May 21, 2011

The month is busy, but I'll get in this round, and maybe one more Monday, the 23rd. But Saturday the 21st is a fine day. The sun was strong enough for high seventies at times, but it was mostly cooler. It clouded up later, as you can see in the picture (between 5th and 6th) way below, and even drizzled, but not enough to be a bother. I play Charleston South for the second time in a row, but it's hard to say I'm warming up to it.

I ended up in a twosome with George, a Staten Island native like myself, transplanted here to Monmouth County, in love with the public courses here. He is a lawyer, has a practice near Silver Lake, so we trade comments on the Staten Island links, Latourette, South Shore, and Silver Lake. He is driving, arthritis in the knee and elbow has him humbled, but willing, on his 53 year old frame. He has one great piece of advice: keep moving, never let it get stale. He was great company the whole way. He hit the ball short, but straight.

I drive the 1st well but I am right of the fairway in some heavy grass, downhill slope, probably 150 out. I hit a seven iron with the second shot, but pull it left of the green, into a bunker at the top of the hill. I get out of the bunker with one stroke, but don't reach the green. I chip on four, and two putt for a six. Poor start, but salvagable.

The 2nd is a challenging drive with the aforementioned (4/30/11 post) bunker center left, and the pond straighaway. The gold tees are way in the back of the box, making a reach of the pond impossible for me, so I swing away. My drive is high and far, but drifting right, however I stay on the fairway, a little shorter than the last trip to Charleston South. I am a short iron away from the green, but since I am far right, I need to carry the pond to reach the green. I pull out a seven iron from about 152, a shot for which I would usually use the eight. I don't want any part of the pond. The eight was the right club, because with the seven I land just past the pin, which is center/back on the green, and I roll over and off. From the high grass and under some pine branches I punch a seven, but it was an awkward shot at a downward sloping green, and I don't get on. I punch again with the seven for the fourth, on, and two putt. I'm starting out bad, but not defeated, a few encouraging shots, especially the drives.

I am cautious with the 3rd hole Par 3, 195. Last week I flubbed it off the tee. This week I hit it hard, but a slice with the 3 iron, and I yell 'fore' to the the group on the fourth tee because I'm coming right at them. I bounce one near their carts as they collect themselves, and roll onto the fourth tee box. They are pissed, but I apologize. My second shot is a great save. I float one with my pitching wedge (after I moved the ball about two feet, no closer to the pin, off the tee box). I land this wedge about ten feet higher than the pin, but safely on the green. Incidentally, the greens were full of sand, not sure what the procedure is called, as they were recently treated. Putts were hard to comeby today, but it was exciting to see the dusty splash on the lifted approach shots, like this last one. I come close with the par putt, but no cigar. 4.

The number two handicap 4th hole is like staring at a monster, 432 uphill. It is a wide hole, but you're dead if you miss the first cut. I miss the first cut. I land behind the blue tee box of the third hole, in tall grass, nice lawn grass, not the fescue. I hit a four iron, awful shot, and this one does get to the fescue. But I find it, chancing the ticks with a search, and hit a six iron, swing hard through some straw. I hit this one pretty solid, but it is pulled way left of the green, and only some kind trees save me from the fescue on the other side of the fairway, about sixty yards out. I have no look with my fourth becuase of the low branches around the saving trees, so I try to punch up a seven iron. I hit it up, left of the green, just missing George. I chip on 5 and two putt for a seven. My not so lofty goal of at least being better than the 55 I shot on the front nine on 4/30 is looking, well, lofty.

The 5th is not a hole I am afraid of, but I shoud be. I need to carry the fairway bunker, which is probably 220 straight out, but my drive slices slightly, landing me on the fairway, but way right, the long way to the green. The smart move from 215 out is to just hit an eight, but no, I can't do that. I put the eight iron down, and take out the six, this way I can reach the pond on the right. I miss the bountiful fairway and make sure I am just right enough to splash. Drats! (feel free to substitute real profanity, I did). Drop three, and four is the same shot I had on 4/30, 130 yards, pond right, big green, bunker left. Same result as last time, right in the bunker. I hit out of the bunker, on the green but way short of the pin, leaving myself a forty foot putt. I actually hit a very nice putt here, not in, but leaving an easy tap-in for a mini-highlight, seven. I am now on pace to be one over the 4/30 front at Charelston South.

Not too many people can comfortably admit that, but I soldier on. If you don't practice a lot, and if you didn't establish a base as a kid, scoring well (eighties and such) is extremely difficult. So I remind myself that it is about the experience. The picture of the pond below is a good example. The weird thing about that picture is that is sounded so much better than it looks. I had just finished the 15th and that pond is between 15 and 16. It was after 5pm by then, and the golf course was very quiet, hardly any other golfers around, and the birds were singing. The course is somehow more serene in the evening, even more so than the morning, which you think would be quiet. Maybe bird activity is different that hour, so the songs are different. But it was a mood shot, I was moved to capture it.

The 6th inspired photos too. I hit a short drive right, heading for the high fescue and the first pine tree among many to the right of it. It looks like I will be short of that pine tree, and it will be directly in my way for the second shot. For a minute I couldn't find the ball, but then I finally check in front of the pine. A lucky break as it rolled through some high fescue, but I don't take advantage. I flub a three iron, and the ball goes about thirty yards, in the rough on the right side. Since I'm right, and the hole dog-legs left, I'm hitting my third from close to three hundred out. I hit one of the best shots of the day here, a three iron that went out toward the left side of the fairway, but then bent back to land in the center. I hit it out of some thick grass, and didn't really take a full swing, but I made solid contact and hit a turning bullet of a line drive. It didn't go that far, because I was about 130 out from my fourth. The picture above tells the story. You could see the sunken bunker guarding that green. I could try to stay left, but the pin is in the back/right of a large green. I sky a nice sounding nine iron, and for a few short seconds it was all about 'will it' or 'won't it' because I was dead on the pin, which meant I was dead on the bunker. But I made it to the green, though still 35 feet from the stick. It looked much closer from the spot where I hit it, but I swing the two putt for a six. Two good shots on this hole, in a row, and the sweetness of that nine iron shot might very well be the one reason I try this game again someday.

The 7th is easist of the bunch, a short par 4, 317. It dog-legs right, and the green is well guarded by some tall trees if you're thinking about driving it toward the green. There is a fine, wide fairway begging you to take the safe route left. I pull out the 3-wood, one I don't find easier, and hit a fine shot that flirts with the tall trees, but makes it out to the fairway, leaving me a good 120 out. I hit the pitching wedge here, well, but playing with the bunker short left of the green. It goes over, but I'm off the fringe. My third is a punched up seven iron, and I two putt for five.

Things start out looking up on the 8th with a great drive, but after that it falls apart. I line up my second shot with a five iron, but flub it. It dribbles along the right side of the fairway, still safe, but not far. Now I'm right on a dog-leg right, but I have trees blocking the short route. I pull out a six iron, hoping to just place myself in line for my fourth. I yank this one left, over a bunker and into the woods. Nothing pretty happens now. It's an eight in the end.

The 9th Par 3 158 has my number. I am never on the green, and I am not on the green again this time. I hit a seven iron and landed in the bunker to the right of the green. Almost the same shot as the last round here, only the last one carried the bunker and landed in tall grass. But the bunker doesn't beat me today. I hit a smooth shot out and on the green, and two putt to save four. I beat the last round, but still not respectable, a 53 on the front.

The 10th is an easy Par 4, 294, but I make it as hard as possible. I hit good drive, pin straight. I really tried to tap it easy, but that's this game. Swing easy, but well, and the ball goes. This one heads straight for the bunker that guards a straight shot to the green, but it comes up a little short. I chip over the green, but barely over. With a seven iron, I tap on, but not a great shot. I leave myself with a good ten feet for par, and miss it. 5.

The 11th is the second easiest according to the handicap, a 115 yard Par 3. I hit the wedge high and straight and land it on. It looks close from far, but up close, it is far. I have a good 25-30 feet for birdie and I miss it. It is a good putt though, and I make a three foot shot for my first and only par of the day.

The 12th is scary like the fourth, uphill and wide, but woods left, and the first fairway is to the right. It is 412 yards. Here I boom a nice drive. It is high and far, and just reaches just past the 175 yard marker on the right side of the fairway. From here I am looking at a six iron. I was a little closer than this last time, and a six iron took me long, over the green. I hit it nice and easy, but didn't finish the shot, and it drifts right, through a tree. I am lucky to have a nice lie from here, and I chip on the green. I was ten feet or less for par, but couldn't make it. I tap in a five. This is a highlight score for me, I have been terrible at the 12th at Charleston South. A five is good.

Things were looking up from here, and I continue with a great drive on the 13th. This is a Par 5, a dog-let right, with a pond protecting the short route. I drive to the right side of the fairway, near the pond, but still on fairway. The group ahead of us is slow now, and we are waiting for them to look around. The delay costs me, concentration wise, and I flub a five iron. It rolls up and leaves me about 185 yards out. From here I need to carry the pond with a four iron so I try to make sure I hit it well. I don't swing terribly hard, and I don't know what happened but I pull it way left, a good forty yards left of target, and have to yell 'fore' once again. This time I get more than stares, I get arms raised in a 'wtf' sort of a way. But they were off the green, gathered around their carts, and not scidaddling to the next tee like a group that knows there are people playing behind them. I wasn't at all going for them. I missed the shot, and hit it just about the right distance. I just aimed poorly. I get up to them and apologize three times, but one of them, an older guy, Asian, maybe Filipino, says something like, 'well, you've done it a few times now,' like he was really pissed. It must have been his son that was with him, because the younger, pretty built son just sort of stood there making sure this didn't escalate. I tried to plead my case, that I just hit a lousy shot, but he wasn't having it. Just as I was about to tell the guy to stuff it for being like that after I apologized multiple times, I just said, 'I should have waited, sorry.' But there's no way I should have waited there. They were off the green. They should have been expecting my shot, cautious that a miss could reach them. Well they were in my head. My shot went through a tee, and low branches made this forty-yarder impossible. I flub more than one shot here, that guy got in my head. 8.

I manage a great drive on the 14th, and a bogie five after missing a six foot par putt. But the wheels come off the next hole as I drive the ball into a pond. I go out 8,7,5,6 on the last four holes, with barely a memorable shot, to close out the back nine with a 52, one worse than the awful 4/30 round, for a 105.

I will play golf again, but I'm not sure why.

April 30, 2011, One Stoke

Another fine day weather-wise, I ventured out at Charleston Spring's South Course for an afternoon round. There is nothing like the quiet and stillness on a golf course near the last few holes, still well before dusk but getting there. The sun was hot for a while but very comfortable as the day went on.

I played with Lou, Milan, and Bob. Lou walked and so did I while the other two shared a cart. Lou was older than me, but not by much, maybe forty-five to forty-eight, maybe older. Milan was around my age, probably a bit younger, but more grey than me. Bob was in his sixties. I finally broke down and got myself a push cart, cheap one, Maxflie, $70. We'll see if it was worth it. I had no issues on this Saturday.

The 1st hole at Charleston South is a Par 4 405 from the golds. You are driving slightly up hill, but it turns down on the landing so it is mostly a blind shot. You can see the green beyond the valley. I bang it left side of the fairway, flirting with the rough, but I can't see it land because of the hill. It turned out to be a fine drive, on the fairway, about 125 out. I'm on a down slope, and the green is slightly uphill for me. As with a few other holes, Lou and I are right next to each other. I skull the nine iron, however, but at least it's straight at the green. It looks like it's going to scoot way past, and I look for my ball in the rough down to the right of the green, but no, that was me right next to the fringe, barely un-puttable. I originally thought that ball was Milan, but he's way over on the other side. I tap on the green with a seven iron, but leave it ten or twelve feet for par. I miss it, but I'll take a five.

The 2nd has some trouble if you make a short mistake left and right (unhittable brush, which I've been in). It's a 350 yard Par 4 with a bunker about two hundred out toward the green (center-left), and a pond that starts maybe 300 yards or so straight on from the tee box, and runs up next to the green's right. The green is slighty uphill from the fairway. I hit one that is leaking right, not nearly far enough to reach the water, and I end up on the fairway, but way on the right side. I'm about 135 out, but I have to carry the pond if I aim for the stick. I cowardly, but smartly play it left, hoping for safe green as opposed to being dead on the pin. I go with the full 9 iron instead of the soft eight, thinking a soft shot could easily turn into a flub that goes right in the water. I hit a smooth nine, good loft, but it is short of the green by about ten yards. My third is an uphill shot from about thirty feet, but I hit it too hard. Now I have 10 feet down hill for par, and I miss that way short, a good 3 or 4 feet to go, and yeah, miss that too. That dreaded feeling rolls over, six.

The 3rd is always a tough hole for me, a Par 3 195. I'm at my worst with a three iron, and I flub it off the tee, into six inch tall grass. I flub two with a six iron out of that mess but only six feet, gritting my teeth, and talking under my breath. I hit the six again and it is way left. I pop on from twenty yards with my fourth, while Bob and Lou are hitting their seconds from about that area left of the green and short. Another six here. Stay calm, you can come back. Get the next par.

Four is a tough hole, the number 2 handicap. It is a Par 4 432, and an uphill 432 at that. It is wide enough though, but not enough for me. I hit it hard and far, but drifting right, over the Port-0-john, into some long grass. I have a terrible lie in some high grass and I'm still about two hundred out. I hit a four iron, hoping to just find fairway, but I open the club and slice this one way right, onto the fifth hole fairway, which connects with the deep rough I'm in. I wait for one or two drives coming back at me, and I jog onto the fifth with a seven iron and make one of my patented four-second address/swing sessions. This is a fine looking shot, I was guesstimating the distance, and though I was short of the green, I was quick, and hit a fine lofted shot right at the pin. I tap on from twenty-five feet with the seven-iron again. I mean again as in the previous shot, and again as in that was the third time I was using the seven for a chip around the green. The practice paid off as this one is pin high, though still a good ten feet from the hole. No problem said I, I roll in the putt for a five, easily but unfortunately the best putt of the day. A lesson in golf holes: I started with two awful shots, right and worse right, but I recoved nicely.

The 5th is a Par 4 379 with a nice sized bunker you must aim for and carry from the tee box. I aim, and carry, but I carry way right, nipping some leaves on the one giant tree at the far right edge of the fairway. I am on the fairway, but way right of where I need to be, still about 200 out. As I said before, my three is suspect, and there is water if I miss right again. I fearlessly rip the three iron, and it is mostly a flub, but it travels a good eighty yards, straight but well short of the pond. I'm looking at a pond in front of me that runs right up to the green, and beyond (you can see it in the picture of the 5th hole), and I try to keep it left right at the pin. Those clever devils knew I would be looking to keep it left, so they put a bunker just before the green on the left edge of the fairway, and I find it just fine. The sand is the same disaster my three iron is, the bottom of my game maybe. I am twenty-five feet from the stick, about level, but I hit it fifty feet. I'm on the edge of the large green clinging to 'at least I didn't flub it and stay in the sand'. That would come later on the course's easiest hole. Anyway, I don't want to leave it short, and I don't. I needed twenty-five feet or so, but I hit it thirty-five, and miss the next one too for a 7.

The 6th is a Par 5, 505 that dogs slightly left. They give you plenty of room right to park your drive, but I skim one two feet off the ground. It goes about a hundred yards. I flub the three iron for my second shot, and then hit it pretty solid with my third. For my fourth shot, I'm still over two hundred out, so I just play it safe with a seven iron, and I hit a decent shot. It was one of those situations where the group ahead were still on the green. I had the nice sound on my shot so they may have been like 'wtf' when they first looked up, but I knew I would be fifty yards short of the green. My par shot was an easy wedge that landed pin high, but twenty feet off the pin. I two putt for my second 7. The pain was just beginning.

The 7th is the 18 handicap, a 317 yard Par 4 that urges you to take out a 3 wood, or even a three iron. It is a dog leg right, but there are tall trees protecting, and with the overall shortness of the hole, you have to be crazy not to just bang it out to the plentiful fairway. There is open space but nasty tall grass left. I drift right, into the tall trees, a pin ball crap shoot if I'll have any kind of look at the green. Turns out I'm right near a tree with no shot of getting to the green, so I take a seven iron and punch out to fairway, almost ninety degrees. Distance is not a factor here. It seems like a fine shot, but it is too far because now my eighty yard look at a slightly uphill green has got a deep bunker in front of it, which normally would not scare me, except I'm in a divot. I find the center of that bunker with my third shot, and I find it again with my fourth shot, which doesn't really go anywhere. My fifth shot gets out, but still doesn 't reach the green. I slap the seven iron again to get on with six, and two putt for an 8. Easiest hole on the course, eight. Now the thoughts creep in: why am I here? Do I need this? Is it smart?

It is not smart. But I trudge on. 8 is another Par 5, this one 503. There are power line towers and weeds to the left, and tall trees right. You can't see the pin, or much of the hole for that matter, as it is an uphill drive, and then the hole bends right and downhill. I hit my drive toward the power lines. I can't find it. In a tournament, like on TV, the gallery find that ball for me, so I drop out there. It's just not realistic to walk back to the tee for three when there are groups behind you on a public course. And I hate hitting second tee shots (provisionals). If I ever improve my scores consistently, I'll count this right, but when I'm stringing together sevens and eights, a simple penalty stroke will do. My third goes way right, toward the trees. My fourth is a decent shot, a three iron punch out through those tall trees that catches the hill and rolls way down the fairway, leaving me about thirty yards away, looking way uphill at the green. But my fifth is too strong. I land pin high and roll up a good twenty feet away. I putt six downhill, a pretty nice putt here, what would have been beautiful if it was the fourth stroke. I tap in a 7. The question ('why am I here') isn't just lingering at this point. It's screaming.

There's a bit of a walk to the 9th tee, down a valley, and over a bridge. Nice Jersey woods. The hole is a Par 3 158, slightly uphill, with a deep drop if you go over, and a nice size gully if you are way short and left. I hit a half decent seven iron off the tee, but it is right of the green, just about pin high. The grass is high and thick, but I manage a good wedge shot. If I knew how to hit my sand wedge, that was a good spot to use it, but I don't. I'm most comfortable with the pitching wedge. I two putt for a four. But a 55? Going home after nine is an option. The score is shot.

But my schedule was open that afternoon. This round was sanctioned because May is crazy with events. Maybe I'll break 50 on the back, maybe I could use the practice. So I make the long, hilly walk up to 10, a short Par 4 294, with major trouble left, and a narrow strip that dogs way left to the green. Going for the green is not even an option with me, way too much woods all around the green for me to chance a monster swing. I try to hit the drive nice and easy, knowing I don't need distance, but I drift way right, toward the eleventh tee. I hit the second shot just short of the green, and chip on, managing a five.

I did complete the round with a 51 on the back. As difficult as it was to play through that awful score, it's proving twice as hard to write something interesting about it. There was just one thing though. On the Par 5 16, I was looking at another awful score when I took a blind 'I don't care' swing from about 150 out. The photo here of sixteen is from 100, but from 150, you cannot see the green. I sky it with a seven iron, and land pin high, about five feet away. I still two putt, but that is the one stroke I needed to come back again, a real golf shot, hit clean, lands where it should. I think even pros are occasionally happy to land five feet from the pin.