Round Review - 8/26/2015 - Palisades Country Club (Charlotte, NC)

Coming off my less-than-stellar tournament round on Saturday, I had a round scheduled for Wednesday with a friend.  At the last minute, I called up the club where our next tournament round is and asked if we could get on there.  The guy in the shop informed me that the course had just been aerated, so the greens were sandy and bumpy... but, we got a great price ($35) and decided it was worth it just to get out on the course so I had some kind of an idea as to the layout before I play the tournament on September 19th.

We arrived at the same time and after paying, we spent a few minutes on the range and the practice green before heading to the first tee.

Game Golf Link

Scorecard 

Hole #1 - Par 4 - 362 Yards

My first swing of the day was a horrible one.  I didn't remember to set up to the ball how I had been and I hit a horrible push-slice into the woods up the right side.  My provisional found the fairway, but was a very weak shot.  My 9 iron was equally weak and faded into the right bunker in front of the green.  I got out, but the ball got stuck in the fringe, so I putted from there to about 9 feet and made that for a triple bogey to open my round.

Hole #2 - Par 4 - 408 Yards

Just like the previous hole, my tee shot started right and continued to go right.  Again, my provisional found the fairway and left me about 170 yards to the hole.  My 5 iron was a little low and right and just barely made it over the bunker, but it left me an awkward stance.  My pitch round the green, but left me about 12 feet.  I needed 2 putts from there for another triple bogey.

Hole #3 - Par 5 - 531 Yards

I made a mess of this hole.  My tee shot was pulled left and hit a tree and disappeared.  My provisional was also left, but I thought it would be okay.  It ended up out of bounds.  My third tee shot found the fairway... then I topped a 5 iron and blasted a hybrid just left of the green.  My pitch from there settled to 3 feet and I tapped in for a quadruple bogey 9.

Hole #4 - Par 3 - 164 Yards

I hit what I thought was a good shot here, but it ended up being long and landed in the trap at the back of the green.  I blasted out of the trap to about 12 feet but couldn't make the par putt, so I settled for a bogey.  This was my best hole of the round to this point and gave me a glimmer of hope that I'd be able to salvage something.

Hole #5 - Par 4 - 322 Yards

When I arrived to this tee, it appeared to be much shorter than 322 yards.  There was a bunker up in the fairway at about 220 yards, and if you cleared that, it was all downhill to the green.  My tee shot started left of that bunker, hit at the top of the hill and then bounced down to about 40 yards short of the hole.  My pitch shot from there checked up immediately and left me a tough 16 footer for birdie.  That missed short and left and I tapped in for a par.

Hole #6 - Par 5 - 496 Yards

Another par 5, another disaster.  My front foot slipped on my swing and I almost hit myself with the ball when it hit the inside of the hosel of my driver.  That ball shot off into the hazard, so I teed up again and hit a weak shot out into the right rough.  I hit a 5 iron from there, laying up short of the hazard crossing the fairway.  I then hit a decent wedge that landed in the fringe, leaving me a quick downhill putt.  I sent that 9 feet past the hole and needed 2 putts from there for a triple bogey.

Hole #7 - Par 4 - 346 Yards

I hooked my tee shot from here into the hazard, teed up another and put it into the fairway.  My 8 iron from there was dead-on but just a bit short, leaving me a 15 footer.  I couldn't make that as it died just shy of the hole, so I tapped in for a double bogey.

Hole #8 - Par 3 - 167 Yards

I actually thought I hit a really good shot here with my 7 iron from the tee, but it went well over the green and left me in a settled down, thick lie.  I hit a decent shot that got caught up on the wrong tier and I ended up three-putting from 40 feet for another double bogey.

Hole #9 - Par 4 - 385 Yards

Finally!  A tee shot that didn't find trouble!  It hit me on this tee that I hadn't been setting up properly, so I fixed my setup and hit a very good drive pretty much exactly where I aimed.  It left me stuck between clubs, so I tried to hit a soft pitching wedge, but I hit it TOO soft and it came up just short of the green.  I pitched to about 6 feet and made that down the slope coming back for par.

** NOTE - I hadn't played well at all, and I managed to completely bomb on the par 5's on the front side.  I ended up posting a 54 there, which, all things considered, wasn't as horrible as I had thought it would be.  I feel like, going back in a few weeks, my goal will be to shoot about a 46 on that side.

Hole #10 - Par 3 - 164 Yards

I hit a decent 6 iron from the tee that ended up just long and stuck on the fringe.  I putted down the hill from there to about 3 feet and tapped in for a second consecutive par. 

Hole #11 - Par 4 - 346 Yards

I hit another pretty good drive here.  It managed to catch the left side of the fairway and left me an uphill approach from about 120.  My 9 iron faded on me, but caught the green and left me a birdie attempt from long range.  I missed that, but made the 3 foot putt coming back for a third straight par.

Hole #12 - Par 5 - 502 Yards

I'm not very comfortable on dogleg left holes, which this hole is.  I hit a very solid drive that drew just over the trees and wound up in the middle of the fairway.  According to Game Golf, it was a 309 yard drive, which was my furthest of the year.  This left me just about 145 to the hole, down a slope.  My 8 iron landed just right of the pin and spun back down to about 9 feet away.  My eagle putt hit a bunch of holes and didn't fall, but left me a tap in birdie.

Hole #13 - Par 3 - 183 Yards

Sitting at 1 under for my last 4 holes, I was feeling great when I got to this tee.  But, then I realized how tough this hole was.  It's all carry and slightly uphill.  My 4 iron from the tee was pulled, and hooked and disappeared.  I dropped because it crossed the hazard and put my 7 iron onto the left side of the green.  From 38 feet, I needed 3 putts for a triple bogey.  My streak of solid holes ended at 4. 

Hole #14 - Par 4 - 414 Yards

Another decent drive for me, in the middle of the fairway.  It left me about 165 yards to the pin, and then I hit a super fat 6 iron that ended up in the rough short and left of the green.  My pitch hit the green and rolled over and my chip coming back was disgustingly short.  A two-putt from 24 feet closed the hole with a double bogey.

Hole #15 - Par 5 - 483 Yards

I hit a low, running tee shot that ran up into a fairway bunker.  I had no shot at anything, so I decided to hit a 4 iron out and lay up.  From there, I had a 9 iron (again) left to the pin, but it faded off target and found a greenside bunker.  My shot out of there was a bit long and ended up on the back fringe.  I putted from there, but killed it 18 feet beyond the hole and needed 2 putts for another double bogey.

Hole #16 - Par 4 - 390 Yards

I got away with a fairly poor tee shot here.  It went right on me, but stayed in the fairway.  It left me with about 120 to the hole, which is typically a 9 iron, but the wind was in our face, so I went with a punchy 8 iron.  It stayed low and hit the green, sticking about 16 feet shy of the hole.  My birdie putt ran over the right edge and I tapped in for par.

Hole #17 - Par 4 - 360 Yards

My drive caught the left side of the fairway, leaving me a good angle to the pin, but being uphill, it was a tough shot.  My 9 iron was short and right (as every 9 iron before it had been).  I chipped up to about 8 feet and couldn't do anything with that, three-putting for a frustrating triple bogey.

Hole #18 - Par 4 - 422 Yards

This hole was playing tough, directly into the wind.  My drive was left and kicked off a slope into a hazard.  I dropped and then punched a 5 iron into the fairway, leaving me about 100 yards to the pin.  I flat-out shanked my gap wedge from there, leaving me with no option but to punch a 6 iron over the marsh and across the green.  I pitched to about 15 feet and two-putted to close out with a quadruple bogey 8.

** NOTE - Just like on the front side, I hadn't played overly well... especially considering I started the back with par - par - birdie.  The 48 I posted should have been significantly better.  My goal for the tournament for the back will be a 42 which would give me a total of 88.  I think that would be decent, but I see someone from C Flight shooting a low 80's score to win it.  I guess we'll see then!

Round Stats

• Score - 102
• Penalty Strokes - 8
• Putts - 35
• Fairways - 7 of 14
• Greens in Regulation - 4 of 18
• Up and Downs - 2 of 5
• Sand Saves - 0 of 3

Tournament Review - 8/22/2015 - River Hills Country Club (Lake Wylie, SC)

Last week, I wrote about how not touching a club for a few weeks can have a negative impact on my game.  I fully expected to go into this week with things clicking a little better and then posting a good number.  What I didn't plan on was putting so poorly and hitting as many poor shots as I did.  

Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse as I ended up posting a ridiculous 102 that was dropped down to a club score of 98.  Read below for the details.

Game Golf Link

Scorecard 

Hole #14 - Par 4 - 344 Yards

On the range, I wasn't overly consistent with my driver.  One shot would go right, another left, another straight... and it left me feeling like I needed to be conservative.  So, opening with a 344 yard hole, I figured I'd play smart and hit a 4 iron off the tee.  I didn't catch all of it, but it left me in the neighborhood of 160 yards to the pin from the first cut of rough on the left.  My 6 iron from there found the front of the green.  My birdie attempt from nearly 45 feet was almost 10 feet short, but I managed to make the putt from there to open with a par.

Hole #15 - Par 4 - 368 Yards

I guess because I started with a par, I decided that I could 'risk' hitting my driver off this tee.  It was a straight shot, but I pulled it and the ball hit a tree.  I hit a provisional, but we found my original ball in a bad spot beneath the tree.  I didn't have a shot at the green, so I punched a 4 iron under the tree but over the fairway bunker.  That found the right side of the fairway and left me 82 yards from the pin.  I nipped a 3/4 gap wedge perfectly and it landed pin high, about 15 feet to the right of the pin... but I watched as the ball sucked back quickly and rolled off the green and down the hill.  My pitch from there left me about 12 feet and I missed the bogey putt and tapped in for a double bogey.

Hole #16 - Par 4 - 393 Yards

I wasn't comfortable hitting my 4 iron from this tee because it would have left me entirely too far from the green, so I elected to hit my driver.  I didn't make a good swing, but I got away with it as my ball found the fairway... but still left me almost 190 yards up the hill to the pin.  I hit my 4 iron from there and watched as it started left and stayed there, eventually hitting the cart path about pin high and bouncing up the hill and seemingly out of bounds.  My provisional found the front of the green, but when we got to my original ball... it was still in play (by a hair).  I hit an almost perfect pitch shot from a horrible lie, through some tree branches, landing it in the rough to kill the speed and watching it funnel down towards the hole.  It left me a very quick downhill putt for par from 5 feet, and I was unable to make it... so I tapped in for a bogey.

Hole #17 - Par 3 - 184 Yards

Even though this hole was 184 yards from the tee, it played downhill.  I hit a good 6 iron from the tee that didn't quite fade back enough and I watched as it hit the sand and rolled to the bottom of the bunker.  It left me a short-side shot from the trap and I bladed the ball over the green and out of bounds.  I dropped back in the sand and splashed out perfectly, watching the ball roll slowly towards the hole and drop in for an extremely unlikely bogey.  It's the first hole-out from a bunker I can remember in a long, long time (the last I can remember happened on my first ever birdie in high school).

Hole #18 - Par 4 - 347 Yards

I got to this tee feeling good.  I felt like I got away with something the last 2 holes and I wanted to make it pay off with a good hole here.  I hit my intended club (4 iron) and made a good swing, watching the ball start at the left side of the fairway and fade slightly back towards the center.  It left me with about 160 down a hill, so I played it about 150 and hit a good 7 iron that faded a little more than intended, but found the green and left me with only about 11 feet for birdie.  My putt died off to the right at the last second and I settled for a tap-in par.

River Hills Country Club - 18th Green

Hole #1 - Par 4 - 360 Yards

At this point in the round, I had a feeling that I was going to post a good score somewhere in mid 80's.  The front nine didn't start out so hot though.  I hit a good drive just left and short of the fairway bunker on the right side.  It left me about 135 to the hole, up the hill a bit.  My 8 iron was tugged slightly and found the rough just left of the green.  I tried to play a 'perfect' chip and the ball got caught up in the fringe, leaving me a putt from off the green, down a hill.  I blew the ball well beyond the hole and needed 2 putts from about 16 feet to post a double bogey.  

Hole #2 - Par 4 - 335 Yards

Again, trying to play safe, I hit a 4 iron from this tee.  I caught it slightly fat and it didn't quite get out there very far... but it did find the fairway.  It left me a long way back, up the hill... so I hit my 4 iron again.  I struck it well, but it didn't fade for me and ended up a little long and left.  My putt from the fringe left me about 10 feet for par... and then I looked like a 2 year old on a miniature golf course.  I took 3 putts from 10 feet for a second consecutive double bogey.

Hole #3 - Par 3 - 163 Yards

My 7 iron from the tee was pin high, but just left of the green.  I hit a good chip from there to just about 7 feet but I could not convert the up and down attempt as my putt was pulled slightly, so I tapped in for a bogey...

Hole #4 - Par 5 - 491 Yards

... and then things got REALLY ugly.  I actually hit a really, really good drive on this hole, but because of the severity of the dogleg, I was blocked out by the trees on the left.  I decided to lay back and try to leave myself a full sand wedge, but I pushed my 4 iron and it found the fairway bunker up the right side.  I had about 90 yards from there and I caught too much ball from the bunker with my gap wedge and it sailed over the green into some tall, wispy grass.  The ball was sitting up REALLY high and I made a poor swing at the ball and sailed it over the front of the green into the bunker there... then back over the green... then 2 flubbed chips and a putt from the fringe, and finally... 2 more putts from 9 feet away for a 10 (which would be club adjusted down to an 8).  

Hole #5 - Par 3 - 160 Yards

Truthfully, I don't remember this hole.  I was in kind of a haze by this point because of the previous hole, but... I hit the green with a 6 iron and two-putted for par from about 25 feet, so... it temporarily plugged the leaks I had sprung.

Hole #6 - Par 5 - 531 Yards

Of all the holes I had played up to this point... this would go down as the most frustrating for me.  This was another dogleg left par 5.  My intent from the tee was to play a shot up over the trees on the left that would have hopefully put me in position to go for the green from about 230 with a 3 wood.  I hit a slight draw, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be good or not.  Nobody heard it hit anything, but... to be safe, I hit a provisional.  This one was slightly further left, and it definitely hit the trees.  I was set to take a triple bogey max score, but as we rounded the corner, we saw a ball in the middle of the fairway.  It was my original, and when I stood over the ball and measured to the pin, I had 194 to the hole.  Pulling out a club I had hit well almost all day (my 4 iron), I was looking to start the ball just left of the green and let it fade back towards the pin... but I hit it fat and it ended up about 40 yards short and left.  From the rough, my wedge went COMPLETELY under the ball and advanced it only about 5 yards.  I then pitched up to around 11 feet and missed my par putt, settling for a bogey.  

I wasn't upset about the score (in most cases, a bogey is not a horrible score for me).  Instead, I was upset about the fact that I had put myself in a PERFECT position from the tee, and I choked away the opportunity for an easy birdie or par.  It put me in a poor mood and that carried over and put a damper on the rest of my round.

Hole #7 - Par 4 - 352 Yards

There was nothing about this hole that looked good to my eye.  It was a dogleg left (again)... but the landing area for my 4 iron was right on the corner where there was a thick tree on the left, and a bunker on the right.  I decided to try to hit my driver... and if it faded on me, it would at least carry that bunker.  I actually got a perfect swing on the ball and I drew it around that corner.  It hit the fairway and kicked hard right, but just into the primary rough.  It left me with nothing more than a full sand wedge to the hole.  Of course, I blew that by hitting it fat and left into a greenside bunker.  I hit a decent shot out of there to 9 feet... and proceeded to three-putt for a double bogey.

Hole #8 - Par 4 - 367 Yards

Now I was kinda ticked off.  I completely yanked my drive here, but it stayed in bounds.  I had an opening to try and punch the ball low and run it up to the green, but I pulled it JUST a bit and it hit a tree and kicked right back at me.  Now the only opening was to punch it into the fairway, which I did.  My wedge from there was about 30 feet wide, and I two-putted for another double bogey.

Hole #9 - Par 4 - 385 Yards

One of my playing partners mentioned that if I hit my driver, I'd probably put it through the fairway... but being another dogleg left, I needed to at least get around the corner.  I haven't had any faith in my 3 wood all year... but I decided to give it a shot anyway.  This one turned out pretty well... a nice, low trajectory right at my target, and I found my 5th of 7 fairways on the front side.  It left me about 164 down the hill to the pin, and my 7 iron was weak and well right.  I pitched up to about 21 feet and couldn't make the par putt, so I settled for bogey.

** NOTE - At this point, despite the couple of bad holes I had on that side, I really didn't feel like I played too poorly.  When we got to the 10th tee, we added up scores to compare scorecards.  It was at that point that I felt really discouraged.  I had posted an abysmal 52 (adjusted to 50), while one of my playing partners who had been throwing clubs, kicking out of bounds posts and cursing after every swing (good, bad or otherwise), posted a 45.  I sincerely thought that, even with my 10, I was going to be in the 40's.  Still... I headed to the final 4 holes thinking that if I could find a way to par out, I'd post a club score of 90, which would at least be SOMEWHAT close to being in the money.  

Hole #10 - Par 5 - 493 Yards

My swing from this tee pretty much said it all.  I blew my shot well right, into the woods.  Luckily, it was open over there and we saw my ball come down.  When I got to it, I had a good sized opening and I punched a 4 iron through there down into the fairway, in good position.  I gave myself a pep talk when I got to my ball, and although I didn't hit the greatest shot it the world, my 8 iron found the green.  From 40 feet, however, my birdie attempt was about 12 feet short and I three-putted for the 3rd time that round and took a bogey.

Hole #11 - Par 3 - 158 Yards

We had a short wait on the tee here, and I took a walk to the opposite side of the tee to look in the water, where I saw a bunch of turtles.  I took a few minutes to relax and focus on the final few holes.  That didn't work at all.  I hit the worst 6 iron I could have hit from this tee... fat and slicing into the rough well short of the green.  I pretty much shanked my pitch from there and ended up long and right, chipping down to about 20 feet and two-putting for a double bogey.

Hole #12 - Par 5 - 519 Yards

Another 10.  Just an ugly hole.  Driver into someone's backyard.  3rd shot into the middle of the fairway.  Fat 6 iron.  8 iron into the greenside bunker.  2 swings to get out of there.  An ugly putt from the fringe.  2 putts from 9 feet.  Club adjusted triple bogey max.

Hole #13 - Par 4 - 339 Yards

I was done.  My drive was struck fairly well, but pushed and kept fading right into a hazard.  I dropped and put my 8 iron on the green to about 18 feet before finishing with my 4th three-putt of the round to close with a double bogey.

** NOTE - My 52 - 50 = 102 was adjusted to a 50 - 48 = 98.  A day that had begun with a ton of promise had finished with a ton of disappointment.  I didn't manage to make even a single birdie.  In fact, other than the 18th hole, I hadn't really given myself even a hint of an opportunity at a birdie.  I finished well back (20th out of 31) and didn't make a move up the standings.  I have 2 tournaments left to ensure that I punch my ticket to Hilton Head in October... and there are 4 weeks until the next tournament round.

Round Stats

• Score - 102 (Club Adjusted to 98)
• Penalty Strokes - 3
• Putts - 38
• Fairways - 7 of 14
• Greens in Regulation - 4 of 18
• Up and Downs - 0 of 7
• Sand Saves - 0 of 3

Tournament Reivew - 8/15/2015 - Cabarrus Country Club (Concord, NC)

Anytime you go almost three weeks without touching a club... it can be a mixed bag.  This was the case with this round as I didn't actually plan on playing until 2 days before the tournament.  I was a late addition, and I had absolutely NO time to practice before getting to the course that morning.  

It actually turned out okay, and I'm pleasantly surprised by how well I played considering.  This gives me hope heading into the final month of the season that I can actually find my way into the Top 10 by the end of the season and qualify for the Tour Championship at Hilton Head in October.

Game Golf Link

Scorecard 

Hole #15 - Par 3 - 147 Yards

I never enjoy starting on par 3 holes... especially par 3 holes with a carry almost the entire way over water.  I had 2 balls in my pocket to start, and I was ready to place the new, unused ball on the tee, but instead, I went with a scuffed ball since there seems to be a natural attraction between a new ball and water.  I seemingly made the right choice as my 7 iron started at the left side of the green and faded in towards the pin, finally settling at just over 9 feet.

One thing I need to point out about this course is that they were BY FAR the fastest greens we have played so far.  If you were above the hole, you had no shot.  My shot was below the hole and left me with a good opportunity for a birdie, but because I was so nervous about the speed of the greens, I left my putt less than a revolution short... and I tapped in to open with a par.  

Hole #16 - Par 4 - 347 Yards

Nothing spectacular about this hole.  It actually looked like an appealing hole from the tee, with it being a slight dogleg right.  On the range during my warm-up session, I seemed to be hitting a straight ball with a little bit of a pull with my driver... so, on this tee, I aimed at the right side of the fairway.  Of course, my range session didn't carry over with me and I hit a push fade that ended up in the right trees.  This left me with no shot at the green, so I punched a 6 iron beneath the trees and into the fairway.  I hit a very poor shot from there that came up well short of the green, and instead of putting from there, I tried to chip, which didn't work out so well as I left it on the fringe.  I putted on from there to about 5 feet and I pulled the putt, tapping in for a double bogey.

Hole #17 - Par 4 - 350 Yards

This was a short dogleg left hole which left no room for a driver... so I teed off with a 4 iron and managed to find the fairway, leaving me about 140 to the hole.  My 8 iron was struck well, but it leaked a bit on me and ended up in the fringe off the right side of the green.  My putt from the fringe left a lot to be desired, as I came up 12 feet short and I couldn't make the par putt, so I settled for a bogey.

Hole #18 - Par 5 - 484 Yards

This was one of those 'find the fairway and go for it' type of holes... but I managed to make a mess of it.  My drive wasn't all that bad, but it hit the right rough and kicked further right, below a tree.  I didn't have a shot at the green, so I punched a 4 iron below the trees and cut it around the fairway bunker.  I was left with about 80 yards to the pin out of the rough, and instead of playing a soft gap wedge, I tried to kill a sand wedge and I bladed it WAY over the green, almost to the practice green.  From there, I had no shot at the green because I was directly behind a huge pine tree, so I pitched it to the rough left of the green, chipped on and watched it run out to 13 feet and proceeded to two-putt for another double bogey.

Hole #1 - Par 5 - 486 Yards

This was another 'green light' hole, if I could have found the fairway... but I didn't.  I blew another one right that ended up in the trees.  I punched a 6 iron that BARELY made it around a tree and into the fairway.  From there, I had around 130 to the hole.  My 9 iron was right on line and settled about 9 feet below the hole.  My birdie putt looked good the whole way, but at the last second, it dove below the hole and I had to tap in for a par.  

Hole #2 - Par 4 - 332 Yards

I finally hit a decent drive and my ball landed in the middle of the fairway, a few yards shy of the crossing hazard, leaving me around 105 yards to the pin, which was tucked WAY up in the back-left corner of the green.  My wedge from there was awful and came up 20+ yards short, but on the green.  I crushed my lag-putt up the hill and still came up about 10 feet shy en route to a three-putt bogey.

Hole #3 - Par 4 - 330 Yards

I hit a weak, low, cutting drive that barely eclipsed the 200 yard mark, but left me in the fairway.  I had a clear shot to the pin from about 125 yards, into a bit of a breeze.  My 9 iron wasn't the best, but got to pin high just off the green, leaving me a VERY quick downhill putt from about 30 feet.  I barely touched the ball and watched it roll 6 feet beyond the hole and then hit a good putt that I thought was going to break to the right, but it stayed straight and I tapped in for a bogey.

Hole #4 - Par 4 - 334 Yards

This hole should have been a cake-walk... but I turned it into one of my worst of the day.  I blew my drive onto the roof of a million dollar home... and then proceeded to hit an almost identical provisional.  Somehow the provisional found its way in play (I think it hit the brick patio and kicked over the fence)... but left me with no line to the green.  My shot from the right rough bounced through some branches and onto the green, but left me about 16 feet down the hill.  Again, I hit a very good putt, but it just didn't drop... so I tapped in from a foot for a double bogey.

Hole #5 - Par 3 - 158 Yards

The second the ball left the face of my 6 iron, I knew it was a poor shot.  I picked up my tee and looked up just in time to see the ball roll off the right side of the green and down into a greenside bunker.  I managed to get out of the bunker, but I was 35 feet short of the hole.  I did manage to two-putt from a not-so-great spot to salvage a bogey, so I wasn't all that displeased with my score after a horrible tee shot.

Hole #6 - Par 4 - 352 Yards

My one and only birdie of the day came on this hole.  I hit a good drive, into the wind that found the fairway and left me about 125 yards to the pin.  I started my 9 iron at the hole, but it tailed off and hit the right side of the green, leaving me close to 40 feet away.  I watched my playing partner putt from a few feet away from my ball and got a good read and then drained the 39 foot putt for birdie.  This was the longest putt I've made all year and I had hopes for it holding up for a skin... but, alas, it didn't hold up.  

Hole #7 - Par 3 - 137 Yards

This hole was listed at 137, but actually played to about 125 yards... and LOOKED much shorter than that.  I hit a 9 iron that didn't fade quite as much as I had played for, but still found the green and left me around 15 feet for birdie.  Another hole where I hit an almost perfect putt, but it didn't fall and left me a tap-in for par.

Hole #8 - Par 5 - 473 Yards

Par 5... short hole... temptation to go for it... poor drive.  That was the theme of the par 5 holes for me on this day.  I absolutely demolished my drive from this tee, but I played for a fade and it stayed straight the entire time.  My ball ended up in a dry creek bed up the left side.  I had no shot, so I smacked a 6 iron out and watched it roll across the fairway into the rough on the right side.  When I got to my ball, I saw that it had settled directly in front of a small patch of crabgrass.  Of course, I let this get in my head and I bladed the ball into the bunker short of the green.  My shot from there got caught up in the fringe, and I putted onto the green to about 5 feet and made that putt for a bogey on a hole where a TON of people were making birdie or better.

Hole #9 - Par 4 - 348 Yards

I yanked my drive on this hole and got a break when it hit a tree that kept it from going OB into the driving range.  I had a small alley through the trees and I tried to punch a 6 iron through that clearing up to the green.  I got it through with no problems... but the ball didn't quite make it all the way up to the green.  My pitch from there went a bit long and left me a downhill putt from about 9 feet.  I crushed that and it went almost 10 feet beyond the hole, leading to a three-putt double bogey to close out the front side.

Hole #10 - Par 4 - 334 Yards

Suddenly, the pull that I had on the driving range was back.  This marked the third consecutive hole where I pulled my drive.  This one ended up very short and in some thick trees.  I managed to hack a 4 iron below the tree line and up into the rough, but it still left me blocked out.  I tried to punch a wedge beneath the branches in front of me, but it came out hot and rolled off the back of the green, leaving me an awkward stance with one foot in a bunker and the other in the rough.  I putted from the fringe with that stance and left the ball almost 30 feet short.  My putt down the hill was nowhere close and I ended up with a three-putt triple.  

Hole #11 - Par 5 - 480 Yards

This is a par 5, so... guess what happened.  Yep... a poor drive.  I ended up beneath a tree on the right side.  I had a swing... but it was going to be an abbreviated backswing and follow-through because of the low hanging branches.  I struck the ball well, but it didn't fade like I'd played for and ended up behind a tree, blocking me from the green.  I thought that I could maybe get the ball over that tree with a wedge, but I drove it straight into the heart of the tree and watched as it kicked to the right and ended up in the fairway.  I had about 40 yards to the hole from there and hit a low pitch that hit the green, skipped once and stopped a foot from the hole.  I tapped in for a par, completing the extremely short par 5 holes in +3. 

Hole #12 - Par 3 - 129 Yards

This was a nice looking hole... downhill all the way.  There was a slight breeze into us from the tee.  My 9 iron was solid and found the green just over 20 feet away from the hole.  My birdie attempt was just off and I tapped in from 2 feet for a par, competing the par 3 holes in +1.  

Hole #13 - Par 4 - 369 Yards

I hit a slight pull off this tee and ended up in the rough up the left side.  I had a fairly large pine tree to go over, but I was far enough back that it shouldn't have been a problem.  But, as luck would have it... it was a problem.  I caught the ball high on the face of my pitching wedge which meant it came out weak, and I watched it hit that tree and fall straight down.  My pitch from there was a little strong and went about 15 feet beyond the hole, leaving me a downhill putt.  It never really had the right line and missed on the low side by about a foot, so I tapped in for a bogey.

Hole #14 - Par 4 - 345 Yards

My final hole of the day, and I hit my best drive of the day.  It was dead center and left me a perfect pitching wedge distance to the hole.  I hit what I thought was a PERFECT shot from the fairway... and I was waiting for the ball to land 3 feet from the pin, but it came up almost 30 feet short and spun back down the hill some.  My putt from about 36 feet was way off and I finished up with a three-putt bogey to close out my round.  

  ** NOTE - I had posted a very good (for me) 43 on the front side and a not-so-good 47 on the back.  I left quite a few strokes out there, and I ended up playing with the eventual winner and the 4th place finisher.  I was 'right there' most of the day, and if I was able to keep some of my drives from the trees... I easily would have placed in the money, but... that didn't happen.  Time to get back out to the practice range and get myself ready for the next round!

Round Stats

• Score - 90
• Penalty Strokes - 1
• Putts - 37
• Fairways - 5 of 14
• Greens in Regulation - 7 of 18
• Up and Downs - 1 of 6
• Sand Saves - 0 of 2