Wasn't planning to play today. Headed over to the club to try to work out some of my poor swing issues that have popped up in the past week or so. No part of my game has been up to par lately. After Bernie and I quit on the 12th hole on Wednesday due to slow play, a resulting loss of rhythm and a dead cart, I was about ready to give up the game. We both played poorly. If I was watching me, and didn't know me, I would have said I was a 18+ handicap!
Though the forecast was for rain, it wasn't raining when I got there. It had been earlier and was supposed to start again soon. It was 70 degrees and the parking lot was virtually empty. Screw it, I decided I'd rather work things out on the course, got a cart and went out with only about 6 or 7 swings on the range beforehand. I also skipped my yoga stretch session before I left for the course, which did not help. My mid back was killing me after 1 hole and the few swings from the range. Dumb move.
Started with a decent drive, surprisingly, but just rolled into left rough by the fairway bunker. Measured about 240 yards. There was a little breeze on the nose for the approach to a back pin. Green front was 129 on the GPS. Shot pin at 154. Hit my 150 yard 7i and it barely reached, though it was right on line all the way. Left me with about a 55 foot double breaker. The greens were lightning two days earlier so I was a bit hesitant to hit this one hard. Left it well short. They were much slower today, but I didn't know till I hit my first putt. 3 putted.
Hit another decent drive on 2nd into and through the fairway up on the side hill. Ball way above my feet for the 8i approach. Played for a hook. Oh, it hooked alright, to 5 yards left of the green and down the steep embankment. That ended in double and I seemed to lose my desire to continue. Felt like this past week and a half of playing in my own personal doldrums. I have not felt any confidence with any facet of my game lately. Last month I felt like I would never miss another shot.
After parring the #1 handicap 3rd with a layup, then 85 yard up and down, I felt a touch better. I am still not getting everything out of my driver like I was, and struggled all round to try to pinpoint the issue. I hit some good ones, but never the one I was trying hit, the perfect little baby draw. Hit a few straight ones though. Ball speed off the club face seemed to increase as I narrowed down the problem, but felt like there was still a little something missing.
Surprisingly, parred the #2 handicap 12th too. That's rare, parring both 3 and 12.
My bunker play has been terrible the last few rounds, but I made a few adjustments today which seemed to get me back to my normal bunker technique. Consequently, I got up and down for par on the 15th leaving myself 3 feet. Then on the 16th I had only 5 feet, but I missed the putt.
On the final hole, my approach was poor. Got it thin and flew it over the green and up the sideslope to the right, above the bunker. For the hell of it, I dropped another and hit the shot properly, to 6 feet. In any case, I was going to flop onto the green, but saw another alternative. The lie wasn't ideal for a flop so thought the chances of a good one were no better than 50/50. Instead I clearly visualized a chip 3/4 of the way down the steep sideslope with hopes it would trickle enough to reach the green. The pin was only about 8 feet on from that point. Hit the shot I envisioned, exactly. Ball did what I expected, except it more than trickled on. It went another 4 or 5 feet closer to the hole leaving me a virtual tap-in for par. Nice way to end, but would have preferred not thinning the approach in the first place.
By the end, my back was screaming at me. But I felt a touch better about my game, even though it is far from a return to normal. My score was okay, but my overall game was not as good as the score indicated. Many shots weren't pretty, but got the job done. Maybe a little luck here or there helped too. At least I feel like cleaning my clubs now, in anticipation of the next round, like I always do. After Wed. with Bernie, I couldn't care less. I think it was the first round all year that I showed up to the course with dirty clubfaces from the round before.
Played 18 in under 3 hours, not rushing at all. It didn't rain a drop until I got in my truck to go home. Perfect.
