Week 6 Preview - Flying Solo

[Fairway_CY]

I typically like to do these prediction blog entries on Friday nights... but there were some issues with where I stood within the club after my golf partner (now ex-partner) was caught cheating last week. Without going in to too much detail (it's in the forum)... he played an incorrect ball, and when he was called on it... he decided that he was going to play dumb and after an investigation was launched... he STILL stuck with his story despite the fact that he was caught in MULTIPLE ways in the lie. With that out of the way... my search for a new partner has begun. In the mean time, any events I play in until I've GOT a new partner... I will be playing with a blind partner score of 83.

Luckily... this week, that won't be an issue. My singles opponent will also be missing his doubles partner... so we will be playing 1-on-1 for both singles AND doubles this week. The first time this happened to me this season... I fell apart and was dismantled, losing 5 & 4. I'm hoping this week will be different. I'm going through an issue with my driver right now. For the last 4 weeks or so I've been unable to do ANYTHING but hook the ball off the tee with my driver. I THOUGHT I had the issue fixed before last week... but at the last practice session of the week... I was right back to where I started. That carried over to my round last Sunday and put me in a BUNCH of trouble... ending in a gross score of 100 and a net score of 78. This put me 2 strokes outside the Top Ten. Luckily, my opponent had a little bit of trouble too and I was able to squeeze out a singles win and move my record to 4-1-0 on the year. Doubles, despite the issues my partner had, we were able to win the last hole to halve the match and push our doubles record to 3-1-1.

Currently, I sit 1 game back in singles (leader is 5-0-0) and 1 game back in doubles (leaders are 4-0-1). My opponent this week has a singles record of 3-2-0 and as a team, they have a doubles record of 1-4-0. I'll be getting 2 strokes from him in both the singles and doubles match which is the least amount I've gotten in any week so far (I only had to give strokes once... and I lost that match). The course we're playing is VERY short and should allow me to keep my driver in the bag, which will hopefully help keep the ball in play and avoid blowup holes. I've got lofty expectations for tomorrow. Hopefully the weather isn't too bad (50% chance of showers) tomorrow. I'm not very comfortable in the rain... especially showers because it doesn't affect ALL greens evenly and can make for some tough putting.

There is not a range at this course, so... my last practice session was yesterday (Friday). I felt good leaving that session and hope that the feeling carries over. I'll be at the course almost 90 minutes prior to my tee time... which gives me PLENTY of time to practice putting, which is where I'm lacking most. With all that said... here is how I feel this week will go down:

Week 6 Predictions:

Gross Score = 88
Net Score = 68
Final Position (Net) = 5th
Match Result (Singles - Match Play) = Win 5 & 4
Match Result (Doubles - Team Net Stroke Total Match Play) = Win 5 & 4

If I can manage a score of 88 on this course... my handicap (when the revision is released on Wednesday) will drop from 18.9 to 18.2 which will be a drop of 4.8 strokes (23.0 to begin the season) since April 1st. Unfortunately, it could be MUCH lower... but my last few club rounds have been less than stellar. My hope is that a rebound from those rounds this week will kick me in to another gear and get me going. I've got 3 more rounds (including tomorrow) with the club and then a 4 week layoff (6/13 - 7/11) before I return to club action. It's time for me to get my game in shape for the Club Championship in late July. Hopefully this is the perfect week to put it all in motion.

I'll report back tomorrow night or Monday morning.

'Til then...

CY