The search for value took me to Knollwood's New Course, where I've only played on one other occasion. Fairways and greens were in pretty rough shape, but you get what you pay for, I suppose. On a positive note, the people were great! I played as a single and six groups let me play through, without any prompting whatsoever.
The sixth group let me through on hole 11 and it was wide open the rest of the way. I finished the round in 2 hours, 50 minutes. This was much appreciated, as a storm system was forecast to pass through in the late afternoon. I got in my car and drove away before any bad weather reached the area.
Hole 1 – Par 4 (275 yards)
I hit 5-wood to the centre of the fairway, followed by lob wedge to the front of the elevated green. The ball had too much backspin and rolled off the front of the green. I chipped one just past the back pin location, barely missing a 10-footer for par. Bogey it was.
Hole 2 – Par 5 (459 yards)
A mediocre drive still found the left side of the fairway. I pushed a 4-iron into a cluster of trees right. The ball was unplayable, so I took a penalty and drop. Sand wedge then carried me to the left edge of the green, flag high. After a lengthy lag, I tapped in for another bogey.
Hole 3 – Par 4 (410 yards)
The hardest hole on the course began with a perfect 5-wood to the centre of the fairway. From a downhill lie, it's not possible to clear a tall tree that protects the front of the green. I tried to punch a low shot to in front of the green, but missed badly. My next attempt was no better. My fourth shot rolled well past the hole. A lag and tap-in earned a double-bogey.
Hole 4 – Par 3 (123 yards)
After long waits on the first few holes, the first group of the day let me through. With no more waiting for the rest of the day, my performance improved dramatically. I hit gap wedge to the front left portion of the green on this hole. I lagged a putt through a chewed up section of green, then tapped in for par.
Hole 5 – Par 5 (453 yards)
Waited briefly at the rear tees until a foursome waved me through from the fairway. You must tee off through a chute on this hole, which can be challenging at the best of times. With a group of people watching, it gets more complicated. No problem, I drilled a drive over their heads toward the top of the hill. Followed up with a lovely 4-iron that finished in the left rough, 30 yards from the flag. A good pitch gave me a chance at birdie, but I just missed it, settling for another par.
Hole 6 – Par 4 (250 yards)
It's short, but this hole is tough if you haven't played it much before. Trees pinch the area leading up to the green, so it's important to pick the correct layup spot. I pulled a 7-iron slightly off the tee, finishing under some trees on the left. My only play was a sideways pitch to the end of the fairway. From 80 yards, my low pitch attempt was fat. I followed up with a beauty to inside 5 feet of the cup, then drained a putt for bogey.
Hole 7 – Par 4 (395 yards)
Three senior gents let me through at the tee, cracking some jokes about how I could learn by watching them, instead of moving ahead. I chuckled, then drilled a 270-yard drive to the left centre of the fairway. From 125 yards, my gap wedge released off the back of the green. I chipped back past the hole, then made an uphill putt to save par.
Hole 8 – Par 4 (320 yards)
Three ladies let me through on this tee, and I heard some “wows” after I hit a drive just off the right side of the fairway. That felt good, even though it wasn't my best drive, either in length or accuracy. From that position, I had a perfect angle into the green, allowing me to attack with sand wedge. I missed the putting surface slightly right, but chipped just past the hole and drained a 6-footer for another up-and-down par.
Hole 9 – Par 3 (169 yards)
This hole is all carry over water, with out of bounds also coming into play on the left. I hit a pure 7-iron off the tee that hit the green and released to flag-high, just left of the target. This left an uphill putt with just a hint of break. I lined it up and confidently stroked in the birdie, which helped me shoot 40 (4-over) on the front nine.
Hole 10 – Par 4 (340 yards)
Four guys let me through on this tee, and they were all standing 10 feet away from me as I teed up my ball. The fairway drops, before rising back up to the green. Boom! I pounded one straight down the pipe. “That's what I want to do,” exclaimed one of the onlookers. I bet you do, buddy! It was a great shot, but only went 240 yards, as the ball was slowed by the hill and by some rough that pinches in on the right side. From 100 yards, I hit lob wedge to the front of the green. A nicely judged lag putt left easy work for par.
Hole 11 – Par 3 (130 yards)
I hit gap wedge to the left edge of the green, while yet another group of friendly golfers looked on. The hole was on the opposite side of the green, so this was potential 3-putt territory. After a spectacular lag putt to within two feet, any chance of a 3-putt was eradicated. I tapped in for another par.
Hole 12 – Par 4 (399 yards)
This fairway bends to the right. I remember picking the wrong line the first time I played this hole, finishing in a tricky spot left of the fairway. This time, I blasted one to the centre of the fairway, leaving 140 yards to the green. I hit pitching wedge just left of the green and was a little short sided. My chip went 8 feet past the hole. I had an uphill putt with a small break, but I just missed. Bogey was the result.
Hole 13 – Par 4 (398 yards)
I pulled my drive on this hole and it didn't go very far at all. From the left rough, not only was the ball above my feet, but some woods up ahead blocked my path to the green. I hit 6-iron to an open area well right of the green. A 40-yard pitch gave me a decent look at par, but a good looking roll didn't drop. I recorded another bogey.
Hole 14 – Par 4 (375 yards)
I drove the ball 270 yards, missing the fairway left by about two yards. Despite a tree nearby, I had an unobstructed path to the green. I played sand wedge well right of the flag to avoid bushes left of the green. Though I got on in regulation, I was very far from the hole. I lagged my first putt down a large hump and cozied it to within a couple feet of the hole. An easy tap-in finished the par.
Hole 15 – Par 3 (177 yards)
A longer par-3 that once again must carry water. I made good contact with 5-iron,but tugged the ball ever so slightly left. I was in some long grass, fairly close to the rear flag location. To be safe, I chipped well past the hole. From there, I curled a long breaking putt to within a few feet. It was another excellent lag, but this time for bogey.
Hole 16 – Par 5 (466 yards)
I hit a pulled drive, which made the hole play longer than it is. As on hole 13, I was in the rough, with the ball above my feet and trees ahead blocking my path. I hit 7-iron to the right, but it carried too far and settled under a spruce tree right of the fairway. All I could do was punch back to the fairway. From 100 yards and with the ball well above my feet, I hit a good sand wedge to the back of the green. Two putts finished the hole for a bogey.
Hole 17 – Par 5 (547 yards)
A long par-5 that began with a perfect drive to the left centre of the fairway. This was followed by a lovely piercing 4-iron straight down the pipe. From 125 yards, I hit gap wedge to the back of this large tiered green. A lengthy birdie attempt didn't miss by much, leading to a stress-free par.
Hole 18 – Par 4 (343 yards)
There's a lot of room on this par-4, but it doesn't appear that way from the teeing ground. Especially from the back tees, nearby trees make it feel much more narrow. I pulled my drive slightly, actually clipping a branch ever so slightly. The ball deflected back to the right and a bit down, but then bounced off the cart path, which evened things out. I ended up in the centre of the fairway, 113 yards from the green.
A beautiful gap wedge flew very near the rear pin location and spun backward a bit, leaving a 10-foot putt for birdie. I knew if I drained the putt it would be for a score of 79 – just one off my personal best of 78. It was an uphill putt with just a hint of break, exactly as I had faced on a couple of occasions earlier in the round. I put a nice stroke on it, just burning the left edge before curling in behind the hole.
So I “settled” for a score of 80. I can think of worse things.
Score: 80
Putts: 32
Fairways: 8
Greens:8
Penalties: 1
No comments:
Post a Comment