Balls Magazine Volume 17

As you may have noticed, I have been lax in publishing new episodes of Balls Magazine. That’s not to say that I haven’t been playing golf. I have. I’ve just been really damn busy with a lot of work and real life stuff. To wit, here is the latest:

• I played in a charity tournament as part of a 2 man Scramble team.
• I played a round in drizzle prior to a work luncheon.
• I played a 9 hole Match Play round as part of my golf club’s Match Play Tournament.

Results were mixed.

The charity tournament was a lot of fun and I would classify it as a huge success for several reasons:

• My team scored an 82 on a Par 74 course and finished somewhere in the teens.
• I entered a raffle drawing and won a free round of golf.
• I personally played pretty well. When my teammate hit a bad shot, I came through with a good shot. On the other hand, I didn’t hit too many bad shots.

The round did not count towards my handicap, but it boosted my confidence.

The round in the rain/drizzle before a work luncheon was an adventure.

I started out well but then started feeling miserable as the rain intensified. That translated into my golf game as I lost concentration and started losing some balls and making bad decisions. I ended up with a 116 at the same course I had previously gotten a 102.

Not great, Bob!

The fun part was changing out of my wet golf clothes into business casual attire for the work luncheon in the restaurant right next to the golf course. In classy DFO fashion, I changed in my car in the restaurant parking lot.

Finally, I had my Match Play round on a Friday morning (yes, I took vacation) and started off winning the first hole! It was a handicapped match, so I got strokes on several holes.

I started off the second hole decently but four-putted to lose the hole and even the match. We tied the third hole but then I fell behind on the fourth hole even though I got a very nice bogey. My opponent got a par and I wasn’t getting strokes on that one, so bad luck.

I did fairly well on the next two holes and I was only two holes down with 3 to play. On the 7th, I hit a bad tee shot into the left rough and, somehow someway, managed to hit the ball three more times before I could get it back on the fairway.

A disaster hole and the match was over. 3&2 is your final.

The thing was that I really didn’t play that bad! I had one disaster hole and a couple of bad breaks with my opponent getting really good scores when I scored well and that was that. His handicap index is ten strokes lower than mine, so he is a better player, but I thought I held my own. With some luck, I could have pulled out the win.

PROS

I am playing more and getting to know my strengths and weaknesses better.

I’m starting to minimize my mistakes although I still make plenty of them.

I won a raffle and I got a nice goody bag full of free shit! Plus I met a real life cute golf cart girl!

Match Play was a lot of fun to play.

CONS

The rainy round was disappointing. I should have done better mentally.

I am out of the Match Play tourney, which I enjoyed. I need to figure out a way to play that format with someone.

OVERALL RATING:

I am playing next week in a tournament where we are restricted to using only 4 clubs! That should be a cool challenge. I am enjoying playing these different types of formats. I’m thinking the more varied experience I get, the better it will be for my quest to improve.

With the free round of golf, I feel the universe is telling me I will improve. That’s encouraging.

And now, Rikki will now present the next exciting chapter in the golf cart girl story!

See you next time.