Back from Florida

[flap]

Well I'm back from our mini vacation and the Mrs.and I played 7 rounds in 4 days and Florida will never be the same.While playing World Woods Rolling Oaks course on a down wind par 4 I hit a 350yd bomb that was laser measured!!Needless to say the group in front of us was both impressed and slightly pissed but it was only 35 yards short of the green so they all congratulated me and then I informed them I would drop further back as not to hit into them again.Now for the bad news,I chunked the chip and only made par.Shot 82 on Rolling Oaks and 86 on the Valley course so I played fairly well and the Mrs broke 100 on both rounds so we left there feeling happy and tan as the weather was in the mid 70's and sunny.Bardmoor is still a nice course as is Lake Jovita but I was dissapointed in River Hills,still it was Florida and the weather was nice no snow and we wore shorts so all was good

[iacas]

Regardless of the score, golf in January or February for a northerner like yourself (or me) is a treat indeed.

Wife breaking 100 is impressive. My girlfriend and I are working on our games together - I hope to get her under 100 by the end of the year.

Welcome back!

[Rafcin]

I spend last weekend (long weekend - Sat - Wed 1/31-2/03/05) at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie (just north off West Palm Beach). Couldn't pick a better time to go there - it was +1 when I left my house on friday.
Saturday morning we went to the Learning Center. It's the best facility I've been to - 2 huge driving ranges, big pitching station, big chipping station, 2 huge putting greens and the best of all - a sand bunker section. They have there 12 bunkers with green, various depth and lies - and what's best of it - filled with all kind of different sand - from very fine powdery to pebble-based granular sand. Each bunker has description of sand and where it could be found. it's $12.50 for a day pass ($50 for a week pass) and after that it's all the balls you can hit!
Following 8 rounds of golf were very uneventfull. Had hard time adjusting to the tight lies in the fairways, sending several X-File balls ("Agent Scully" ) across the greens and having big time problems adjusting to the different kind of grass on the greens - grain direction is more important than slope reads, but managed "respectable" rounds within 80, +/- 4.
The trip maker happend on the 6th hole of the very last round (wed afternoon). I should start the story on the 5th. Short par 4, after solid 3W off the tee left with a l-wedge 70yds shot, with wind right to left and water all along the left side I "stuck" the ball 5 ft right of the pin and the draw/wind enduced spin rolled the ball over the cup, stopped 6" away for a tap in birdie.
Being +6 on the first 4 holes) I welcomed that with a big smile... 6th was a 164 yds par 3 with water all along the left side, pin front left and a ridge above the pin from left to right, huge deep bunker on the front right too.
Remembering the shot from the hole before I figured it will be a perfect location if I could stick it right above the bunker on the right... it should hit the ridge and with the wind it should pick up the speed and feed down near the hole. I hit 3/4 7i with a beautiful high draw... it landed about a foot over the bunker... seemed to stop there for a sec... than it started rolling left... reached the ridge and turned towards the front... picking up the speed... (that's when one of my playing partners said "holly s*#t, this can go in!")... and RAMMED into the pin dropping down for an ACE ! First ever after 6 years of "seriously" playing golf.
Due to the backup on the hole I had good audience witness it and the screaming was heard far, far away...
The best part was, that my Head Pro from my home course was in my group that day, so I won't have to listen to the "witness" questioning by my jeleaous buddies.
Of course I don't have to add, that the rest of the round went to hell (I don't handle alcohol well...) embarassing 89 will have to be framed together with the ProV1-X that was so lucky for me.
Too bad I had about 10 min after the round to celebrate, had to drive high-speed to the airport... but that Ace sure made the trip worth while.

Outside of that - all 3 courses in the facility were great, in great condition; I was a little bit pissed at the pro-shop staff, since they didn't tell me until wednesday about the special package deal they had - 3 rounds for $199. I paid $94 for the morning rounds, so I could've saved a bunch. They also had special for a free round if you were born in the month you play... another $94 donated... I don't care. I'd pay $200 if I knew about the Ace that was coming to me !!!

[iacas]

it's $12.50 for a day pass ($50 for a week pass) and after that it's all the balls you can hit!

Damn. Wish I knew it was so affordable when I lived down there...

grain direction is more important than slope reads

Yeah, I never could get that into my head when I lived down there. Too many years spent putting on bent!

First ever after 6 years of "seriously" playing golf.

Bringing hope to all, and another frustrating two or three months until I can start trying to get my first again.

embarassing 89 will have to be framed together with the ProV1-X that was so lucky for me.

Ouch! +1 shoots 89 with a 3-under-through-2 stretch? :)

Sounds like a great trip. I can attest to the quality of the courses at that spot, and I will point out one additional things: weekday rounds during the summar cost about $35.