Bethpage Blue on 6/20/15

  So the golfing has become a little more rare in 2015.  There is no hope for the scores, but I am milking every last moment of golfing pleasure from these experiences, grateful as I am for each.  I have even had the indignity of playing only 9 holes on two occasions this year.  Of my five rounds, two have been 9 hole jaunts, one pressed for time, which is this one described below at the Blue Course at Bethpage State Park, and the other a simply miserable 57 or something on the front 9 at Charleston Springs that I simply could not continue due to exhaustion.  Really I could have continued, but it was the anticipated exhaustion after 18 holes of 110 golf that I chose to avoid.

1st Hole Bethpage Blue 6/20/15

This day was one where my wife had gone to see her friend's daughters in a dance recital in Long Island, and rather than buy me a ticket to that recital, she wisely thought the money would be, for me, better spent on greens fees at Bethpage.  I don't remember the number of that greens fee but it was quite reasonable, in the $40 range.  It was early afternoon, and threatening rain, in fact drizzling already, so getting out as a single was not problem.  There are five courses at Bethpage, including the Black, where the pros play every few years, so it is a fantastic complex.  I have not played Black, nor do I deserve to at this point.

As nice as the place is, this wasn't much of a round for me.  I played nine holes for two reasons (or more).  For one, it took just over three hours to finish the front nine.  With my family waiting for me at her friend's house after the recital, I knew arriving after 7 would not work.  Conveniently, the rain really kicked in as I was about to tee off on the 10th, and this made my decision easier, to quit after nine.  If I had shot a 39 on the front, damn the torpedoes, I would have continued.  However it was closer to a 59.

I had three bogies and these were my best holes.  All others were double and triple.  What do you want me to say?  That I'm embarrassed about these scores?  This is my life, until I can play two or three rounds per week (plus practice).  I have to live with the sporadic pars and brilliant shots and this accepted resignation gets me through.

On the first hole pictured above, I hit a lousy drive left, but it was playable.  I managed to be on in three and two put for a five.  This was a positive development.  However, the two groups in front of my foursome (three strangers) were waiting on the second tee, and I guess I knew right there that I probably would not be playing 18.  The 1st hole 5 though, which is a 379 Par 4, had me in full denial mode, hopeful, smiling.

A seven quickly followed on two, a Par 4 441 Yard hole, and the slow play had officially taken over my psyche, with the rain and the looming text of "Where are you???  What time are you getting here???"  I must have mentioned in the past that I prefer to play quite fast.  I know everyone says that, but I live it.  I don't do much more than look and swing, sometimes without even a practice swing.

The third hole is a Par 3 180.  I hit a short drive here with my 5 iron, and barely saved the hole with a pitching wedge that still missed the green leaving me just off the fringe.  My trusty 7 iron poke did save the hole, putting me in tap-in range for the bogie 4.

The round was quite ugly the rest of the way, with two eights, and a double and a few triple bogies.

7th Hole Bethpage Blue 6-20-15

This hole doesn't look so pristine, but the course is pure northeast-woodsy.  The slight hills of the forest park make for an interesting challenge.  On the hole pictured above, the Par 3 175 Yard 7th, I hit my drive near the tree that you see at about 8 o'clock if you use the green as center.  My second shot was a blind pitching wedge, as I could not see the green because of the hill which may or may not be apparent in the photo, but was substantial from my angle.  I flew it over the green and into the bunker you see to the right of the green.  Three went over the green again to the other side, though not in the other bunker, but still a six.  A triple bogie, and I crossed the green twice, which is about as hack as you can get in public golf.  I felt shame.  I was closer to admitting that this round wouldn't make 18.

I recovered beautifully on the Par 5 8th hole, 545 yards.  I hit a strong drive to the right, just a few steps off the fairway, but on decent grass.  My second shot was solid 5 iron, and this landed me to spot in the picture below:

8th hole Bethpage Blue 6-20-15

So from there I am hitting my third shot, as would any normal professional golfer on a par 5 of decent length.  And I did not disappoint.  Yet.  I landed my pitching wedge about 12 or 15 feet to the right of the pin in this picture.  It was a smooth swing, nicely lofted wedge, and I was putting for birdie.  It was also the last joyous moment of this day's golf experience.  I missed the birdie putt, and the par putt, and ended the 8th with a bogie 6.  Yuck.

The ninth hole was another double bogie, and as I said, it was well after 3pm, and the 3-plus hour front would have got me out of there past 7.  I am stupid enough to continue even then, but as I stated earlier, the drizzle now became a steadier rain, and my goose was cooked.

I will return to Bethpage again sometime.  I have now played the green, 18, and the blue, and both are great as far as I am concerned.  They are carved out of the existing landscape, seeming less manufactured than most of the Florida courses you see, for example, and I appreciate that, even if they don't appreciate me.