“The road to victory is paved with tears and blood of the innocent.”
Shooting my age this day would be easy if I only was 90 years old. Having said that, let’s first try to break 80 from senior tees. Scene of crime today (and most days to come): Baytree National Golf Links, white tees, 5242 yards, current handicap 16.8. I had my best putting day last week, I have high hopes I can build on that.
Hole 1, Par 4, 282 yards. Nervous on the first tee, as always, a little thin 6 iron shot to the left side of the fairway. Second shot with 8 iron missed the green by two feet to the left. First put well short, missed the second low and to the right, and finished with a three-put bogey. Surely this was all because of the first-tee-nerves and I’ll be putting solid the rest of the way. Just like last week. Score: +1.
Hole 2, Par 3, 126 yards. Solid gap wedge shot onto the green. First put 18 feet away, missed short. Second low and to the right. Three-put bogey. I know consistency with putting is good but not like this. Surely the next hole will be better. Score: +2.
Hole 3, Par 4, 277 yards. Totally shanked my tee shot. I mean, I usually don’t hit my 6 iron 62 yards. But boy did I make up for it with the second swing: 200 yards with 3 hybrid to the headwind, right on the green. Unlike the first two holes, I didn’t leave my first put short. Instead I missed low and the right. Second from 4 feet went low and, for the first time today, left. Three-put bogey. Score: +3.
Hole 4, Par 3, 144 yards. Slightly heavy 8 iron shot onto the green, 30 feet away from the hole. Hey, what’s worse than a three-put bogey? Score +5. Sidenote: my lovely wife 2 putted from 30 yards for a par.
Hole 5, Par 5, 458 yards. Usually par 5s are the easiest to par since I can hit my long irons pretty solid. Usually. 6 iron, 7 iron and gap wedge, on the green in regulation. 15 feet for birdie. Three-put bogey. Golf is fun. Score: +6.
Hole 6, Par 4, 274 yards. On the green in regulation, three-put bogey. Consistency with putting is good my ass. Score: +7.
Hole 7, Par 4, 349 yards. Decided to open with a fairway wood instead of my trusty irons. Missed the fairway to the left. Second shot with 6 iron short of the green, sand wedge 15 feet short of the whole, and TWO PUTS (for a bogey)! The tide is turning. Score: +8.
Hole 8, Par 5, 424 yards. Green on regulation, 2 puts. Par. This is my norm. The other 90 % of the holes are statistically irrelevant. Score: +8.
Hole 9, Par 4, 326 yards. Not counting hole 3, this was the only truly bad tee shot and the only slice of the day. 5 iron behind a tree on the right, little chip back to the fairway, pitching wedge just short of the green, and two puts for par. The final score for today: +9 on nine holes.
With semi-decent putting the score would’ve been close to even. With the ability to hit a driver score would’ve been in the reds, with better conditions in the 60’s and with half a brain I would switch to bowling. Next week is moving day so more misery in two weeks. I can hardly wait.