Front Nine (Ha! Got This Game Figured Out!) - Back Nine (What the ???)

[Fairway_CY]

So... I played today in a casual round with a buddy I hadn't seen in awhile. Last Friday, I played at the same course from tees that were about 475 yards further back. I ended up shooting 46-46 = 92 that day and felt pretty good about my game. It was (is) the 2nd lowest score I've ever shot... on any course. The round today, my friend said he wasn't comfortable playing the back tees, so we played the white tees. Pretty much the same slope (130 as opposed to 131) and the rating was 1.9 lower than the back tees, so I figured I'd just play where they were.

I started off real well with a good drive into the center of the fairway on a SHORT par 5 (only 450 yards). This left me with only 185 or so to the middle of the green. My 5 iron was pure and stuck 13 feet from the pin. I missed my first EVER eagle putt but tapped in for birdie. I then went bogey - par before having a hiccup on the 4th hole. A wayward drive, a pitch out to the fairway, a 9 iron just to the right of the green, a chip on and then 3 putts from only 7 feet and I ended the hole with a triple. I closed out the front side with bogey - bogey - par - bogey - bogey and ended up going out in 42 (+7). This put me 5 under net par and I was feeling real good heading to the back.

I then imploded. My drive on the 10th was okay... then I skulled an 8 iron which finished in a trap. My sand wedge was bladed over the green and into a hazard. I hit my pitch real fat... then chipped up to 7 feet and AGAIN took 3 putts from that distance for a 5 over par score of 9. I then made triple - triple - triple - triple and I was at 4 OVER net par by this point. I settled down on the next hole... bombed a drive to 256 on a par 5... hit another 5 iron that ended up just SHORT of the green... chipped up and 2 putted for the par and net birdie. I finished out the round with bogey - bogey and then an ugly double on the 18th was the result of a very poor drive. Coming in... I shot a 56 (+21). The net total was 73 (+3) and my gross total was 98 (+28).

Overall, it was an ugly experience. What made it worse was the fact that I was on the range last night and I was hitting everything SO well. I'm glad it wasn't a club round... and beyond fixing my putting from 10 feet and in... I don't really have anything to take away from this round. A few of the shots I hit on the inward holes were just flat out ugly... s---ked short irons off the par 3 tees... a lot of issues with the short game, really. But... I KNOW it's something I've got to work on, so... at least I have time before the next club round.

'Til next time...

CY