I should have known better. Once I achieved my goal of 49 at Willowdale, I should have known not to go back to try and top it. But, it was so nice outside that when my uncle called and asked me if I wanted to play 9 this morning I figured I would be able to go even lower. I was wrong. I ended up played about as bad as I've played there in a while, shooting a 59. I topped everything, got no height on any of my drives, sprayed all my shot to the left and right and generally made a mess of the course. You know you're playing badly when, by the 7th hole, both of your playing partners are listing all the places they can think of where you could get lessons.
I only had one shot of note, a beautiful pitch from about 50 feet off the green on #9. It looked nice, rolled perfectly before it grazed the edge of the cup. One rotation to the right it would have been in. You know it's been a bad day of golf when a shot that rolls 5 feet past the cup is the most memorable of the day.
Final Score: 59
Self Analysis: The thing I need to work on most would be consistent ball striking. One minute my 7 iron is good from 120 yards, the next it won't carry me 50. Not having any idea how far I'm hitting one club versus another is leading to not having confidence in any of them.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Resolutions Accomplished
Going into the year, I had set two golf-related resolutions: break 50 at Willowdale and break 115 at Chemewa. Turns out that I broke 115 rather easily on my first time playing there this season. Breaking 50 however, was turning out to be a harder feat. I had hit 50 on the nose twice already this season, but I could not seem to break through and save that one stroke anywhere. I didn't get many chances in June, because it rained for something like 21 out of the 31 days last month. But so far July has started off with beautiful weather so I got another shot at the 49 again today. Fifth times the charm!
Both of the times that I finished with 50 I carded 13's for the last three holes. I was confident I could do that again if I needed to, but for me to end on 49 I would need to finish the first 6 holes with a 36. That's what I had been having issues with. I started out nicely scoring a pair of sixes followed by a 5. In my mind that left me shot to play with as I got to hole #4.
I'd like to take a second to talk an issue of etiquette on the golf course - specifically on your average course full of hackers. You're going to hit it into the wrong fairway - it'll happen. But when you do, take your time to select your club before venturing into the other fairway to hit. Really, it's kind of a moment of shame, you shouldn't bask in it. Don't wander in... then select your club... then rethink your selection and then hit. I must have been standing on the tee for 15 minutes while the group coming up #5 repeatedly hit into the wrong fairway and then took their time getting out of the way.
#4 After waiting to hit I pulled driver, which I'm back to hitting like crap. My drive went right and landed in a clump of trees. Left with about 140 yards to the pin I decided to use my rescue club and see if I could use the extra power to get out of the trees. My shot went right into a tree and instead of going left or right, as you would expect, it instead went straight up in the air and came straight back down, before hitting a root at the bottom of the tree and bouncing left. I couldn't do that again if you paid me. I only gained about 10 yards from that little adventure, and needed to pitch out just to be in the first cut off the fairway. I decided that since I was back to normal rough I would club down and used my 5 iron, which I hit well, for all the good it does me. My shot was damn-near perfect; starting left and hooking back towards the green like it was on purpose. I couldn't quite get there, but I was just off the green to the left. I tried to pitch it in for my 5, but came up woefully shot. From there I two putted for a 7. So much for having a shot to play with.
#5 I arrived at the extended water hole and again needed to try my luck with my driver. I just didn't think I could make it over the water with anything else. Turns out it didn't really matter as my drive was a foot off the ground (straight, though) and landed in the tall grass just in front of the water hazard. A hack to get it out of the tall stuff and I was safe, but to the left of the water with another 150 yards to the green. I fired my next shot up the right side of the fairway, but my subsequent chip attempt took a hard right turn on me and I found myself into the trees that lined the fairway. I couldn't fire my way through the trees and was forced to chip again just to get to the back of the green. I needed to drain a 15 foot putt just to save a 7, but couldn't even do that. I tapped in for the snowman. Now I really had no wiggle room.
After a hope-saving 5 on the sixth hole, I had carded a 37 through 6 holes. As I made my way across the street to #7 I, again, would need a 12 on the final 3 holes to break 50.
#7 I was full of confidence on this short, 88 yard par 3. At least, I was until my pitching wedge caught the ball low and sent it rocketing into the sand trap that protected the front of the green. I was even less confident as my wedge attempt sent the ball into the high side of the bunker and my ball caromed up and landed behind me. Determined to pull this off, however, I dug my feet into the ground and got behind the ball, blasting it out of the sand and to within 4 feet of the cup. That almost looked on purpose. I tapped in for a 4 that kept my hope alive.
I managed to score another 4 on the 8th hole and I was back where I had been twice already: I need a 4 for the 49, 5 would get me yet another 50.
#9 My first drive with a 3 wood (I had again given up on my driver) was a low rocket that landed short and off to the right. I may as well have gone with my driver. The only saving grace was that it was almost in the same spot that I landed in last time I played this hole, so I knew to club down lower than I though. Only I was still afraid that I was still going to fly it over the green and didn't put my full power behind the club. The resulting shot was therefore low and short of the green. I choked up on my pitching wedge and went sky high with the shot, landing about 12 feet from the cup. Etiquette be damned, I spent 5 minutes sizing up this putt. I must have looked it over from every angle - people spend less time looking at putts in Majors. I set my feet, steadied myself... and drained the putt right in the center of the cup. I'm sure the people back on the tee had no idea why I was so excited at the bogey, but it was the total score that had me pumped.
Final Score: 49
Self Analysis: Breaking 50 on a course with a par of 30 isn't all that impressive, but considering I was shooting into the 60's here at this time last year it shows improvement. And, really, that's all I want. If I hadn't butchered 4 and 5 then my score could have been even better. I still need to work on club selection and if I could be more consistent off the tee then an even lower score is in the works. Just to know that I can break 50 at Willowdale is a nice feeling.
Both of the times that I finished with 50 I carded 13's for the last three holes. I was confident I could do that again if I needed to, but for me to end on 49 I would need to finish the first 6 holes with a 36. That's what I had been having issues with. I started out nicely scoring a pair of sixes followed by a 5. In my mind that left me shot to play with as I got to hole #4.
I'd like to take a second to talk an issue of etiquette on the golf course - specifically on your average course full of hackers. You're going to hit it into the wrong fairway - it'll happen. But when you do, take your time to select your club before venturing into the other fairway to hit. Really, it's kind of a moment of shame, you shouldn't bask in it. Don't wander in... then select your club... then rethink your selection and then hit. I must have been standing on the tee for 15 minutes while the group coming up #5 repeatedly hit into the wrong fairway and then took their time getting out of the way.
#4 After waiting to hit I pulled driver, which I'm back to hitting like crap. My drive went right and landed in a clump of trees. Left with about 140 yards to the pin I decided to use my rescue club and see if I could use the extra power to get out of the trees. My shot went right into a tree and instead of going left or right, as you would expect, it instead went straight up in the air and came straight back down, before hitting a root at the bottom of the tree and bouncing left. I couldn't do that again if you paid me. I only gained about 10 yards from that little adventure, and needed to pitch out just to be in the first cut off the fairway. I decided that since I was back to normal rough I would club down and used my 5 iron, which I hit well, for all the good it does me. My shot was damn-near perfect; starting left and hooking back towards the green like it was on purpose. I couldn't quite get there, but I was just off the green to the left. I tried to pitch it in for my 5, but came up woefully shot. From there I two putted for a 7. So much for having a shot to play with.
#5 I arrived at the extended water hole and again needed to try my luck with my driver. I just didn't think I could make it over the water with anything else. Turns out it didn't really matter as my drive was a foot off the ground (straight, though) and landed in the tall grass just in front of the water hazard. A hack to get it out of the tall stuff and I was safe, but to the left of the water with another 150 yards to the green. I fired my next shot up the right side of the fairway, but my subsequent chip attempt took a hard right turn on me and I found myself into the trees that lined the fairway. I couldn't fire my way through the trees and was forced to chip again just to get to the back of the green. I needed to drain a 15 foot putt just to save a 7, but couldn't even do that. I tapped in for the snowman. Now I really had no wiggle room.
After a hope-saving 5 on the sixth hole, I had carded a 37 through 6 holes. As I made my way across the street to #7 I, again, would need a 12 on the final 3 holes to break 50.
#7 I was full of confidence on this short, 88 yard par 3. At least, I was until my pitching wedge caught the ball low and sent it rocketing into the sand trap that protected the front of the green. I was even less confident as my wedge attempt sent the ball into the high side of the bunker and my ball caromed up and landed behind me. Determined to pull this off, however, I dug my feet into the ground and got behind the ball, blasting it out of the sand and to within 4 feet of the cup. That almost looked on purpose. I tapped in for a 4 that kept my hope alive.
I managed to score another 4 on the 8th hole and I was back where I had been twice already: I need a 4 for the 49, 5 would get me yet another 50.
#9 My first drive with a 3 wood (I had again given up on my driver) was a low rocket that landed short and off to the right. I may as well have gone with my driver. The only saving grace was that it was almost in the same spot that I landed in last time I played this hole, so I knew to club down lower than I though. Only I was still afraid that I was still going to fly it over the green and didn't put my full power behind the club. The resulting shot was therefore low and short of the green. I choked up on my pitching wedge and went sky high with the shot, landing about 12 feet from the cup. Etiquette be damned, I spent 5 minutes sizing up this putt. I must have looked it over from every angle - people spend less time looking at putts in Majors. I set my feet, steadied myself... and drained the putt right in the center of the cup. I'm sure the people back on the tee had no idea why I was so excited at the bogey, but it was the total score that had me pumped.
Final Score: 49
Self Analysis: Breaking 50 on a course with a par of 30 isn't all that impressive, but considering I was shooting into the 60's here at this time last year it shows improvement. And, really, that's all I want. If I hadn't butchered 4 and 5 then my score could have been even better. I still need to work on club selection and if I could be more consistent off the tee then an even lower score is in the works. Just to know that I can break 50 at Willowdale is a nice feeling.
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