King City

So last Saturday John and I took on Jim and Dave at Skamania, taking them down 87-91, our second or third win in the last couple years...Dave and Jim have been dominating us. Well, I am continuing to try to get back to the weight I was at in 2011 and found that golf is a good help in that.

Having an awesome wife, she okayed me to get the season pass at King City. I did not go for the year-long pass, just took March to October. Went out today with Dave for the first round.

First hole I wisely used the 7 wood, leaving the driver in the bag. I put a fade on it and was right side of fairway about 60 yards off the green. Somehow I put the pitch onto the green.

We were the third group off after they opened the course after plugging and sanding the greens. Horrid putting conditions. Then again, I am a horrible putter...3-putt for a bogey.

Hole 2 is a 178 yarder. I tried the 4 iron, which I have not hit in years...and was 10 yards short. Pitch, 2 putt. Better.

Third hole is a 249 yarder. 7 iron put me about 20 yards off the green, I landed my bump and run about 20 feet from the hole and 2 putted for a par.

196 yard par three. I was short and right with my rescue wedge. But I hit about an 8 foot putt for my second par.

167 yard par 3. Wide left this time, about a 12' sidehill putt goes in by about one rotation. 3rd consecutive par. Nice!

The next hole gives me issues. Really tall ttrees overhang the left side and there is no room to the right. I wisely pulled my 7 wood. I can get it over the trees if I fade but not slice. I sliced but thought I saw the ball check up okay. Nope, it rolled under some trees. I dropped back about the 120 yard marker and, instead of grabbing the right club, I ramped up a gap wedge. It is a 90 yard club and I landed about 20 yards short. Bad chip left me 30 feet from the cup but I somehow managed a 2-putt for the double bogey.

352 yard par 5. I played for a fade...and hit my driver straight as an arrow, over a house. Mulligan. (We take 1 mulligan per 9.) Blasted it more towards the fairway. Lost sight of the ball flight. Found a Nike Vapor well short of where I thought it had been. Two holes later figured out it was wrong ball...

From 160 yards out I landed in the sand. That is correct...by using the driver instead of the 7 wood I lost about 30 yards. And cost myself a stroke for the drop...

Bad work out of the sand, still in the rough. Weak putt...and then jarred a 20' to "save" double bogey (snowman without the mulligan).

284 yarder, my driver straight again but I was playing for the fade. Ended up unplayable lie, drop, short with sand wedge, bad chip, 1 putt, and it was a bomb, for a 5.

Final hole, a 292 yarder. Uncorked a nice 240 yard down the middle, 50 yards from green, my sand wedge is a 45 yard club. I flew the green...took a nice, relaxed, easy swing and crushed about a 65 yarder. Oops. Put my third one on the green but still a long putt. Rolled it past the hole 6'...then drained that for a 5.

Totaled a 41 without the mulligan, 43 with it. Not bad. Course is a par 43, and, while a soft course, I will take bogey golf every time. Good time.

Round 1, 10 down, 289 to go.