My Lowest Scores of All Time

 I was keeping a list of my best rounds ever in an old post, but many of those rounds have become irrelevant as I've collected better performances in recent years. Here then, is a new list featuring my ten lowest scores of all time.

# 10 – 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.

# 9 – Rebel Creek (Jul 2020) – 83 (11 over)

Beginning on the back nine, I played bogey golf through the first six holes. I stepped it up through the middle of the round, collecting a bunch of pars. A pair of birdies over the next four holes hinted at a great finish, but double bogeys on the last two robbed me of a beauty.

# 8 – Doon Valley (Jun 2020) – 83 (11 over)

A near flawless round of golf that included eleven pars and five bogeys. Costly mistakes on holes 1 and 15 were difficult to recover from, leading to triple bogeys. I reacted well on both occasions, however, rattling off a trio of pars following each of the blowups.

# 7 – Carlisle (Sep 2009) – 83 (11 over)

I shot 43 on the North nine, followed by an excellent 40 on the East nine. It was the second time I beat my friend Linley, just a week after the first occasion. Pretty remarkable, as I've only beaten Linley three times over many, many rounds.

# 6 – Willow Valley (Sep 2011) – 83 (11 over)

A Deepwoods event. This one was notable because I was having a terrible season when this result came out of the blue. 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.

# 5 – Granite Ridge Cobalt (Oct 2008) – 82 (10 over)

Wow, this was a long time ago. Nine pars, eight bogeys, and one double for a very clean scorecard. I only hit four fairways, but was on 12 greens in regulation. I stayed out of trouble and was chasing flags all day. Putting was mediocre or this might have been the time I broke 80.

# 4 – Deer Creek South (July 2007) – 81 (10 over)

The oldest round on the list and one that brings back great memories. Playing with The Unreliables, I shot 38 on the front nine, including three birdies. I wasn't keeping track of my score, or I would have realized that bogey on the final hole would produce a 79. As it was, I made a triple-bogey.

# 3 – Fergus (Aug 2017) – 80 (8 over)

This is probably the easiest course I've ever played, so take this one with a grain of salt. Fergus is pretty wide open and flat. I shot 41 on the West nine, including six pars. I improved to 39 on the East nine, including three pars and a pair of birdies, both coming on par-5 holes.

# 2 – Knollwood New (Aug 2020) – 80 (8 over)

Playing as a single, it was slow going early on. I was 4 over through the first three holes. Group after group then allowed me to play through and my performance improved dramatically. I played the rest of the front nine at even par, for a score of 40 at the turn. I matched that score over the back nine, just missing a birdie putt on the final hole that would have broken 80.

# 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.

2020: Year in Review

What a year it's been. Early on, as Covid-19 spread across the globe, it was unclear if there would be a golf season at all. As it turned out, golf was one of the safest activities you could perform. Check-in procedures were modified slightly, by limiting the number of people allowed in the pro-shop, and requiring them to wear masks. Once out on the golf course, it was pretty much business as usual. The only noticeable differences were a lack of ball washers and bunker rakes. Flag sticks remained in holes, which I had already grown accustomed to over the previous year. In many ways, golf became a familiar respite from the upheaval caused by the pandemic.

While the on-course experience remained largely unaffected, there were other changes to the golf industry. For one thing, it became more difficult to find and book tee times. Demand for tee times surged, for a variety of reasons. People came back to the game, or took it up for the first time, as access to other leisure activities was restricted. International travel ceased, leaving some individuals with more time and money to devote to golf. People working from home, or perhaps not at all, as a result of the pandemic, had more flexibility to play on weekdays. In years past, I would book my golf rounds a day or two in advance. This year, I had to book a week in advance to have any hope of playing. Most significantly, deals and discounts were non-existent.

Despite the challenge of booking tee times, I played 38.7 rounds of golf in 2020, which is nearly identical to what I played in each of the previous two years. My goal is to play at least 40 rounds per year, but I'm happy with the total, all things considered. My season extended from May 18 to November 10, but that's a little misleading. My second round of the year didn't happen until June 2. By the start of June, I typically have 4 or 5 rounds under my belt. On the other hand, I played three rounds in November, which is more than usual. I avoided playing when it was too hot, most notably during a prolonged heat wave that lasted for two weeks in early July.

Where I Played Most

Where I played was a little different than usual, owing to competition for tee times. In previous years, I played at different courses all the time, with less than a handful of courses being played twice. This year, my 38.7 rounds of golf were played on just 25 courses, at 24 different clubs. I played Calerin three times, making it my most visited course. Legends on the Niagara was also the site of three rounds – two of them played on Ussher's Creek and one on Battlefield. I played 10 other courses twice: Oaks of St. George, Scenic Woods, Doon Valley, Settlers' Ghost, Rebel Creek, Silver Brooke, King's Forest, Braeben, Willodell, and Sawmill. Banty's Roost also received a second visit, but it was limited to 13 holes by darkness.

Looking at the list of courses visited, it's apparent that I travelled fairly far from home to play golf this year. I drove south to the Niagara region 9 times, including 7 trips in a row in October and early November. I drove west to the Kitchener area 4 times, and north to Barrie twice. To the east, I went as far as Lindsay for a singe round. Frankly, it was easier to find tee times the further you got from Toronto. It's also clear that I was looking for value. A dozen of my rounds were at GolfNorth properties. Though the company is sometimes criticised for cutting corners on course maintenance, I apppreciate that they try to keep the game affordable.

Handful of New Courses

The search for value pushed me to try new courses this year. Three of them came in quick succession in late July. First among these was the Beddoe course at Chedoke Golf Club, in Hamilton. Designed by Stanley Thompson, the parkland style course plays along the rolling terrain of the Niagara escarpment. Next was Silver Brooke Golf Club, which lies just southwest of CFB Borden. The course features two distinct nines, beginning with holes carved through mature woods, and ending with a series of links inspired designs. Finally, there was the Upper course at Remington Parkview G&CC. Much of this course traverses flat land and a hydro corridor. It's not exactly scenic, but decent enough for the price and conveniently located.

In August, I made my first ever visit to Trafalgar Golf & Country Club, in Milton. Formerly a private club, it was sold a couple years ago and operation was turned over to GolfNorth. The course is mostly flat, but there's enough variety in the holes to keep it interesting. My last round of October was my first ever visit to Sawmill Golf Course, west of St. Catharines. Half the holes play over gently rolling terrain, with enough space to get aggressive. The other half involve woods and water, requiring more accurate shot making. I played poorly there, but returned 8 days later and had a very respectable round. None of the new courses I played was spectacular, but they were mostly solid and worth a place in my regular rotation.

I Performed Fairly Well

Delving into performance numbers, I have to be fairly content. My handicap factor was 15.4 at the start of the year, and stood at 13.1 by season's end. November rounds don't count for handicap purposes in Ontario, or that number would be 12.7 – not bad. My factor dipped as low as 11.9 mid-season, which represents a personal best. I didn't stay there very long, but getting under 12 is an important accomplishment. Every new personal best gives me confidence that I can go a little lower. I'll be trying hard next year to reach the coveted single digit cap.

My average score in 2020 was 89.9 – the first time I've been able to keep that number under 90. Breaking 90 for a single round is one thing, but breaking 90 for your average score is a lot more satisfying. It indicates a level of consistency that has been absent from my game in the past. I broke 90 on 23 occasions this year, or 59% of the time. I did it seven times in a row over rounds 3 to 9, and nine times in a row over rounds 17 to 25. These were easily the best stretches of the season. I shot 100 or worse three times, but two of these were the first two rounds of the season. My average score improves to 89.1 if you take those two rounds out of the equation.

Best Rounds of the Year

My lowest score of the year was 80, coming mid-season on the New Course at Knollwood Golf Club. It was only my second ever visit to the course – the first was in 2017, when I managed a score of 88. The round was remarkable for the number of groups that let me play through as a single, allowing me to finish the round in under 3 hours. After waiting on the first three holes and shooting 4-over par as a result, I played the remainder of the front nine very quickly at even par. I matched the front nine 40 with another 40 on the back, to tie my second best score ever. A great approach shot on hole 18 gave me a great chance to shoot 79, but my birdie attempt burned the edge of the hole.

I shot 83 on two occasions, first at Doon Valley, and then at Rebel Creek. Kitchener golf treated me well, it seems. The 83 at Doon Valley was despite a couple of triple-bogeys on holes 1 and 15. On both occasions, I followed up with three consecutive pars. It was a similar story at Rebel Creek, where double-bogeys on the final two holes spoiled what could have been a very special round. We played the back nine first, and I then I played holes 1 through 7 at even par. Alas, a tricky little par-3 and a slick final green got the best of me. I shot 84 on four occasions, at the following courses: Calerin, Victoria Park East, Trafalgar, and Braeben.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Looking at more detailed statistics, I hit 5.9 fairways per round, compared to between 5.3 and 5.5 over each of the previous four years. It's a slight improvement, but I'd like that number to be higher. Hitting 50% of fairways, or 7 per round, should be an absolute minimum. Meanwhile, I hit 5 greens in regulation in 2020, compared to 4.8 in 2019, and between 3.7 and 3.9 over each of the three years before that. It's another improvement, albeit smaller than that of a year earlier. I'd like to hit at least 6 greens per round, however, so there is room to improve. These are modest targets and should be achievable. After that, I can set some new and improved goals.

When it comes to putts, I averaged 33.6 per round in 2020. This compares to between 34.3 and 35.4 over each of the previous four years. I'm glad to see this number also moving in the right direction. I've never considered myself a weak putter, so it's difficult to see how significant gains can be made in this area. I think there's much more room for improvement in chipping and pitching. Lastly, I averaged 2.7 penalty strokes per round in 2020, compared with 2.8 in 2019, and between 3.1 and 3.4 over each of the three years before that. Penalty strokes are score killers, so I'm pleased to maintain the improvement I made a year ago and eager to keep it going.

Overall then, it was a pretty good year. I shot in the 80s more often than not, which is great. I'd like to reach a point where 90 is my upper limit, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm not concerned about shooting 91 or 92 occasionally. What I want to eliminate completely is the odd round that balloons toward the century mark. My goals are the same as ever: drive the ball more consistently, hit more greens, and chip the ball closer to the hole.

Bring on 2021!

Hanging in There at Cardinal

It was November 10th and we reached 20 degrees Celsius yet again. My second round in two days came on the East Wing course at Cardinal Golf Club. I striped a drive down the fairway on the opening par-5, then hit a layup, leaving 120 yards into the severely elevated green. I thinned my pitching wedge into the hill, forcing a pitch and two putts for bogey.

I flared a 3-iron off the tee on hole 2, a 185-yard par-3 that was playing into the wind. My second shot was a fabulous punch under some tree branches and into a hill that settled on the edge of the green above the hole. My first putt was an attempt to reach a ridge that would take my ball the rest of the way to the hole. Unfortunately, it came up short, leading to a 3-putt double-bogey.

I reacted well, making two bogeys, followed by two pars over the next four holes. I hit all but one of these fairways, and the one I missed was by a mere 12 inches. I thinned an 8-iron approach on hole 3, finishing just short of the green. I hit a great 9-iron approach on hole 4, but the ball rolled just off the left side of the green. On hole 5, my sand wedge into the wind reached the front of the green. I did well to 2-putt from there. On hole 6, my gap wedge was just a little long, but a great up and down made up for it.

Hole 7, a 164-yard par-3, produced a disappointing double-bogey. The tee shot is over a deep valley to the green. I pulled the 7-iron slightly, hitting a tree left of the green. Unfortunately, my ball bounced backwards and rolled 40 yards down the hill. It got worse, as I thinned a wedge 30 yards over the green. My next pitch was a good one, setting up a 2-putt finish.

Hole 8, a 538-yard par-5, is the toughest on the course. I found the fairway with a decent drive, but was too far away to challenge a forced carry over a brush covered ridge with my second shot. I pitched an 8-iron about 80 yards ahead. I was about 230 yards away from the green and decided to hit 3-wood. I made good contact on a good line, but the ball came out low, smacking the slat of a wooden fence at the top of the ridge. The wood was angled such that my ball deflected way up in the air. It cleared all of the brush and landed safely below in the fairway, 120 yards from the flag. I hit pitching wedge past the hole, then 2-putt for a decent bogey.

After thinning a ball into a pond on hole 9, I was forced to hit my third from the tee. This is a par-3 that was playing about 195 yards, so I recovered well to make double-bogey. My score at the turn was 45.

The front nine was played at a reasonable pace, but things slowed greatly on the back nine. The greatest impact was to my driving. While I hit all of the fairways on the front side of the course, I only hit one on the back side. I began hitting slices, with a siginificant loss of distance. On hole 10, a par-5, it wasn't too bad. A tree kicked my ball back near the fairway, where I was able to connect on my second shot with a nice 4-iron. I thinned a wedge to just off the back of the green, but followed up with a great chip and putt for par.

On hole 11, the slice put me deep in some trees, forcing a punch back to the fairway. I missed the green from 150 yards, but followed up with a nice pitch to just below the hole. I felt confident about the bogey putt, which was about 7 feet. Unfortunately, I burned the edge of the cup and ended up taking a double.

On hole 12, a par-5, the slice off the tee found a pond protecting the right side. I was surprised, because the ball took a couple of bounces before going in the water, so I thought it was safe. After taking a penalty and drop, I hit 3-iron up the fairway. My fourth shot was a pitch from 50 yards that I hit a groove too thin, ultimately finishing five yards behind the green. Luckily, I got up and down nicely to save bogey.

The next three holes produced double-bogey, bogey, and par. The double on hole 13 was largely due to a putt from the back of the green that rolled right off the front. I should have been able to make bogey. The bogey on hole 14 was also due to bad putting. I hit a decent drive and a great approach shot to reach the green on this par-4 in regulation. Unfortunately, my first putt slid too far past the hole to make par. The par on hole 15, a par-3, featured some good putting. I lagged one fairly close from distance, then made a tricky 6-footer.

The final three holes also produced double-bogey, bogey, and par. The double on hole 16 began with a sharp pull off the tee that smacked a tree not very far ahead. A great 5-iron put me in position to hit the green with my third shot, but I was conscious of thinning the shot and came in way too steep. I took a huge divot and the ball went nowhere. A pitch and two putts were needed to finish. The bogey on hole 17 was a good save, considering I miss hit my tee shot on this 200-yard par-3. In fact, I almost drained a long putt for par. The par on hole 18 came thanks to a crafty punch second shot that finished near the front of the green. This was followed by a good chip and even better putt.

This is most likely the final round of the year.

Score: 90
Putts: 34
Fairways: 6
Greens: 3
Penalties: 2

Summer Weather, Summer Score

We were gifted with summer like weather in southern Ontario, so I booked as many rounds as I could. On November 9, the temperature surpassed 20 degrees Celsius and I was able to play in shorts. The scene of my round was Calerin Golf Club.

Hole 1, a par-5, resulted in par both times through the course. I missed the green in regulation both times, but was able to get up and down. A thinned 8-iron left me short of the green on the first pass, while a gap wedge missed slightly left on the second. The first chip was one that I got rolling quickly, as I had green to work with. The second was a flop that took its first bounce in the rough.

Hole 2, a par-3, produced bogey and par. Ironically, the bogey came from 108 yards, while the par came from 172 yards. I hit the green in regulation both times. On the first occasion, I faced a long uphill putt and I left it a bit too short. Two more putts were needed. On the second occasion, I left the ball flag high. It was still a fairly lengthy putt, but I lagged it nicely, then tapped in.

Hole 3, a par-4, resulted in a couple of bogeys. On the first pass, my second shot was a tad fat, finishing short of the green. My pitch was to the back of the green, leaving a very long putt. I did very well to 2-putt from here. On the second pass, my second shot rolled to the back of the green – virtually the same spot I had putt from before. This time, I needed three putts to finish.

Hole 4, a par-5, resulted in a couple of bogeys. The first time through, my third shot finished short and right of the green. A pitch and two putts completed the hole. The second time through, my third shot was pulled to a bunker 50 yards short of the green. My pitch out travelled half the intended distance and was still in a bunker. My next attempt was brilliant, setting up a 4-foot putt that I drained.

Hole 5, a par-3, produced bogey and par. I pushed a 7-iron right of the green on my first try. A pitch and two putts were needed to hole out. On the second try, the 7-iron finished right of the flag, but comfortably on the green. I made a pretty good lag and then finished with an uphill 3-footer.

Hole 6, a par-4, also produced bogey and par. I approached the green with a wedge the first time through and finished two yards short of the green. A chip and two putts ensued. I approached the green with an 8-iron the second time through and managed to find the putting surface. The birdie try didn't drop, but it was a comfortable par.

Hole 7, a par-4, also produced bogey and par. As you can see, I was playing better on the back nine. My approach shot both times through was from a similar position, with a very slight up slope. On the first attempt, I came up short of the green, setting up a chip and two putts. On the second attempt, I added a club. The ball launched high and finished very near the pin. I missed the birdie putt on the high side, settling for par.

Hole 8, a par-4, resulted in double-bogey and bogey. My only double of the day came after a short drive and a miss hit left me 50 yards short of the green. I duffed a pitch shot slightly, finishing in the rough by the green collar. A chip from there went well past the hole, requiring two putts to finish. On the second try, my drive was much better. My approach with the gap wedge finished near the spot I had chipped from earlier. This time, I was in the fringe. Unfortunately, I blasted the ball well past the hole, again requiring two putts to finish.

Hole 9, a par-4, resulted in a couple of bogeys. I matched or improved my result on every hole the second time around. Both my approach shots on Hole 9 missed the green. The first missed to the right, while my second was short. I flopped a pitch shot to the green from the right side, while playing a bump and run from in front. The bump and run finished closer to the hole, but a 2-putt was needed both times.

My final score was 85. A summer type score for a summer type day in November.

Score: 85
Putts: 35
Fairways: 5
Greens: 6
Penalties: 0

Some Sawmill Retribution

My debut at Sawmill Golf Course didn't go very well, but I returned a week later in search of retribution. Unusually warm weather for this time of year made it a very pleasant outing. While I didn't start the round particularly well, I finished on a hot streak and managed to collect a fairly good score.

I made bogey on almost every hole on the front nine, with the exceptions being a quadruple-bogey on hole 5 and a par on hole 7. More on those in a minute. Hole 1 is a long par-4 that's difficult to reach in two. I pulled my drive to the 9th fairway, forcing a punch back to the proper fairway. Pitching wedge and two putts completed the bogey.

My drive on hole 2, a par-5, was just left of the fairway, but this left an ideal angle to play my second shot. My third shot from 100 yards was directly in line with the flag, but came up a bit short and deflected into a bunker. I splashed out of the sand surprisingly well and 2-putt for another bogey.

The next two holes were similar, in that I just lacked a bit of precision. On hole 3, a par-3, my 7-iron finished just off the left collar of the green. I blasted a putt through the fringe, requiring two more putts to finish. On hole 4, a par-5, my drive was slightly right of the fairway. I was able to advance the ball, but less than I would have liked. As a result, my third shot was a long one and I came up short. A pitch and two putts finished the hole.

Hole 5 was the disastrous one. It began with a drive that split the fairway on this 390-yard par-4. I was protecting against pulling the ball with my second shot. As a result, I pushed the 7-iron slightly right of the green. Not being very familiar with the course, I forgot that there was water on that side. I took a penalty and drop, then pitched on the green, laying 4. My first putt was a lengthy downhill that slipped well past the hole. My second was an 8-foot uphill putt that I blasted past the left edge of the hole. This was followed by a short miss, before finally completing the hole with my fourth putt!

The remainder of the front nine was back to my typical golf. A great drive on hole 6 was followed by a thinned 7-iron. The ball finished just off the right collar of the green, requiring a chip and two putts to hole out. I got away with a mediocre 5-wood off the tee on hole 7, then followed up with a beautiful 9-iron, finishing 8 feet below the hole. I burned the left edge of the cup on the birdie try, but tapped in for par. Hole 8 is a long par-3 to an elevated green. I did well to find the putting surface with a smooth 5-wood, but then 3-putt. Hole 9 began with a great drive to the middle of the fairway, followed by a mid-iron that was pulled left into a bunker. To my credit, I splashed out well and then 2-putt. Bunker shots like that are never certain for me. My score at the turn was 47.

This mediocre kind of play continued through the first three holes of the back nine. Hole 10 is a ridiculously long par-4. The yardage is one thing, but it also plays uphill and into the wind. I hit a good driver, 3-wood combo and was still 50 yards short of the green. A pitch and two putts finished it off. Hole 11 is a dogleg left around a pond. I hit driver just off the right edge of the fairway, followed by 6-iron to the front of the green. Unfortunately, I 3-putt a healthy distance away from the cup. Hole 12 is a tricky par-5 requiring a couple of forced carries over a creek. My first shot along the tree line ended up lost in the leaves, or in the creek – I couldn't tell. I assumed the ball went in the creek and took a penalty and drop. I played the remainder of the hole reasonably well, but the damage was already done and I took double-bogey.

Beginning with hole 13, everything changed. I was just one over par for the final 6 holes, and that included a triple-bogey! Hole 13 is a short par-4 to an elevated green with two tiers. I drove the ball deep, leaving a 60-yard pitch to the back pin position. My pitch finished on the right fringe, but I nearly drained the birdie putt from there. I burned the left edge, settling for par. Hole 14 is a short par-3. I hit pitching wedge left of the flag and followed up with an easy 2-putt for another par.

Hole 15 is another short par-4, at 327 yards. I split the fairway with my tee shot, then hit a lovely 9-iron that finished flag high on the green. Though I was flag high, the birdie putt was a lengthy one. It had almost no break, however, which allowed me to sink it confidently. It was a great birdie. I drove the ball to the middle of the fairway once again on hole 16, a quirky par-4. The fairway drops down dramatically to the green, which I was able to find with the lob wedge. A solid 2-putt made the par look easy.

Hole 17 is a 170-yard par-3 that plays over and alongside a creek. The teeing area where the blues are located slopes backwards a bit. It gave me trouble the first time I played the course, and it did exactly the same thing again. In both cases, I hit the ball fat, sending it left and into the creek. I adjusted my body to follow the slope of the ground and this time I hit a lovely high 5-iron. The ball was flag high, but in a bunker right of the green. I splashed out well and 2-putt, but the first miscue off the tee meant this was a triple-bogey.

The final hole is a short par-4 at just 328 yards. Driver is not recommended off the tee, because of a creek that crosses the fairway in the landing zone. I laid back with a smooth 5-wood, leaving a 160 yard approach to the green. Mind you, this green is massively elevated. I hit 6-iron next and got the ball to the front of the green. However, this green has a false front. My ball rolled backwards, about 10 yards short of the green. No worries, as I used the 8-iron to chip one along the ground, ultimately hitting the flag stick and dropping for birdie!

I shot 40 on the back nine, which was good enough to break 90 overall.

Score: 87
Putts: 36
Fairways: 7
Greens: 7
Penalties: 3

First Ever Visit to Sawmill

Any golf played at this time of year is a bonus. I found a day when the weather was good and managed to find a tee time at Sawmill Golf Course, in Fenwick ON. Sawmill has been on my radar for a while. I've played nearby courses such as Peninsula Lakes, Twenty Valley, and Rockway Vineyards. Until now, however, I just never got around to visiting the course.

I played the blue tees, at 6,138 yards, but the course stretches out to 6,572 yards from the blacks. It's a par 71, with four par-3 holes and three par-5 designs. About half the holes play in a north-south direction, over gently rolling terrain. Mature trees frame the fairways, but there's ample room to be aggresive. The remaining holes, most of which play east-west, involve woods, or water. Although these holes are shorter, golfers need to be more careful in their shot selection to avoid penaltiy strokes and big numbers.

It was a great day to be out playing, but I just didn't have my “A” game. I had some good moments with some good shots, but the variety of errors was astonishing. My driver failed a few times, but that alone did not account for my poor play. I hit some irons that were unbelievably off line. I was inaccurate inside 100 yards. One moment, I would struggle chipping, and the next, I would have bunker trouble. Even the conditions conspired to hurt me. A soggy fairway ruined one hole, while a lack of light ruined a couple near the finish.

The front and back nines both begin with a long par-4 and these are the two hardest holes on the course. Despite two good shots to start the round, I was well short of the first green. A duffed pitch shot, followed by a very mediocre one did nothing but set up a 3-putt triple-bogey. I made bogey on the next two holes, a par-5 followed by a par-3, but this wasn't without some trouble. My drive attempt on hole 2 was a wicked pull that smacked a tree just a few yards ahead of the teeing ground. The ball settled under a spruce tree, unplayable. It took two fantastic 5-wood shots to get greenside, followed by a good up and down.

Hole 4 is the one that had a soggy fairway. I began the par-5 with a drive that sliced right. Spruce trees forced me to chip sideways, just to get back to the fairway. My next two shots went nowhere, as I couldn't manage the soft turf. My fifth shot was a pitch to the green, followed by two putts for double-bogey. I had the same result on hole 5, a par-4. After finding the fairway with a nice drive, I pulled my 7-iron unbelieveably to the left. This was not a slight pull, which happens sometimes. It was a sharp pull way off the intended line. My ball finished behind some bushes, forcing a pitch to an area in front of the green. A chip and two putts completed the hole.

I made par and bogey on holes 6 and 7, respectively, but even these had weird moments. A good drive on 6 was followed by a purely struck 7-iron. I was unlucky to have my ball deflected by some very slender tree branches. A ball that was certainly headed for the green ended up slightly left of it. Luckily, a great up and down saved the par. Hole 7 is a short par-4 that calls for a layup in front of a creek off the tee. I pulled an incredibly weak 4-iron and was lucky to find my ball near the edge of the woods. I was able to punch toward the creek, then attack the green with a 9-iron. Two putts finished off the bogey.

The 4-iron that failed me off the tee on hole 7 seemed to work wonderfully off the tee on hole 8, a 190-yard par-3. The only problem is that the green is elevated. When I got closer to the green, I realized that my ball actually hit the slope and rolled backwards. Even a mediocre chip and two putts would secure bogey, but I duffed my first chip completely, leading to a double. I had the same result on hole 9, a fairly long par-4. A great drive set me up well on the right side of the fairway, but I pulled a mid-iron, much like I had on hole 5. Once again, this was a massive, massive pull. From my new position, the green was blocked by trees, so I just couldn't recover.

I shot 50 at the turn, but my head was still in the game. I started the back nine going bogey, par. I hit a decent driver, 3-wood combo on hole 10, and was still 40 yards short of this par-4. It's a long hole to begin with, but it's also slightly uphill and was playing into the wind. Add some soft fairways and you have a recipe for trouble. At least my pitch shot worked better than it had on hole 1. Hole 11 is a short par-4 that doglegs around a pond, so par there was a good result.

Hole 12 is a par-5 through the woods, with two forced carries over a creek. My 4-iron off the tee was another one of those wicked pulls. I was lucky that the ball was found and was playable. My second shot was a punch to lay up in front of the creek. Two good iron shots then carried me just in front of the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for double-bogey. Hole 13 is a 310 yard par-4, with a slight dogleg to the right. I hit a perfect drive over the edge of a pond, which came to rest in the fairway, 50 yards from the flag. My pitch to the elevated green was the perfect distance, but pulled slightly, finishing off the green. I decided to putt from there, and the rough was a little thicker than it appeared. I reached the green, but my par putt lipped out and I took bogey.

Hole 14 is the easiest hole on the course – a 130 yard par 3 with a green protected by a front bunker. With the sun on the horizon directly in our faces, I struck a blind pitching wedge. It felt okay, but when I got near the green I spotted my ball in the front bunker. I must have thinned it a bit. Nonsense ensued, with three shots to get out of the bunker, followed by a putt for double-bogey. The first shot was all ball, which rammed into the lip. The second one barely got out of the bunker, before rolling back in. The third one was perfect! LOL

I rushed for the rest of the round, as we were losing light quickly. After splitting the fairway on hole 15, a short par-4, I hit my pitching wedge fat, sending the ball about 90 yards ahead. A pitch and two putts finished the hole for bogey. A sliced drive on hole 16 left me stymied behind a tree trunk. I pitched back to the fairway, which is severely downhill as you approach the green. With a very awkward stance, I hit my wedge shot fat, finishing short of the green. I chipped and 2-putt for double-bogey this time.

The last two holes were a complete write off, as the sun had gone down and you couldn't really see anything. Hole 17 is a 170-yard par-3 with a creek and thick vegetation on the left side. I pulled my tee shot to that side, but wasn't really sure where it went. After a penalty and drop for expediency, I pitched onto the green, only to set up a 3-putt from distance. Yes, it was a triple-bogey. I lost another ball with a similar tee shot on hole 4, a par-4. The left side of this hole is all out of bounds. To be honest, I don't know if I went OB, or if my ball was somewhere in the bushes. It was too dark to know. I took a penalty and drop, then hit 7-iron to a greenside bunker. This time, I splashed out well with a single shot. Two putts ensued for double-bogey.

Wow, what a rough day at the office!

Score: 99
Putts: 33
Fairways: 7
Greens: 0
Penalties: 3

Solo Round at Whirlpool

Time will tell if this is the last round of the year. It was an overcast day at Whirlpool Golf Course. Rain had fallen overnight and in the morning hours, but there was just a hint of mist at noon, when my round began. I played as a solo, which was a welcome change from my last two rounds.

I was hitting the driver with a slightly weaker right hand and it worked well, for the most part. I split the fairway on the opening hole, a 360-yard par-4. From 110 yards, my second shot was wasted, as I took a huge divot out of the soft fairway. For the rest of the round, I played to brush my irons more than I typically do, and soft turf was not a problem. I pushed a pitch shot into a bunker with my third shot, but splashed out well, giving me a chance at bogey. It didn't drop, so I took a double.

Hole 2 is a 361-yard par 4 that began much like the first, with a drive down the centre of the fairway. Bunkers, mounds, and a pond protect this green, so I did pretty well to hit sand wedge just off the left side. I lagged a putt from that position, setting up a tap-in par. I hit 5-wood off the tee on hole 3, a 189-yard par-3. It was playing a little longer than that with the flag in the back. A front right bunker snagged my ball, but I splashed out well and 2-putt for bogey.

My drive on hole 4, the first of back-to-back par-5 holes, was a weak slice that found a fairway bunker. Hitting a lofted club to clear the lip, I pushed my second shot to the paved cart path. There were some ruts in this path and my ball caught one such that the ball deflected sharply to the right, amidst some trees. All I could do was punch back to the fairway. My fourth shot was an 8-iron that came up three yards short of the green. Weary of stubbing a chip in the soft turf, I hit mine well past the hole. Two putts finished up for a double-bogey.

As I did after the first double of the day, I recovered well over the next few holes. This time, I followed up with bogey, par, bogey. The first bogey came on a par-5 that began with a perfect drive and second shot. My pitching wedge approach missed the green short and right by two yards. The par came on a 174-yard par-3 that was playing about 185. I made a nice up and down for that one. The last bogey came on a 404-yard par 4. It was a good result, considering my drive was short and a little right of the fairway.

Hole 8, a 414-yard par-4, was a fiasco. I pushed a drive into the woods right. All I could do from there was punch back to the left edge of the fairway. From 165 yards, I hit a pretty good 6-iron. It was headed to the left edge of the green, but clipped the top branches of a tree. I lost the ball, which was harsh, because there weren't any places for a ball to hide near that tree and beyond. I dropped in front of the tree, as I wasn't going to walk back down the fairway. From there, I pitched on and 2-putt. Luckily, I made a textbook par on hole 9 to ease some of the pain. I split the fairway with my drive, then hit a sand wedge just behind the flag. My birdie putt was very close to dropping. As it was, my score at the turn was 45.

Hole 10, a 438-yard par-4, is the hardest hole on the back nine. It began with a wild drive to the 18th fairway. I hit 3-wood back to the proper fairway, then got up and down from about 80 yards. What a recovery! My driver settled down after this, including a shot straight down the pipe on hole 11. My approach missed the green short and right, leading to bogey. It was the first of four consecutive bogeys. Two of these were par-3 holes, one measuring 186 yards and the other 149. I missed the green slightly in both cases. On the shorter one, I was flag high in a bunker and made another good out. My bunker play all day was surprisingly good.

Hole 15, a 481-yard par-5, was played about as perfectly as could be. My drive was a solid shot to the right centre of the fairway. From there, a 4-iron carried me nicely down the fairway, leaving 70 yards to the green. I had a great angle to the back left pin position and went after it. My ball mark was 2 yards behind the flag, with the ball releasing an additional yard. I made a perfect putt that just stopped on the lip. The greens at Whirlpool were a little shaggy and slow. I had about half a dozen putts that were headed for the centre of the cup, but stopped less than 12 inches from the hole. This was one of them, but par was still nice.

Hole 16 was a disaster that ruined what was looking like a comfortable round in the 80s. Though my driver was working well most of the day, I pulled it on this hole badly, smacking a tree just a few yards ahead of the teeing ground. A bunker low and branches high didn't allow me to play straight back to the fairway. I tried advancing along hole 12, but miss hit a mid iron. A punch intended for an opening through some trees smacked a trunk solidly. My fourth shot was punched to the area in front of the green. This was followed by a pitch and two putts for triple-bogey.

I was now in a foul mood and it cost me about a stroke on hole 17, a long par-3. An easy bogey ended up being a double. On a positive note, I did par the final hole, a 472-yard par-5. I hit driver to the right side of the fairway, followed by 3-wood about 50 yards short and a little right of the green. I pitched to the elevated green, but was a fair distance away, resulting in a 2-putt to finish. My back nine score was another 45, for a total of 90 even.

Score: 90
Putts: 33
Fairways: 7
Greens: 3
Penalties: 0

You Must be Kidding Me

After getting paired up with some hackers at Cardinal Lakes, I was eager to play another round. Less than 24 hours later, I checked in at Willodell Golf Club, about 20 km away. Imagine my horror when I was introduced to my playing partners – the exact same threesome from a day earlier! Are you kidding me? How unlucky can a person be? I tried not to let my disappointment show and resolved to try my best, regardless of the company.

For the first three holes, everything was fine. I went par, bogey, par over a couple of par-5 holes and a par-3. I hit one bad iron shot on hole 2, which caused the bogey. I had a very good chance at birdie on hole 3, but my putt finished 6 inches short.

Suddenly, I erupted for back-to-back triple-bogeys on holes 4 and 5. Hole 4 is the hardest on the course, due to its length. I began with a perfect 3-wood off the tee; the ball sailed over mature trees on the left side and came to rest in the left fairway, 200 yards from the green. I couldn't be in a better position, so I had to go for the green. I made good contact with the 3-iron, but pushed the ball ever so slightly to the right side. It bounced off a slope and careened further right into the bushes, about flag high. After a penalty and drop, I pitched over the edge of a bunker. The ball landed in an ideal spot, but still released off the other side of the green. A chip back and two putts completed the triple. If I knew that was going to happen, I would have hit my second shot 50 yards short of the green and played for bogey. I basically was penalized for hitting a good tee shot.

Hole 5 is a par-3 that was playing 190 yards. The last time I played the hole, a nice 4-iron failed to clear a front bunker by a yard, or my ball would have released nicely to the back pin location. I hit the same club this time, but with a higher flight. I thought it was a solid shot – high and directly at the left edge of the green. I saw the ball bounce a couple of times and figured I was just left of the green by a few yards. When I got up there, the ball was nowhere to be found. The only place it could have gone was long and into the bushes well behind the green. After a penalty and drop, I hit a great pitch shot reasonably close to the cup. Unfortunately, I rammed my first putt well past the hole, requirung two more to complete the triple. Wow! Two triples in a row that I felt I really didn't deserve.

Despite being upset, I rattled off a bogey and par on the next two holes. On hole 8, I tried to crush my drive – only to hit a low pull that smacked a tree trunk less than 100 yards away. I punched through some trees to get back to the fairway, but my ball finished a couple yards short of the fairway in the left rough. I was still almost 200 yards from the green and tried to hit a low bullet under some overhanging tree branches up ahead. I pulled the ball straight into the base of a small bush. I was forced to take a penalty and drop. My fifth shot was just off the front left edge of the green. I chipped on and 2-putt for a quadruple-bogey. I made bogey on hole 9 for a score of 49 at the turn.

The triples on holes 4 and 5 were really too much to overcome. I was not in the right frame of mind, which showed on hole 8, even though I held it together on holes 6, 7, and 9. I didn't care about my score at this point and decided I would swing my driver with reckless abandon, to see if that would help my stress level. The swings weren't completely reckless, mind you. When I swing hard, I tend to yank the club at the start of the downswing. This time, I was trying to get my speed maximized at the bottom of the swing. I only hit one fairway on the back nine, but the timing felt pretty good and I was hitting the ball far. It was the epitome of bomb and gouge.

As it turned out, I also shot 49 on the back nine, comprised of one par, five bogeys, two doubles and a quad. The par came on a 150-yard par-3, after a beautiful 8-iron that was all over the flag. It was so nice, I thought I might have a hole-in-one, until I spotted my ball on the back fringe. The bogeys were of the usual variety, where I need an extra pitch or chip to get on the green, and then 2-putt. The two doubles were similar, except that they also included a penalty stroke for going into the bushes.

The quad was on hole 14, a short par-4. I tried to drive the green and my first ball popped up in the air. Not sure if I would find it, I hit a provisional. That one was a beauty, finishing five yards short of the putting surface. I found my first ball about 70 yards away from the green. I hit my pitch shot just a fraction right of target. The ball hit a slope and deflected into a bunker. My first sand shot was fat. Next came my patented clean pick (unintentional) that went 40 yards over the green. My pitch back hit the slender branch of a tree. My sixth shot found the green, followed by a 2-putt. I played out the provisional ball just for fun, and made par with that one. Of course.

What horrible luck to play twice with those hackers. Two horrible rounds were the result.

Score: 98
Putts: 34
Fairways: 3
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4

Tough Luck at Cardinal Lakes

The golf season is winding down; opportunities to play in good weather are becoming scarce. The weather for my latest round was perfect, which makes the outcome so difficult to stomach. I drove a fairly long distance to play the Heron course at Cardinal Lakes. When I reached for my driver on the first tee, it wasn't in my bag. I thought it might have been stolen, but a call home confirmed that I left my driver in a different bag. I would have to use 3-wood off the tee on the longer holes.

I lost my spot on the course while investigating the driver issue and was added to a later tee time. This placed me with a threesome of very lovely people, who were just horrible to play golf with. Two of them couldn't hit the ball very far or get it airborne. One was a complete beginner, playing only her third round of golf ever. Her second round had been the day before. She would whiff multiple times on the same shot attempt, before hitting the ball 50 yards at a time.

Amazingly, we kept a satisfactory pace for the round. When we stepped up to the tee on hole 18, which is a par-3, the group ahead was just finishing their putts. The only reason this happened was because I was dragging my group behind me the whole way. It was exhausting. It's bad enough when someone just can't hit the ball, but nobody had taught this beginner how to move along the golf course. She routinely left her pull cart immediately behind her ball. After pulling a club, taking her stance and addressing the ball, she would realize the cart was in her way and then awkwardy try to push it away, before repeating the routine. It was difficult to watch.

I knew it was going to be a mental challenge to play with this group. Overall, I think I did a pretty good job. Looking at my scorecard, 16 out of 18 holes played out in fairly typical fashion. I was 14 over par for those 16 holes, comprised of 6 pars, 6 bogeys, and 4 doubles. Slightly better than bogey pace over a full round results in a score somewhere in the 80s, which leaves me plenty satisfied. Unfortunately, on the two holes where things went badly, they went bad big time. I had a score of 10 on a par-3 and a score of 9 on a par-4. Boom!

The 3-wood worked pretty well for me as a driver replacement. I used it to hit 5 of 7 fairways on the front nine. Of course, I was sacrificing some distance. The first fairway I missed was on hole 4, a par-4. Like many holes on the Heron course, this one features a pond alongside the fairway. I made solid contact off the tee, but pushed the ball straight into the water. After a penalty and drop, a fantastic 8-iron carried me to the green and I saved bogey.

My irons were generally good. Though I wasn't hitting many greens, I was getting the ball close and staying out of danger. This was true of the long irons, as well. I was hitting more of them than usual, since my tee shots were shorter. Hole 5 is a par-3 that was playing about 200 yards. I hit 3-iron off the tee and managed to find the green in regulation. Two putts secured the par.

Both of the explosion holes occurred on the front nine. Hole 2 is a straightforward 166-yard par-3. Here's how I got a score of 10. My first shot was a 7-iron pulled out of bounds left. My third shot, which I thinned well right of the green, was lost in long fescue. My fifth shot was a 40-yard pitch that rolled off the green into a bunker. Shot 6 was an unintentional pick out of the sand, which travelled 30 yards over the green. Shot 7 was a duffed pitch that barely reached the green. A 3-putt was the cherry on top.

Hole 8 is a medium length par-4. My tee shot missed to the right, but that area is open and presented no problem. I had an open shot to the green from about 155 yards. The flag was in the back, so I opted for 7-iron, which I generally hit 160-165 yards. That was a mistake. I hit a perfect shot and saw the ball bounce a couple times near the right edge of the green. Unfortunately, the ball rolled down a slope behind the green, settling near the edge of a wooded penalty area. My lie was fine and I had no interference with my stance or swing. Nevertheless, it took me 4 shots just to pitch onto the green. For the minute it took me to hit those 4 shots, I was like the beginner I was playing with. It was unbelievable. Of course, I 3-putt again, because I like cherries.

With those two blowup holes, my score at the turn was 55. Fortunately, I scored 43 (7 over) on the back nine to at least break 100. I only hit 2 of 6 fairways with the 3-wood, making par on both of those occasions. My misses with the 3-wood were all to the right side. On holes 10 and 11, both of those misses ended up in ponds. If I have one complaint about the Heron course, it's the fact that dinky ponds are used far too much. Water is particulary penal, while other obstacles such as trees or fescue offer a chance at recovery. On hole 10, I saved bogey, but on hole 11, double-bogey was the result.

I played the par-3 holes on the back nine quite well. Hole 12 is one of these, measuring 165 yards. I hit 8-iron to the correct green level with a slight helping wind. A reasonable birdie chance was followed by a tap-in. Hole 16 is a similar length, but was playing into a strong headwind. I clubbed up to a 5-iron and found the green, but could have even used a 4-iron. I hammered my lag putt well past the hole, ultimately 3-putting for bogey. Hole 18 plays 155 yards over water. I hit 8-iron to the left edge of the green and judged a downhill lag very well, then tapping in for par.

Score: 98
Putts: 37
Fairways: 7
Greens: 5
Penalties: 6

Cursed at Legends on the Niagara

I made my third visit of the year to Legends on the Niagara. My second round of the year was on the Ussher's Creek course, where I shot 105 for the second consecutive round. Fortunately, two horrible rounds were enough to shake off the winter rust. I then went on a streak of seven rounds in the 80s. More concerning to me was a later round on the Battlefield course, where I shot 104. I can't blame winter rust for that one.

This time, I played Ussher's Creek once again. Early on, it looked like this was going to be a low scoring round, despite being extremely windy. A par, bogey, par, bogey, start was followed by a birdie, leaving me just one over par through the first five holes. I hit every fairway on this stretch, which is not easy to do with a howling wind. They were convincing drives too, with a penetrating flight to the centre of the fairways.

Other parts of my game were also working well. I actually got up and down for par from a greenside bunker on hole 1. The splash out of the sand was very competent and the ensuing putt was perfect. An excellent putt saved bogey on hole 2 after a fairway bunker gave me some trouble. Excellent putts on holes 3 and 4 just missed, otherwise I would have earned birdie and par. I did manage birdie on hole 5, thanks to a deep drive, followed by a crafty pitch from 50 yards and a convincing putt.

You could say I bent a little on holes 6 and 7, before breaking completely on holes 8 and 9. Hole 6 is one of the hardest on the course, a par-4 that wraps around a large lake from tee to green. Add an incredible headwind and the hole becomes that much harder. I flared my drive out to the right and the wind took it away. After a penalty and drop, I did well to escape with double-bogey. I also did well to bogey hole 7, a par-3 over water. The wind made it very difficult to choose a club off the tee.

I was 4 over par through seven holes, which is still good, but here's where I threw away the round. Hole 8 is a long one, ranked the hardest on the course. I thinned my drive attempt into a creek less than 100 yards from the teeing ground. After a penalty and drop, my third shot was a good 5-wood to the middle of the fairway. My fourth was a mid iron to the front of the green, but that left me a long way from the cup near the back of the green. I blew my first putt way past the hole, requiring two more for triple-bogey.

Hold on, it gets worse. Hole 9 is a par-5 that began with a pulled drive into a fairway bunker on the left side. This bunker has a high lip and is lined on the high side by thick weeds. All I could do was aim sideways to get back to the fairway. Unfortunately, my bunker shot carried across the entire fairway and rolled into woods on the other side. After a penalty and drop, I failed to execute a simple punch shot, slicing the ball to the edge of a penalty area on the right side. I was 150 yards from the hole, but my lie was bad and I bladed the ball deeper into the penalty area. I took my second penalty of the hole and dropped, then hit 8-iron just right of the green. A lovely chip buned the edge of the hole and the ball rolled a healthy distance away. Two putts completed the hole for a score of 10. Egads! Just like that, a promising start turned into a score of 48 at the turn.

I sat down near the teeing ground on hole 10 while we waited for players ahead to get out of range. The chance at a good score was already lost, but I didn't want the remainder of the round to be a rage fest. The wait helped me release any lingering resentment about the previous two holes. I played the remainder of the round with a quiet, laissez-faire attitude. I would hit my shots and whatever happened, happened. So be it.

Conditions were as windy as ever, which made hole 10 play extremely long. Despite a perfect drive to the centre of the fairway, I could not go for the green in two on this par-4. I hit a lay up in front of a creek on my second shot, then attacked the green, ultimately making bogey. Though I missed the fairway left on hole 11, I was in a similar situation. I opted to lay up in front of the creek on this par-4 as well. Bogey was once again the result.

My drives at this stage were getting airborne nicely, but missing the fairway, usually right. On hole 12, a par-5, that miss put me against the lip of a fairway bunker. All things considered, bogey was a good result. Same thing on hole 14, another par-5. My drive drifted right into an ungroomed area, but I got out of there well enough for another bogey. One drive I hit perfectly was on hole 15, a par-4. Sadly, I miss hit my approach shot, sending the ball to about 50 yards short of the green. The result, you guessed it, was bogey.

In fact, I bogeyed every hole on the back nine, except for number 16, a par-3 that was playing 200 yards. I duffed a 3-iron off the tee, then tried a bump and run with the 8-iron from 100 yards. It leaked just right of the green. I duffed a chip shot, but managed to reach the fringe. From there, I 3-putt for a triple-bogey. Whatever happened, happened. So be it.

My bogeys on each of the last two holes were well earned. After dunking an approach shot into a pond on hole 17, I hit my fourth over the pond from about 125 yards. This was followed by a fairly lengthy putt that dropped. I hit a really good drive on hole 18 – a must if you are to go for the shallow green protected in front by an ominous creek. I clubbed up for extra distance, but was one yard short of the green. The ball hit the steep slope and rolled backwards a bit, but remained playable. A chip and two putts completed the round.

It's a shame things didn't work out better. Given how I've played this year, it feels like failure when I don't break 90. It's also no fun to travel all the way to Legends on the Niagara, only to have a bad round.

Score: 95
Putts: 33
Fairways: 7
Greens: 2
Penalties: 5