King City 3/17/15

I got there a few minutes later than last time and that proved to be a huge mistake. In front of me was a slow solo woman hitting about 50 yards at a whack, who was behind a solo guy hitting about 150 yards a whack, who was behind a guy with his kid taking 15 minutes per hole, who were behind a fourseom who hit 150 yards...but was waiting for the foursome ahead of them to clear greens 300 yards away, and that foursome was slow also.

Translation; it took about 1:35 to play the front. And the scores showed it:

I was aiming left on my 7-wood drive planning to fade into the fairway or slice to the right. I absolutetly blistered it, long and left. Thought I saw it, headed down fairway...lost ball. No clue where. Drop for two. Short-hopped the pitch. On in 4 but long putt. Past the hole. Close to the hole. In for a 7. Ouch.

And I STILL had to wait for 2 people to tee off on the next hole and they did not want to become a 3-some. A short par 3, 178 yards. Tried the rescue wood. Blasted it left, out of bounds. Laying three off the tee. Back to the 4 iron, a decent shot but short. Chip, 2-putt, double par. Not a good start...

249 yard hole, my driver CAN reach, but I went with the 7 wood for control and was just right of the fairway about 30 yards short of the green. Sadly, I was still short of the green after a poor chip and barely on the green after my 3rd shot. Only a nice lag and longish (for me) putt "saved" the bogey...

The 196 yard hole is awkward. Too short for my 7 wood, I cannot hit the 3-iron, and I hit the rescue wood about 50 yards. Then the hole got worse...it was a par three where I was on in 3, in in 5.

At this point the guy and his kid waved me through. I hit a 9 iron, we were playing well forward for 125 yard distance. I was short and right, fast-chipped well past the hole, fast-putted and missed. A 5 on a three.

The next hole always gives me problems. A patch of trees stops my left to right ball movement and the right side is trees and/or out of bounds. I crushed my 7 wood. Unfortunately, I line-drived it...and it hit the first copse of trees on the left. I hurried through as the guy and his kid were then waiting so played it as a lost ball, dropped, landed a 6 iron short from 160 yards out, barely made it on the green with another bad chip, 2 putted for another 6.

The par 5 I was waiting...waiting...guy ahead of me hit into the 4-some when they were at the 150 mark. I took my 7-wood and...was about 150 yards out, wide right. However, my next shot was beautiful, flying over trees and the pond, landing about 20 yards right of the green. I flew a sand wedge over the sand trap and 2-putted for my first par.

Next hole I joined up with the single guy (woman had gone to play first few holes again because of the pace. I lasered a 260 yard drive just left of the fairway...then left my chip 10 yards short. On a 284 yard hole. My next chip left a 10' putt which I duly missed by 3' and took another bogey.

On 9 I went short but right, into the 1st fairway. From 100 yards out I thought I was inside 100 (bad advice from a guy who joined our group for this hole) and tried a gap wedge which was short. Decent pitch, missed putt, another 5. For a 49 on the front. Awful

But there was only one guy ahead of me, I decided to play the back. It went faster, about an hour.

Long drive, right side of fairway, short on the chip, on in 3, 2-putt. Bogey, much better than the opening triple.

Next hole my 4 iron was pin high just off green to right. Decent chip, 5' putt, par. Well, that is better.

Nice drive right side of fairway, bad chip...this is sounding familial...on in 3, 2-putt for bogey.

Then disaster. I hit my rescue wood short. Then I shanked a shot. After 2 I am still 65 yards out. At least that is perfect distance for my sand wedge. Unless I hit a line drive 40 yards past the green into a house. Penalty drop. Bad chip. Bad chip. I am laying 6 and an inch onto the green...it took a great lag and a putt lipping in to pull a snowman.

I then landed my 9 iron on the upper level of the two tier green but make a nice sidehill downhill lag and putt in for par. Then I try my driver on my devil hole. I hit the last tree on the right, modify an 8 iron from 65 yards, 2-putt from a few inchies onto the green for second straight par.

My driver is 250 yards but left under trees. My rescue wood keeps it low, but I miss my chip. On in 4, 2-putt for bogey.

Another nice straight drive, this time I chip short, then chip close and 1-putt for par.

Last hole I blister my driver. Unfortunately I am still aiming left and fly over the houses. Re-tee, blast it long and right. Chip onto green, 2-putt for a double. Finish the back with a 44. Better than the front for sure!