9 holes - June 12, 2010

I woke up at 5:00 am to play with my Saturday group for the first time this year. I put on a pot of coffee and while waiting for it to brew managed to fall asleep for 2 hours and miss my 7:00 am tee time. Rats. Later, while I was at a graduation party I managed to slip away at 5:30 pm and got to the course to play 9 before it got dark. I shot my 2nd best 9 of the year, but it could have been better. Today was really good and really bad at the same time.

Also, as a precursor to today, I had a break through with the driver at the range yesterday. I saw a short video on youtube about holding your driver straight up with your left hand and throwing your right hand underneath it. I tried to capture that feeling while swinging and I was hitting great drives. I probably hit half the bucket with my driver and was very pleased with the results. With that in mind, here's how today went down.

HOLE 1, Par 5: I pulled out the driver with some new confidence and hit a great drive. It went left a bit into the rough. There are trees left, but I was clear of them and had a straight shot to the green. With around 200 left, I pulled my 4 hybrid and somehow put a draw on the ball. It went straight and drew left into the trees by the green. For the most part, I usually have a shot when I hit it left there, but I landed it right behind a group of 4 trees. I had a shot between the last 2 but it had to go low or I'd hit branches. I pulled my 7 iron and hit a good shot but, it went too far and off the side of the green. I chipped on, but it rolled and rolled until it stopped in the fringe at the bottom of the green. I hit my putt too hard and two putted from there for a double bogey.

HOLE 2, Par 3: This hole is 160 yds and a 7 iron for me. 160 in the fairway, I'd probably pull a 6, but on the tee it's a 7. Well, today I sailed the green right into the woods. There isn't much room past the green, but this one didn't have a chance. It hit the top of the trees on it's way out. It wasn't a line drive either, the ball flight was pretty much normal. I just got all of it and then some. It probably went 175 yds, which kinda blows my mind. So, I tee'd up another for my 3rd shot and FLEW IT AGAIN! It went left more than last time, but I can't believe I flew it again when my miss is generally short here. This time I got lucky and it bounced off the tree to about 2 feet from the green. I made a good chip and sunk my putt for a double bogey. I got real lucky here as I could have been looking at a +5 easy if that second shot didn't get a good bounce.

HOLE 3, Par 5: I hit a good 6 iron here. The shot here is to hit the hill right and it will roll down to the fairway. It went a little too much right and I had a downhill sidehill lie. Here, you have 2 options: straight over the trees to the green or left with a gap or pitching wedge and then another 160 to the green. This green is small and seems to slope in every direction. Since my last 2 holes weren't great, I decided to gamble and hit my 5 hybrid. I luckily put a good swing on it and ended up about 15-20 yds past the green. I was in the rough and just missed the green short with my 56. My chip from there went about 3 yds and barely dribbled on. I managed to sail my putt past the hole down to the end of the green and 2 more putts for a double bogey. BULL!!!! 4 shots under 20 yds is not acceptable.

HOLE 4, PAr 4: Tee'd the ball up and proceeded to smash a nice drive that started left and faded to the right center of the fairway. Man it feels good to drive the ball like that. I had about 110-115 left. Compared to 160+ left when I was teeing off with my 3 wood, this is nice. I hit my PW and landed it on the right part of green. My putt sailed past the hole about 12 feet. I 2 putted for a bogey. A green in regulation should never end up with a bogey. Especially when this green is one of the easiest. Oh well.

HOLE 5, Par 4: This hole has a gradual dog leg right. A miss right isn't too bad because you end up in 4's fairway. Left is a creek and OB. Since, my usual shot it left to right, I aimed left pointing at the 100 yd marker. I hit it just about dead straight and long. I thought it was going OB for sure. I saw it land and thought it went to the creek. I was looking around the 100yd marker in the weeds to find my ball, but couldn't find it. Just when I was ready to take a stroke and drop a ball I spotted my ball in the rough in front of me at about 60 yds to the green. This hole is 350 yds long. That means I hit the ball 290! I knew I cranked it, but 290...WOW. I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't standing there. I hit a 70% 56 degree and landed the green left. The pin was back left and I thought I rolled off at first. I had around 10 feet and sunk the putt for a birdie. Nice!

HOLE 6, Par 4: This hole opens up right for the slicers, but if you go over 230 it's in the woods and if you go that far the hole dog legs right and there are a few strategically placed trees to deal with also. Left is a creek and OB. I pulled driver and blasted it to the right center of the fairway. I had a solid 9 iron left. When I was hitting my 3 wood off the tee, I'd have a 6 iron left here. I hit my shot to the center of the green. The pin was front left, which is downhill (I think every putt is downhill on this damn green). I rolled the putt to a foot and tapped in for par. Birdie, Par....not too shabby.

HOLE 7, Par 3: Downhill par 3 that descends at probably 15-18 degrees and clocks in at 175 yds. 9 times out of 10, I land 10 yds short here. Which is good, because long is way downhill and something you don't want to do. I pulled my tee shot left at hit the the tree which is located left of the back of the green. I'm actually lucky I hit the tree. That's 2 par 3's I hit over shot today. I can't imagine hitting my 8 iron on a 175 yd. par 3, but I might have to. I pitched on but it rolled to the fringe long. I landed my pitch with my 56 5 yds on to the green, but it still rolled off. That's very frustrating to me. I hit my putt up hill too hard. Hit my putt downhill too hard and 2 more putts for a triple bogey. I'm going to start using the putting green here everyday. I can't believe I 4 putted this hole. A 6 on a par 3 is not acceptable.

HOLE 8, Par 5: I hit my driver and put a good swing on it. It had more left to right spin on it than I would like, but it was still in the fairway. About 40-50 yds before the 200 yd marker the fairway starts going downhill and flattens out at the 200 yd marker. Well, when I hit a good drive, it almost always ends up on this downhill slope. The last 10 yds are the worst. Well, guess where I landed it today? You guessed it, right on the downhill slope. This hole has a creek 20 yds in front of the green. However, it's underground for the fairway and only comes into play if your in the rough right or left. The rough is pretty thick, so unless you land the creek, you're probably safe. I usually hit my 4 hybrid and then a 56 degree. Since, I've been hitting my new 3 wood so well from the fairway, I decided to give it a swing. I struck it perfect and sailed it about 225 yds and about 2 feet from the fringe. I chipped on and made my putt for a birdie. I think this is my first round and definitely my 9 holes with 2 birdies.

HOLE 9, Par 3: 205 yds and my 4 hybrid off the tee. I thinned it and kinda line drived it slight right. I ended up tee high and 13 yds from the green and 18 yds from the pin (yes, I walked it off). I hit a good chip to about 8 feet. I missed my par putt by 4 inches.

Pro's: I hit my driver good all day. Ball striking was great and I hit more GIR than usual and made 2 birdies in 9 holes which is awesome.

Con's: My putting was bad. By the end of the day it was better. But way too many 3 putts and a freakin 4 putt. I could have been close to breaking 40 on 9 if I could have putted better. I felt unsure about some of the close chips I had. I need to practice my 10 yd and in chips. I need to work on inside 15 yds period

Bottom line is my game is improving. Being able to play my driver feels great.

2 birdies in 9 holes is nice but how the hell do you hit 6 iron, 5 hybrid over the green on a par 5???????

When you wake up, the coffee is supposed to get you going....I get up at 6 AM every Saturday to play....We do Registration @ 7, with 8:00 shotgun start. There's usually about 24 to 36 players. We have a money game with CTP's, Skins & 4 places paid....Home by 2:00 PM.

Maybe you should set the timer on the coffee pot to brew automatically.