Despite a mediocre score, I was feeling good after my last round at Century Pines. I carried that confidence to Bradford Highlands – a course that, much like Century Pines, I've played often. Conditions were cool, but the best part was that I played in a twosome, with the course virtually empty ahead of us. Playing swiftly, I felt like I was in good rhythm. The end result was fantastic. I fired another round in the mid eighties, my fourth this season. It was also a personal best at Bradford Highlands. To cap things off, my handicap factor dipped down to 15.8, which virtually matches my personal best. I don't remember precisely where my factor bottomed out many years ago, but it was in the high 15s (probably 15.7). It's been a long journey back.
We played the back nine first and I striped a drive down the fairway of hole #10. My sand wedge approach was a little thin, skidding off the back of the green. It was a sign of things to come. I only hit two greens in regulation all day, but fortunately, I was chipping and putting the ball well. I just missed the par save on the opening hole, taking bogey instead.
Hole #11, a long par-5, produced one of three double-bogeys on the day. Luckily, I did no worse than that on any other hole. Interestingly, the holes where I made doubles were the top three handicap holes on the course. After a sketchy drive and 5-wood on hole #11, I was in the rough 160 yards from the green. A tree trunk which didn't affect my practice swing did affect my actual swing, causing the ball to squirt short and to the right. My fourth shot made it to the front of the green, but I was a long way from the hole and 3-putt to finish. It was my only 3-putt of the day.
Two consecutive pars followed immediately. On the green in regulation on hole #12, my first putt was well short. No worries, as I drained the second to take the par. I was not on the green in regulation on hole #13, but a good chip and putt combination did the trick for another par. While I didn't get up and down over the next three holes, I did chip and 2-putt all three for a trio of successive bogeys. A bad drive into the wind on hole #17 left me stymied behind a tree and it took two chips just to get back to the fairway. Double-bogey was the end result, but I got a stroke back by making par with an up and down on hole #18. I was shooting 44 at the turn.
The second nine started poorly, with a pulled drive forcing me to lay up before a pond with my second shot. Pitching wedge into the green was thin, skidding off the back of the green. A decent chip gave me a chance to save bogey, but I just missed, taking my third and last double-bogey of the day.
From that point forward, the round was exceptionally good. I alternated like clockwork between pars and bogeys over the last eight holes. On hole #2, a 170-yard par-3, a beautiful 6-iron drew right to the heart of the green. The birdie putt lipped out, but an easy par resulted. On hole #3, my drive came to rest under a spruce tree, forcing a chip out. Despite that, I had a reasonable putt for par. It didn't drop, resulting in bogey.
Hole #4, a dogleg par-4, is awkward for me. I don't often draw the ball, which is the ideal tee shot. I hit a rather unconventional 5-iron, 5-iron combination to get flag high, just left of the green. A lofted chip shop stopped right near the hole for a tap-in par. On hole #5, a long par-5, my approach from 150 yards was pulled left of the green. I pitched my fourth shot from 30 yards away, flying over a bunker and landing softly on the green. Two subsequent putts earned a bogey.
I've blown up on hole #6 in the past, but this time, I striped a drive right down the fairway. Gap wedge was just off the left edge of the green, as I was protecting from a large bunker guarding the pin tucked way to the right side. I made a fabulous chip and a 3-foot putt for par. The drive on hole #7 was a duff, travelling just ahead of the forward tee. I recovered with a fantastic 5-wood that came to rest 20 yards in front of the green. My pitch was behind the flag, but stayed close thanks to quite a bit of ball spin. I had to be careful putting from above the hole on this sloped green. Though I didn't make the par putt, the bogey was no problem.
On to hole #8, which is a 160-yard par-3 from an elevated tee. My 8-iron was hit thin, but made it to within a couple yards of the front of the green. I chipped past the front pin position, but made the comeback putt for par. Hole #5 is a par-5 and I almost made another par. My drive was in a fairway bunker on the right side. From there, I managed to advance the ball to the right rough, 150 yards from the green. I had some tree trouble and pulled the ball left and short of the green. A great pitch gave me a legitimate chance at par and I followed with a great putt from 10 feet. Unfortunately, it lipped out.
It was only when I added up my score that I realized the putt that lipped out was for a final score of 85. That would have tied for my 6th best score ever. As an 86, it only ties for my 12th best score. Still, it was a good result and I'm feeling good.
Score: 86
Putts: 31
Fairways: 6
Greens: 2
Penalties: 0
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