My last visit to Whirlpool Golf Course, designed by Stanley Thompson and located on the Niagara Gorge, was in September, 2008. It's an enjoyable layout and a course of which I have fond memories. As a result, I was looking forward to the outing. Then again, I look forward to every golf outing. However, I'm a sucker for nostalgia and I have a distinct soft spot in my heart for courses that I haven't visited in a few years.
Starting as a single, I was sent out alone by the starter, who advised me to join up with a twosome ahead. As it turned out, I played alone for most of the round, with various groups allowing me to play through. More on that later. My opening drive drifted right of the fairway into some trees. It took two shots to punch back to the fairway. Lately, I've had trouble punching out from below trees. My approach from 100 yards was just short of the green, so I chipped to about five feet. Of course, I missed the putt and took a triple-bogey. If that putt was for par, I bet I would have made it. However, the cruelty of golf dictates that since it was for double-bogey, I would miss.
I played bogey golf for the rest of the front nine, shooting 48 at the turn. A twosome waved me onto the second green as they were set to putt. From the middle of the fairway, I came up short into a front bunker. I splashed out nicely and 2-putt for bogey. The twosome suggested I play ahead on the next hole, which I did. A+ to the young men for immediately allowing me through. I hit an iron short of the green on the par-3, then chipped on and 2-putt for bogey.
As I arrived at hole #4, a foursome was packing up their clubs, having just finished their tee shots. I expected them to wave me through, but nothing. I stood on the tee for a long time as they looked for their wayward tee shots. When they finally moved ahead, I striped one down the middle of the fairway. It was another long wait for my second and third shots on this par-5 hole. As a result, I hit both of those shots fat. My fourth shot settled just behind the green, so I chipped on and 2-putt for double-bogey.
Approaching the foursome on the next tee, I politely asked if they would let me through. They agreed, but stated that I wouldn't really get anywhere as there was a group right ahead of them. I hit my tee shot well right of the fairway, but followed with a beautiful 9-iron over some very tall trees to get back to the fairway. My third shot on this par-5 was straight, but just short of the green. I chipped reasonably close, but 2-putt for bogey. Contrary to what the foursome told me, the entire hole was open. For that reason, and since they should have let me through on the previous hole without me having to ask, the young men earned a grade of C.
In fact, I only encountered the next group, a threesome, on hole #6. As I approached the teeing ground on this par-3, they were walking off the green. I hit a very nice 7-iron flag-high to the front of the green. A routine 2-putt earned my first par of the day. The threesome had just finished teeing off on hole #7, but they waited a few seconds to allow me through. A+ to the two men and their lady friend for extending the courtesy immediately. The lady even complimented me on my second shot, a low punch from 200 yards that had to skirt the trees on the right side. I didn't make the green, but pitched on and 2-putt for bogey.
I caught the next group, a man and a woman, on hole #9. I striped a 3-iron off the tee on this short par-4, then waited while they cleared the green. My approach was just right of the putting surface, so I chipped on and 2-putt for bogey. On the next tee, the couple offered to let me through, though they warned me that another couple was immediately ahead. I thanked them and said I would take my chances. For their consideration, they earned a grade of A.
At 450 yards from the blue tees, hole #10 is a long par-4. I hit the left side of the fairway, but was not deep at all, leaving 250 yards to the green. I hit a 3-iron, expecting to leave about a 50-yard pitch to the green. Instead, I pulled the shot ever so slightly, catching the cart path, which propelled the ball just left of the green, flag-high. In fact, my ball finished ahead of the twosome in front, who were both about 10 yards short of the green. I apologized for shooting past them, explaining that the cart path was largely responsible. They said it was no problem and invited me to chip on the green. Unfortunately, I made a bad chip and a couple of bad putts to finish with a double-bogey. I think I was a little flustered and rushed a bit.
On the next tee, the couple invited me to play ahead, though they warned me that the threesome ahead was playing like turtles. As I did with the previous couple, I thanked them and said I would take my chances. For their kindness, this couple also earned a grade of A. Unfortunately, I hit my first really bad drive of the day, pulling one off the heel of the club. I hit a nice recovery 9-iron over a tree, but my third shot into the green was a bit short. I chipped on and 2-putt for double-bogey.
When I pulled up to hole #12, the three turtles were still teeing off. I fully expected them to have me join or let me through. No such luck, as they drove ahead without saying a word. After a long wait on this par-3, I hit a 4-iron left of the green. After a beautiful pitch, I tapped in for my second par of the day. Things unravelled on hole #13, a par-5. My tee shot was amongst some trees right of the fairway. Again, I had trouble punching back to the fairway. It seems unbelievable that I could smack narrow tree trunks in that situation, but I did repeatedly, finishing with a triple-bogey.
Since the turtle trio did not let me through without prompting, I resolved to ask them politely on the next hole. They were getting in their cart a few paces ahead when I said, “Gentlemen, do you mind if I play through?” Either they were all deaf, or they acted like they didn't hear me. They simply drove ahead on the par-3 hole. After another wait for them to clear the green, I hit a nice 7-iron short of the green. I chipped on reasonably close, but had to 2-putt for a bogey.
Now on hole #15, a par-5, I made sure the three men ahead could not ignore me. I waited for them to finish teeing off, then made sure they were facing me and said once again, “Gentlemen, do you mind if I play through?” Judging by their response, they were obviously not gentlemen. They made it clear that they were not going to let me through, as I would then be holding them up. Really? A single is going to hold up a threesome? You have it backwards, my friends. After explaining as much, I told them to have a nice day. At that point, I dropped back with the last couple that let me through and we played the rest of the round together. For their rudeness and stupidity, the turtles get a failing grade of E or F, depending what system you use.
Now, aside from one or two blips, I had a decent round going. I hit a decent number of fairways with the driver, but my irons were much improved. I caught a couple fat, but everything was straight. The adjustment I made at Twenty Valley was working like a charm. It's a different address, slightly more open, and a different swing path. It also lends itself to a higher finish. The result was straighter and higher shots. I had also played 14 holes without a penalty stroke, which was fantastic. Unfortunately, I took 3 penalties – all on hole #15. Two of those were for balls in a hazard. The final one was for an unplayable ball. I ended up with a disastrous score of 10.
That pretty much ruined the round. I made par on hole #17, a 200-yard par-3, and struggled to a triple-bogey on hole #18, a par-5. Looking back at my scorecard revealed some great contrasts. I had three pars and two bogeys on the par-3 holes, but amassed one bogey, one double, two triples and a quintuple-bogey (sheesh!) on the par-5 holes. In the end, I found another way to shoot 102. It's bizarre. I can absolutely hack it around for that score any day, but on days where I make lots of great shots, I still end up at the same score.
Score: 102
Putts: 34
Fairways: 5
Greens: 2
Penalties: 3
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