Sunny, 55*, windy and wet. First day of course open this year. Course really not ready for GHIN-keeping, but since we are technically now "in-season" I couldn't label this round "out-of-season." So, I entered it in as a practice round.
I couldn't get any distance out of my drives. Though hit most in fairway, just very short. Some of that was a result of the weather and course conditions, but I'm afraid some of it is also due to how aggravated my right rotator cuff and left inguinal ligament are feeling lately. Still hoping to stay away from another surgery, but in the meantime, it's really affecting my game.
Plugged at least four balls, two of which were off the driver. It was wet out there. Most drives ended up within a foot or two of their pitch mark. I did hit two line drives, neither of which were particularly good contact, but they both rolled out, further than most of my drives that were hit close to the sweetspot. I hate super-soft conditions.
Chipping was pretty good. Putting was good, but speed was nearly impossible to get right. Greens were really shaggy. When you are used to extremely fast from these greens all season, it was really hard, psychologically speaking, to smack the ball as hard as it needed to be smacked with the putter. After many putts coming up woefully short, on 9th I had about a 60' lag to the hole, up over a ridge. Feeling that I really needed to hit that sucker hard, I overdid it. Hit it 10 feet by the pin, off the green and down an embankment. I then chipped up to 1' and got in for 4. So, technically, I hit the green in regulation AND got up and down to save bogey. Hate when that happens. (In order to record it as a GIR above, I had to call it 3 putts.)
Nervous about these nagging injuries going forward. I'm only 3 rounds into the season.
