Some of the people from the softball group were getting together to go golfing and it sounded like fun since I can't do "real" athletic stuff like racquetball for a couple weeks. Softball is questionable but I am going to keep doing that and biking where possible...so off to West Killarney we went.
First hole is a dogleg left. If you play smart you punch it out in the center but not too far, have a short, straight thought to the green...or you can be me and try to fly the trees, cut off the dogleg and be sitting on or around the green in one.
Unless you hit a line drive that clunks a tree and you end up with an 80 yard drive...but a quick punch through, chip, 1-putt and I saved a bogey.
Next hole is dogleg right with canyon on the right. I pulled a 6 iron, landed on top of the hill, punched a beautiful pitching wedge I somehow triggered slightly right, but pin high in two. The day was starting well.
Then the rain started. And it was a real gully washer. I promptly bladed my gap wedge...85-95 yard club went about 135. No problem, I bump and run pretty well...except the rain was so hard the greens were ssssllllloooooooooooowwwwwww....
As in from about 20 feet out I 4 putted...and I was taking nearly full swings. You simply could not move the ball. Grr.
Next hole is long and straight...and my drive tailed a bit. And somehow, in the rain, even though it was within 5 yards of the fairway with no hazards nearby we never could find it...
Next hole is a long par 5. My drive was long but right. No problem, I grabbed my hybrid and punched long and straight...whoops, tree. No problem, in 2 shots I am a hundred yards off the green. I will hit my gap wedge.
Except during my swing, the wet handle slipped in my hand and I gripped it tightly...my divot went about 20 yards, the ball about 10. Switched to the 8-iron...it slipped even worse, toed the ball about 10' to my right...and NEVER found the ball! Unbelievable. There is simply nowhere it could have gone.
By now I am frustrated but at least the rain has stopped.
I hit a long drive but slice again, this time into the next fairway. No problem, I am 130 from the green, perfect for my pitching wedge. I will fly it over the trees, it should land on the green. Except I bladed the daylights out of it, it never got over about half the height of the trees...and sticks on the green because it is so wet, about 20' from the cup. My first green in regulation. Been a rough day.
It is a left-hand sloping putt, going to be slow, there is still standing water at a couple places on the green...I read it pretty well, hit it pretty well, it rolls, it turns it...drops in. A birdie!
Nice! Been a while since I hit a birdie.
Next one is a par 3, I yank it a bit left. Would have been good shot, instead it hits the only tree on the entire hole. I pitch it pretty good, 2-putt. Bogey is not bad from that place.
Next hole is tightest fairway on the course. I want to use my 7-wood but the handle is so wet I cannot hang on to it. I regretfully pull out my driver, knowing it is a mistake but with no dry handles on any other club, even knowing it is a mistake, it is the least mistake I can make...until I hit my worst slice of the day, deep into the trees.
But I find it...and have a sliver of daylight...punch out the hybrid and land 100 yards from the green. I cub the gap wedge just over the green, bump and run back on and have a respectable score.
Last hole is a dogleg left that a pond makes too dangerous to short-cut, you cannot go long or you are beyond the road, cannot miss right...tough hole I have never played well. Wet handles mean I decide to modify my swing with the hybrid and aim left, hoping to fade and have that lose enough distance to not overfly the fairway. Ball ends up about perfect, just clipping the corner, middle of fairway 135 yards from the green,
I pull my 135 year pitching wedge and plan to apply backspin so I put it a hair further back in my stance than normal. And proceed to have my best swing of the day. As soon as I hit it I knew I stuck it and even yelled, "Yeah, way to stick it baby!"
It was one of those shots where I did everything right and knew it, this was going to be a brilliant shot, right at the flag, and I even thought it had an outside chance at being a foot or 2 from the cup if my backspin worked...
Until it landed 5 yards short of the green. I must have stood there with my jaw dropped staring at it for 30 seconds. JJ laughed, knowing what had happened.
Oh well. 9 iron bump and run to 3' from the cup and I tapped in for a par, a pretty good close to a pretty rough day.
Lets see; hole 2, the rain cost me at least 2 shots, it cost me a lost ball/drop shot and a couple putts on 3, and at least 2-3 shots on 4. So about 7-8 shots...and I had a 48.
So the upshot is...I thought I was playing poor but that was a pretty sharp score all things considered. And I got my shower in...
4 years ago
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