Willowdale Golf Course in Mansfield is actually one of my favorite places to play. It's pretty easy to get to, it's cheap and you get a good mix of only par 3's and 4's, which is nice for players who suck at golf. I came here numerous times last summer due to it's close proximity to Gillette Stadium. My New Year's resolution was to break 50 at the course, which I came close to doing last season. Greeted with a gorgeous New England Spring day, I was determined to try again.
#1 A dogleg to the left meant that I would be lucky to get on the green in two. I didn't bother with my driver, because if my range session last week was any indication, we're heading for a breakup pretty soon. Instead I used my 3 wood and actually drove past the turn and into the rough. Never expected to get that much distance, to be honest with you. I lifted my head on my attempt to reach the green and thus had to chip twice to get there. Still very content with a 20-footer for a 4, I was off on the speed of the greens and my putt came up woefully short. My second attempt didn't break nearly as much as I expected and thus was left with a tap-in two footer for a 6. At least, for anyone else it was a tap-in. I lipped it out for a very annoying 7. My quest for 50 was not starting off well.
#2 I'm still having issues with figure out what club to hit at what distance, so I essentially guessed when I went with a 5 iron for this 160 yard par 3. The distance didn't matter, however, as I topped my drive and it went weakly off to the right. My chip attempt wasn't much better as I landed near a tree below the raised green. I did, however, get a sweet chip attempt as my shot went up and over a large branch to land in the second cut at the bottom of the green. I attempted to putt from there rather than risk watching my chip fly across the green, but I didn't hit it hard enough to clear the first and second cut; thus, I was forced to putt again from 10 feet. I was off on the break and had a short putt before I could mark my 6.
#3 At essentially the same length as the hole before it, I decided to try my 5 iron again on the off chance that I would actually hit it straight this time. I got good loft and would have ended up very close to the green if my drive hadn't faded at the end and landed up just off the fairway to the right. Standing above the ball, which was on a hill, I missed making solid contact and had to chip a second time to get on the green. Left with a 20 footer for a 4 I again got the read of the green wrong and didn't get the break I expected. I lipped out a 5 footer and in my haste to just tap in didn't set my feet and so I missed the easy come-backer. I finally put in the putt for a 7 and began to wonder if anyone would have a driver/putter two-fer special.
#4 Going back to the only club I hit well I pulled out my 3 wood for this 290 yard par 4. Again I got good, not great, contact as my shot faded to the right at the end, landing just in front of the pond that straddles holes #4 and #5. My second attempt actually hooked perfectly around a tree that stood between me and the green as if I planned it. Coming up just short I chipped on to the green, but didn't get the roll I expected to the hole. Facing an uphill 20 footer for my 4, I again got the speed wrong and made it only halfway to the hole. My second putt was better, but I still missed by a foot and had to tap in for a 6.
#5 To start with, my 3 wood betrayed me. My drive shot to the right, over the pond I had just missed and settled neatly into the fairway on #4. Fortunately, no one was playing it at the time so I attempted to chip back into my own fairway, only to hit a branch and watch my ball die right next to the tree. I had no real option except to aim 90 degrees from the hole and just try and make it back into the fairway. Now, rather than take 5 seconds to relax I just swung at the ball and, of course, watched it go about 4 feet. I was getting more annoyed now and so it took me two more pitch attempts before I got good contact... which promptly got me over the green. Putting from just on the fringe and downhill for a 7 I actually had one of my better putts of the afternoon and came within a foot of the hole. I finished off the worst hole of my round with a snowman. My dream of breaking 50 seemed way off.
#6 Despite my bad drive on the last hole I stuck with my 3 wood, because it's still the most consistent contact I get. I hit a line drive down the right side of the fairway, watching it fly 3 feet off the ground for about 120 yards before it landed and started bouncing towards the green before it disappeared down a slight hill. At least it was still in the right fairway. As I started walking to where I thought my ball was going to be I couldn't find it, but noticed a ball on the green, about a foot from the cup. Trying to figure out who hit one hell of an errant shot, I approached the ball. As I got closer I could see the mark I had made on the ball. Holy shit... it was mine! I guess it just kept rolling after I stopped watching it and it continued all the way to green. So, here's all you need to know about what I think of myself as a golfer: when I hit a great shot, instead of being happy, I start to wonder who's ball that is, cause there is no way that that could be mine. Not taking any chances, I marked and re-spotted my ball (something I never do) for my one-footer. I drained it for only my second birdie ever.
#7 This is the short par 3 where I came my closest to a birdie last season. So, I had full confidence that I could get this close and follow my birdie with something low. Instead I caught my pitching wedge at an odd angle and watched the ball fly towards the sand trap. Luckily at this time of year it's not really sand yet (still a little too solid), and so my ball rolled up and out of the bunker. My chip attempt landed me on the green with 30 feet to the hole and a par. Unfortunately I thought there was going to be some more break than there was (which was none) and left myself 11 feet for my 4. Again, I decided to take a moment and realign the ball on the green. I nailed the following putt. Maybe there is something to this whole realigning thing the pros like to do.
#8 I stuck with my 3 wood since it had been working for me all day. Again, I got solid contact but not enough high as my ball stayed 3 feet off the ground most of the way down the fairway before fading to the right at the end. I was left with about 25 feet to the green. In the back of my mind I knew that the 49 I was after was back in play following the last two holes. But, I topped my chip attempt and so I needed another to get on the green. I was smart enough to take a second and take a breathe before putting but this green felt like it was still very soft and it wasn't nearly as fast as I felt it should have been. As a result I still needed 10 feet to sink a 5. Taking a moment to re-check the greens and my line... I drained it.
#9 Quick math told me I was sitting on a 45 and a 4 would get me the 49 I was after. Suddenly, I knew how Kenny Perry felt on 18 on Sunday, knowing a 4 was all he needed. My drive was weak down the right side, leaving me about 100 yards to the hole. At the worst possible time I lifted my head again and my pitch was topped. A second attempt got me on the green with 15 feet to the pin. I marked my ball and must have looked at this from a dozen different angles (hey, I was the only one on this side of the course - I had the time). My putt felt good leaving my hands... I got the break perfectly... the speed felt right... and my ball died on the lip of the cup. Mother... FUCKER. I needed the 4 and got a 5. Now I really felt like Kenny Perry at the Masters.
Final Score: 50
Self-Analysis: I'm kicking myself because a good score was out there, but my putting to start the day really killed me; it probably cost me 4 strokes. I feel like I got a handle on it by the 5th hole, but by then it was too late. I still need to work on my pitching - I feel very inconsistent with it. My opening drive was good, but after that I either got no height or it would fade to one side or another. I'm miles ahead of where I was last season, but not nearly where I want to be by the end of this one.
