Oak Meadows 4-28-2010

[Dave H]

Decided I'd keep a blog of my rounds. Maybe it will help.

Today I played with some co-workers for the first time this year. In a few words, my play was horrible.

Hole 1 386Yds Par 4: made good contact with the driver but pushed it right and just enough in the trees to have no shot. My punch shot just catches a tree and is okay, but doesn't go very far. Then I completely duff one. I haven't done that in a while. I've shanked em, hooked em, all sorts of other bad shots but I haven't completely duffed a shot in a while. Approach is short, I chip on in 5 and 2-putt for a 7. Off to a great start.

Hole 2 397Yd Par 4: Feeling the pressure to perform better I did something funny with my driver swing and hit a hosel rocket dead left into the trees. Upon my second punch out I get to the right side of the fairway. I decide to take an easy swing with my 5 and land in the right rough about 85 yards from the green, uphill. I hit my 56 degree wedge very nicely but I catch the very top branch (a tiny branch!) just enough to knock my ball down and left. I land about 10 yards shy of the green. I chip on and 3-putt from about 5 feet for an 8. My start is getting worse.

Hole 3 371Yd Par 4: Horrible drive in the left hazard about 150 yards. I drop and hit my 6i hoping to get in a good position on the fairway as the green is surrounded by bunkers. I block to the right a bit and end up on the opposite side of the cart path. Not what I wanted but not too bad either. Instead of a nice easy chip, I lift my head and shank it way right. I then chip on but it's a little thin and rolls off the other side of the green. I chip back on and 2-putt for another 8.

Hole 4 160Yd Par 3: Pin was at the front so I used an 8i. I dropped my right shoulder and hit it fat, but fortunately it's short of the river. I put my second shot in the river with another shank. I'm ready to cry at this point (but it gets worse). I get over but leave it short. I chip on and putt for a 6. So far I've gone triple, quad, quad, triple. It's painful.

Hole 5 450Yd Par 4: #1 Handicap hole on the course. Long dogleg left with a lake to hit over and then the river on the left side. I put my drive in the pond. Lay up on my next shot, put my fourth 10yds off the green. I chip on and 2-putt for a 7. I'm starting to notice a trend. Now I really want to cry.

Hole 6 589Yd Par 5: Hit a solid drive but it fades a bit and lands in some trees but it's okay. I punch out of there with my 6i and leave myself about 215 yds. I use my 4h and hit what felt like my first good golf shot of the day. I came up short of the green but everything about that swing felt good. I didn't really expect to reach the green but I wasn't feeling confident enough to hit a longer club off the deck at that point. I go to hit my short approach shot and once again I shank it right. WTF? I then have to pitch over a bunker and leave myself a 10 foot putt for bogey. I miss it literally by fractions of an inch and take a 7. But things are looking better.

Hole 7 410Yd Par 4: Horrible drive. Topped it and it went about 150 Yds. I hit my 4h to just off the green. I chipped on using my 9i and left myself 10ft for par. I just missed the putt - good speed but I read a little bit of break and it was super straight. I come away with a bogey and I was happy with that in light of the round.

Hole 8 456Yd Par 4: I made solid contact with the driver but again blocked it right and had to punch out of some trees. I manage to hit a tree and go backwards but I was out of the trees. I used my 5h from there to get next to the green. My pitch shot goes just long and I am on the fringe. I putt from there and miss, then miss the come back and end up with another 7. Sigh.

Hole 9 199Yd Par 3: I misjudge the wind and my 4h comes up short. I skull my chip and land just in the rough on the backside of the green. I then give a very poor effort which gets me on the green but about 15 feet from the hole. I make the putt for a 4. That felt nice.

At this point I decided I really needed to start playing happier golf. I shook off the frustration and moved on with the back nine.

Hole 10 332Yd Par 4: This hole has a river right through the middle of it so I used a 6i off the tee. Once again I'm right but my lie is okay. I come up just short on my approach. I chip to 3ft away and miss the par putt. I was disappointed with my effort but happy with a 5.

Hole 11 410Yd Par 4: I decide I've had enough with the driver and try my 3w. I make great contact but the ball slices a bit and lands just in the right rough 175 out. I hit a 6i and made my best swing of the day so far and land on the fringe just in the heavy stuff. I also realize that my shoulders had basically been tense up to that point. I chip on but it's again a poor effort and I leave 15 feet for par. I miss and take the bogey 5.

Hole 12 506Yd Par 5: Okay drive and I'm just in the right rough. I stupidly try to hit my 3w but the rough is too thick and end up behind some trees on the right about 165 out. Since I need to go over some trees I hit my 9i knowing I will be short. Another great shot and with some good luck bounces I am only about 10yds off the green. I have a decent chip but again cannot convert the par putt and take bogey 6.

Hole 13 363Yd Par 4: Another river to cross but closer to the hole. I decide to hit my 4h off the tee and it turns out to be a good choice. I hit the right side of the fairway and have my first fairway drive of the day. Turned out to be my only too. I completely block my 7i to the right but I'm over the river and about pin high. A decent chip puts about 15 feet away for par. Same story, close but no cigar. another bogey.

Hole 14 402Yd Par 4: I decide to try the driver again and I hooked a really high shot back into hole 13s fairway. I have a good shot at the green but I do have to go over some trees. I use my 6i since they're kind of far away. I hit a great shot and leave myself 10yards off the green. My chip is poor again and I'm left with 25ft for par. I end up 3 putting for a 6.

Hole 15 355Yd Par 4. I hit a huge drive but I pulled it a bit and didn't land in the best of places. I am forced to hit my next shot to the right of the green and layup. I chip on but AGAIN cannot convert the par putt. Bogey.

Hole 16 129Yd Par 3. This is a neat hole because the tee box is elevated and the green is an island green. I use my pitching wedge and it's the right club but I pulled it and end up in the rough just on the outside of the left bunker. I leave my pitch short and just clear the bunker. THen, feeling rushed I skull my 2nd chip to the other side of the green. Then, feeling frustrated I give a very poor effort and leave myself 20ft. Fortunately I make the putt for a 5.

Hole 17 358Yd Par 4: I used my 3w off the tee because the hole is fairly narrow. I land in the right rough close to a tree. My only shot is to play a knock down shot and land next to the green. This isn't bad because there is a huge deep bunker directly in front of the green and there was no way I would get over that due to over hanging branches. I played that shot to perfection and had just a short chip onto the green. Somehow I manage to double hit the ball. I putt in for a 6.

Hole 18 445Yd Par 4: This is a cool hole because the tee box is elevated and almost the entire hole is downhill with a slight dogleg right. I'm thinking this is a good hole for me today since I am hitting almost everything right. I played that nicely except I didn't aim far enough left and end up in the right rough around some trees. I don't really have a clear shot at the green so I use a 6i and play a knock down. I did okay with that but didn't get the roll I was hoping for and am 20yds short of the green. I chip on and leave myself 20ft. I just miss the par putt and settle for another bogey.

Summary:

1 of 15 FIR
0 GIR
0 birdies
0 pars

I was extremely disappointed in my play on the front 9. I felt my back 9 play was acceptable and could have been much better if some putts started dropping. This is the 2nd time this season already that I've played and struggled mightily on the front 9 and managed to turn it around on the back 9. I definitely need to spend some time working on my accuracy and chipping.

Better luck next time I guess.

[DocWu1948]

I've played there 1 1/2 times. Maybe it's unlucky. First time we were there in 2008, one of their Monday golf regulars had collapsed on the tee and paramedics were rushing in/out as we pulled in. Started to drizzle around #7. I also remember #10. Hit it next to the creek and got my only GIR from there. Then the rain got so bad, we quit and went back for a rain check. I could have parred it.

Went back in October 2009 to finally use the rain check and found the clubhouse had burned down in the off season. The course was showing its full Fall colors. Nice. We played 18. I do like the course. The name befits the layout. Lots of trees.

[sam004]

I like the course, just wish it was kept in better shape.
Too bad about the clubhouse, it was beautiful.
I liked the little 9 hole course on the other side.
Cut from the same earth that gave us Oak Meadows.

[Dave H]

I've played there 1 1/2 times. Maybe it's unlucky. First time we were there in 2008, one of their Monday golf regulars had collapsed on the tee and paramedics were rushing in/out as we pulled in. Started to drizzle around #7. I also remember #10. Hit it next to the creek and got my only GIR from there. Then the rain got so bad, we quit and went back for a rain check. I could have parred it.

I like the course a lot. I played my first round of the season there and shot 97. I think that's partly why I was so disappointed is that I had made some expectations in my head that I could better than that.

[Dave H]

I like the course, just wish it was kept in better shape.

that was a nice clubhouse. I thought the course was in pretty nice shape. The first time I was there, it was after terrible flooding and it was bad. Every time since then it's been steadily better.