey.
Hole 17 (Par 3) – 122 yards. Another carry over water, much like hole #9. This one was much shorter, but the pin was tucked way right in the most dangerous position. Water wraps around 3 sides of the green there. Ignoring the pin position, I hit a solid gap wedge to the extreme left side of the green. Next, I 3-putt from 100 feet away. Bogey.
Hole 18 (Par 5) – Driver failed, slicing right into a water hazard. It didn't quite reach the water, but a search on the banks of the pond turned up nothing. Penalty stroke and drop, followed by a lovely 7-iron, leaving just 60 yards to the flag. Lob wedge got me there and 2 putts finished up for another bogey.
Despite the great result, my handicap factor went up by two tenths. That's because a nice 85 from late last season at Scenic Woods came off my scoring record. Oh well. I feel good. I'll be back at Dragon's Fire in less than two weeks for a Deepwoods event. Will need a similar result to stay alive in the championship.
Score: 86
Putts: 32
Fairways: 9
Greens: 5
Penalties:3
July 24, 2015
Great Day, Terrible Game
After 15 consecutive rounds under 100, I was feeling like triple digits were no longer in my future. My last round above the century mark was the season opener at King's Forest Golf Club. I was prepared to overlook that one, given that I hadn't touched a club in a full six months. Over the last half of the 2014 season, excursions into triple digit territory were also rare, and when they happened, I topped 100 by just a stroke or two. I convinced myself that shooting 101 is really like shooting 99, so nothing to worry about too much.
Then out of the blue, I scored well into the 100's at my latest round. It was a beautiful day at Ussher's Creek, which is part of Legends on the Niagara. The sun was out, but it was a comfortable temperature. There were very few people on the course and I played by myself. A threesome let me through on hole #3 and a twosome did the same on hole #12. The course was in good shape and ripe for the picking. I played two thirds of the round (12 holes) at my typical bogey pace. This included a birdie, nine bogeys and two doubles. Unfortunately, I added six blowup holes – three on the front nine and three on the back.
Early on, my driving was the problem. I was pulling everything left. In a couple cases, I got away with it, but other times it led to penalty strokes. On hole #6, a par-4 that borders a lake from tee to green, I put three consecutive balls in the water. Driver, 5-iron, gap wedge – it didn't matter. They all found a way to get wet. I took a score of 10 on that hole alone. On hole #8, a tough 445-yard par-4, good decision making went unrewarded. My drive finished in the left rough, 200 yards from the flag. I had the 5-wood in my hands, but when I saw the fescue covered mound directly in front of me, I decided to hit 7-iron short of the green and try my luck at pitching and putting. I was worried that if I topped or thinned the 5-wood trying to reach the green, I could end up in a horrible spot. Well of course, I hit the 7-iron fat and barely cleared the mound, ending up in a bunker, still 160 yards from the green. It was that kind of day. I finished the hole with a triple -bogey.
After hitting zero fairways on the front nine, I began the back nine with a laser of a drive on hole #10. From 170 yards, I hooked a 6-iron slightly, finding a hazard short and left of the green. A poor chip and 3-putt didn't help matters, as I finished with a quadruple-bogey. At this point, I still believed I could rescue a sub-100 round, but hole #11 made that next to impossible. To be frank, the hole is not very fair. The green is wide, but extremely shallow, and fronted by Ussher's Creek, which you must carry on your approach. When I say fronted, I really mean fronted. The creek is nestled right up against the green. The only safe place is long of the green.
I was 150 yards from the flag – a situation where I would usually hit 8-iron. I opted for 7-iron to be safe. I hit it right over the flag. The ball appeared to bounce on the back of the green or perhaps just beyond, so I was happy. When I walked up to the green, I found my ball a full 20 yards behind the green. What? I couldn't believe it. OK, I went ahead and pitched on with the lob wedge. I hit a perfect shot. It went up high in the air, bounced in the rough about a yard or two before the green and trickled on – BUT, it kept going and rolled right off the shallow green and into the bloody creek! Are you kidding me? Penalty stroke, a chip and two putts for triple-bogey.
I strung together five bogeys and a double on holes #12 through #17 – a decent stretch, but not good enough to overcome the blowup holes I already registered. Sitting at 100 even, I finished with another quadruple-bogey on hole #18. This hole is very much like #11, with the creek fronting (and I really mean fronting) the green. I hit the drive low on the face, barely reaching the fairway. A layup to 140 yards allowed me to go into the green with a full 9-iron (or 8-iron to be safe). I chose 8-iron and duffed it to just in front of the creek. Whew! At least I didn't go in. No problem, that happened on my next shot – a complete duff with the lob wedge. On a tight fairway lie, that happens sometimes. My sixth shot was over the green and a great chip and putt actually limited the damage.
Oh man, what a downer! Look at the penalties!
Score: 108
Putts: 36
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 10
Then out of the blue, I scored well into the 100's at my latest round. It was a beautiful day at Ussher's Creek, which is part of Legends on the Niagara. The sun was out, but it was a comfortable temperature. There were very few people on the course and I played by myself. A threesome let me through on hole #3 and a twosome did the same on hole #12. The course was in good shape and ripe for the picking. I played two thirds of the round (12 holes) at my typical bogey pace. This included a birdie, nine bogeys and two doubles. Unfortunately, I added six blowup holes – three on the front nine and three on the back.
Early on, my driving was the problem. I was pulling everything left. In a couple cases, I got away with it, but other times it led to penalty strokes. On hole #6, a par-4 that borders a lake from tee to green, I put three consecutive balls in the water. Driver, 5-iron, gap wedge – it didn't matter. They all found a way to get wet. I took a score of 10 on that hole alone. On hole #8, a tough 445-yard par-4, good decision making went unrewarded. My drive finished in the left rough, 200 yards from the flag. I had the 5-wood in my hands, but when I saw the fescue covered mound directly in front of me, I decided to hit 7-iron short of the green and try my luck at pitching and putting. I was worried that if I topped or thinned the 5-wood trying to reach the green, I could end up in a horrible spot. Well of course, I hit the 7-iron fat and barely cleared the mound, ending up in a bunker, still 160 yards from the green. It was that kind of day. I finished the hole with a triple -bogey.
After hitting zero fairways on the front nine, I began the back nine with a laser of a drive on hole #10. From 170 yards, I hooked a 6-iron slightly, finding a hazard short and left of the green. A poor chip and 3-putt didn't help matters, as I finished with a quadruple-bogey. At this point, I still believed I could rescue a sub-100 round, but hole #11 made that next to impossible. To be frank, the hole is not very fair. The green is wide, but extremely shallow, and fronted by Ussher's Creek, which you must carry on your approach. When I say fronted, I really mean fronted. The creek is nestled right up against the green. The only safe place is long of the green.
I was 150 yards from the flag – a situation where I would usually hit 8-iron. I opted for 7-iron to be safe. I hit it right over the flag. The ball appeared to bounce on the back of the green or perhaps just beyond, so I was happy. When I walked up to the green, I found my ball a full 20 yards behind the green. What? I couldn't believe it. OK, I went ahead and pitched on with the lob wedge. I hit a perfect shot. It went up high in the air, bounced in the rough about a yard or two before the green and trickled on – BUT, it kept going and rolled right off the shallow green and into the bloody creek! Are you kidding me? Penalty stroke, a chip and two putts for triple-bogey.
I strung together five bogeys and a double on holes #12 through #17 – a decent stretch, but not good enough to overcome the blowup holes I already registered. Sitting at 100 even, I finished with another quadruple-bogey on hole #18. This hole is very much like #11, with the creek fronting (and I really mean fronting) the green. I hit the drive low on the face, barely reaching the fairway. A layup to 140 yards allowed me to go into the green with a full 9-iron (or 8-iron to be safe). I chose 8-iron and duffed it to just in front of the creek. Whew! At least I didn't go in. No problem, that happened on my next shot – a complete duff with the lob wedge. On a tight fairway lie, that happens sometimes. My sixth shot was over the green and a great chip and putt actually limited the damage.
Oh man, what a downer! Look at the penalties!
Score: 108
Putts: 36
Fairways: 3
Greens: 2
Penalties: 10
July 20, 2015
Frustrating Moments in Deepwoods Event
Round 2 of the Deepwoods championship was played under hot and humid conditions at Willow Valley Golf Club. I maxed out my point total in Round 1 and was playing with some co-leaders who had done the same. If the first hole was any indication, this was going to be a good round. I pounded a drive to the right fairway on this 340-yard par-4, leaving 75 yards to the green. Lob wedge hit the heart of the green, followed by a birdie attempt that just missed and an easy tap-in for par.
Hole #2 was the only one that presented a problem that has been plaguing me severely – bunkers. My drive was a few yards in the right rough and my 7-iron approach just a couple yards left into a bunker near the pin. I haven't had a chance to practice in the bunker physically, but I have been watching videos and reading tips in an effort to identify my problem. None of that helped, as I once again picked the ball out clean, going over the other side of the green. After a good pitch, I 2-putt for double-bogey.
I maintained bogey pace over the next six holes, with a par, four bogeys and a double. The par came on hole #8, a baby par-3 at just 105 yards. The double also came on a par-3, but one that was a little more testy at 170 yards. I pulled my tee shot slightly left and had to hit out of deep fescue. I was controlling things pretty well during this stretch. I had an errant drive, a topped second ball on a par-5 and a fluffed chip mixed in, but recovered well with an accurate punch, lofted iron, or steady putter.
The first frustrating part of the round started on hole #9 and culminated on hole #11. On the first of these, I hit a drive low off the club head and failed to carry a pond. Hitting three from the tee, I finished with a hard earned double-bogey. OK, nothing too terrible there. On hole #10, I wasted a good tee shot to the left fairway with a terrible iron and a bad pitch en route to another double. On hole #11, a par-5, I wasted a brilliant drive that was straight and deep. I had just 200 yards to the green from the middle of the fairway and I topped a 5-wood miserably. The club received a little toss in disgust. A terrible chip near the green brought more disgust and a wedge slammed into the ground. I soon recorded my third consecutive double-bogey.
The club toss and slam released the frustration and I played brilliantly over the next six holes. This included four pars and two bogeys. The first of these pars was on hole #12, a 365-yard par-4. I went driver, 8-iron into the heart of the green, followed by a lengthy lag and tap-in. The next par was a beautiful save on hole #14, an awkward par-4 that doglegs sharply to the right around a pond, with out of bounds along the entire left side. I'm never quite sure what to do with the tee shot. I tried a 5-wood over the edge of the pond, but sliced it into the water. Taking a penalty and drop at 170 yards from the green, I hit a beautiful 6-iron all over the flag that stopped quickly on the narrow section of green. Then I calmly drained a 12-footer for the par. The two remaining pars came back-to-back on holes #16 and #17, a par-5 and par-3 respectively.
Now came the second and final moment of frustration during the round. As well as I played over the previous six holes, my playing partners were also playing great. I knew that I was a few points behind them because of the trouble I had on holes #9 - #11. In addition, some clouds had rolled in and some thunder could be heard just to the west. In retrospect, I panicked a bit. I wanted to get the last hole in before any lightning appeared. But just at that moment, the group ahead of mine, which wasn't part of Deepwoods, decided to take ages looking for balls in the fescue. They went forward and backward three or four times near the landing zone, while we waited to tee off.
When I finally hit the ball, I pulled one left of the fairway, on an up-slope. It shouldn't have been a real problem, but an uneven stance and the rough combined to ruin my 7-iron attempt. The ball squirted forward just a few yards. Now I had a worse stance, with the ball well below my feet and still in the rough. Another duff ensued and I was still 230 yards from the green. The 7-iron was the object of my second club toss of the day. Next, I blasted a 3-wood 50 yards right of the green, but had a clear opening to the flag. I came up short with the lob wedge, then duffed another, en route to a quadruple-bogey 9. The wedge received a slam into the ground for the second time on the day.
I was focused on Deepwoods points and finished with 34 out of a possible 40. If I had just played the last hole calmly, I might have earned 36, which is actually pretty good. My playing partners earned 40 and 38 respectively, but focusing on them probably cost me a couple points. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the run to the championship. Also, the final hole blowup turned a likely 89 into a more typical 92. It actually ties my second best score ever at Willow Valley, but I expected more. Maybe not the 83 I shot in 2011, but sub-90 for sure.
Score: 92
Putts: 35
Fairways: 8
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
Hole #2 was the only one that presented a problem that has been plaguing me severely – bunkers. My drive was a few yards in the right rough and my 7-iron approach just a couple yards left into a bunker near the pin. I haven't had a chance to practice in the bunker physically, but I have been watching videos and reading tips in an effort to identify my problem. None of that helped, as I once again picked the ball out clean, going over the other side of the green. After a good pitch, I 2-putt for double-bogey.
I maintained bogey pace over the next six holes, with a par, four bogeys and a double. The par came on hole #8, a baby par-3 at just 105 yards. The double also came on a par-3, but one that was a little more testy at 170 yards. I pulled my tee shot slightly left and had to hit out of deep fescue. I was controlling things pretty well during this stretch. I had an errant drive, a topped second ball on a par-5 and a fluffed chip mixed in, but recovered well with an accurate punch, lofted iron, or steady putter.
The first frustrating part of the round started on hole #9 and culminated on hole #11. On the first of these, I hit a drive low off the club head and failed to carry a pond. Hitting three from the tee, I finished with a hard earned double-bogey. OK, nothing too terrible there. On hole #10, I wasted a good tee shot to the left fairway with a terrible iron and a bad pitch en route to another double. On hole #11, a par-5, I wasted a brilliant drive that was straight and deep. I had just 200 yards to the green from the middle of the fairway and I topped a 5-wood miserably. The club received a little toss in disgust. A terrible chip near the green brought more disgust and a wedge slammed into the ground. I soon recorded my third consecutive double-bogey.
The club toss and slam released the frustration and I played brilliantly over the next six holes. This included four pars and two bogeys. The first of these pars was on hole #12, a 365-yard par-4. I went driver, 8-iron into the heart of the green, followed by a lengthy lag and tap-in. The next par was a beautiful save on hole #14, an awkward par-4 that doglegs sharply to the right around a pond, with out of bounds along the entire left side. I'm never quite sure what to do with the tee shot. I tried a 5-wood over the edge of the pond, but sliced it into the water. Taking a penalty and drop at 170 yards from the green, I hit a beautiful 6-iron all over the flag that stopped quickly on the narrow section of green. Then I calmly drained a 12-footer for the par. The two remaining pars came back-to-back on holes #16 and #17, a par-5 and par-3 respectively.
Now came the second and final moment of frustration during the round. As well as I played over the previous six holes, my playing partners were also playing great. I knew that I was a few points behind them because of the trouble I had on holes #9 - #11. In addition, some clouds had rolled in and some thunder could be heard just to the west. In retrospect, I panicked a bit. I wanted to get the last hole in before any lightning appeared. But just at that moment, the group ahead of mine, which wasn't part of Deepwoods, decided to take ages looking for balls in the fescue. They went forward and backward three or four times near the landing zone, while we waited to tee off.
When I finally hit the ball, I pulled one left of the fairway, on an up-slope. It shouldn't have been a real problem, but an uneven stance and the rough combined to ruin my 7-iron attempt. The ball squirted forward just a few yards. Now I had a worse stance, with the ball well below my feet and still in the rough. Another duff ensued and I was still 230 yards from the green. The 7-iron was the object of my second club toss of the day. Next, I blasted a 3-wood 50 yards right of the green, but had a clear opening to the flag. I came up short with the lob wedge, then duffed another, en route to a quadruple-bogey 9. The wedge received a slam into the ground for the second time on the day.
I was focused on Deepwoods points and finished with 34 out of a possible 40. If I had just played the last hole calmly, I might have earned 36, which is actually pretty good. My playing partners earned 40 and 38 respectively, but focusing on them probably cost me a couple points. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the run to the championship. Also, the final hole blowup turned a likely 89 into a more typical 92. It actually ties my second best score ever at Willow Valley, but I expected more. Maybe not the 83 I shot in 2011, but sub-90 for sure.
Score: 92
Putts: 35
Fairways: 8
Greens: 6
Penalties: 2
July 18, 2015
Regular Result at Twenty Valley
I teed off a half hour before noon for my latest round at Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club. It was a brilliant day with lots of sunshine, but never more than about 22 degrees Celsius. There was nothing but a gentle breeze from time to time, making the conditions absolutely perfect for golf.
I made par on the opening par-5, but it was the way I did it that was interesting. My drive started on the left side of the fairway and smacked a lone, large tree squarely on the trunk. If it got past the tree, the ball would have travelled another 50 yards. Instead, it bounced backwards 50 yards! From way back on the the left side of the fairway, I hit a high 5-wood to the right edge of the fairway, 148 yards from the green. Some overhanging branches from a large tree were partially blocking me out, but I hoisted an 8-iron right over them and right at the flag. Pin high and 10 feet away, I made a really nice putt that just missed for birdie.
I smacked a similar tree off the tee on hole #2, forcing a layup on my second shot of this par-4. Unfortunately, from 50 yards away, I pulled one into a greenside bunker. There was little green to work with, so a good out from the hazard rolled off the other side of the putting surface. Thankfully, I managed to get up and down to salvage double-bogey. I sorted out my driver over the next few holes and really for the remainder of the round. The drive on hole #3 was especially good, as my ball came to rest 5 yards behind a creek that crosses the fairway. You couldn't walk down and place the ball in a better spot. My main thought with the driver was just to be fluid during the transition from backswing to downswing. With this in mind, I rattled off three bogeys and a par.
Hole #7 is a 152-yard par-3 over water. For no particular reason, I hit a terrible 8-iron off the tee. It was a low hook that didn't clear the pond. After a penalty stroke and drop, my wedge shot drifted right into a greenside bunker. There's no question about it – I am terrible at bunker shots right now. I am doing something really wrong, but I'm not sure what it is. This one wasn't horrific, but it carried further than I wanted and rolled off the green – right into another bunker! Of course, I hit the next one fat, barely getting out of the bunker. A decent chip put me within seven feet, but of course, I burn the edge. When you play a hole poorly, it seems you never get the benefit of that last putt to save a stroke. As it was, I carded an 8 on the hole!
Two more bogeys closed out the front nine with a score of 47. So really, I had just one bad hole on the front, but that's all it takes. Instead of something like a 43, which would be on pace for a mid eighties score, I'm in the high forties, on pace for the mid nineties.
The first six holes of the back nine were played in 5 over par. That included one double-bogey, four bogeys and a birdie! The birdie was on hole #11, a 344-yard par-4. Driver, gap wedge got me pin high, but 20 feet right of the flag. The approach was similar to the one on the first hole, as I hoisted it over a large tree, but this time it was from the left side of the fairway. The birdie putt was lengthy, but I judged the speed and subtle break perfectly. It was the second 20-footer in a row, as I had just drained one on the previous hole to save bogey. Greenside bunker problems once again put me in the position where I needed that putt badly.
Perhaps my best shot of the day was my tee shot on hole #13, the #1 handicap hole on the course. It plays 180 yards into this par-3 from the blue tees. A creek crosses in front of the green, with a huge slope up to a plateau on which the green sits. Trees pinch in near the creek on both sides. It plays a lot longer than the posted yardage, because of the green elevation. I opted for an easy 5-wood and it came off really pure. It popped off the club face and sailed high and right on line. It ended up a couple yards off the back of the green, but that's okay. With a better chip, I could have made par, but bogey ain't bad.
I had a disaster hole on the front nine, so it stands to reason that I was due for one on the back. It came on hole #16, a 200-yard par-3. You might think with that length that I had trouble with my tee shot, but that wasn't the case. I hit my tee shot flag high, just off the left side of the green. The ball was a bit below my feet and I had to flop over the edge of a bunker to reach the pin. The lie in the rough seemed okay, though the grass was a little sparse. What did I do? I sculled the shot like a real idiot – right into a bunker on the other side! Oh man, these bunkers are killing me in multiple ways. After a poor out that didn't reach the green, I made a good chip, but (here it is again) I missed the 6-foot putt to finish with a triple-bogey 6. Those poor holes always end with a missed putt from a makeable range.
At the end of the day, I shot a typical 95. Two bad holes (both were par-3) represented 14 of those strokes. Everything else was pretty good. I know I sound like a broken record, but I should really be a mid eighties shooter. Shaking my head.
Score: 95
Putts: 35
Fairways: 6
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
I made par on the opening par-5, but it was the way I did it that was interesting. My drive started on the left side of the fairway and smacked a lone, large tree squarely on the trunk. If it got past the tree, the ball would have travelled another 50 yards. Instead, it bounced backwards 50 yards! From way back on the the left side of the fairway, I hit a high 5-wood to the right edge of the fairway, 148 yards from the green. Some overhanging branches from a large tree were partially blocking me out, but I hoisted an 8-iron right over them and right at the flag. Pin high and 10 feet away, I made a really nice putt that just missed for birdie.
I smacked a similar tree off the tee on hole #2, forcing a layup on my second shot of this par-4. Unfortunately, from 50 yards away, I pulled one into a greenside bunker. There was little green to work with, so a good out from the hazard rolled off the other side of the putting surface. Thankfully, I managed to get up and down to salvage double-bogey. I sorted out my driver over the next few holes and really for the remainder of the round. The drive on hole #3 was especially good, as my ball came to rest 5 yards behind a creek that crosses the fairway. You couldn't walk down and place the ball in a better spot. My main thought with the driver was just to be fluid during the transition from backswing to downswing. With this in mind, I rattled off three bogeys and a par.
Hole #7 is a 152-yard par-3 over water. For no particular reason, I hit a terrible 8-iron off the tee. It was a low hook that didn't clear the pond. After a penalty stroke and drop, my wedge shot drifted right into a greenside bunker. There's no question about it – I am terrible at bunker shots right now. I am doing something really wrong, but I'm not sure what it is. This one wasn't horrific, but it carried further than I wanted and rolled off the green – right into another bunker! Of course, I hit the next one fat, barely getting out of the bunker. A decent chip put me within seven feet, but of course, I burn the edge. When you play a hole poorly, it seems you never get the benefit of that last putt to save a stroke. As it was, I carded an 8 on the hole!
Two more bogeys closed out the front nine with a score of 47. So really, I had just one bad hole on the front, but that's all it takes. Instead of something like a 43, which would be on pace for a mid eighties score, I'm in the high forties, on pace for the mid nineties.
The first six holes of the back nine were played in 5 over par. That included one double-bogey, four bogeys and a birdie! The birdie was on hole #11, a 344-yard par-4. Driver, gap wedge got me pin high, but 20 feet right of the flag. The approach was similar to the one on the first hole, as I hoisted it over a large tree, but this time it was from the left side of the fairway. The birdie putt was lengthy, but I judged the speed and subtle break perfectly. It was the second 20-footer in a row, as I had just drained one on the previous hole to save bogey. Greenside bunker problems once again put me in the position where I needed that putt badly.
Perhaps my best shot of the day was my tee shot on hole #13, the #1 handicap hole on the course. It plays 180 yards into this par-3 from the blue tees. A creek crosses in front of the green, with a huge slope up to a plateau on which the green sits. Trees pinch in near the creek on both sides. It plays a lot longer than the posted yardage, because of the green elevation. I opted for an easy 5-wood and it came off really pure. It popped off the club face and sailed high and right on line. It ended up a couple yards off the back of the green, but that's okay. With a better chip, I could have made par, but bogey ain't bad.
I had a disaster hole on the front nine, so it stands to reason that I was due for one on the back. It came on hole #16, a 200-yard par-3. You might think with that length that I had trouble with my tee shot, but that wasn't the case. I hit my tee shot flag high, just off the left side of the green. The ball was a bit below my feet and I had to flop over the edge of a bunker to reach the pin. The lie in the rough seemed okay, though the grass was a little sparse. What did I do? I sculled the shot like a real idiot – right into a bunker on the other side! Oh man, these bunkers are killing me in multiple ways. After a poor out that didn't reach the green, I made a good chip, but (here it is again) I missed the 6-foot putt to finish with a triple-bogey 6. Those poor holes always end with a missed putt from a makeable range.
At the end of the day, I shot a typical 95. Two bad holes (both were par-3) represented 14 of those strokes. Everything else was pretty good. I know I sound like a broken record, but I should really be a mid eighties shooter. Shaking my head.
Score: 95
Putts: 35
Fairways: 6
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
July 13, 2015
Piper's Spieth
I've played at Piper's Heath Golf Club a fair number of times, but not since 2010. It's a very nice course, so I was anxious to finally go back. Having watched Jordan Spieth repeat as champion at the John Deere Classic just a day earlier, I tried to envision myself as “Piper's Spieth” at the Milton area layout. Spieth and I have just about nothing in common, so that's a real stretch of the imagination, but a guy can dream, right?
I teed off in the early morning and the course was in fantastic condition. The only blemish on the course was the fact that they had just laid down some top dressing on the greens. They were still fast, but nobody likes putting through sand. Oh well, it was just bad timing. The weather was ideal. In previous visits to Piper's Heath, I have been pelted by rain and pushed around by massive wind gusts. On this occasion, there was nothing but sunshine and an occasional breeze.
I made par right out of the gate with a driver, 9-iron combo to the first green, along with two putts. This was followed by my worst hole of the day, a quadruple bogey. Conscious of a marsh on the left side of this par-4, I flared my drive to the right rough, behind a large mound. A good wedge got me right beside the 100-yard stick. Next, my sand wedge was pin high, but in a bunker right. I picked it clean (aargh), flying well past the green and now I was short sided, with the green falling away from me. My pitch shot landed near the flag, but the slope and quick green caused the ball to roll all the way into the bunker again. My sixth shot was a great out from the sand, leaving me 7 feet below the hole. Unfortunately, I burned the edge of the putt and carded an 8.
Another bunker gave me trouble on hole #3, but this was of the fairway variety. After two shots on this par-5, I was 65 yards from the green, but on the beach. I completely duffed the shot, just barely popping the ball out to the lip. With a huge side hill lie and poor stance, I propelled one up to a greenside bunker. I made a nice out, but my ball released on the fast green and rolled down to a collection area behind the green. Piper's Heath has a lot of raised greens, with closely mown areas around. You can try to putt from the low spots, but chipping might be better. This time, I tried the putter and it wasn't great. I finished with triple bogey.
The rest of the front nine was fine, as I played six holes in 5 over par. It would have been better if I had a better sense of the greens' speed. A 3-putt on hole #5 turned a certain bogey into a double. I just blew the ball past on my par attempt. Hole #6 produced par, though it should have been birdie. This was a 131-yard par 3 that began with a good gap wedge. My birdie putt was on a perfect line, but it had too much speed. The ball hit the back edge of the cup, dead centre, before popping over the other side. Hole #8 was another par-3 that I reached in regulation. Again, I rolled my first putt well past the hole, leading to a 3-putt and bogey. After a shaky couple of holes early, I was on track and made the turn with a score of 48.
The back nine was wonderful, except for two holes. I bogeyed #10, in spite of a 3-putt. I really should have put my third shot closer from just 70 yards. I also bogeyed #11, before an up and down par on hole #12. Then on hole #13, a par-3 over marsh land, I completely duffed a 6-iron, landing in the hazard. I finished with a triple-bogey, thanks to the two wasted strokes off the tee. Hole #14 provided some relief with a bogey, before nonsense ensued on hole #15. With marsh land pinching the fairway on the left side, I hit a nice safe shot to the right rough. With a great angle and perfect visibility, I hit 8-iron, trying to leave about 110 yards for my third. If my ball was 5 yards left or 5 yards shorter, I would have hit my target. Instead, I found a fairway bunker and we all know how I've been doing with bunker shots recently. I hit the lip of the bunker, but popped out to 60 yards. Hitting from a low spot on the fairway, I took a giant beaver pelt of a divot, leaving the ball 30 yards from the green. When I tried bouncing one into the mound just before the green, I carried just to the top of it, so the ball released all the way to the back of the green. A 3-putt finished things up for triple-bogey. It's frustrating how a couple bad shots led to many more additional strokes.
After that, I was fine again, closing out with a par and two bogeys for a score of 95. When I replay the round in my head, it's the same old story; four or five bad shots lead to about 10 additional strokes. It's the reason I shoot mid nineties instead of mid eighties. I feel so close to being a mid eighties shooter, if I could just replace a handful of terrible shots with better ones – even mediocre shots would do the trick of lowering those scores significantly.
Score: 95
Putts: 35
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
I teed off in the early morning and the course was in fantastic condition. The only blemish on the course was the fact that they had just laid down some top dressing on the greens. They were still fast, but nobody likes putting through sand. Oh well, it was just bad timing. The weather was ideal. In previous visits to Piper's Heath, I have been pelted by rain and pushed around by massive wind gusts. On this occasion, there was nothing but sunshine and an occasional breeze.
I made par right out of the gate with a driver, 9-iron combo to the first green, along with two putts. This was followed by my worst hole of the day, a quadruple bogey. Conscious of a marsh on the left side of this par-4, I flared my drive to the right rough, behind a large mound. A good wedge got me right beside the 100-yard stick. Next, my sand wedge was pin high, but in a bunker right. I picked it clean (aargh), flying well past the green and now I was short sided, with the green falling away from me. My pitch shot landed near the flag, but the slope and quick green caused the ball to roll all the way into the bunker again. My sixth shot was a great out from the sand, leaving me 7 feet below the hole. Unfortunately, I burned the edge of the putt and carded an 8.
Another bunker gave me trouble on hole #3, but this was of the fairway variety. After two shots on this par-5, I was 65 yards from the green, but on the beach. I completely duffed the shot, just barely popping the ball out to the lip. With a huge side hill lie and poor stance, I propelled one up to a greenside bunker. I made a nice out, but my ball released on the fast green and rolled down to a collection area behind the green. Piper's Heath has a lot of raised greens, with closely mown areas around. You can try to putt from the low spots, but chipping might be better. This time, I tried the putter and it wasn't great. I finished with triple bogey.
The rest of the front nine was fine, as I played six holes in 5 over par. It would have been better if I had a better sense of the greens' speed. A 3-putt on hole #5 turned a certain bogey into a double. I just blew the ball past on my par attempt. Hole #6 produced par, though it should have been birdie. This was a 131-yard par 3 that began with a good gap wedge. My birdie putt was on a perfect line, but it had too much speed. The ball hit the back edge of the cup, dead centre, before popping over the other side. Hole #8 was another par-3 that I reached in regulation. Again, I rolled my first putt well past the hole, leading to a 3-putt and bogey. After a shaky couple of holes early, I was on track and made the turn with a score of 48.
The back nine was wonderful, except for two holes. I bogeyed #10, in spite of a 3-putt. I really should have put my third shot closer from just 70 yards. I also bogeyed #11, before an up and down par on hole #12. Then on hole #13, a par-3 over marsh land, I completely duffed a 6-iron, landing in the hazard. I finished with a triple-bogey, thanks to the two wasted strokes off the tee. Hole #14 provided some relief with a bogey, before nonsense ensued on hole #15. With marsh land pinching the fairway on the left side, I hit a nice safe shot to the right rough. With a great angle and perfect visibility, I hit 8-iron, trying to leave about 110 yards for my third. If my ball was 5 yards left or 5 yards shorter, I would have hit my target. Instead, I found a fairway bunker and we all know how I've been doing with bunker shots recently. I hit the lip of the bunker, but popped out to 60 yards. Hitting from a low spot on the fairway, I took a giant beaver pelt of a divot, leaving the ball 30 yards from the green. When I tried bouncing one into the mound just before the green, I carried just to the top of it, so the ball released all the way to the back of the green. A 3-putt finished things up for triple-bogey. It's frustrating how a couple bad shots led to many more additional strokes.
After that, I was fine again, closing out with a par and two bogeys for a score of 95. When I replay the round in my head, it's the same old story; four or five bad shots lead to about 10 additional strokes. It's the reason I shoot mid nineties instead of mid eighties. I feel so close to being a mid eighties shooter, if I could just replace a handful of terrible shots with better ones – even mediocre shots would do the trick of lowering those scores significantly.
Score: 95
Putts: 35
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 1
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