I shot a decent score of 84 for my last round, so how do you top that? How about an 83 for the very next round? Consider it done. I headed out to Doon Valley and did precisely that. This was despite a triple-bogey on the opening par-4. My drive was in the left rough, with my approach to the green blocked by a tree. I opted to punch underneath the branches, but the ball rolled into a wooded area right of the green. The ball came out surprisingly clean on my third shot, rolling off the other side of the putting surface. After a duff and a weak chip, I 2-putt to finish. I should have just tried to finish short of the green with my second shot. Lesson learned.
Three consecutive pars got me back on track. I hit a perfect iron off the tee to the back pin location on hole 2. The birdie putt just missed. A lovely gap wedge set up an uphill birdie chance on hole 3. That birdie putt also came close. A solid 4-iron off the tee found the green on hole 4. I lagged the first putt close from distance, finishing with another tap-in. Next up, came three consecutive bogeys. The last of these, on hole 7, should have been par. I split the fairway with a nice drive, then hit the front of the green with a sand wedge. Sadly, I came up way short with my first putt, requiring two more to hole out.
The par streak resumed, beginning with hole 8, as I rattled off five in a row! Two mid irons, plus a chip and a putt did the trick on hole 8. Driver, 5-iron, lob wedge got me to the green on hole 9, a par-5. Two putts on a sloped section of green were well judged. The 3-iron worked well off the tee on hole 10, but an 8-iron approach was thinned into a front bunker. For once, I hit a perfect bunker shot, with the ball taking one bounce and stopping on a dime, two feet left of the hole. I had a good look at birdie on hole 11, a 150-yard par-3. My 7-iron to the back pin position was lovely. Alas, the birdie putt just missed. Finally, 5-iron and sand wedge carried me to the green safely on hole 12. I lagged my first putt from distance and then tapped in.
After a couple of bogeys, disaster struck on hole 15. This is a par-4 with a forced carry over a creek just in front of the teeing ground. Carrying the creek is not a problem, as it's just a few yards ahead. The issue, for me, is a bunch of tall trees that create a chute effect when standing on the tee. It just doesn't suit my eye. I've duffed shots from there in the past, and I did it again this time! I struck the ball on the heel of the club, sending it diving into the creek ahead. Hitting my third from the tee, I split the fairway. Go figure. The two strokes given away at the tee cost me a triple-bogey.
Just as I did after the first hole, I followed up a triple-bogey with three consecutive pars. Driver, 5-wood, sand wedge carried me to the green on hole 16, a par-5. I wasn't really in birdie range, but I gave it a go. It ended up being a nice lag putt. Hole 17 is a par-3 that was playing about 180 yards. My 5-iron was headed directly at the flag and looked like it would finish close. I hit it pure though, and the ball rolled off the back of the green. No worries, as I chipped one close and then tapped in. It was the same finish to hole 18, a par-5. The chip and putt followed a 9-iron approach that came up just short.
A couple of silly mistakes, or I could really have broken 80.
Score: 83
Putts: 32
Fairways: 7
Greens: 8
Penalties: 2
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