Played with Bernie. Sunny, but only around 60*.
Actually played much better than score would indicate. Had some bad breaks, but not many bad shots. On 2nd, worst shot of the day was a shanked 7i which left me in a tough position to get on the green without rolling all the way off. Had to flop it. Made a good flop, but it did not bounce onto the green as planned. Stayed in the rough. Now an even tougher chip. No way to stop it. Little flop, but still rolled out well past the pin. 2-putt double. Shank got me. Was sitting smack dab in the center of the fairway after drive.
Then on 7th, hit a near perfect drive, but it drew about a foot too much, leaving me in the left fairway bunker. One foot right and that ball hits and rolls out to mid fairway 90 yards out. Instead had to get over a pretty high lip. Hit 6i a touch right, knowing a 5 iron would be the right distance. As expected, came up a bit short right, into the right greenside bunker. Not a bad lie, but somehow, caught the hosel I guess, as the ball came out sideways, even though my thump sounded and felt perfect. Had to chip from the rough for my 4th. Got it to about 5 feet but missed the sliding par saver by a hair. 2d double.
Ballstriking overall was very good. Couldn't get putts to drop today, though no 3-putts. Too many good chances to save pars with up and downs I couldn't convert, though didn't feel like I putted poorly. Just one of those days where the hole seemed closed. Driver was good, mostly. The final double came on 14th. Drive was pulled hooked, but playable behind the big tree, but far enough back that I had 6i distance to pin, but a 6 iron would not get over the tree. So I elected to try to punch a low 5 iron under the right side branches. Hit it perfectly where I wanted, which was at a single branch hanging below the thicker stuff. I was sure I could not be unlucky enough to hit that one single solitary branch. Of course I hit it. Dead square. This time the ball fell directly behind the tree, leaving me no direct path to the green. Only had about 110 yards, but a wedge would definitely catch branches. I thought I might be able to work a low punch hook under and around the tree with an 1/2 swing 8i. Couldn't get enough hook on it and it ended up through the fairway now leaving me a near impossible flop, over the greenside bunker to a shortsided downhill pin. Decent flop, but as expected, long. 2 putts and a disappointing double. That one branch resulted in a good shot turned bad, then a situation that only got worse. That's golf.
Happy with driver for the most part, irons, short game and putting. Not happy with the bad breaks I got today.
