Balls Magazine Year 2, Volume 2 (23 overall)

Last time, I let you know about the first time I used my new clubs during the second tournament of the year. It went very well even though I didn’t do that well score-wise. I felt good about how I was hitting the new clubs even though my wedges and the woods let me down.

Since that day, I had taken off a couple of days to play golf during the week to get some more practice in with my new clubs. Alas, the Pineapple Express and those atmospheric rivers conspired to keep me off the course.

So, it had been a month since I’d played and our club’s third tourney of the year beckoned. As you may remember, I’m doing a workout program and one of my workout days is Saturday. Luckily, my tee time was the last one, at 10:10.

That allowed me to wake up early, get my workout in, take a shower, and get to the course early enough to hit a few balls on the range, and practice putting.

As I drove in, I noticed that, thanks to the aforementioned rain, the grass was high in the rough. At that moment, I decided to play super safe and try to keep it in the fairway even if it cost me distance.

I was matched up with the guy that usually calls out all the players throughout the day. He always plays last. There was also a lady golfer that is married to another member. They don’t play together. Probably better for the marriage. The last playing partner was an old member that had not played in almost a year due to health issues.

It was a good group.

As we started, the two older guys said to forgive their language on the course. I, of course, don’t mind, and the lady has played in the club for awhile and knows everyone. Nothing fazes her.

The first “CUNT LICKERS!” arrived on the second hole. But I’m getting ahead of myself. My first shot was straight down the middle of the fairway and long with my 1 iron. I would use that club almost exclusively to tee off on the Par 4s and 5s.

I played a layup on the second shot that got me about 30 yards out. Then I hit the third into the sand. One shot out onto the green and two putts and I was in for a 6. Decent start.

The second hole was similar in that I hit a good tee shot and then laid up. The third was a spatch job that went ten yards but the fourth got onto the green. Two more putts and another 6. Nothing spectacular, but nothing horrendous either.

The third is a Par 3 and it was playing about 145. It was windy, so I decided to club up and hit a 6 iron. I also decided to adjust my aim as I could tell I was fading the ball a bit. I started aiming left. I hit the 6 iron within 10 feet of the cup. Of course, I fucked up and three-putted, but I was in with a bogey 4.

The Fourth was a wide Par 4 and normally I would hit a Wood but I remembered the tall grass and opted for the 1 iron. Straight down the middle. The next shot was a 4 iron that had perfect distance but missed the green to the right. A chip and two putts and I was in for a bogey.

I thought that was a tremendous start but the best was yet to come. On the Par 3 Fifth, I again hit the 6 iron within 10 feet of the cup and this time I drained the birdie putt!

Holy shit! I had never gotten off to such a good start!

As we all know, however, there are consequences to touching ourselves. A Snowman on the Par 5 Sixth stopped the momentum. A good tee shot from the 1 iron, a decent approach shot that fell short, yet another fucked up chip, a decent chip, and a two putt and that was a 6 on the Par 4 Seventh.

I managed to get a 4 on the Par 3 Eighth and a 7 on the Par 5 Ninth and all of a sudden I realized that I had finished the Front Nine with a 48! My best score yet!

As you know by now, I always do better in The Back. I was hoping that would be the case again today.

I got bogey 5s on the Par 4 Tenth and Eleventh. I had a bit of a blowup on the Par 3 12th after my ball was lost. Keep in mind I topped it and it went straight. I just couldn’t find it in the tall grass to save my life. I ended up with a 6 which wasn’t great but it wasn’t that bad either considering I lost a ball and got a penalty stroke.

I got another bogey 5 on the Par 4 13th and yet another 5 on the Par 3 14th. The Par 5 15th looked like it would break my streak of fives but a great tee shot with the 1 iron, two great fairway shots, an amazing putt from the fringe that ended up a foot from the cup, and the cleanup and I had another 5! A Par.

The 16th was a Par 4 in which I hit another great 1 iron followed by a tremendous 7 iron that ended up 10 feet from the cup. An easy two-putt gave me a Par.

I closed the round with one more five on the Par 3 17th and a 7 on the Par 5 18th to get a 47 on the back and a total of 95 for the day.

That is my best score ever and my best differential ever! WHOOHOO!!

PROS

I hit my new clubs really well and scored spectacularly.

I played smart and avoided trouble almost all day. When I did get into trouble, my decision making minimized the damage.

I hit 83% (10 of 12) fairways and averaged 2 putts the entire round. That’s as best as I’ve ever done.

CONS

I missed a six inch putt (Deanna Favre swoons) but really I’m not going to complain.

OVERALL RATING:

I have mentioned before that my goal this year is to lower my Handicap Index to something in the 20s. Thanks to this performance, my Handicap Index is now at 31.9! I also want to shoot consistently in the 90s. I’m thinking my new clubs will DEFINITELY get me there.

As a reward for my efforts, I won my flight and tied for lowest net score in the entire competition! That meant 60 points towards the championship and $71 in total winnings (includes money for winning my flight plus 3 skins)!

Holy crap, guys! BEST ROUND EVER!!

See you next time.