Be Better, Brad! (Update 4-11-2024 with new swing videos)

[bortass]

Have you played around with your grip at all? I ask on the off chance that weakening it may straighten things out for you somewhat. Back in the day, my pro strengthened my grip to combat my autoslice. Once I started to miss left all the time, we moved it to be more neutral.

 

I find the wall drill from PS to be pretty easy to do around the house. I just need to make sure no one can see me doing it, lol. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

16 minutes ago, bortass said:

Have you played around with your grip at all? I ask on the off chance that weakening it may straighten things out for you somewhat. Back in the day, my pro strengthened my grip to combat my autoslice. Once I started to miss left all the time, we moved it to be more neutral.

 

I find the wall drill from PS to be pretty easy to do around the house. I just need to make sure no one can see me doing it, lol. 

 

I haven't messed with my grip. Although I think my hook is more path-related, it's not from snapping the face shut. It might be something I look into. 

 

Re: the wall drill. Also need to make sure you have durable paint on the walls 😉

 

Get you some Behr!

 

 

[ksuchris2000]

Do you three putt often? What about chipping twice? Both of those items are really fast ways to drop your score fast. Even better, both can likely be practiced at home.

[betarhoalphadelta]

57 minutes ago, ksuchris2000 said:

Do you three putt often? What about chipping twice? Both of those items are really fast ways to drop your score fast. Even better, both can likely be practiced at home.

 

Yes and yes.

 

I don't have clear stats on three-putting because a while back I mentioned that I used to consider putts from the fringe as putts. Now I have switched to only count putts from the putting surface. That was probably somewhere around 10 rounds ago, so it'll take a while for those stats to push through on The Grint where I do most of my stat tracking. But even with that, it's probably still 2-3 times per round. I'm averaging about 34.6 putts per round over my last 20, which is too many especially considering how many greens I miss. 

 

Chipping twice or flubbing longer pitches / partial wedges is a problem, and honestly I've gone to putting from off the green any time I think I can get away with it. My worst putt is far better than my worst chip, and my best chips are rarely much better than my average to good putts. 

[ksuchris2000]

Those are both areas that helped me break 90 when I came back after a 10 year break. That and knowing what swings I can count on. A fade is ok if it finds the playing area. Hopefully fairway. Good luck out there. Great thread. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Off work this week, and planning to play RSJ tomorrow (likely in the rain) and Oso on Sunday. Range is still closed because of all the rain, so no chance of getting out there. 

 

But I did manage to run over and play the exec course after dropping kids at school and before the rain started this morning. Went very well. Made it around in 33 (+4). After an embarrassing chunk with my first swing leading to bogey on 1, I went par/par/par/birdie/bogey/par. Unfortunately doubled 8 and made bogey on 9. 

 

So at least I got a little tune-up before I play tomorrow.

[bortass]

How was RSJ? 

 

The exec course round sounds like it was fairly positive. I assume there are two short par fours if par is 29. How did you do on those?

[betarhoalphadelta]

34 minutes ago, bortass said:

How was RSJ? 

 

The exec course round sounds like it was fairly positive. I assume there are two short par fours if par is 29. How did you do on those?

 

For the exec course, that's correct. Two very short par 4s. I birdied one and bogeyed the other. The first one I put my tee shot just right of the fairway, stuck my 56* wedge to 4 feet, and made the putt for birdie. The second one I put my tee shot in the middle, left GW distance to the green, but hooded it a bit and pulled it long and left of the green. I was in nasty loose leaves, flubbed a chip to just short of the fringe, putted from off the green to about 7 feet, and made that for bogey. 

 

RSJ was... soggy! We got out there just as the rain had stopped. Course was empty. It was walking only (which was fine, as we had planned to walk anyway) and it was a slog through slop all round. Tons of casual water on the course, had to watch every step through the fairway to make sure you weren't about to dunk your foot in a puddle, etc...

 

The round was overall not great--103. To be fair, the conditions had a little to do with it. Every stance was on soggy turf. One bunker that was like concrete took 4 strokes to get out of, after taking casual water relief in the same bunker twice lol. A lot of shots that were struck maybe slightly thick ended up with much more distance loss than usual because the club would get down into the turf so easily. But even beyond that, I had too many holes where I turned par opportunities or easy chances to at least make bogey into double. I.e. get "around" the green in regulation where all it takes is an up and down to save par and somehow I take 4 strokes to hole out. 

 

I'm not going to overthink it though. I certainly didn't play my best, but with conditions being how they were, it is what it is. On the bright side, I holed out a 50 foot putt to save par on the #1 HDCP hole on the course. It's always nice (albeit rare) to par that one...

 

What WAS cool was after the round. I had picked up a headcover so I go into the pro shop to return it to the lost and found and the guy tells me "oh, Newport Beach CC (where the Champions Tour is playing) shut down for the day, so Jim Furyk is here and just teed off on 17." So we had a beer and waited to watch him come up 18, got to chat briefly with him, and wished him luck this weekend. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Played Oso today and got around in 75 (+15), so that was nice. 

 

Didn't score worse than a bogey through the first 12 holes. When I made GIR (4x through 12) I managed to par all of those holes. Missed GIR on 7 (saved par), and had two other holes (#5 and #9) where I was on the fringe in GIR+1, but putted(/chipped) from the fringe to makeable distance and sunk the putt for bogey. 

 

Of course then on 13 I made it to 12 feet in GIR+1 and three-putted for double, completely effed up #15 for a quad, and played 18 as a par 4 (i.e. layed up off the tee to a 225 par 3) but flubbed my first pitch and then three-putted for triple. 

 

In general, a very good day. I really focused on chips/pitches on keeping the right arm moving (per UTB 2.0) and that was a big help. In general, ballstriking was decent--only two very bad mishits (thin or topped) that I can recall on full swings, and the one bad pitch on 18. 

 

#16 was playing 152, but into the wind, so I took my 160 club. Hit it pretty flush and ended up with this, which I made for birdie. 

 

[bortass]

Sounds like a real solid round. Love the picture too, that's a great shot!

 

Out of curiosity, how are the greens at Oso, fast/slow, roll true?

 

Do you have an idea of when your next round will be?

[betarhoalphadelta]

23 minutes ago, bortass said:

Sounds like a real solid round. Love the picture too, that's a great shot!

 

Out of curiosity, how are the greens at Oso, fast/slow, roll true?

 

Do you have an idea of when your next round will be?

 

They tend towards the slow end, and can be a little bumpy at times. Oso is a lot better than most executive courses which are basically pitch & putt courses (like the little 9 hole, Lake Forest, which I talk about). But it's not set up to have lightning-fast difficult greens. Yesterday, in fact, they were rolling like shag carpet. IMHO probably due to all the recent rain and the rain in the forecast, they were cut a little longer than usual. 

 

That's what always makes it hard to get acclimated to when we play San Juan Hills. Those greens roll true, but are a LOT faster than Oso or Rancho San Joaquin. 

 

Probably next round April 2. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Well, my GHIN account had lapsed, so I just re-upped it on Monday. My interim scores have now all posted and the really good stretch of 5 rounds that all counted for index are rolling off, so despite posting an 18.0 differential on Sunday, my cap has now risen to 22.5. 

 

If these "atmospheric rivers" ever stop dumping water on us, maybe I can actually get out to the range and start working on the stuff I need to bring that number back down. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Hit the range today. Oso Creek tomorrow.

 

Did a little work with the Monte power shift drill, i.e. shaft parallel, wait 2 counts, finish backswing w/ shift left, wait two counts, then hit the ball. Felt good. Hit some good shots (although I know ballflight isn't the point of the drill). Video looked horrible. 

 

Was trying to also work on those feels that I've been talking about, and wondering if they would show up on video as a better shift, avoiding the EE problems I've been plagued with for a while, etc. Hit some good shots. Even hit some good 5w shots and smoked some drives (although the bulk of the session was 8i). Video looked horrible. 

 

Still more work to do. 

[berndgeurts]

9 hours ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

Hit the range today. Oso Creek tomorrow.

 

Did a little work with the Monte power shift drill, i.e. shaft parallel, wait 2 counts, finish backswing w/ shift left, wait two counts, then hit the ball. Felt good. Hit some good shots (although I know ballflight isn't the point of the drill). Video looked horrible. 

 

Was trying to also work on those feels that I've been talking about, and wondering if they would show up on video as a better shift, avoiding the EE problems I've been plagued with for a while, etc. Hit some good shots. Even hit some good 5w shots and smoked some drives (although the bulk of the session was 8i). Video looked horrible. 

 

Still more work to do. 

Monte says the drill must be the opposite, horrible shots and good video, doesn't he?

Edited April 2, 2023 by berndgeurts

[betarhoalphadelta]

9 hours ago, berndgeurts said:

Monte says the drill must be the opposite, horrible shots and good video, doesn't he?

 

LOL. I've always taken it to mean that the result of the shot shouldn't matter, not that they SHOULD be bad. 

 

But on video it looks like I'm taking the idea of "adding flex in the left knee" WAY too far. I'm actually surprised I could even hit the ball from that position. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Shot 93 (+33) yesterday.

 

Just wasn't on. Only 2 GIR, which on a course with 12 par 3 holes tells you I was missing. Some real head scratching misses too... Had one hole I think I must have pushed it 30 degrees right.

 

Beyond that, had some bunker problems (including one really unfortunate hole where I put the ball nearly embedded into a back lip long of the green). 

 

Otherwise one positive was mostly decent pitching and chipping. Just trying to keep Monte's note from UTB 2.0 in mind and keep the right arm moving and I'm avoiding most of the terrible contact problems. 

 

And hit a gorgeous drive on 9, which I followed with a nice 75y wedge and 2 putt for a routine par. Always nice when you don't waste a drive screwing up a hole lol.

[betarhoalphadelta]

My son is on spring break so played Oso today, and got around in 78 (+18). Bogey golf. Two birdies. 

 

We're playing there together tomorrow afternoon, and now I gotta worry that it'll be the first time he ever beats me lol 😉 

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Played Saturday with my sun at Oso. Pleased to say that I've staved off the inevitable of him beating me at least one more round. Shot 81 (21 over) to his 85. So his Friday round would have beaten me lol...  

 

At a 24.9 differential it was just low enough to count for the index, but right now I'm still at a 22.9. 

 

Honestly I can only point to only two really bad things during the round. Hole 13 (par 4) I made GIR and then four-putted for double from <20 feet. Just a mess. And on 14 (par 3) I completely chunked my tee shot into water, chunked my shot from the drop zone to halfway between the DZ and the green, finally got on, but two-putted from about 7 feet. So with that being a quad it reduces one stroke to make my score an 80 for handicap purposes. 

 

Other than that, I wasn't exactly humming out there, but wasn't playing badly. And the most odd thing is that I seemed to be hitting it a lot farther than usual. On 9 I hit a drive that's the longest one I can remember based on how far it went into the fairway past the creek. On 10 (very short par 4) I hit 7i and nearly put it into the front left bunker by the green, which put it 15-20 yards past where I'd expect my 7i to go. Those two holes face opposite directions, so I don't see it as being a wind-aided number. Hole 11 I didn't hit it crisp but ended up greenside with what I'd normally call a slight mishit. Holes 14 and 15 I was going into the wind and hit 8i long right and then long left, respectively. And then 18 (very long par 3) I chose to lay up with 5i and pulled a low bullet that just ran out all the way into the pond on the left side of the green, that I didn't think I could reach with 5i. 

 

I'm wondering if the recent strength work I've been doing might have something to do with it. I had been doing dumbbell-based exercises 4-5 days a week for about 6 straight weeks. It was also a bit warmer and we were playing in the afternoon, so maybe my body was more physically loose? The ball flies a little farther in warm weather, but it doesn't seem like the temp was high enough compared to the previous weekend to explain that big of a yardage difference. I even did a long ride on the Peloton on Friday, and was worried it would cause fatigue going into the round, but clearly that wasn't an issue. 

 

We'll see this coming Sunday if any of this continues. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Played Oso yesterday. It was a great day when it seemed like all facets were working. 

 

9 GIR. 33 putts (including two 1-putt birdies from 15', and only one three putt, but it was from 33 feet on one of the toughest greens on the course). Two birdies. Stretch of five pars in a row from holes 10-14 (8 pars overall). Contact was good, chipping/pitching was good, lag putts were good, etc... 

 

Ended up shooting 73 (+13). 15.8 differential and drops my index back to 21.5. 

 

I did end up with two blow-up holes, both involving penalty areas. And two doubles, one involving a penalty area. Other than that, the round was basically clean. 

[bortass]

Great round! Bet it felt good.

 

Did you notice more longer shots shots like you mentioned last week?

[betarhoalphadelta]

6 hours ago, bortass said:

Great round! Bet it felt good.

 

Did you notice more longer shots shots like you mentioned last week?

 

Yes, I'd say so. It seems like well-struck shots are definitely half a club to a club longer than I expect. And this was an 8:30 AM tee-off, so while the temps were nice, it's not like it was a hot summer day. There were a number of holes where I deliberately clubbed down because I was hitting to back pins and didn't want to go long, and ended up pin high. And taking 5i off the tee on hole 6 I reached a fairway bunker that I usually don't with that club, and the same club on hole 13 I was farther out there than I can ever remember with 5i. 

 

At this point I don't know whether it's a movement pattern change linked to the takeaway change that's making my swing more efficient, the strength work I've been doing directly increasing speed through strength, or potentially the strength work making me more physically able to move which is indirectly making my movement swinging the club more efficient. 

 

But either way, I did 60 minutes on the Peloton and 30 minutes of dumbbell work today. Might as well keep up with whatever it is, because it's working!

[betarhoalphadelta]

I know I've been talking about (bragging on?) my son a fair bit here. He's now wrapping up his freshman JV season. 

 

One year ago, according to The Grint, he had a 41.6 index. In January, just before the start of the HS golf season, he was a 34.6. And as he's gotten more knowledgeable about the rules (and been cognizant of holing out putts, etc), I'd say that those numbers are artificially low because the rounds might not have been 100% in accordance with the RoG. 

 

Today? He's a 25.4. His last 6 rounds have counted for his cap, all are sub-30 differential, and those 6 comprise 6 of his 7 career sub-30 differentials. 

 

Super proud of him!

 

He's still learning how to deal with tougher courses. Most of those rounds are at Oso (short course, 99 slope), and some of them are combined rounds between 9 holes at tough courses (Tijeras Creek, San Juan Hills) where he scored poorly and Oso where he scored well. But he's really making progress. 

 

Next step for him will be continued practice and play until the end of the school year, and then I'm gonna take him to see the guru. Clearly he's beyond my ability to give him any advice lol. 

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

What to do with this lie? 

 

[bortass]

1 hour ago, betarhoalphadelta said:

What to do with this lie? 

 

Take an unplayable and drop in the bunker.

 

Is that an upslope or down slope?

 

Upslope, square face and bury the club head in the sand under the ball with no follow through. Prolly need a fair bit of speed as well, just don’t hurt your wrist. Ball should pop up and forward.

 

downslope, square face and same thing but ball will come out very low. I think Monte called it the worst bunker shot. No real control and you just gotta get out in one even if it means blowing the ball way past the hole.

 

Oh, I think Monte even mentioned going out sideways. You could also add in going out backwards aka make it an upslope but you need to be confident in your ability to pitch back over the bunker to the green.

 

Now hopefully someone better than I can confirm/deny what I think you’re supposed to do.

Edited April 30, 2023 by bortass

[betarhoalphadelta]

It was an upslope. I tried to blast it out and basically was the same result as taking unplayable. It popped a few inches forward then rolled back into the center of the bunker. 

 

I was in greenside bunkers on 5 of the first 6 holes today. But none were as bad as this lol... 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Played San Juan Hills yesterday... As the old book starts:

 

"It was the worst of nines; it was the best of nines."

 

Shot a 59*/44 for a 103*. Asterisk because I picked up on 6 and just carded NDB. 

 

Literally nothing went right on the front nine. I ended up in greenside bunkers on five of the first six holes, including that plugged lie I showed above. My long game was off, and I made it around in 22 putts. The lone GIR I had on the front, I three-putted for bogey. Admittedly, the greens were recently aerated, so they were slow and bumpy. But still, I was putting like crap. It just seemed like every time I had a slight miscue in the long game, it put me in a terrible position, and compounded in the score. 

 

Then on the back, I still had some bad holes (two doubles, two triples), but balanced them with four pars and a birdie, and 5 GIR. 15 putts and no three-putts. 

 

But the front is the worst nine hole score I've ever shot at SJH, and the back is the best nine hole score I've ever shot at SJH.

 

Just one of those days, I guess. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Played yesterday at Oso. It was... Middling. 

 

Shot 82 (+22). Overall it was a day where nothing was particularly crisp, but not terrible either. Only 4 GIR. 35 putts, which was one four-putt (described below) and three one-putts, so overall not great. I had a LOT of good looks that I missed 1" left or right. Contact on full swings was mostly good, so the missed GIR were more often directional than distance. 

 

Front (+14) was a lot worse than the back (+8), largely driven by two blow-ups. The front was 3 of the 4 GIR, but there were two doubles, a triple, and a quad in there. On the back it was more consistent, with 7 bogeys, one double, and one birdie. But I just had no scrambling ability to save par on any of those missed greens. 

 

Low points:

 

Hole 2 - Playing longer than usual for this par 3, I hit a nice high iron shot and dropped it on the left edge of the green, leaving 40 feet. I lagged to 3 feet. And then took three more from there to turn a nice GIR into a double-bogey with a 4-putt. 

 

Hole 6 - Par three, just left the clubface open and sailed one OB right. Dropped with the MLR E-5 rule (2 penalty strokes), pitched and two-putted for a triple. 

 

Hole 8 - Another par 3, missed tee shot short right and had to pitch over a bunker. Scared of it and thinned one over the green into pine straw. Didn't hit it hard enough and short of the green. Briefly considered using the Texas wedge but instead tried to chip with the 56* and put it into the fringe on the other side. This time did putt from off the green but left it 10' short, and two-putted for a quadruple bogey. 

 

--------------------

 

One thing that has seemed to be more consistent are the distance gains I've mentioned. Even with a lot of those missed greens, I was taking clubs that I wasn't sure were enough, and landing pin-high left or right. In one case I worried I wasn't taking enough club and went long. In another I had a distance that I thought was a little beyond my 56* and put it on the back fringe. The last 4 holes were into a stiff wind and despite taking less club than I thought I should for the wind I had one (the birdie) where I landed pin-high and then it spun back a fair bit, and two others where I didn't think I had enough club but missed the green left rather than short. 

 

I'm still not sure whether my slight tempo change is just letting me get to the left side properly and I'm just sequencing better, or if it's the workouts, or a bit of both. But it's not going away, which is nice. 

[bortass]

Nice to read about the distance gains sticking around!

 

Do you have access to a practice green? Monte told us all just two things about putting. Speed is what matters and to keep your hips out of it. The hips tip has been big for me. I feel like I’m striking the ball more solidly and it holds its line better.

 

I think you even mentioned it to me months ago. Anyhow, just wondering if that’s something that would help your putting.

[betarhoalphadelta]

The putting greens at Oso and Lake Forest are both <2 miles away, and I could head over to some nicer courses to practice on faster greens as well with a little longer drive. I also have a putting mat at home that I could use to test the hips portion. I do recall the hips tip from the putting section of UTB 2.0, and should probably make sure I'm not doing it. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Got out to play yesterday at San Juan Hills. Weather was a bit sketchy--light mist and low 60s pretty much the entire front 9. The mist broke but remained cloudy and mid-upper 60s the rest of the round. Better than 95 and sunny tho!

 

I was a little disappointed that a new player cancelled on our group the night before as he'd hurt his back. He played college golf, so I really was interested in actually seeing someone with a serious golf background play the game. But oh well. 

 

Since I haven't done a write-up in a long time, and I think never one for SJH, I thought I might as well do it here. It's a fun course, decent amount of elevation change, with typically faster and more contoured greens than I usually play. SJH can get penal if you're inaccurate. Par 71, 5970 from the whites, and 66.9/118. Greens were running fairly slow by SJH standards on this day though. 

 

My warmup entirely consisted of putting and some swings with the Orange Whip, and hadn't swung a club in 2 weeks.

 

Hole 1 - 316 yards, par 4, HDCP 11: The hole has a pond off the first tee with a straight fairway lined on both sides by trees, but no fairway hazards or features. It then heads uphill to a blind approach to an elevated green, with bunkers fronting left and right. I tee off with driver, and it's low off the face and never gets more than probably 15-20 feet off the ground, but it's straight and stops middle of the fairway, 145 yards from the pin. I pull 9i and top it 50-60 yards. Pull my 56* to hit a partial wedge and blade it right over the green, into OB bushes. I go up there, drop in the rough behind the green with 2 penalty strokes (in hindsight I should have just taken S&D), laying 5 and hitting 6. I flub a pitch, then decide to screw pitching and putt from off the green, and knock it 20 feet past. But I drain that putt dead center of the flagstick for a wonderful quadruple bogey. Quad, +4. 

 

Yeah, a great damn start...

 

Hole 2 - 351 yards, par 4, HDCP 1: Elevated tee down to a wide fairway with a tree and OB left, and some fairway bunkers to the right. Then the hole goes STEEPLY uphill to a blind green, fairway bunkers front left. I take driver and badly top one 40 yards. Get to the ball, pull 7i, and finally hit my first good strike of the day--a nice high draw into the center. I'm left GW distance with the slope, and catch one a little thick, missing the green to the front in rough on the steep uphill slope. I pitch from there and it's 30 feet beyond the pin on the green. It's a difficult downhill putt that I end up hitting about 4 feet past, but I make the comeback. Double, +6. 

 

Hole 3 - 357 yards, par 4, HDCP 7: OB down the right, and a decent sized pond down the right as well. The back edge of the pond is basically just at/beyond my driver carry distance, so definitely in play. Lots of room left, but going too far left gets you into slope and tree trouble. Green is fully visible and slopes back to front, with bunkers fronting left and right. On this hole even with my left miss my goal is to take water out of play, so I set up on the right side of the tee box and play well left. I make good contact, but a straight pull, and I see it land in the rough on the slope heading up to the #4 fairway. I get up to my ball and I'm about 130 yards from the green, but the ball is well below my feet and I have tree trouble that I can't attack this with appropriate loft. So I play it back of my stance with a 7i 3/4 swing punch to keep it below the trees, and actually manage to execute it perfectly. It ends up just off the back left of the green in some light rough. GIven my pitching woes, I decide to putt from there--and it catches up too much in the damp grass and stops on the green 30 feet short of the hole. Unceremonious 2-putt result. Bogey, +7. 

 

So yeah, I'm now +7 through 3 holes. This is looking rough. 

 

Hole 4 - 328 yards, par 4, HDCP 9: Straight uphill par 4, with OB right and trees plus the slope down to #3 left. Fairway bunker left. Another blind green with big bunkers fronting left and right. I take driver and hit a nice draw up the right side of the fairway. I get to the ball and I've got 110 to a back pin, playing 120 up the hill, so I take a full 52* and it looks like it's a bit right of the pin but I'm pretty sure the green is wide enough back there that I should be fine. I get up to the green and see my ball stopped WELL left of where I thought--I suspect I maybe didn't hit it as long as I thought and it kicked off the downslope of the bunker lip, but either way it's on the green 20 feet from the pin. I hit first putt with good distance but about 2 feet left, and the clean that up. Par, +7. 

 

Hole 5 - 327 yards, par 4, HDCP 5: Another straight uphill par 4. Wide fairway but hazards left and right, and fairway bunkers right. Big green well protected by bunkers front, left, and right. One of the trickiest greens on the course. I take driver and hit a sweeping push draw right into the fairway. Oddly my playing partner after the shot said my feet were set up VERY closed, basically aiming dead right on the foot line--which he thought I did on purpose--which must be why it curved as much as it did. But it worked! Was left with a partial 56* which I slightly mishit, but thankfully hit it left into the narrow bit of fairway, the only part in front of this green that isn't sand, just short of the green. I choose to putt here because although I'm at least 10 yards from the green, the fairways at SJH are actually pretty darn nice, and because I'm very much shortsided to a front pin. Plus I suck at pitching and don't want to chance it. So I putt and go 10 feet left and long. Get the 10-footer close, and tap in. Bogey, +8. 

 

Okay, the first few holes sucked, but I'm at least starting to feel like a golfer again. 

 

Hole 6 - 546 yards, par 5, HDCP 3: Significantly elevated tee down the hill to a sharp dogleg left fairway. 200 yards or so to the turn--the first time I played here I screwed up and took driver and hit it perfectly--and straight through the dogleg OB. Good players can take a lot of distance out of this hole cutting the corner, but it's basically penalty area if you don't make it. From there it's narrow with trees left and right, and a bunker right about 130 short of the green. Slopes down into a valley and then back up to the green, fronted left by a bunker and a steep slope off the green to the right. I take 5i here and hit a nice big draw that's starting center and heading a little left, but should be safe. I get down there and find my ball in the left rough. I'm far enough left that I've got some tree trouble, and I know I need to be a little right and with enough loft to keep the tree out of play laying up for my 3rd. I take 9i, and hit it pretty nicely--right into the right side bunker, at the top, almost against the lip. I get up there and although only 130 out, I've got a poor lie and the lip is DEFINITELY too big to get over with something that can reach the green, so I grab my 60* and just hope to advance it forward and over the lip. Well, I think I blasted it *through* the lip and it squirts out into light rough at the end of the fairway before the valley. I'm still 110 out, uphill, so I take 52* and hit it well--and WAY long, but at least it's a long green and I still end up on the green 45 feet past the hole. Hit a very poor lag that I leave well short because I'm worried it's going to catch a downslope and go way long, and then two more putts into the hole. Double, +10. 

 

Hole 7 - 164 yards, par 3, HDCP 15: Straightforward par 3. Decent size green, with a large right bunker. Only think you can't do is miss left. Trees and a slope will make it basically impossible to get up and down from over there. I take 8i and just from the sound I know it's off the toe, but it gets pin-high just past and to the right of the bunker. I have a good lie and am far enough off the green that I have to pitch, and I strike it decently but long, and it rolls just off the other side of the green, just past the fringe, into rough. I chip with the putter to 5 feet, but sadly two-putt that. Double, +12. 

 

Hole 8 - 498 yards, par 5, HDCP 17: Straight par 5, with fairway bunkers left and some mounds and sparse small trees right. Green is well-protected by bunkers, but generally straightforward hole. I hit a GREAT drive straight up the middle, get up there and I'm 210 to a front pin. I think briefly about going for it, but there's a big pot bunker just in front of the green and while a good 5w would probably be perfect here, I also don't want to screw up that good drive with a club I don't really trust. So I take 8i and just hit one high and into the middle. From here I've got a little 30-40y pitch, and I aim a little left to help take that bunker out of play and because it's the low side of the green so I'd be more likely to be putting uphill and have a bit of a backstop to stop it. I actually catch it nicely, but a little long, and it hits the top of the ridge on the green and rolls out, leaving about 35 feet. I hit a decent lag putt, leaving maybe 3-4 feet, but miss that, and three-putt for bogey. Bogey, +13. 

 

Ugh. Two great shots, one half-decent pitch, a GIR, and I still walk away with bogey. 

 

Hole 9 - 177 yards, par 3, HDCP 13: Par 3 with a bunker front center, and bunkers left and right. I take 7i and it's not my best, a little low and some left. I'd be left of the bunker, but I'm lucky to catch a tree that ends up dropping it a bit short with a straight pitch left in and plenty of green to work with. I flub that pitch. Ugh. I pitch again and this is much better, rolling out to about 6 feet below the hole. Unfortunately I can't convert it and two-putt. Double, +15. 

 

Got through the front 9 with a 51. That's not horrible for me at this course, but I'm a little upset with there being 19 putts and a couple of the bad swings and duffs. 

 

Hole 10 - 369 yards, par 4, HDCP 6: Lateral hazard and trees all down the left side, but the right side is wide open. Green slopes back to front with a large bunker in the front right. I take driver and it's a low pull hook that I'm worried is in the hazard. I do manage to find the ball, thankfully, but it's in the middle of a bush and I can't even get close to putting a club on it. But 2 club lengths away is clear, so I take the unplayable. Unfortunately I have tree trouble and can't go directly at the green. So I take the 56* and just pitch it out to the center of the fairway. I'm left with about 120 and take my 52*, but I catch it too well and it goes a little long. I have a nice fluffy lie in the rough behind the green, so I pitch. I get good contact, but with the back-to-front slope of the green, it rolls out JUST onto the fringe, leaving me about 30 feet "chipping" with the putter. It looks dead straight, so I just strike it firm straight and the pin, and it drops! Double, +17.

 

Well that hole kinda sucked, but draining a 30-footer while marking the hole as zero putts could be worse!

 

Hole 11 - 419 yards, par 4, HDCP 4: This is a rough hole. Long par 4, with water all down the right side. Left has more room, but far left is the same lateral as #10, and there's a giant tree on the left side that will block any approaches that stray too far left. So I tee up on the right side and aim over the corner of the water straight at that tree, the safest line I've got. I take driver and smoke one, but it starts a little right of my intended line, and it's tailing right. I assume I'm wet. But no! It carried past the corner of the pond and it's just on right edge of the fairway! From there I've got about 135 to the flag, so I take PW, and hit it nicely just left of the flag onto the fringe. I've got a difficult downhill breaker, which I lag to tap-in distance and drop it. Par, +17. 

 

Hole 12 - 474 yards, par 5, HDCP 14: Straight and flat par 5. Trees and OB left, and sparse trees and OB right, but with MUCH more generous room to the right. Green is fronted on the right by a bunker, with another bunker to the left. I hit a good drive, a little right, but good contact, ending just into the right rough. Too far away to really think of anything but advancing the ball and laying up, so I take 5i and hit it straight into the fairway, but a little shorter than expected; I think the rough caught the clubhead and took some speed off. Left with (IIRC) just a 56*, and catch it a little thick, landing just short of the green in the fairway. Putt it to about 8 feet, but sadly don't convert and two-putt. Bogey, +18. 

 

Hole 13 - 338 yards, par 4, HDCP 12: A very unique hole... Dogleg left with a landing area 200y off the tee that asks for a layup. OB right, and a HUGE fairway bunker going all the way up the left side. Trees and a bunch of junk down there left of the bunker, and farther left is OB and houses. Valley down from the fairway before the green. Green is large and multi-tiered, with a bunker left IIRC, and the area approaching the green narrowing significantly with trees. I take 5i off the tee, and it's a terrible low pull hook down into the trash left of the bunker. The ball is easily findable, 160y out, but I'm not looking at great options. Trees will stop me from using anything very lofted, but the bunker is directly in my line of play and I have to get over it. There's not a good line to just pitch out to the fairway either. So again this is one of those 7i, back in the stance, low punch shots. And I execute it PERFECTLY! It is high enough to clear the bunker, low enough to stay clear of tree limbs, and drawing nicely which is necessary because of the angle. It ends up at the bottom of the valley underneath the green, middle of the fairway. From there I pitch, and sadly just don't give it enough. It's a back pin on the top tier of the green and I leave it almost 50 feet short on a lower tier. And three-putt it. Ugh. Double, +20. 

 

Hole 14 - 117 yards, par 3, HDCP 18: The picturesque hole of the course. Downhill par 3 over a lake. Playing about 107 today and 101 with the slope, a bit of tailwind. I'm feeling good about the 56* here. So I take a nice rip at it, fly it over the pin, spin it back about 7-8 yards to pin-high, and I'm left with 15 feet for birdie. Of course I don't actually MAKE it, but I leave myself a tap-in par. Par, +20. 

 

(Not my photo BTW)

 

Hole 15 - 413 yards, par 4, HDCP 2: I posted about this hole a while back. Dogleg left with water down the left side, some bailout area to the right, that almost invites you to lay up off the tee but then you realize that doing so leaves a too-long approach shot, and that you may have SLIGHTLY wider landing area with driver. Another valley below the green, and a bunker fronting right and slope down to low rough off to the left. I take driver and it's a mishit low and left, maybe 40-50 yards. Ooof. Take 7i from there to just advance the ball, and that's much better, ending up just in the right rough. I think I'm left with about 180-185, so I take 6i and strike it well, but miss the green pin-high left. I'm on a downslope in thick rough, so I open the face of the 56* and actually strike it decently well given the slope and lie, but run out long into the rough on the other side of the green. Putt from off the green, but with the tricky green leave myself 15 feet. But at least I sunk that! Double, +22. 

 

Hole 16: 144 yards, par 3, HDCP 10: Straightforward par 3 with bunkers fronting left and right. OB left, and a nasty slope down off the right once you're past the cart path, so you really can't miss badly here. Tees are back, pin is back, and it's into the wind so I take 7i. And I proceed to hook it OB into the trees/bushes/nastiness. Well crap. But then my playing partner says he saw it kick out and I'm a yard off the left edge of the green? Well, better to be lucky than good sometimes, I guess! Putt it from the rough (don't want to chance anything else) to 10 feet, and two putt. Bogey, +23. 

 

Hole 17 - 497 yards, par 5, HDCP 8: Straight par 5 from an elevated tee. OB left, and the right side is rough with sparse trees and OB farther right. Bunkers fronting the green center, left and right IIRC. I hit a drive and it's well-struck, tailing a little right, and ending up just off the fairway in the right rough. 5i from there and it's a nice, high, well-struck draw into the middle, leaving a simple partial wedge. Hit the 56*, and leave it SHORT. Hit it again, onto the green, to 30 feet. Unceremonious two-putt. Bogey, +24. 

 

Hole 18 - 135 yards, par 3, HDCP 16: Simple par 3, with bunkers fronting left and right. I take GW, and proceed to chunk the $#!+ out of it. Yay. Hit a 56* and send it long, off the back. Pitch back on to 15 feet, and two-putt. Double, +26. 

 

So got around the back with a 46, and thankfully some better putting on the back with only 15 putts carded. 

 

Total of 97, counting as 96 for cap with the quad on #1, and a differential of 27.6, which is slightly too high to count (highest that counts right now is a 26). 

 

Overall for not playing or touching a club for 2 weeks, it is probably about the best I could hope for.