Hey y’all! This post will outline the last two matches we’ve had, the conference match from Thursday and one we had yesterday. It will also outline what the rest of the season looks like. I won’t go hole by hole of either match, but I will just note the highlights.

THURSDAY: In practice the day before, the coach gave us the opportunity to choose which hole we wanted to start on. I chose the par-3 seventh, a hole I have historically played well. That also meant I would end on the par-4 sixth, which is a great birdie opportunity.

It was a rough start for me. I three-putted the seventh for bogey and made a messy double on the eighth. But, like the two matches before this one, I rallied.

I parred the next five holes in a row, the last of which came after I holed a putt from the fringe, then I birdied the fifth thanks to a beautiful approach that I’ve pinned as the best shot I’ve hit so far this season. That meant I would walk to my final hole, the sixth, at two over.

No drama here, I ended up three-putting again for bogey and a three-over 38. I finished one shot behind the co-medalists, so a great day of golf! 

YESTERDAY: Yesterday we got the opportunity to play Hope Valley, home to the fastest greens we’ve played so far. The coach’s advice: Middle of the green all day.

I started well here: +1 through three. I’m not going to lie, thoughts started to creep in here, and I paid the price. I went double-bogey on the next two holes, caught a bad break on six that led to another double, then hit two poor shots on the short seventh that left me in front of a greenside bunker. I chipped up well but missed the putt and took a bogey. 

The eighth is the only par 5 (par 35), and it was playing shorter than the card says at 499 (card says 520). I took advantage and set up an eight-footer for birdie. It hung on the lip, but it was easily my best hole of the day.

For the second match in a row, I three-putted the last hole for bogey and ended up with a 43. For my first time around the course, I was pretty happy. The medalist shot 39.

So, two solid matches. I will say, and the coach has said the same thing, we’ve come a long way from the beginning of the season. All our games are improving, and we’re looking to keep that momentum going!

So, where is the season going from here? Our next match is Thursday at Chapel Ridge, and that’s the last conference match of the season. Our last non-conference match is on the 19th, and it’s at Croasdaile again. Lastly, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we will most likely have a conference tournament at Hillandale on the 25th, which will ultimately decide the final standings and will determine which teams (and individuals) will be going to regionals at Pinehurst No. 6 on May 2.

Speaking of, I’m not sure where I am in terms of individual standings, but the coach said last night that if I’m not inside the cut line (top four), I’m very close. That gives me even more motivation to keep playing well for the last 36 holes of the season. I will know more info tonight or tomorrow, and I will respond with a comment here!