King City 3/18/15

Uh oh. The 4 slow guys were in front of me, I got joined with group of 3 guys who are on the "development squad" at the high school.

Translation: they combined for I believe 3 shots over 9 holes that traveled 150 yards or more. They combined for probably 210 shots over 9 holes. They took time for smack talk between shots. They took numerous practive strokes before hitting the ball 5 yards or out of bounds.

And we STILL were running up the back of the group in front of us. The round took 2-1/2 hours.

For 9 holes.

On a par 34.

That I played 18 holes in less than two hours just a week ago.

Anyhow, I started off okay, just 150 yards on my 7-wood drive and landing left side of the fairway. My 8-iron follow up was a few inches onto the green. I hit a decent lag and a 4' putt for par. Off to a surprisingly good start.

I played the 4-iron on the 178 yard next hole, yanked it left. Pedestrian chip, 2-putt, just a bogey. Not bad.

Then we ran into trouble. The 249 yard hole is usually an easy one for me, I tend to hit about 200 yards and be at the base of a mound right side of the fairway. This time I blasted it long, left and....after they had each hit about 5 shots, it had been so long since I hit it that I never did find it. Penalty, drop, hit past the green, 3 putt...I pulled a 7 off one of my better holes.

Ironically, the next 3 holes are my worst holes on the course, and with shot confidence, I decided to pull the 3-iron that I cannot hit for the 196 yarder. I landed pin high but wide right, very nearly clocking one of the group ahead of us who had just walked off the green. Free drop off the cart path. Pedestrian chip, decent lag, bogey.

And here is the problem. One kid hit a 4 yard tee shot...20 yard second shot...3rd shot out of bounds, 5th into some trees, 2' shot, 2 more chips to get to the green, and 5 putted. That would be a 13 for those counting. And he only lost 3 and 4 strokes to the other two guys. This was NOT a fast hole.

The group ahead of us was not even on the par 3 green yet...and the hole they were on was playing 143 yards.

When it was my turn I hit a beautiful, towering 8-iron we all thought was pin high and were debating if it was on the left edge of the green or just off.

By the time we got up there I had lost site of it. I never did find it. That is right...the time lapse was so severe that a relatively (for me) accurate 143 yard shot within 5 yards of the green became a lost ball penalty.

I did get a decent chip, but a 2-putt meant  a 6 and I was bummed. My once decent round now stood at a 25 after 5. I need to play par-level golf just to score well. Bogey golf the rest of the way will put me at a 46...my worst score yet.

Inexplicably on the tight 277 yard 6th hole, with trees blocking my beloved left to right ball flight and out of bounds lurking on the right where any mis-hit will go, I yanked out my driver. No, I cannot explain it either.

Well, I crushed the drive and it was a beauty. It was long, it would have a slight fade but be more or less where I wanted it, and it would be a set-up for a good score on the hole.

Until it hit the most outflung branch of the tree and dropped like a stone 110 yards from the tee box. My 8 iron landed short. I then flubbed the first chip and was on in 4. On the bright side, I am pretty consistently 2-putting. On the dark side...I just took a 6.

The longest hole on the course oddly gives me problems. I do not know if I try to kill it or what. I don't feel like I do. My driver did something it has not really done this year. I hit it maybe 220 yards...but sliced. Hit provisional in case it was o.b...and it did end up o.b. Then I crushed it 260, straight as an arrow. They all agreed it was just right of the copse of trees and well inbounds. Never did find it, dropped by the first ball, towering 8 iron, pitch on, couple putts...a 7. Ouch.

Then a miracle. 250 yards, center of fairway. Second fairway of the day. Nothing a pathetic chip couldn't solve, on in 3, 2-putt for 5.

My driver was again straight as an arrow and long...so long it easily cleared the house it flew over on the fly. Re-tee...slice into fairway 1. I did manage to get onto the green but because of the penalty, it was in 4. I then proceeded to 3 putt for a third time to pull in and even 50.

I played awful and it was not just the pace. 6 penalty strokes on the round...not good.