Round 2 of the Deepwoods championship took place at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club last Sunday. I arrived more than two hours before the first tee time, as I had volunteered to check-in players and help with any issues that might arise. Ironically, I didn't even have time to practice on the range, as a last-minute scheduling change bumped my foursome up by about 50 minutes. I quickly hit a half dozen balls and rushed to the tee. Worst of all, I didn't get to take a single putt or chip.
My first ball was in the water, but I followed up with a surprisingly good 5-iron to reach the par-4 opening hole in three strokes. With two putts, I managed to save a bogey. I hit the green in regulation on hole #2, a par-3. Facing a long putt, I had no sense of the green speeds. Of course, I 3-putt for another bogey. The short game imploded on the next hole, a par-4 with a sharp dogleg to the left. I was just off the back edge of the green after my first two shots. My first chip of the day was miserable, barely getting on the green. From there, I needed 4 putts to hole out, including two misses from less than 2 feet!
Now, I have been struggling with my golf game for a long time. On any given day, my shots could be doing a number of things. I could be slicing drives one moment, and pulling or hooking them the next. I could be hitting irons fat, then suddenly catching them thin. I could be chipping and putting well for a bit of a stretch, followed by another where the short game disappears. It is what it is, but the last thing I need is to enter a competition without taking a single chip or putt beforehand, especially when I arrive at the course 3 hours before my scheduled tee time!
On hole #4, a drive that wasn't terrible managed to settle under a spruce tree. The ball was unplayable. After a penalty stroke, an 8-iron that wasn't terrible managed to settle – you guessed it – under a spruce tree. I did manage to hack that one out to the green, finishing with a double bogey. Something similar happened on hole #8, the second of two back-to-back par-5 holes. My drive drifted right and luck was once again not on my side. With branches severely impeding my backswing, I advanced the ball a whole 4 yards! The end result was another double-bogey.
Worse than bad luck is when good decisions go unrewarded. On hole #6, a long par-3, I duffed my tee shot into a pond. The ball entered the hazard, but did not actually make it to the water. Unfortunately, it was in a rut that made playing it very tricky. The wise thing to do was to declare the ball unplayable and just take the penalty. That's exactly what I did. I dropped behind the hazard, keeping the point where the ball last crossed the margin between me and the hole. Then I absolutely butchered a 60-yard pitch attempt from a nice, flat lie, failing to get anywhere near the green. Good decision making is of little use when you can't execute the subsequent shot. I finished the hole with a quadruple bogey.
I could go on, but what's the point? I made the turn with a score of 54. I played the back nine even worse, piling up another 61 strokes. For goodness sake, I amassed 12 strokes on the tenth hole alone, a puny 290-yard par-4. I topped a 5-wood off the tee. I shanked a 9-iron out of bounds. I almost went out of bounds again after taking a penalty. I hit another spruce tree trying to get back to the fairway, where my ball ended up unplayable. Geez!
I hit only one fairway the entire round. It came on Hillside #4, which is the toughest on the course. A slight mis-hit on my approach to the green came up short. I should have finished with no worse than bogey, but a duffed pitch attempt bumped that up to a double. I salvaged two consecutive pars near the end of the round, but even those were ugly. The first came after a terrible drive to an opposite fairway. It was a miracle that my second shot, with the 5-wood, cleared a group of trees and rolled down a hill back to the fairway.
Whatever. It's been 10 years since I started playing this game and this is the type of result I had in the first few games I ever played. #@&*!
Score: 115
Putts: 40
Fairways: 1
Greens: 1
Penalties: 7
June 25, 2014
June 23, 2014
Sneaking One In at King's Forest
The weather “experts” were predicting doom and gloom, what with their severe weather alerts and “worst storm ever” hyperbole. A look outside my window, however, revealed cloudy skies, but no rain. It had been two weeks since I last played, so I booked a last minute round at King's Forest Golf Club in Hamilton and hoped for the best. Except for some stiff wind at times, conditions were ideal. Temperature was warm, the skies were partly cloudy, and not a single drop of water fell while I was on the course.
On the opening par-4, my drive sailed right of the fairway. With access to the green blocked by a cluster of trees, I tried laying up about 30 yards in front of the green. Instead of travelling 130 yards, my pitching wedge went 160 yards, right into a creek. It was a pattern that would repeat itself many times over the course of the round. Every time I tried to punch out of trouble or pitch back to safety, my ball would bound across the entire fairway, finding more trouble on the other side. On the opening hole, it cost me a double-bogey.
On the second hole, another par-4, I found myself deep in the trees right of the fairway. My first punch attempt smacked a tree trunk and came backwards. My second attempt clipped another trunk and deflected into a tiny water hazard, which was nothing more than a culvert. It was dry and I found my ball, but it was deep in a rut and unplayable. Triple bogey ensued. On hole #4 and in the trees right of the fairway once again, I managed to avoid tree trunks with my punch out. Unfortunately, I ran right through the fairway to the rough on the other side. Despite a couple small trees in my line, I hit a great 3-iron from there to the greenside bunker on this par-5 hole. I wasted my first bunker shot, before hitting a good one and one putting for bogey.
Suspect putting on the next few holes led to a trio of double-bogeys. On hole #6, a par-5, it ruined what would have been a good recovery. My drive off the tee found the weeds right of the fairway. After a penalty stroke, my 6-iron clipped a small tree, also on the right of the fairway. However, from 185 yards out, I hit a masterful shot to find the green. It was a high 5-iron over a large bunker in front and gently onto the green that was not even visible from my position. I should have been able to two putt for bogey, but it didn't happen. I did manage par on hole #8 and made the turn with a score of 51.
The toughest part of the course is the stretch from hole #10 through #13. In the trees left of the fairway on #11, I made one of my bonehead punch outs. Instead of simply punching back to the fairway, I tried to hook one closer to the green. Well, it didn't hook and instead found a water hazard on the other side of the fairway. The final result was double-bogey. That was nothing, compared to the 11 strokes I amassed on hole #12, a par-4 that doglegs through thick trees. I duffed a 3-iron off the tee, then flared an attempted layup into the forest. I smacked a tree trunk with a punch attempt, then guess what? I punched out, only to find the trees clear across the other side of the fairway! The ball was unplayable, so I took a penalty. Finally, my approach to the green with the gap wedge sailed 20 yards further than normal, finding another hazard and earning another penalty. Two more shots to get on and two putts later, 11 was the final tally.
With a respectable score now out of the question, I rattled off three pars in a row, beginning with #14, a short par-3 hole. Hole #15, a par-5, was more impressive, as I earned par despite taking a penalty stroke. My drive was straight and deep, but bounced through the end of the bending fairway and into some weeds. After taking a drop, I was 200 yards from the green, which was once again not visible over the crest of the hill. I hit a fabulous high 3-iron that settled 15 feet behind the pin. Those shots are what make golf fun. Unfortunately, they are so few and far between. I just missed the birdie putt, but I was satisfied.
I was disappointed with a poor pitch shot on hole #17, a long par-3 that was playing directly into the wind. After a decent tee shot, I should have finished with no worse than bogey, but double bogey was the result. With one hole to play, it was not possible to break 100. Subconsciously, that must have affected me. I played the hole poorly, including another failed punch hook attempt that didn't hook and ended up unplayable in trees opposite the fairway. I finished with a quadruple-bogey and a pathetic final tally.
Score: 106
Putts: 37
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 9
On the opening par-4, my drive sailed right of the fairway. With access to the green blocked by a cluster of trees, I tried laying up about 30 yards in front of the green. Instead of travelling 130 yards, my pitching wedge went 160 yards, right into a creek. It was a pattern that would repeat itself many times over the course of the round. Every time I tried to punch out of trouble or pitch back to safety, my ball would bound across the entire fairway, finding more trouble on the other side. On the opening hole, it cost me a double-bogey.
On the second hole, another par-4, I found myself deep in the trees right of the fairway. My first punch attempt smacked a tree trunk and came backwards. My second attempt clipped another trunk and deflected into a tiny water hazard, which was nothing more than a culvert. It was dry and I found my ball, but it was deep in a rut and unplayable. Triple bogey ensued. On hole #4 and in the trees right of the fairway once again, I managed to avoid tree trunks with my punch out. Unfortunately, I ran right through the fairway to the rough on the other side. Despite a couple small trees in my line, I hit a great 3-iron from there to the greenside bunker on this par-5 hole. I wasted my first bunker shot, before hitting a good one and one putting for bogey.
Suspect putting on the next few holes led to a trio of double-bogeys. On hole #6, a par-5, it ruined what would have been a good recovery. My drive off the tee found the weeds right of the fairway. After a penalty stroke, my 6-iron clipped a small tree, also on the right of the fairway. However, from 185 yards out, I hit a masterful shot to find the green. It was a high 5-iron over a large bunker in front and gently onto the green that was not even visible from my position. I should have been able to two putt for bogey, but it didn't happen. I did manage par on hole #8 and made the turn with a score of 51.
The toughest part of the course is the stretch from hole #10 through #13. In the trees left of the fairway on #11, I made one of my bonehead punch outs. Instead of simply punching back to the fairway, I tried to hook one closer to the green. Well, it didn't hook and instead found a water hazard on the other side of the fairway. The final result was double-bogey. That was nothing, compared to the 11 strokes I amassed on hole #12, a par-4 that doglegs through thick trees. I duffed a 3-iron off the tee, then flared an attempted layup into the forest. I smacked a tree trunk with a punch attempt, then guess what? I punched out, only to find the trees clear across the other side of the fairway! The ball was unplayable, so I took a penalty. Finally, my approach to the green with the gap wedge sailed 20 yards further than normal, finding another hazard and earning another penalty. Two more shots to get on and two putts later, 11 was the final tally.
With a respectable score now out of the question, I rattled off three pars in a row, beginning with #14, a short par-3 hole. Hole #15, a par-5, was more impressive, as I earned par despite taking a penalty stroke. My drive was straight and deep, but bounced through the end of the bending fairway and into some weeds. After taking a drop, I was 200 yards from the green, which was once again not visible over the crest of the hill. I hit a fabulous high 3-iron that settled 15 feet behind the pin. Those shots are what make golf fun. Unfortunately, they are so few and far between. I just missed the birdie putt, but I was satisfied.
I was disappointed with a poor pitch shot on hole #17, a long par-3 that was playing directly into the wind. After a decent tee shot, I should have finished with no worse than bogey, but double bogey was the result. With one hole to play, it was not possible to break 100. Subconsciously, that must have affected me. I played the hole poorly, including another failed punch hook attempt that didn't hook and ended up unplayable in trees opposite the fairway. I finished with a quadruple-bogey and a pathetic final tally.
Score: 106
Putts: 37
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 9
June 04, 2014
First Ever Visit to Calerin
Doug Carrick has designed some of the most acclaimed golf courses in Ontario, including Copper Creek, Eagle's Nest, Angus Glen, Osprey Valley, Greystone, Magna, King Valley, Muskoka Bay, Bigwin Island, and Battlefield at Legends on the Niagara. I've played my fair share of these and enjoy them thoroughly. Though each course is unique, one can definitely notice a common thread woven through them all. I guess you could call it the designer's signature.
One Carrick designed course that I hadn't played was Calerin Golf Club, located in Erin, Ontario. The only reason I hadn't played there is the fact that it is “merely” a 9-hole layout. I'm a traditionalist. I like to play 18-hole courses and I insist on them being full length. Executive, par-3, and 9-hole courses serve a useful purpose, but I don't consider them a pure test of golf. Thus, I have stayed away from Calerin – until now.
The holes at Calerin feature two very different sets of tees. Sometimes, the difference alters the length of the holes. A par-5, for example, can be reachable in two shots from one set of tees, while playing as a full three shot par-5 from the other. A par-3 can call for a sand wedge from 110 yards when teeing off from one area, while requiring a 6-iron from 170 yards when teeing off from another. But it's not just about length. The two sets of tees often alter the angle of attack, either to the green or fairway. This brings different bunkers and other hazards into play. Golfers may find that one set of tees suits their eye much more than the other.
The idea is to play 18 holes – the front nine played from one set of tees and the back nine played from the other set. I must admit, it's quite effective. Though the greens and pin locations are obviously the same, tee shots are completely different, and due to differing lengths, you're usually attacking the greens with different clubs. Total length over 18 holes is 6500 yards, so this is no slouch. In fact, I liked the course design very much. The greens, unfortunately, were in poor condition, with patches of dead grass making for a bumpy ride. However, so many courses suffered this winter that I'm willing to cut the club some slack. The outhouse (or clubhouse), on the other hand, smelled like urine. Then again, I wasn't there to entertain clients – I was there to golf.
I went bogey, par on the first two holes – a par 5, followed by a par-3. A dark cloud passed overhead right after teeing off on hole #3, dumping enough rain to soak us before we reached shelter at the clubhouse. After about ten minutes, the rain stopped, and the sun came out for the rest of the round. The golf cart had no bag covers, so my clubs got wet. I struggled to keep my grips dry on the third and fourth holes, and my soaked towel was no help. Maybe it was that, or maybe I just lost focus, but I started making some bad shots. Even with my grips dry, I struggled to finish the front nine with a score of 55.
The back nine – which was really the same nine, played from the other set of tees – was a very different story, as I shot a score of 46. For starters, I had seen the holes at least once, so I had a better idea of what to expect and where to miss. I also played better with my wedges. Early on, I was consistently going long on pitch shots in the 40 to 60 yard range. Coupled with some very poor chip shots, this was adding many unnecessary strokes. The poor chips usually came on flop attempts, where I had a lot of rough to fly over, but little green between me and the hole. Once I started hitting the greens with those 50-yard pitch shots, there was no need to chip. Hence, the improvement.
One thing that didn't change was my putting. I putt well for almost the entire round, but the greens were not rolling well enough to sink putts of any length. I therefore 2-putt everything, except for a pair of 3-putts the first time through on holes #8 and #9. The second time through on those same holes, I played my best golf of the round. In both cases, I played through strong winds to first find the fairway, and then cozy an approach to within birdie range. Those holes felt really good – it's a shame the birdies didn't drop on the less than perfect greens.
Score: 101
Putts: 38
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
One Carrick designed course that I hadn't played was Calerin Golf Club, located in Erin, Ontario. The only reason I hadn't played there is the fact that it is “merely” a 9-hole layout. I'm a traditionalist. I like to play 18-hole courses and I insist on them being full length. Executive, par-3, and 9-hole courses serve a useful purpose, but I don't consider them a pure test of golf. Thus, I have stayed away from Calerin – until now.
The holes at Calerin feature two very different sets of tees. Sometimes, the difference alters the length of the holes. A par-5, for example, can be reachable in two shots from one set of tees, while playing as a full three shot par-5 from the other. A par-3 can call for a sand wedge from 110 yards when teeing off from one area, while requiring a 6-iron from 170 yards when teeing off from another. But it's not just about length. The two sets of tees often alter the angle of attack, either to the green or fairway. This brings different bunkers and other hazards into play. Golfers may find that one set of tees suits their eye much more than the other.
The idea is to play 18 holes – the front nine played from one set of tees and the back nine played from the other set. I must admit, it's quite effective. Though the greens and pin locations are obviously the same, tee shots are completely different, and due to differing lengths, you're usually attacking the greens with different clubs. Total length over 18 holes is 6500 yards, so this is no slouch. In fact, I liked the course design very much. The greens, unfortunately, were in poor condition, with patches of dead grass making for a bumpy ride. However, so many courses suffered this winter that I'm willing to cut the club some slack. The outhouse (or clubhouse), on the other hand, smelled like urine. Then again, I wasn't there to entertain clients – I was there to golf.
I went bogey, par on the first two holes – a par 5, followed by a par-3. A dark cloud passed overhead right after teeing off on hole #3, dumping enough rain to soak us before we reached shelter at the clubhouse. After about ten minutes, the rain stopped, and the sun came out for the rest of the round. The golf cart had no bag covers, so my clubs got wet. I struggled to keep my grips dry on the third and fourth holes, and my soaked towel was no help. Maybe it was that, or maybe I just lost focus, but I started making some bad shots. Even with my grips dry, I struggled to finish the front nine with a score of 55.
The back nine – which was really the same nine, played from the other set of tees – was a very different story, as I shot a score of 46. For starters, I had seen the holes at least once, so I had a better idea of what to expect and where to miss. I also played better with my wedges. Early on, I was consistently going long on pitch shots in the 40 to 60 yard range. Coupled with some very poor chip shots, this was adding many unnecessary strokes. The poor chips usually came on flop attempts, where I had a lot of rough to fly over, but little green between me and the hole. Once I started hitting the greens with those 50-yard pitch shots, there was no need to chip. Hence, the improvement.
One thing that didn't change was my putting. I putt well for almost the entire round, but the greens were not rolling well enough to sink putts of any length. I therefore 2-putt everything, except for a pair of 3-putts the first time through on holes #8 and #9. The second time through on those same holes, I played my best golf of the round. In both cases, I played through strong winds to first find the fairway, and then cozy an approach to within birdie range. Those holes felt really good – it's a shame the birdies didn't drop on the less than perfect greens.
Score: 101
Putts: 38
Fairways: 2
Greens: 4
Penalties: 4
June 01, 2014
Great Day at Glencairn
The best rounds of golf are the ones you can play with your friends, regardless of individual performance. I had a chance to play with some buddies at Glencairn Golf Club, which was a new course for me. The course is a links style layout, with 27 holes. We played the Speyside nine, followed by Scotch Block. It was one of the more enjoyable rounds I've had in a while. Besides being able to catch up and joke around with some friends, the course was nice and the weather was perfect. In the end, I even played pretty well.
My drives missed the fairway on the first couple of holes, but just barely. Likewise, my approaches barely missed the green. On the first hole, I chipped and 2-putt for bogey, but a poor chip and 3-putt produced double-bogey on the second. We had spent some time on the practice range before the round, but didn't get a chance to practice any putting. After a couple of holes, I had a pretty good sense of the pace to expect on the greens.
I began hole #4, a short par-5, with a perfect drive to the left side of the fairway. Next, I hit a great wedge to lay up in front of a marsh, leaving 130 yards to the flag. I hit a good 9-iron into the green, but came up short due to a headwind and found myself in a bunker. I caught too much ball, sending it over the green. Next, I duffed a chip attempt, en route to a triple bogey. My long play was good, but the short game, specifically sand play and chip shots, killed me.
I only found one other bunker the entire round, and failed to emerge cleanly once again. That time, I hit too much sand, leaving the ball in the bunker. There were other occasions where poor chips also inflated my score. I was often short sided, which forced me to flop the ball. These are the chip attempts I'm most likely to duff. When I had green to work with, I actually hit a couple of chip shots that were real gems. On a few occasions, I cozied a chip right near the pin, leaving an easy gimme putt.
I had a pair of pars on Speyside – one on the par-3 fifth hole, and the other on the par-5 sixth. The first of these was textbook, as I hit the green, made a long lag and an easy tap-in. The second was also routine, as I piped a pair of 5-woods, followed by a wedge to reach the green. A long lag and easy tap-in finished things up. The 5-wood and driver both served me well off the tee. I employed the former on shorter holes, while using the big boy on longer tests.
Pars were more plentiful on Scotch Block nine. In fact, I made par on four of the first five holes. The first featured a laser of a drive, a wicked 3-wood to reach the green in regulation after topping my second shot, and another great lag putt. The second was more of a scramble, but a great up and down saved me. My approach flew the green on the third, but I hit the edging along the cart path, keeping my ball in bounds. From there, it was a satisfying up and down. The fourth par featured a good drive and excellent approach with the 5-iron. Hitting from the rough and into the wind, I was able to draw the ball, avoiding bunkers front left and finishing up at the back of the green, flag high.
I cooled down a bit over the last four holes, but managed to finish the round with a score of 97. Given the length of the course and degree of difficulty, it was probably my best round of the season so far. Sure, I could have saved some strokes by avoiding a few bad chips, a few bad putts, and a couple of blatant mishits, but I also had many good chips, good putts, and full shots. I'm satisfied.
Score: 97
Putts: 37
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
My drives missed the fairway on the first couple of holes, but just barely. Likewise, my approaches barely missed the green. On the first hole, I chipped and 2-putt for bogey, but a poor chip and 3-putt produced double-bogey on the second. We had spent some time on the practice range before the round, but didn't get a chance to practice any putting. After a couple of holes, I had a pretty good sense of the pace to expect on the greens.
I began hole #4, a short par-5, with a perfect drive to the left side of the fairway. Next, I hit a great wedge to lay up in front of a marsh, leaving 130 yards to the flag. I hit a good 9-iron into the green, but came up short due to a headwind and found myself in a bunker. I caught too much ball, sending it over the green. Next, I duffed a chip attempt, en route to a triple bogey. My long play was good, but the short game, specifically sand play and chip shots, killed me.
I only found one other bunker the entire round, and failed to emerge cleanly once again. That time, I hit too much sand, leaving the ball in the bunker. There were other occasions where poor chips also inflated my score. I was often short sided, which forced me to flop the ball. These are the chip attempts I'm most likely to duff. When I had green to work with, I actually hit a couple of chip shots that were real gems. On a few occasions, I cozied a chip right near the pin, leaving an easy gimme putt.
I had a pair of pars on Speyside – one on the par-3 fifth hole, and the other on the par-5 sixth. The first of these was textbook, as I hit the green, made a long lag and an easy tap-in. The second was also routine, as I piped a pair of 5-woods, followed by a wedge to reach the green. A long lag and easy tap-in finished things up. The 5-wood and driver both served me well off the tee. I employed the former on shorter holes, while using the big boy on longer tests.
Pars were more plentiful on Scotch Block nine. In fact, I made par on four of the first five holes. The first featured a laser of a drive, a wicked 3-wood to reach the green in regulation after topping my second shot, and another great lag putt. The second was more of a scramble, but a great up and down saved me. My approach flew the green on the third, but I hit the edging along the cart path, keeping my ball in bounds. From there, it was a satisfying up and down. The fourth par featured a good drive and excellent approach with the 5-iron. Hitting from the rough and into the wind, I was able to draw the ball, avoiding bunkers front left and finishing up at the back of the green, flag high.
I cooled down a bit over the last four holes, but managed to finish the round with a score of 97. Given the length of the course and degree of difficulty, it was probably my best round of the season so far. Sure, I could have saved some strokes by avoiding a few bad chips, a few bad putts, and a couple of blatant mishits, but I also had many good chips, good putts, and full shots. I'm satisfied.
Score: 97
Putts: 37
Fairways: 6
Greens: 4
Penalties: 3
May 28, 2014
Missed Opportunity at Deepwoods Opener
Round 1 of the 2014 Deepwoods championship was played last weekend at Copetown Woods Golf Club. The course has hosted the season opener ever since I joined the group and I've had some success there. It is not a difficult course, especially early in the season, before the fescue has had a chance to really grow in. When there's very little wind, as was the case last Sunday, there is plenty of opportunity to score well.
In fact, I scored very well for a large portion of the round. I was 3 over par for a 7-hole stretch beginning with hole #4. This mini-run included four pars and three bogeys. I was 5 over par for a 6-hole stretch beginning with hole #12. While this run included a double bogey, along with four bogeys, it also included a magnificent birdie on hole #14. After two shots on this par-5, I was in the fescue bordering a waste bunker, about 70 yards from the green. I did well to hack the ball out into the fairway, about 15 yards short of the green. I played a bump and run with the 8-iron and the ball rolled onto the green and into the cup!
Between these two stretches was hole #11, a lengthy par 3, which produced a disastrous quadruple bogey. I hooked a 4-iron off the tee flag high, but in the fescue left of the green. One pitch attempt only travelled half the intended distance. The next also failed to reach the green. When I finally reached the putting surface, I followed up with a 3-putt, which was one of two on a day when I amassed only 30 putts for the entire round.
Aside from that mishap, my other troubles came very early and very late in the round. I double bogeyed the opening par-5, thanks in part to a topped drive attempt. I hit a great recovery from the fescue with the 5-wood, leaving just 130 yards to reach the green in regulation. Unfortunately, I pushed a shot with the pitching wedge, then took two chips and two putts to finish.
Holes #2 and #3 were much worse than that. After a good drive on hole #2, I was nevertheless in the fescue, about two yards left of the fairway. In addition, the ball was well below my feet. I promptly shanked one into a pond right of the fairway. After taking a penalty and drop, I topped one badly, actually embedding the ball into the turf. I was forced to declare the ball unplayable and take another penalty. I finished with a score of 9 on the hole, which is a par 4.
I'll spare you the details of the blowups I had on holes #3 and #18. Suffice to say that I topped my tee shots, one with a 3-wood, and the other with a 3-iron. This put me in the fescue, with very uneven footing, leading to other mishits or struggling just to advance the ball. I hit a fair number of very good shots during this round, but when I missed, I missed badly. It's one thing to slice a ball or pull it slightly, but when you top the ball and it goes nowhere, it's like giving strokes away.
In the end, I have mixed feelings about the round. I'm disappointed with shots where I failed to make good contact, but I'm happy that I did hit a substantial number of good ones. I had some shaky chips, but was better than in my previous two rounds. Finally, my putting was far better than in those rounds. To be fair, poor conditions had a lot to do with my putting woes earlier in the season. Copetown Woods was in normal shape for this time of year.
Score: 98
Putts: 30
Fairways: 2
Greens: 3
Penalties: 3
In fact, I scored very well for a large portion of the round. I was 3 over par for a 7-hole stretch beginning with hole #4. This mini-run included four pars and three bogeys. I was 5 over par for a 6-hole stretch beginning with hole #12. While this run included a double bogey, along with four bogeys, it also included a magnificent birdie on hole #14. After two shots on this par-5, I was in the fescue bordering a waste bunker, about 70 yards from the green. I did well to hack the ball out into the fairway, about 15 yards short of the green. I played a bump and run with the 8-iron and the ball rolled onto the green and into the cup!
Between these two stretches was hole #11, a lengthy par 3, which produced a disastrous quadruple bogey. I hooked a 4-iron off the tee flag high, but in the fescue left of the green. One pitch attempt only travelled half the intended distance. The next also failed to reach the green. When I finally reached the putting surface, I followed up with a 3-putt, which was one of two on a day when I amassed only 30 putts for the entire round.
Aside from that mishap, my other troubles came very early and very late in the round. I double bogeyed the opening par-5, thanks in part to a topped drive attempt. I hit a great recovery from the fescue with the 5-wood, leaving just 130 yards to reach the green in regulation. Unfortunately, I pushed a shot with the pitching wedge, then took two chips and two putts to finish.
Holes #2 and #3 were much worse than that. After a good drive on hole #2, I was nevertheless in the fescue, about two yards left of the fairway. In addition, the ball was well below my feet. I promptly shanked one into a pond right of the fairway. After taking a penalty and drop, I topped one badly, actually embedding the ball into the turf. I was forced to declare the ball unplayable and take another penalty. I finished with a score of 9 on the hole, which is a par 4.
I'll spare you the details of the blowups I had on holes #3 and #18. Suffice to say that I topped my tee shots, one with a 3-wood, and the other with a 3-iron. This put me in the fescue, with very uneven footing, leading to other mishits or struggling just to advance the ball. I hit a fair number of very good shots during this round, but when I missed, I missed badly. It's one thing to slice a ball or pull it slightly, but when you top the ball and it goes nowhere, it's like giving strokes away.
In the end, I have mixed feelings about the round. I'm disappointed with shots where I failed to make good contact, but I'm happy that I did hit a substantial number of good ones. I had some shaky chips, but was better than in my previous two rounds. Finally, my putting was far better than in those rounds. To be fair, poor conditions had a lot to do with my putting woes earlier in the season. Copetown Woods was in normal shape for this time of year.
Score: 98
Putts: 30
Fairways: 2
Greens: 3
Penalties: 3
May 22, 2014
Brutal Conditions at Twenty Valley
My first round of the season at Victoria Park East featured some pretty poor conditions. Three temporary greens were being used, while portions of the remaining greens were covered in tarps. However, given the harsh winter we just had, it was acceptable. The exposed parts of the greens were rolling reasonably, and fairways were fine. Despite a few soft areas, the rough was in fairly regular shape.
I can't say the same for my second round of the season, which was played at Twenty Valley Golf Club. Six temporary greens were being used – tiny, featureless patches of closely mowed grass at the end of the fairways, with holes cut near the high side. Six was just too many! The greens that were in play were extremely bumpy and slow. In fact, they weren't much better than the temporary counterparts. Worst of all, the course was very soft. As a result, I don't think crews were able to mow the rough, which was lush and way too long.
The course was in terrible shape, and so was my game. One doesn't expect to score well in poor conditions, but it was more than that. I hit a few good tee shots, including a 5-wood on the opening hole, a 3-iron into the wind early on the back nine, and a couple of drivers here and there. Unfortunately, it seemed like I only had one good shot in me with each club. The 5-wood failed me off the tee on hole #2, as did the 3-iron from the teeing ground on hole #12. Both were sliced into the punishing rough, and once I was in there, it was game over. When I missed with the driver, it was also a push slice.
With my ball striking very shaky, could I compensate with a good short game? Not at all. My chipping was even worse than it was in my first round of the season. On a few occasions, I needed multiple chips to get on a green. From the green fringe, I misjudged the speed of a lot of putts. Once on the greens proper, it was impossible to make anything. I did manage one nice sand shot from a greenside bunker, but the other time I was in that situation, I sculled one over the green.
So, what about my mantra of “plan conservatively, execute aggressively?” Well, I followed it. Did it help? Obviously not. Now, I didn't get upset after any of my shots. Getting upset won't help you on your next shot, so there's really no reason for it. The fact is, however, that my “take it in stride” demeanour didn't help me either. At the end of the day with a horrific tally on my scorecard, I felt just as bad as I have ever felt when obtaining a similar result.
We're only two rounds into the season, and I've already matched my best score (93) and exceeded my worst score (116) of the previous year. These wild swings are hard to understand. My next outing will be Round 1 of the 2014 Deepwoods Golf Association championship. Which game will show up? It's a complete crapshoot.
Score: 119
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
I can't say the same for my second round of the season, which was played at Twenty Valley Golf Club. Six temporary greens were being used – tiny, featureless patches of closely mowed grass at the end of the fairways, with holes cut near the high side. Six was just too many! The greens that were in play were extremely bumpy and slow. In fact, they weren't much better than the temporary counterparts. Worst of all, the course was very soft. As a result, I don't think crews were able to mow the rough, which was lush and way too long.
The course was in terrible shape, and so was my game. One doesn't expect to score well in poor conditions, but it was more than that. I hit a few good tee shots, including a 5-wood on the opening hole, a 3-iron into the wind early on the back nine, and a couple of drivers here and there. Unfortunately, it seemed like I only had one good shot in me with each club. The 5-wood failed me off the tee on hole #2, as did the 3-iron from the teeing ground on hole #12. Both were sliced into the punishing rough, and once I was in there, it was game over. When I missed with the driver, it was also a push slice.
With my ball striking very shaky, could I compensate with a good short game? Not at all. My chipping was even worse than it was in my first round of the season. On a few occasions, I needed multiple chips to get on a green. From the green fringe, I misjudged the speed of a lot of putts. Once on the greens proper, it was impossible to make anything. I did manage one nice sand shot from a greenside bunker, but the other time I was in that situation, I sculled one over the green.
So, what about my mantra of “plan conservatively, execute aggressively?” Well, I followed it. Did it help? Obviously not. Now, I didn't get upset after any of my shots. Getting upset won't help you on your next shot, so there's really no reason for it. The fact is, however, that my “take it in stride” demeanour didn't help me either. At the end of the day with a horrific tally on my scorecard, I felt just as bad as I have ever felt when obtaining a similar result.
We're only two rounds into the season, and I've already matched my best score (93) and exceeded my worst score (116) of the previous year. These wild swings are hard to understand. My next outing will be Round 1 of the 2014 Deepwoods Golf Association championship. Which game will show up? It's a complete crapshoot.
Score: 119
Putts: 39
Fairways: 5
Greens: 1
Penalties: 4
May 07, 2014
Plan Conservatively, Execute Aggressively
After more than six months without swinging a golf club, I headed out to Victoria Park East for my first round of the season. I had planned on visiting the practice range a day earlier, but ended up taking care of some chores instead. I arrived at the club well before my tee time, which allowed me to practice some putting and chip shots. After a few air swings to complete the warm-up, I proceeded to the first tee.
My mantra for the season is plan conservatively, execute aggressively. In years past, I improved my play substantially, merely through game management. When I focused too much on swing mechanics, I had less success. After a dip in performance over the past couple of years, I feel it's time for a renewed focus on decision making. Specifically, my aim is to make the right decision before every shot. Usually, that means opting for the conservative play.
The new wrinkle is to follow up those decisions with aggressive execution. I'll have more to say on this as the season progresses, but it's basically about commitment. If I can make the correct decision every time, then I should have no hesitation when I step up to take the shot. It's also about being fearless. If I don't fear any particular outcome, then I should be able to approach the ball and let 'er rip. Whatever the outcome, I should be happy, as long as I've made the right decision and committed to it.
Now, the course at Victoria Park was not in great shape, owing to the long and difficult winter we've had. A couple of temporary greens were being used, while others were partially tarped off. Since I hadn't golfed in ages, I elected to play the white tees at about 6,100 yards.
On the first hole, a par-5, my approach into the green disappeared over a group of trees on the right side. There is lots of room there, but I wasn't able to find my ball. After taking a penalty, I butchered a couple of pitch / chip attempts, en route to a quadruple-bogey 9. In fact, my chipping was poor the entire round. It's not surprising, as this part of the game is largely feel, and is the last piece to come back after a winter without practice.
Fortunately, I was able to put the bad start out of my mind immediately. I was 8-over for the next eight holes, finishing the turn with a score of 48. The stretch included two pars, four bogeys, and two doubles. I didn't hit a lot of fairways, but was often in fine shape just a yard or two into the rough. The couple of times I did find the fairway, I did so with beautiful, deep drives. Oh what a feeling! My mid and short irons were also very good. I hit a couple of pure irons that were all over the flag, or actually carried further than my usual distance.
Things continued to roll along over most of the back nine. I was 7-over for holes 10 through 17, with two pars, five bogeys, and one double. A couple of bogeys wold have been pars, if not for missed putts in the 4 to 5-foot range. For the entire round, I calculate that I missed five of these very make-able putts. One came on a 170-yard par-3, after a really nice tee shot and lag putt. Much like chipping, putting takes some time to come back after a long break.
I messed up the final hole by recording a triple-bogey. My tee shot flared to the right of the fairway, behind some trees. I decided to forgo the green entirely with my second shot, choosing a pitching wedge to get the loft required to clear the trees. It was the right decision, but I didn't factor the soft, muddy lie that I had. Instead of getting compressed, the ball dug into the mud and came out low, ending up a few yards ahead, stymied by another tree trunk. After a chip out to the fairway and a lob wedge to reach the green in four, I added a 3-putt. My lag was actually good, but I missed one of those pesky 4-footers!
Overall, I'm happy with my play and with the result. 93 ain't bad, considering how poorly I played last year, not to mention the winter layoff. I stuck to my new mantra and it seemed to help. My driver and irons were working and I limited my penalties. I need to get my chipping and putting feel back, which I'm confident will happen.
Score: 93
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
My mantra for the season is plan conservatively, execute aggressively. In years past, I improved my play substantially, merely through game management. When I focused too much on swing mechanics, I had less success. After a dip in performance over the past couple of years, I feel it's time for a renewed focus on decision making. Specifically, my aim is to make the right decision before every shot. Usually, that means opting for the conservative play.
The new wrinkle is to follow up those decisions with aggressive execution. I'll have more to say on this as the season progresses, but it's basically about commitment. If I can make the correct decision every time, then I should have no hesitation when I step up to take the shot. It's also about being fearless. If I don't fear any particular outcome, then I should be able to approach the ball and let 'er rip. Whatever the outcome, I should be happy, as long as I've made the right decision and committed to it.
Now, the course at Victoria Park was not in great shape, owing to the long and difficult winter we've had. A couple of temporary greens were being used, while others were partially tarped off. Since I hadn't golfed in ages, I elected to play the white tees at about 6,100 yards.
On the first hole, a par-5, my approach into the green disappeared over a group of trees on the right side. There is lots of room there, but I wasn't able to find my ball. After taking a penalty, I butchered a couple of pitch / chip attempts, en route to a quadruple-bogey 9. In fact, my chipping was poor the entire round. It's not surprising, as this part of the game is largely feel, and is the last piece to come back after a winter without practice.
Fortunately, I was able to put the bad start out of my mind immediately. I was 8-over for the next eight holes, finishing the turn with a score of 48. The stretch included two pars, four bogeys, and two doubles. I didn't hit a lot of fairways, but was often in fine shape just a yard or two into the rough. The couple of times I did find the fairway, I did so with beautiful, deep drives. Oh what a feeling! My mid and short irons were also very good. I hit a couple of pure irons that were all over the flag, or actually carried further than my usual distance.
Things continued to roll along over most of the back nine. I was 7-over for holes 10 through 17, with two pars, five bogeys, and one double. A couple of bogeys wold have been pars, if not for missed putts in the 4 to 5-foot range. For the entire round, I calculate that I missed five of these very make-able putts. One came on a 170-yard par-3, after a really nice tee shot and lag putt. Much like chipping, putting takes some time to come back after a long break.
I messed up the final hole by recording a triple-bogey. My tee shot flared to the right of the fairway, behind some trees. I decided to forgo the green entirely with my second shot, choosing a pitching wedge to get the loft required to clear the trees. It was the right decision, but I didn't factor the soft, muddy lie that I had. Instead of getting compressed, the ball dug into the mud and came out low, ending up a few yards ahead, stymied by another tree trunk. After a chip out to the fairway and a lob wedge to reach the green in four, I added a 3-putt. My lag was actually good, but I missed one of those pesky 4-footers!
Overall, I'm happy with my play and with the result. 93 ain't bad, considering how poorly I played last year, not to mention the winter layoff. I stuck to my new mantra and it seemed to help. My driver and irons were working and I limited my penalties. I need to get my chipping and putting feel back, which I'm confident will happen.
Score: 93
Putts: 36
Fairways: 4
Greens: 2
Penalties: 2
December 01, 2013
2013: Year in Review
Outside, the wind is howling. All but the most stubborn leaves have fallen off the trees. Winter approaches. Inside, I sit before the glow of my computer screen. A cup of coffee rests nearby, cooling faster than I'd like. It's been a month since my last round of golf, as autumn temperatures have not been conducive to playing. There were a couple of days when temperatures reached into double digits, but it wasn't enough to coax me onto the fairways and greens. The last of these days was Saturday. Instead of playing golf, I took advantage of the mild weather to put the winter tires on my car. It was a more productive use of the time, I figured.
2013 was a challenging year for my golf game, but then again, so were the two preceding seasons. I began the year hoping to return to the form I displayed in 2009-2010. Instead, I continued a downward trend that now sees me at the level I displayed when first taking up the game. I played 31 rounds this year, equalling my total from the previous season. It's a decent number, but not enough to keep my game sharp. When my game was better, I was playing about 50 rounds per year. Besides playing less, I also fail to practice on a regular basis. Living in the city, it's a trek just to reach a practice facility.
2013 was a challenging year for my golf game, but then again, so were the two preceding seasons. I began the year hoping to return to the form I displayed in 2009-2010. Instead, I continued a downward trend that now sees me at the level I displayed when first taking up the game. I played 31 rounds this year, equalling my total from the previous season. It's a decent number, but not enough to keep my game sharp. When my game was better, I was playing about 50 rounds per year. Besides playing less, I also fail to practice on a regular basis. Living in the city, it's a trek just to reach a practice facility.
November 03, 2013
Looks Like the Season is Over
When there's no golf, the mind wanders. Can't get this out of my head.
October 16, 2013
Ladybugs Attack at Hockley Valley
My latest round of golf was a return visit to Hockley Valley Resort. Weather was perfect and the onset of fall colours made for even prettier vistas than usual. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the weather conditions or time of year, but the course was completely overrun by ladybugs. As insects go, ladybugs are perhaps the least offensive, but the sheer number of them made for some uncomfortable waits on the teeing grounds.
I was pumped up about this round because it came on the heels of a good performance at Lowville Golf Club. Would I be able to carry the momentum forward? On the front nine, it looked like I might, though my results were borderline. I made the turn with five double-bogeys and four bogeys, for a score of 50. I was happy to avoid scores of triple-bogey or worse, but I was bummed that I didn't collect any pars.
I was pumped up about this round because it came on the heels of a good performance at Lowville Golf Club. Would I be able to carry the momentum forward? On the front nine, it looked like I might, though my results were borderline. I made the turn with five double-bogeys and four bogeys, for a score of 50. I was happy to avoid scores of triple-bogey or worse, but I was bummed that I didn't collect any pars.
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