Camas Meadows

After work Wednesday i went to the driving range to check out the new clubs. Started with an 8 iron. Lined up carefully, tried the "swing to right field", the swing felt good, sounded good...never figured out where I hit it. Did I slice? Hook? Fade? Draw? Straight? Was it short? Long? right length?

Tried it again. Same result. And again. Same result. Went to my old swing. Ah, there it was. Nice, towering ball flight, beautiful shot. Back to the inside-out swing. Where did the ball go? This pattern lasted the entire session. I saw a handful of balls and they were mostly vaguely straight, some had a slight draw, a couple sliced, one hooked. But out of maybe 110 balls I saw maybe 20? So I really had no gauge of either distance or accuracy since I literally had no idea where the ball was going.

So today John and I took on Dave and Jim. The first hole is 348 yards, tight fairway. John hit it straight albeit short. I selected the hybrid 4, lined up carefully, nice smooth takeaway, came across swinging to right field...beautiful 200 yard drive left center side of fairway. From 150 I pulled my 8 iron and stuck it about 10' left of the pin. I 2-putted for a natural par. Nice!

The second hole is a 167 par 3. I yanked it left, pin high but well left of the hole. We played John's. I did manage a nice chip but we both missed a makeable putt.

The next hole I hit a line drive with the hybrid, ending up short and left. I mis-hit the 8 iron ob.

And so it went. I would hit some really nice shots with every club...I pounded the green from 120 and in with my 55 degree and 50 degree wedges. I hit the 4 hybrid between 200 and 240 yards with mostly accurate shots. A few times I broke out the driver and sliced every time. Not once on the day did I hit my beloved 7 wood.

On one memorable hole, a long par 5, I hit the driver 240 but we were behind a towering tree. I wisely took a pitching wedge, only moved the ball about 140 yards...but dead center fairway. The guys were impressed at my restraint.

The last hole is a dogleg left, 204 yards to the shortside of the turn. Everyone else tried to go right. I tried to play a draw and, to my surprise and delight, did just that, hitting the turn perfectly and leaving 195 to the green. The green has water short left, bunkers both sides. I did not realize that. I tried to draw the 4 hybrid but got more of a hook. I was pin high but about 20 yards left of the green between 2 trees. I tried to chip up high, just trying to get on the green but toed it off the end into the near bunker. John went in the far bunker, we played his. I tried to play a proper bunker shot and did not even get out of the bunker. We ended up taking a 6 on the hole and tying them for the round.

John and I went 44-44, they went 45-43. Great time and I am very pleased with the new clubs and swing path. I had a couple natural pars, looks at a couple more, and I now have the distance to play any yardage respectably and the short clubs to hit the green pretty consistently. I just need to dial in my short game now. Love, love, love the new clubs.