Week 8 Recap - First Halve of My Career

[Fairway_CY]

I didn't get an opportunity to write up my Week 8 preview... but it was basically going to say that I thought I'd win both singles and doubles and move on. Unfortunately for me, that's not exactly how it happened.

For those of you who found my post in the forum regarding blocking out distractions... you'll know the story. My opponent in the club is the self-proclaimed videographer. He does a great job for the club creating a year-end DVD of highlights so... nobody really bothers to say anything about him being around with the camera. Having never played while being followed with a camera was playing with my nerves because I'm one of those guys who is EXTREMELY conscious of my surroundings. I'm happy to report that the camera had no effect on my play or the match.

I came in with a 6-1-0 record in singles, sitting percentage points behind the leader who was 6-0-1. My doubles record sat at 5-1-1 but as I've said in the past, that didn't really matter. I've basically been relegated to the spoiler role within the club because of the issue that occurred a few weeks back involving my former partner. The club rules state that I've got to complete 6 rounds with my partner and since I don't HAVE a partner and there are just 6 events remaining (including today)... I'm ineligible to win the doubles title.

The team I was playing against today is one of the more active in the club. As I said, the producer of the highlight DVD was one member, and his brother-in-law is his partner. They came in with a doubles record of 3-3-1 and needed a win to stay in contention. I'd said several times leading into the match that I relished the opportunity to end their season... but with a blind score of 105 (net 83), I didn't think it was feasible for me to beat them. My singles opponent entered the round with a 4-2-1 record and needed to avoid the loss to keep his hopes in singles alive.

On to the match, which began on the 13th hole due to a shotgun start:

Hole 13 - A short but funky little par 5 of 477 yards. The tee shot sets you up to hit the ball into a gorge, but having studied the course prior to playing, I was ready. My 21 degree hybrid found the fairway... and my 6 iron layup left me just off the fairway but in good position. My wedge from there was long and right but I chipped to 16 feet and missed the par putt by 1 foot. I tapped in for bogey. (1 Up)

Hole 14 - Uphill par 3 that I ended up hanging a 5 iron out to the right. It went longer than anticipated and left me in the woods. I punched out and across the green... ending up on the fringe. My putt from off the green was ugly and left me 12 feet. 2 more putts from there for double while my opponent made par. (All Square)

Hole 15 - A somewhat easy par 4 that only played to 375. My 3 wood split the fairway and left me an easy 8 iron to the back portion of the green. My 21 foot putt for birdie was well left and short... and I missed the 7 footer for par. I settled for a bogey and my opponent made the same. (All Square)

Hole 16 - This hole is a converted par 5 that they chopped down to a VERY short downhill par 4. From the tee it was 245 to the center of the green. The only issue with going for it was that the entire green was fronted by a water hazard. After watching my opponent dunk his shot, I figured I had nothing to lose... and I hit a perfect shot on a rope that landed on the back fringe. Eagle putt from off the green came up 4 feet short but I made the birdie while my opponent posted double bogey. (1 Up)

Hole 17 - Short, uphill par 3 with water short and traps on either side. My wedge squirted right and put me on a sliver of grass between two large stones. My chip from there was almost perfect... but got caught by the last blade of grass in the rough that it could and held it up. A putt from the fringe to 2 feet and a tap in for bogey hurt as my opponent carded par. (All Square)

Hole 18 - After watching my opponent hack his drive into a dead area... my drive started center and faded right. There's a lake along the length of the right side, but my ball stayed up. 21 degree hybrid was topped and left me 160 or so to the pin from the rough. My 6 iron ended up pin high and I took 2 putts from 22 feet for par. (1 Up)

Hole 1 - Par 5 that's uphill all the way. Short drive (218 yards) into the left rough followed by a smooth 5 iron left me 150 to the middle of the green. My opponent dunked 2 balls in the water fronting the green and left another well short on an island in the middle of the green. I thinned a 7 iron that ran up just short of the green. Chipped to 14 feet and took 2 putts for bogey. My opponent took an 11 on the hole and I had my first breathing room all day. (2 Up)

Hole 2 - Long dogleg left par 4 that I smoked my driver right to the dogleg leaving me still about 190 yards to the pin. Wind in my face so I pulled my 18 degree hybrid and hit a good shot, but it went left. My 52 degree wedge popped the ball up but got no release leaving me 24 feet. I needed 3 putts from there and took double while my opponent also took double but was getting a stroke. (1 Up)

Hole 3 - Possibly my worst hole of the day. 3 wood sliced and hit the cart path. I hit a provisional into a pond. Dropped and hit another ball into a trap in the fairway. Luckily, my original ball was found next to the cart path but I had no shot so I punched it out of the trees. Wedge from the rough went right and into a green side trap. Blasted out of there to 15 feet and needed 2 putts for double after lipping out. (All Square)

Hole 4 - I hit an 8 iron off the tee on this hole and again, it went right on me (short irons seemed to do that all day). Left me in the rough short sided. My pitch ended up 5 feet away and I made that for my par. My opponent ended up in a similar spot off the tee but really messed up his chip. This put him at about 12 feet away with a curler which he sank for par. (All Square)

Hole 5 - I wasn't sure what the layout of the hole was... and on the scorecard I didn't notice the little dot that was supposed to be a fairway trap. My drive was pure but it landed right at the front edge of that trap. 8 iron out of there went over the back of the green. Chipped to 21 feet and almost made the putt but ran it 4 feet by. Made the comebacker for bogey. Opponent drained another 10+ foot putt to push. (All Square)

Hole 6 - Short, uphill par 4 playing 330. My 3 wood was a little right and found the rough. My wedge from there was just a little thin and also went right. I ended up on the fringe at the back of the green. Chipped to 27 feet... missed that by 3 feet and tapped in for bogey. Again, my opponent, after flubbing a bunker shot, chipped to about 15 feet and managed to drain it to push. (All Square)

Hole 7 - The tee shot on the par 5 is all carry over a pond. There's very little, if any bailout. I smoked my drive but it ended up carrying too far and ran just into the rough. 21 degree hybrid put me in the left rough... wedge from there went right again and put me just on the outside of a trap with an awkward lie. My chip was horrible and got caught in the rough again. Another chip from there kept me over 20 feet away. 2 putts from there for double. My opponent made 9 on this hole after hacking it around so I was lucky. (1 Up)

Hole 8 - Another lucky hole for me... my 3 wood was pitiful and went to the right and stayed there. We found it in some tall grass up the right side so I punched out into the fairway. 52 degree wedge left me 30 feet short and I needed 3 putts from there for double. My opponent played the hole well after a poor tee shot and made bogey. (All Square)

Hole 9 - Downhill par 3 that's listed at 186 but was playing much shorter. I hit a 7 iron and again, it squirted right and across the cart path. I hit a really good flop shot from there to 5 feet. My opponent was just off the green flubbed his first pitch then hit another that left him about 9 feet away with a tough downhill putt. He made it for bogey and I sank my 5 footer for par. (1 Up)

NOTE - I had closed out the doubles match on the 9th green. My opponents partner was struggling really bad and even with the blind score I closed out the match 4 & 3.

Hole 10 - I tried to play it safe on this hole and hit a 3 wood to a wide open fairway but my front foot slipped on my downswing and I topped the ball horribly. 35 yards later and in the rough... I hit a 21 degree hybrid up the pipe and left me about 110 to the hole. My wedge from there was long and I needed 3 putts from 24 feet for double. My opponent played the hole much better and made par. (All Square)

Hole 11 - A simple little hole that caused so many problems for my opponent. His drive bounced around in the trees on the left while my 18 degree hybrid round the right rough. He had some more problems while my 8 iron went well beyond the green. My 52 degree wedge held the green and I took 2 putts from 17 feet for a bogey while my opponent carded a triple bogey. (1 Up)

Hole 12 - Our final hole and I stood on the tee with a 1 hole lead. It was listed as 160 but was playing downhill... so I debated between a 7 iron and an 8 iron. In the end, I opted for the 7 iron and it was just too much. I found the green but I was 25 feet away. My opponent landed on the back fringe. His putt from there came up woefully short, probably 15 feet or so. I wanted to drive the nail into the coffin and got REAL aggressive and missed it to the high side and blew it by 10 feet. Of course, my opponent drained the 15 footer in the heart of the cup leaving me a must-make putt. I gave it a good roll but it burned the edge and settled less than 2 inches away. I tapped in for bogey and we halved the match.

Note - I ended up posting 47 on the front side with 4 doubles. It wasn't a great score but considering how poorly I'd played on a few of those holes, I was pleased. The back was much better as I posted a 43 while carding 2 doubles. My gross 90 was good enough for a net 71 (even par).

Well... 'til next time.

CY