Round 34: So close!

My goal is to break 40. I did it once many years ago at Gearhart. With a 29. There is some question in my mind if I really did it. Naturally I would rather do it on a par 36, but I will take what i can get.

Today went out, nobody ahead of me, took 2 practice hits with 8 iron and stepped up to the whites at King City. My 4 Hybrid was pure, with that right to left ball movement leaving me about 45 yards from the green. A nice soft 55 degree to about 8 foot, a 2-putt. Starting with a par is always nice. A Fir-Gir-Par is nice too.

The 178 yard par 3 I am generally right. My 7 wood was pin high just off the green about 5 yards right. I tried the wrist hinge but much too much force, went off green on far side...when pin was right next to where I went wide right. This time I put it about 4' away and 1-putted for bogey. Would have preferred the par I should have scored...but that is a shot I struggle with.

Despite there having been nobody ahead of me when I first arrived...changed clothes...took a couple practice swings...played two holes...I was now waiting on people. Uh oh.

On to the 249 par 4. My drive was about 200 yards, slightly left edge of fairway. I went back to the 55 degree but picked it clean. It ended up in the 4th hole tee box across the street I later discovered. Drop, put it on front edge of green, 2-putt for a 6. Oops. One swing cost 2 strokes. But...here is the encouraging part. I have that 45 yard shot in my bag. It is reasonable to think I can and should routinely par or even birdie this hole.

Now for the par 3 178 yarder. My 7 wood came out again and was slightly right and short. I then overhit the green, my chip back left me a 4ish footer which I hit for the bogey. Again...poor close-in work meant what should have been a scramble par was a bogey. But it is CLOSE.

Now the 167 yard par 3 with trees steady right and interspersed left. I took my 6 iron....and would have hit the houses behind the green because I CRUSHED it. Now I had to come 20 yards back to the green under a limb. I left it short, then was too far from the pin from just off the fringe. A 2-putt and my 2nd double of the day. I did not feel like I was playing awful...but I was not playing well, either. On my way to a forgettable round.

My troubling 277 yard par 4. I have played it much better with the draw. I hammered the drive, but clipped the last tree branch, losing probably 10-15 yards. Still, I was 75 yards from the green, left side of fairway and clear shot at it. A nice smooth 50 degree put me pin high on right-center of green. I left the first putt 5' short but rolled the second in for a par.; Hey, a second FIR-GIR-Par. Nice!

Now the par 4 that masquerades as a 5. My drive I was all tense on the swing and was short and left. I was maybe 165 from the green, left of fairway, tree issue. Worse, the 2 guys in front of me spent several minutes practicing chips from just off the green while I stewed over my shot. I was ready to hit into them when they finally moved on. I pulled the 7 iron and tried a deliberate draw. It worked, sort of...I was beyond the green 5 or 10 yards after hitting the back edge with a beautiful draw. this time I left the chip about 4' from the cup and 1-putted for the birdie*. yeah, it is a par on most courses...I will count it as a birdie. And on this course, that is a second consecutive FIR-GIR, topped by a BIR.

On the 284 yard 8 I hit a nice draw that left me about 75 yards off the green. My 50 degree put me pin high right side of the green. Another putt left short4ish feet but I made that for a third consecutive FIR-GIR-Par or better. Wow!

On the 292 yard par 4 I got under it a little bit but still put it dead center fairway with the  4 hybrid. This time the 50 degree was about 4 yards short. But a nice chip left me a very makeable 3' putt to A) deliver a 4th consecutive FIR-GIR-Par+ and B) break 40.

naturally I got in my own head, missed it, frustrated missed the next shot and 3-putted to end with a 41.

Still the best front I have had and I now know I am capable of doing it. I was almost there.

Then I rushed my drive and pushed it way right...right of the 1st fairway, in fact. A 7-iron landed right of the green but pin high. Unfortunately a poor chip was followed by a 3-putt. The sadness of the missed 41 actually helped me start a meltdown.

The 178 yard par 3 saw my 7 wood go high, straight...and long. Again a low limb meant 6 iron chip, but short, 3 to get on, 1 to get in. Bogey, not horrible. Now waiting on a twosome.

I outdid the first time I played the 249 hole, landing about 35 yards from the green. Confident, I took the 55 degree, stepped up...and totally chunked it about 10 yards. I started thinking about going to the Avengers II< Age of Ultron. I got barely on the front frnge with the next chip and 2-putted for a bogey. Not horrible...but could have been so much better!

It started sprinkling on me about this time.

The 196 yard par 3 saw my 7 wood land short this time, though not horribly so. I hit a nice chip and was a couple feet from the putt. I rushed it a bit to get out of rain and...missed the gimme. Another putt but what should have been a par was a bogey.

It continued to rain, I was waiting on the other guys...I waled off and went to the Avengers.

So close to breaking 40. I can do it this year!