Summerfield

Played some best ball. Dave and I against John and Jim.

Last time we played I teamed with John. He is not a particularly long hitter but he is accurate. He often struggles to chip when a hazard is in front of him such as a sand trap or water but otherwise he will get you on the green in 2 - 3 shots on par 4s.

Dave is similar to me. He will typically fade or slice his drive but plays for it and hits a lot of fairways. His chips are generally accurate and his putts are very solid. He is probably a bogey golfer or so, maybe 1 or 2 shots worse over 9 holes.

I am getting my game back, but for now I have very little control over my driver, my mid-irons are shaky, but my chipping is pretty good.

I have not played with Jim for years but he tends to have titanic drives but then breaks down in the short game.

So Jim would provide the drives, John the mid-range game and they would split putting duties. Dave and I would split it all, we are very similar golfers.

My first shot was just humiliating. I almost completely whiffed and dribbled the ball about 10 yards. They insisted I re hit and this time I put it about 200 yards down the fairway, though it did fade to the right. My iron shot went left and Dave floated to the green, we played one of his putts and one of mine to par the hole. Meanwhile, Jim had a titanic drive but pulled it left. John was short but in the fairway. They hit the green and 2 putted.

2nd hole is a par 3. John hit short but center of fairway, Dave pulled it into the trees though it was bending back into play. Jim over drove the green and almost into the street. All I had to do was drop in on the green and we would pick up a shot or 2. My shot started good but then sliced like a mother and we ended up playing Dave's shot. I hit a nice punch shot that gave us a make able putt. Somehow we both missed and bogeyed, as did the Double Js.

Third hole, my drive was long but further right. If we were not playing best ball I would have liked it but Dave was almost center of fairway though slightly behind a tree. Dave hit the fringe a bit short, so I decided to try a miracle shot and go over the tree. Unfortunately I way over drove the green. I made up for it by flopping a shot about 3 feet from the pin, Dave putted in for par.

At this point I was feeling a bit bad. We had played 5 of my shots...out of 12. I was only 1 off the pace but did not feel like I was holding up my end.

Starting on hole 4 that changed. I blasted my drive long and on the right side of the fairway. We were about 135 yards from the hole with an uphill hit over a sand trap. I pulled my shot into the OTHER sand trap and Dave skulled his shot. So we would play from the sand. And when we got there the ball was totally plugged....buried. And we had to go the long way across a big green. Dave suggested I move it but I wanted to try the shot. So I blasted the ball...and it was AWESOME. Just like you are supposed to, I kicked up sand onto the green, the ball exploded out onto the green to about 6 feet from the hole. My putt was terrible...but Dave hit it to save par and we picked up a stroke. It worked great...he had a poor drive, mid-iron and chip but saved us with a great putt. I had a poor middle iron and putt...but they worked.

Hole 5 goes over one water hole and then a wide fairway that has water in front of the hole, sand to the side and behind. I demolished the ball, long and to the right side of the fairway. John was medium distance and dead center in the fairway while Woody (Jim) just destroyed his ball. We later found it and had it been straight he might have driven the green. Well, from 115 yards out Dave launched his ball over the green. With water in front...what to do. I sort of did a modified pitching wedge...and it was GORGEOUS, landing about 8 feet from the cup. My birdie put missed by about 6" and Dave was about the same. We parred the hole

Hole 6 is a long par 4 with a slight dogleg right. Again I unleashed and for the first time in any one's memory, someone out drove Jim...I drove it maybe 250, landing inside 30 yards. A nice sand wedge shot gave us a make able birdie putt...and we THREE PUTTED. Awful putting display. Mine was so bad it was embarrassing. Drive, chip, good. Putt? I suck.

Hole 7 is a short par 3, I think 118 yards. For the first time all day I ripped out my 9 iron. Unfortunately., the sun was right in my eyes. I could not even see the green. I decided to "trust my club" but pulled it left. Dave then hit a great shot that gave us another 6 - 8' birdie put. Yeah, we missed it. That was all Dave's hole, though.

Hole 8 we ended up on the green in 2 thanks to another fine drive I had and good chip but a 4 putt...yes, I said 4...put us 3 over par.

The 9th hole is a par 3 over water to an uphill green. Dave and I both landed on the green. Again my putt was just embarrassing...way off line, way off distance. Dave had a nice putt to get us close and we parred again to finish 3 over, 3 or 4 shots ahead of Jim and John.

Overall I would say my drives were probably about a B for me, my mid irons maybe a C, my short chips a solid B or even an A, and my putting an F. Fortunately, Dave picked me up when I was struggling and vice versa. We meshed well, it was a fun day.