The Flush

On July 21st we played the Foxfire Golf Club in Lockbourne, OH. Today I received an email from them saying the Foxfire Course was closed permanently, although the Players Club at Foxfire is still open.

In unrelated news, I have played with/against the owner of the local medical marijuana dispensary the last 3 weeks of league play. He really sucks at golf, but I have played well when in the same group. But he is a doctor with a military pension and a pot business, so he really wins.

I played 18 holes for the first time this year at Foxfire, a course I had never played before, and came away with a 94 (46/48). For as bad as I hit my driver it is a pretty decent score for me on a course that demands accuracy off the tee.

Shot a 42 in league play tonight. 3 pars, 5 bogies,1 double. 4 GIRs, 1 3-putt and no decent putts made. 1 wet ball and 1 punch out. Only 1 really good driver out of 4 attempts (this side is par 35 with 3 par 3s and 2 other holes with doglegs that I need to layup on). Hit my 4H well on a couple tee shots and 3 second shots after not so good drives. No duffs or shanks that I recall. I had to give my opponent 8 strokes and beat him by 10, but I think we halved the points. Back to back best scores for each side of this course in league play for a combined 83, which would easily be a career best if played together. Still haven't played 18 yet this year, but I plan to on Tuesday at a new course if the weather holds.

I shot a 41 in league play tonight which is my career best at this course. And I was getting 5 strokes in this match. I've only broken 40 once and that was a long time ago at a now defunct, much, much easier course. 5 pars, 3 bogies, 1 double. No 3 putts. Really only 1 awful shot which was a pulled drive into the deep stuff on a par 3 that led to the double bogey. I will admit to getting lucky on a sliced drive on a par 5 that bounced off a tree back into the fairway which led to a par. It was also fun to play with a 74 year old who shot a 35 from the senior tees. He could have putted blind folded tonight and it would go in. Not a single practice swing on any stoke either.

I saw a pretty big snake on the cart path today. It almost looked like it was going after the cart in front of me before it slithered away.

In Legion baseball they tip caps to each other after the game instead of handshakes. That can work for golf too.

If he is so good how did he end up with so many bad lies? 🙂

I have never noticed what shafts other people are using.

Has the cameraman commented on this exchange with Bryson?

Big Beaver Creek Golf Club #2, a 90 degree dogleg left. After a pulled drive into the trees and a duffed layup/pitch out shot, I holed out for birdie from 105 yards out using my AW. I didn't see it go in. When we got the green I expected to be on the green, but couldn't see my ball so I assumed it rolled off the back. My league opponent asked if I looked in the hole and that's where I found it. Other than a par 3 on the last hole, the rest of the round was poor, although I had my best league result of the year. I had to give my opponent 8 strokes and then he shot his best round of the year, so I didn't get a lot of points.

The par 4 hole #5 is the #1 handicap hole at Big Beaver Creek Golf Club. From the white tees it is not too bad for better players, but for high handicappers who need to avoid the water it can leave you with a 200 yard second shot if you don't slice it further away or pull it into the water anyway. The second shot can then have water left and trees/OB right for the high handicapper to avoid. If you can carry a drive 230+ you can get your second shot under 140 and it is not too bad. However you can also drive it through the fairway if you hit it a long way. You have to choose between going for the shorter second shot and the longer carry over water and that possibility of going through the fairway. The green itself if not too bad, but it is elevated above its surroundings, so you are less likely to have a short shot roll onto the green. I usually aim for the middle of the trees across the fairway which requires a 200 yard carry over the water, but still gives me room for error with way. My good drives go through the fairway and leave about a 150 yard second shot. I am not consistent enough to aim further left and force a longer carry over water.

I am not sure how old my son was in my avatar picture, but I'd guess around 10. He will be 17 in 2 days and he is a lot better than me now. I did beat his score in the first week of league play this year, but I haven't come close since and have been beat by 10 strokes in 9 holes. But he does practice a lot more than me. Our course sets up 9 holes as a par 3 course every Monday. While it is a money game, anybody play the course and I think that is a good way to introduce kids to the game. A couple weeks ago a friend invited my son and I to play with him and his 6, 8 and 10 year old sons along with another guy and his 6 year old. We teed off after 6:30 when the course was mostly empty and played a 2 man scramble with each kid with an adult partner. The 6 year olds teed off from the 100 marker, the 8 from the 150, and the 10 from the 200. It made for a fun evening and I was impressed by the kids. My 8 year old partner made our only 2 birdies and drove the green from 150 out on one hole. We only used my drive on par 3s and the last hole where he put his in the water. We finished even par to win a candy bar.

I golf because I have more time and money than I have brains, and I don't have much time or money.