I had some free time to get out on Friday morning, so I decided to take a ride over to Spring Lake for what I was hoping would be a quick, fun round. I had paid for my round on their website, but when I got to the course, they had no record of it. The guy in the pro shop said he needed to visit the office and came back with my reservation. Somehow, the course had booked 5 for that tee slot, so he said he'd send me out on the back instead.
I was fine with that, but I got rushed out by a single that was supposed to have been off already. He didn't want to pair up and said I should go ahead, so... I rushed to get things together and teed off on #10.
I was fine with that, but I got rushed out by a single that was supposed to have been off already. He didn't want to pair up and said I should go ahead, so... I rushed to get things together and teed off on #10.
Scorecard
Hole #10 - Par 3 - 132 Yards
Like I mentioned, I kind of rushed here. I had a vague idea as to the distance and just put a ball on the tee and took a horrible swing with an 8 iron. It ended up in the trees on the right side, but was playable. I pitched out over the sand trap but the ball hung up on the fringe. I putted from there and nearly drained it, but it held up on the lip. I tapped in to open with a bogey.
Hole #11 - Par 4 - 346 Yards
Because I had no warm-up time, I was still stiff. My drive from this tee started towards the center and sliced badly to the right rough. I found it sitting down and had about 160 to the flag on a hole that should not have been that difficult. I hit a low, slicing 6 iron that managed to run on to the front of the green. From 33 feet, I hit a pretty poor lag putt to about 5 feet and then made that for a par.
Hole #12 - Par 4 - 408 Yards
It was here that I realized that I was playing the blue tees at 6748 yards instead of the white tees at 6426 yards. I decided to just continue with it since the course was pretty empty and I wanted to challenge myself to score on a more difficult set of tees anyway. My drive here was also right and not very good. I tried to hit a 4 iron from about 190 to the hole, but I topped it and advanced it only about 45 yards. My 8 iron from the fairway was short and my chip from there left me 10 feet away. I couldn't make that and tapped in for a double bogey.
Hole #13 - Par 5 - 596 Yards
At almost 600 yards, it's one of the longer holes I've ever played. I hit a solid drive into the fairway and still had almost 340 yards to the hole. I hit a hybrid to put me in position, and although it wasn't the best shot, it worked out and left me only 120 or so yards. My pitching wedge found the green, but I was 28 feet left of the hole. I hit a very good putt that was tracking until the end when it dropped low and missed, so I tapped in for a par.
Hole #14 - Par 4 - 432 Yards
I had only every played this hole once before and I knew the only real trouble was on the right side where there was some water in play. I told myself to avoid it at all costs, and then I wiped across the ball and blew it way right into that water. After my drop, I hit an 8 iron back to the fairway which left me about 130 away. Another 8 iron from there was a good distance, but slightly left. I pitched to about 12 feet and needed 2 putts from there for an ugly triple bogey.
Hole #15 - Par 4 - 450 Yards
No trouble here except OB up the right side, but tons of room left. I did the same thing as on the 14th hole and blew a ball way right. It went towards the OB over there and I never found it. My provisional was also right and left me behind a tree. I punched a 4 iron out of there and then hit an 8 iron well, but right. I hit a pretty good chip shot from there to 5 feet and converted to 'save' a triple bogey.
Hole #16 - Par 3 - 210 Yards
A horrible 5 iron from the tee was just shy of pin high, but well left. It left me a near impossible shot over the trap to a short sided pin. I hit that deep onto the green and needed to lag up from 33 feet. I did an okay job of that and made the 4 foot putt for bogey.
Hole #17 - Par 4 - 410 Yards
I kind of knew I couldn't get to the second creek from this back tee, so I took a good swing with my driver and landed the ball right next to the 150 yard marker. I had about 142 to go up the hill from where the ball finished, but my 7 iron was left the entire way and ended in the tiny bunker short and left of the green. I blasted out but came up short. I needed 2 putts from 22 feet for another bogey.
Hole #18 - Par 5 - 531 Yards
I just wanted to make a good swing from this tee because the hole didn't fit my eye very well. I hit a good drive into the fairway, but then blew it with a pull-hooked 4 iron that ran into the hedges. I found the ball but had to take an unplayable drop and still didn't have much of a swing, so I punched the ball into the fairway. A gap wedge hit the very front of the green and left me 51 feet away. A trio of putts closed out the back nine with a triple bogey.
** NOTE - I was not even remotely happy with the 50 I had posted. I felt like I didn't play horribly, but a few loose swings completely destroyed any hope at making a score. I was now set to go attack the front and hopefully put up something a little better.
Hole #10 - Par 3 - 132 Yards
Like I mentioned, I kind of rushed here. I had a vague idea as to the distance and just put a ball on the tee and took a horrible swing with an 8 iron. It ended up in the trees on the right side, but was playable. I pitched out over the sand trap but the ball hung up on the fringe. I putted from there and nearly drained it, but it held up on the lip. I tapped in to open with a bogey.
Hole #11 - Par 4 - 346 Yards
Because I had no warm-up time, I was still stiff. My drive from this tee started towards the center and sliced badly to the right rough. I found it sitting down and had about 160 to the flag on a hole that should not have been that difficult. I hit a low, slicing 6 iron that managed to run on to the front of the green. From 33 feet, I hit a pretty poor lag putt to about 5 feet and then made that for a par.
Hole #12 - Par 4 - 408 Yards
It was here that I realized that I was playing the blue tees at 6748 yards instead of the white tees at 6426 yards. I decided to just continue with it since the course was pretty empty and I wanted to challenge myself to score on a more difficult set of tees anyway. My drive here was also right and not very good. I tried to hit a 4 iron from about 190 to the hole, but I topped it and advanced it only about 45 yards. My 8 iron from the fairway was short and my chip from there left me 10 feet away. I couldn't make that and tapped in for a double bogey.
Hole #13 - Par 5 - 596 Yards
At almost 600 yards, it's one of the longer holes I've ever played. I hit a solid drive into the fairway and still had almost 340 yards to the hole. I hit a hybrid to put me in position, and although it wasn't the best shot, it worked out and left me only 120 or so yards. My pitching wedge found the green, but I was 28 feet left of the hole. I hit a very good putt that was tracking until the end when it dropped low and missed, so I tapped in for a par.
Hole #14 - Par 4 - 432 Yards
I had only every played this hole once before and I knew the only real trouble was on the right side where there was some water in play. I told myself to avoid it at all costs, and then I wiped across the ball and blew it way right into that water. After my drop, I hit an 8 iron back to the fairway which left me about 130 away. Another 8 iron from there was a good distance, but slightly left. I pitched to about 12 feet and needed 2 putts from there for an ugly triple bogey.
Hole #15 - Par 4 - 450 Yards
No trouble here except OB up the right side, but tons of room left. I did the same thing as on the 14th hole and blew a ball way right. It went towards the OB over there and I never found it. My provisional was also right and left me behind a tree. I punched a 4 iron out of there and then hit an 8 iron well, but right. I hit a pretty good chip shot from there to 5 feet and converted to 'save' a triple bogey.
Hole #16 - Par 3 - 210 Yards
A horrible 5 iron from the tee was just shy of pin high, but well left. It left me a near impossible shot over the trap to a short sided pin. I hit that deep onto the green and needed to lag up from 33 feet. I did an okay job of that and made the 4 foot putt for bogey.
Hole #17 - Par 4 - 410 Yards
I kind of knew I couldn't get to the second creek from this back tee, so I took a good swing with my driver and landed the ball right next to the 150 yard marker. I had about 142 to go up the hill from where the ball finished, but my 7 iron was left the entire way and ended in the tiny bunker short and left of the green. I blasted out but came up short. I needed 2 putts from 22 feet for another bogey.
Hole #18 - Par 5 - 531 Yards
I just wanted to make a good swing from this tee because the hole didn't fit my eye very well. I hit a good drive into the fairway, but then blew it with a pull-hooked 4 iron that ran into the hedges. I found the ball but had to take an unplayable drop and still didn't have much of a swing, so I punched the ball into the fairway. A gap wedge hit the very front of the green and left me 51 feet away. A trio of putts closed out the back nine with a triple bogey.
** NOTE - I was not even remotely happy with the 50 I had posted. I felt like I didn't play horribly, but a few loose swings completely destroyed any hope at making a score. I was now set to go attack the front and hopefully put up something a little better.
Hole #1 - Par 5 - 429 Yards
From this tee, you almost have to be thinking birdie. It's pretty wide open and a very short par 5. I pull-hooked my drive and it found itself behind a few trees. I didn't have an opening towards the green, so I opted to punch the ball below the trees. It ran up into the fairway about 50 yards shy of the hole. My sand wedge from there landed on the fringe and stayed there. I putted from that spot to about 3 feet and then made that for a par.
Hole #2 - Par 3 - 218 Yards
I didn't hit the greatest 4 iron from this tee, but it was on line. It came up pretty short and left me a pitch up the hill. My pitch from that location came up 24 feet short. I lagged the ball to about 4 feet, which is worse than I was expecting, but I made the 4 footer coming back for the bogey.
Hole #3 - Par 4 - 393 Yards
Anytime I'm facing a dogleg left, I get in my own head. On this swing, I completely yanked the ball trying to draw it and it landed in the trees. Luckily, it stayed in bounds, but the only thing I had was another punch out. The ball ended up in the fairway about 140 yards from the hole. Because it was slightly uphill, I took a 7 iron and tried to play a cut. The ball didn't cut and ended up off the green on the left, pin high. I chipped to about 6 feet above the hole but couldn't drain that so I tapped in for a double bogey.
Hole #4 - Par 4 - 354 Yards
Currently, this hole is playing as a short par 3 because of damage from a winter storm. I dropped my ball where the tee markers were in the fairway and played from there. It was just about 160 yards to the hole and my 6 iron finished a little long. I putted from the fringe to about 7 feet, but again, I was above the hole and could not convert, so I settled for a tap-in bogey.
Hole #5 - Par 3 - 150 Yards
This hole was only playing 137 down a slight hill and into a slight breeze, so I decided on an 8 iron from the tee. I hit a really good shot that finished 13 feet to the right of the hole, exactly pin high. I was left with a right-to-left curler which I sank for my only birdie of the day.
Hole #6 - Par 5 - 492 Yards
Ordinarily, I love this hole. It was a little breezy, though, and I ended up not hitting the greatest tee shot. I barely cleared the little water hazard to the left and was in a little valley below the fairway bunker on the left side. I hit a 4 iron from there really well which left me about 110 to the flag. I hit an approach wedge from there that was a little thin, landed on the front of the green and ran to the back. I putted from there, nearly holing it, but the ball caught the slope and ran out to 12 feet away. I couldn't make that for par and settled for ANOTHER tap-in bogey.
Hole #7 - Par 4 - 447 Yards
This is a par 4 that plays almost as long as most par 5 holes I play. I didn't hit the greatest shot from the tee, but it got out there. It finished to the right in the rough between the 7th and 8th fairways. I still had over 220 yards to the green, so I took out my 3 wood and tried to play a cut around the trees. I struck it almost exactly as I wanted to, but I cut it a little too much. It ended up in the bunker just right of the green. I blasted out from there, but it stuck in the fringe. I then chipped on to about 9 feet. The putt didn't fall, so I had to tap in for a double bogey.
Hole #8 - Par 4 - 399 Yards
This shouldn't be a difficult hole, but I made it one. My tee shot was right... and short. It landed at the base of a pine tree. I had no shot but to punch out into the fairway. I did so, but it left me a long way from the hole. My hybrid was right on, but well short. I pitched from there to about 17 feet but couldn't get the ball to fall, so tapped in for a second straight double bogey.
Hole #9 - Par 4 - 351 Yards
This is a short hole with a hazard at the end of the fairway. It means that nothing but an iron is appropriate. I hit a 4 iron into the middle of the fairway which left me about 150 to the pin. My 7 iron was a foot from being perfect. Instead, it hit the bank of the trap and rolled in. That trap was marked as ground under repair, so I dropped outside and pitched on to about 21 feet. It was not a good pitch at all and resulted in a two-putt bogey to end my round.
** NOTE - The front nine was marginally better than the back nine, but it still wasn't a good round overall. I was disappointed that I couldn't put together a decent round on what I feel is a pretty benign course. Still... it was better than I had been playing, so... not too much to be disappointed with, I suppose. I'd like to get in another round of practice before the tournament next weekend, but... we'll have to see if I can find the time to get out before time runs out.
Until then...
** NOTE - The front nine was marginally better than the back nine, but it still wasn't a good round overall. I was disappointed that I couldn't put together a decent round on what I feel is a pretty benign course. Still... it was better than I had been playing, so... not too much to be disappointed with, I suppose. I'd like to get in another round of practice before the tournament next weekend, but... we'll have to see if I can find the time to get out before time runs out.
Until then...
Round Stats
- Score - 95
- Penalty Strokes - 3
- Putts - 33
- Fairways - 4 of 13
- Greens in Regulation - 3 of 18
- Up and Downs - 1 of 7
- Sand Saves - 0 of 2
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