Golf on weekends: August 29, 2013

The question of why anyone would bother to play the game if he consistently shoots around 100 was answered, finally. Actually it has been answered quite a few times across the years, but this summer has been terrible, scoring wise. And the answer is simple: One day, I may be scouted by a PGA professional and asked to join the tour. What? Ok, not serious. The real answer is that every once in a while I pull nine holes out of the sky (it's been a while since it was a whole round) like the one I did yesterday.

For the first time I played a twilight round at Charleston North, starting at around 3:15pm. I joined up with three young dudes, probably around 17, and they were playing from the whites. I hate to be all uppity, but I play from the golds because I just can't play from the blues with my game. I need to continue to play the golds because in the absence of regular golfing partners, I play against myself, specifically against previous rounds on the same course. Not quite as fun as the good ole days with Tony, Joe, and Larry, or the occasional round with Leo and co, but it will have to do. It's that, or don't play, or don't keep score, which I am vehemently opposed to. Since I play so infrequently, I insist on playing 18 and keeping score. That is the game of golf, 18 holes, number of strokes. It's pretty simple, and I cringe when people are out there not playing by PGA rules (which I of course break from time to time).

Twilight round: Charleston North. This is the 16th hole.

So the young'uns tee off from the whites, and since I barely caught the three of them on the first tee, I tee'd off last. I hit a brilliant drive, right down the center of the fairway. Nothing like beating the nerves of the first drive among strangers, and this was sweet. Once that hurdle is overcome, the rest of the hole becomes easier, as I know it is only two easy swings, (a five iron, then a wedge) for the Par 5 491 yard hole. In fact, I putt for birdie several times, and this was the first. Missed it, but made Par.

On the second hole, a Par 4 400 yarder, I hit a scary drive, a liner way to the left, that I feared was in the fescue. But it wasn't, it was in the rough, and a good nine iron later, I was putting for birdie again (see below).

To the left of the spot on my cell phone camera, and slightly above, you can barely make out

my birdie putt.

I missed that birdy putt, but made the par, two in a row now, which is tremendous for me. But I wasn't done.

Aesthetic purposed only (these trees are to the right of the 3rd tee box)

On the third hole, a Par 4, 398 yarder, I hit a good drive toward the bunker on the right, but it stayed fairway. My second shot was a four iron, as I was a good 185 away, but I hit a lousy shot that ended up just below the tree to the right of the green.

This photo is not 8/29, but sometime in March 2013. That is the same tree though (it doesn't move).

From here I made a great chip shot, landing a few feet from the pin, and tapped in for par. This was my third par of the day (the first three holes) which is basically phenomenal in my world. I was thinking it would be a good round.

It was a good round, but not great. I was a great nine though. I managed only one other par, the Par 3 8th, but stayed away from the 7's and 8's (I saved those for the back nine).

This pond, between 3 and 4, was photographed as 'proof of life', or 'proof of golfing', at the request

of wifey, at the beach with the girls.

I didn't manage to putt for Par several times as well, not always successful. Below is the Par 4 7th, 368 yards. This is a short hole, but treacherous, with fairway bunkers galore, a roll-off hill to the left, and a jungle of fescue to the right. I actually dribbled the tee shot (oh, the shame) but recovered with a four iron to this location:

Made a good chip here (note the 100 yard marker) but it was my 3rd shot. Missed the par putt, made bogey.

On the eight, I hit a nice nine iron (Par 3 135) and missed the 18 foot birdie putt, but tapped in for par.

Archive footage of the Par 3 8th, 135.

The back nine began ok, with bogey, par, bogey, but then quickly deteriorated into the a collection of lucky 7's. I hit a drive that I lost in the sun on 10, and the three boys all agreed it was woods, but I found it and recovered with a seven iron, though I missed the green. I chipped on and two putt for bogey.

10th hole. I came from the left.

My play on 11 was textbook, a drive down the center, a six iron, still center, and a wedge that was too long. I putt for birdie from the fringe, but it was a good 30 feet. I got it close, and made the par.

Again, archive, April 2013, but this is the 11th green.

The rest of the round one bogey, and the balance was forgettable. After a promising 44 on the front, I shot a 51 on the back. While 95 is better than I have come to expect, it could have been so much more.