Matt started out strong and through four, was up three strokes on me. The best hole we collectively played was the 7th (coincidentally the shortest par four). But we all three had great shots off the tee--Matt and Niraj both went about 150, myself 190 or so. I was on the green in two, and came inches within making a par putt.
But I've buried the lede. The 322-yard 6th hole. Matt and I both hit mediocre to poor drives with woods off the tee, on the ground and to the left. My 2nd shot from the left edge of the fairway, I opened up the face of my 5-iron, making good contact, sending it to the right side of the fairway. I left myself a 120-yard approach shot. I took a full swing with my 9-iron, hit a beautiful crisp shot that flew straight through the air, landing just shy of the green, and rolled within ten feet of the pin. That approach shot was one of the best shots I've ever hit. I let the other two Bozos putt out, and then I stood over this putt for par. Probably an 8-footer.
It was slightly uphill, slight break to the left. All day I had been putting on line, but leaving them a couple feet short. I decided, since this was for par, that I was going to go for it--no way I was leaving it short. When it left my club, it felt good. It was rolling up the hill at a good pace. With maybe two feet to go, I thought I had left it right. But then at the last moment it broke left. It ran over the cup, hit the back edge with some velocity, and popped up in the air an inch or two before falling in the cup. And there it was. My first par on a par four hole. EVER. I'd made a few on par 3's, when you land it on the green and two-putt in. That's not easy, but you can two-putt. With my power, I'm almost never going to be on the green in 2 on a par 4 (I did on the 7th, but it was a 250-yarder).
And all it took was a mediocre drive and three of the best strokes I've ever had.
Here was my day by hole:
1st: +4
2nd: double bogey
3rd: +5
4th: triple bogey
5th: double bogey
6th: par
7th: bogey
8th: triple bogey
9th: triple bogey
On the 8th, we all hit in the water on our first attempt. But after that shot and the penalty stroke, I went: drive, approach, chip-in that rolled within an inch, tap-in. So if would have the 2nd drive as my first, that triple was an inch away from being another par.
My previous two rounds in 2010 were both +22, despite on being a par-3 course. This one was +23. Sort of shockingly consistent.
Also, humorous note, teeing off on the par-3 2nd, I hit a 5-iron directly into the slanted red tee box marker that was maybe 20 yards in front of me. It popped straight up in the air, hung there for a good five seconds, and fell in the grass about 5 yards away.
So in the modern, post-college era, I've played twice in 2005, once in 2009, and thrice in 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment