Fresh off my near miss, I went a few days between chances to play. I had a double lesson, spent some time working on chipping.
Mostly I was working on air time v roll time, I carefully paced it off, marked down in my book how every club from 6 iron through 55 degree went...then left the book by the green I was practicing at. Oops.
So nearly a week after my good play and just a day after my racquetballing, I headed out. Fir-Gir-par. Should have had the birdie, missed about a 5'er that just lipped out. Then I shanked right behind trees, no view of the green, somehow managed to roll around an elecrical box and get just onto the green, a 2-putt bogey. I feel like I am playing well.
I feel wrong as I promptly hook the 4h left over the houses, then hit a nice drive to 40' from the green. Then I chip twice to 5 yards from the green...and chip that in. Hmm. a zero putt 6...
then my 7 wood gets loose. I think the first may be gone, hit a provisional...left over houses. If you have seen that hole you know how bad that is. Then right over the clubhouse again. I give up, walk up...and find my first one behind and under a tree. I manufacture a shot to fairway center, get on in 3, in in 6. 2 lost balls that did not matter...a big score that did.
And so forth until I par 7 and 8, then get all sorts of loose on 9. A 46 going out. Not good.
I then go way right with the 4H. I am struggling with it today. I beautiful 7 iron gives me a chance at a scramble, but a poor chip and missed putt lead to a bogey. Then I bogey 11. And 12 (Fir-Gir Bogey :-( ), and 13.
The 167 yard, tree lined par 3 I decide to play my 7 iron. If I had gotten any roll I might have made an ace because I stuck it 3' short dead on line for the pin, it bounced about 2" according to the ballmark. birdie. Nice!
Bit of a wait, got joined by Jennifer, very nice lady who was struggling a bit.
I hit a fantastic drive but had tree issues. Tried draw around it but hit it straight, clipped a limb. Shorted 2 chips, then went long...a 7. ouch.
Then went way right with the 4H, landing 150 from green well right, just inbounds. Stuck the 8 iron just beyond the cup and got a birdie. 2 birdies in one round...it is now a good round.
Good thing I decided that because I backed it up with sticking 2 4 H ob, switching to my driver, going 240 down left side, taking a 9.
And then driver ob right, long right but right of 1, bad chips, another 9 for a 49.
95 for the day but I don't care...two birdies.
Thursday
Saturday
Round 35: Made IT! except, not really...
I started off killing it. Hole 1 was a Fir-Gir-Par. Textbook with my 4 Hybrid being a solid 260ish yards, my 10ish yard chip leaving me a long makeable putt I did not feel bad about missing, and the decent leave letting me par it.
On 2 I was a bit right and went beyond the far side with my mis-chip. But then a nice lag from the fringe lipped out and I tapped in for bogey from less than a foot.
On 3 I put the ball just off the left fringe with the drive. A poor chip left lots of work and the frist putt was well short but I rolled in the longish second for a par. A second Fir-Gir-Par.
Next on the 196 yard par 3 I had to wait for a father-daughter group. She was maybe 5 or 6 and they were playing SUPER slow. Anyway I was pin high about 10 yards right of the green. Of course I could not stick the chip. I still should have made the putt but lipped it out. Still a bogey.
Then the famous 167 yard par 3. I actually mishit the tee shot, taking ground prior to the tee. perhaps for the best as I was pin high left of the green maybe 19 yards. I then chipped really well for a change, reading the green well and leaving a very makeable putt which I then made for par.
So I started this round par-bogey-par-bogey-par. And for those paying attention, I finished the last 4 holes of my last round par-birdie-par-bogey. So over the last 9 holes I have shot a 2-over 36 which is pretty spectacular for me. Now I just need to finish strong.
I then top my drive 5 yards past the red tees. I follow up by topping my 7 wood, hitting the tree in center of the fairway and getting a break that ricochets it into the center of the fairway 56 yards from the green. Nothing i cannot make worse by picking my 55 degree clean, ball flies OB. Drop for 5, this one lands front fringe. On in 6. Leave the first putt 6' short but hit that. Yay, one decent shot on the hole for a snowman. I just scored as many as any two prior holes...
Then the tee shot is topped again, barely scuttling past the red tees. Then I launch it ob, drop, etc...lets skip to the end. After that great start I finish 8-8-5-7. 28 and 19 is a 47..."only" 6 shots worse. But they were a painful 6...
On 2 I was a bit right and went beyond the far side with my mis-chip. But then a nice lag from the fringe lipped out and I tapped in for bogey from less than a foot.
On 3 I put the ball just off the left fringe with the drive. A poor chip left lots of work and the frist putt was well short but I rolled in the longish second for a par. A second Fir-Gir-Par.
Next on the 196 yard par 3 I had to wait for a father-daughter group. She was maybe 5 or 6 and they were playing SUPER slow. Anyway I was pin high about 10 yards right of the green. Of course I could not stick the chip. I still should have made the putt but lipped it out. Still a bogey.
Then the famous 167 yard par 3. I actually mishit the tee shot, taking ground prior to the tee. perhaps for the best as I was pin high left of the green maybe 19 yards. I then chipped really well for a change, reading the green well and leaving a very makeable putt which I then made for par.
So I started this round par-bogey-par-bogey-par. And for those paying attention, I finished the last 4 holes of my last round par-birdie-par-bogey. So over the last 9 holes I have shot a 2-over 36 which is pretty spectacular for me. Now I just need to finish strong.
I then top my drive 5 yards past the red tees. I follow up by topping my 7 wood, hitting the tree in center of the fairway and getting a break that ricochets it into the center of the fairway 56 yards from the green. Nothing i cannot make worse by picking my 55 degree clean, ball flies OB. Drop for 5, this one lands front fringe. On in 6. Leave the first putt 6' short but hit that. Yay, one decent shot on the hole for a snowman. I just scored as many as any two prior holes...
Then the tee shot is topped again, barely scuttling past the red tees. Then I launch it ob, drop, etc...lets skip to the end. After that great start I finish 8-8-5-7. 28 and 19 is a 47..."only" 6 shots worse. But they were a painful 6...
Wednesday
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!
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!
Rounds 30-33
Played 18, shot a 97. Not good but birdied the last, had 3 pars and a birdie on 9. Drive was mid-length and left. With ball below my feet and tree sort of in way, took it from 75 yards to 4 feet and made the birdie putt to end the round.
Shot a 42, had a birdie on hole 3, par on 5 and 9. that was back to back rounds with a birdie.
Shot a 49 with pars on 3 and 8.
Shot a 42, had a birdie on hole 3, par on 5 and 9. that was back to back rounds with a birdie.
Shot a 49 with pars on 3 and 8.
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