Fresh off a round at Osprey Valley Heathlands, it was time to challenge the Toot course. This is the only course at Osprey Valley that I hadn't played before, so I was looking forward to it. My first impression of the course was that it was big – as in big fairways, big bunkers, big greens. It definitely encourages you to bomb away.
Driver, 5-wood, lob wedge got me to the green on the opening par-5, but I 3-putt for bogey. The greens were as slick as Heathlands, so 3-putts were possible if starting out far from the hole. My drive on hole #2 found a fairway bunker and my second shot was fat. My third into this par-4 was short, requiring a chip and two putts for double-bogey. It got worse on hole #3, another par-4. I pulled my second shot into a fescue covered hillside, with no chance to find the ball. Yes, there is some fescue on Toot as well. I finished the hole with a triple-bogey.
Holes #4 through #6 were the start of a turnaround, but I was still victimized by the greens. On #4, a par-3, my tee shot was just short of the green on a severe up-slope. I chipped on , but wasn't really near the cup. Three putts ensued for a double. On holes #5 and #6, I nailed the fairways with some good drives and made bogeys. On the latter, I hit the green in regulation, but once again ruined it with a 3-putt. Despite the putting woes, I was feeling good about the round.
On holes #7 through #9, the turnaround kicked into high gear. On #7, a par-3, my tee shot missed the green to the left. I was flag high, but impeded by a tree. Nevertheless, I chipped right beside the cup and followed up with a successful par putt. On hole #8, a 494-yard par-5, I hit driver, 3-wood to about 5 yards short of the green. My drive was only about 250 yards and my 3-wood went almost the same distance. It was only the feeling of “room” that enabled me to go for it with 3-wood. I have not tried that in a long time and it felt great. After the 3-wood bomb, I pitched on and made the birdie putt! On hole #9, I hit the fairway, but my approach was just right of the green. I played a deft little chip and drained the putt for par. Three holes, three putts. You gotta love that!
A 9-over score of 45 at the turn was pretty respectable and I thought perhaps I could actually score well here. Four pars in a row to start the back nine only boosted my confidence. Driver, pitching wedge worked like a charm on hole #10, followed by two putts. A pretty 8-iron off the tee set up a 2-putt par on hole #11. Driver, sand wedge set up the 2-putt routine on hole #12. On hole #13, I busted out the driver, 3-wood combo once again in an attempt to reach the par-5 in two. This one was playing 514 yards, so I didn't come as close as the last time. Nevertheless, I had a short pitch to hit the green in regulation and followed up with two solid putts.
The first hiccup on the back nine came on hole #14, a par-3. My tee shot was pulled into a massive greenside bunker – my current nemesis. Conscious of avoiding the clean pick, my first bunker shot was a tiny bit fat. My second bunker shot was also fat, only emerging to the rough. Fortunately, I got up and down from there to limit the damage to double-bogey.
After that it was solid play once again – not like the par streak I had earlier, but four consecutive bogeys. Hey, I don't mind the bogey train at all. I'll ride that train all day long and take my chances at sneaking in a par or two. My drive on hole #15 was too far right, leaving the green blocked out by some trees. I hit a wedge back to the fairway and attacked the hole from there. I had a chance at a par save, but just missed. On holes #16 and #17, my drives finished in great places – it was my approach shots that were less precise. Still, a chip and two putts to finish off a par-4 ain't bad. Hole #18 is a par-5 that I reached in regulation with three great shots. Alas, I was above the hole and a long way from it, so I succumbed to a 3-putt.
When I tallied it all up, I scored 42 on the back nine and 87 in total. That is my second best score of the year. I don't like to “toot” my own horn, but that's pretty decent.
Score: 87
Putts: 34
Fairways: 10
Greens: 6
Penalties: 1
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