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Monthly Medal round from the bricks and also a qualifying round for our President’s Cup knock out match play title, where the top 15 qualifiers plus last years winner go into a 4 week knock out match play event. So, today’s strategy was to keep the ball on the short grass and hopefully chip and putt well.
From the first tee, the plan was adhered to almost to the letter. 4 iron from the tee rifle straight down the left side of the fairway to about 120m away. 9 iron 2nd found the putting surface, pin high about 20 feet right. My birdie attempt was on line the whole trip and died about a foot short. Tap in regulation par.
My right foot slipped and I pulled my tee shot on the second into the trees left and had to recover to the fairway about 160m away with my second. I was not wearing my spikes as I’d gotten tied up in a discussion about our upcoming Pennant season and almost missed my tee time (still no excuses) and was still wearing my runners. Another foot slip on the downswing of my 3rd and the ball again sailed straight left to finish pin high, but well left of the flag. From there it was a chip and 2 putts for a 7.
Nicely struck 1 iron from the third tee got me back on my plan, but finished right side of the fairway which meant trees had to be taken into account for my second shot. Set up for the deliberate fade around these trees and chunked it a little fat and it would fly low and rolled out to the left side of the fairway about 100m away, no harm done. Choked down on my wedge for my 3rd shot and it was on the pin the whole way and I was stunned when it flew the green completely and into the waiting tea trees behind. No sign of it at all in any of the trees and ultimately would have to call it lost in the creek behind the trees. Fighting the mist, took my penalty drop and flew an angry lob wedge about 20m over the green. From there, I managed to get up and down for another 7.
Missed the 4th green pin high left, in some deep cabbage. Hacked the next one short of the green, then chipped on and 2 putted for a double bogey 5.
At this point, I recall thinking my day was done…
At 7 over the card through 4 holes, we had a bit of a wait on the 5th tee and I had some time to review and resolved it was only 2 or 3 poor shots that had cost me to date and that I should just enjoy the balance of the round and see what happened.
Rifle straight 1 iron bisected the fairway and left me about 100m to the flag, wedge second found the green about 25 feet away, 2 putts for another par.
Another good 1 iron from the short par 4 6th tee finished about 10m short of the green and from there I would get up and down, making a 10 foot birdie putt.
Took Driver for my tee shot on 7. Struck well but faded a little right to finish just in the light rough under a tree. With no full shot, I had to poke an iron to try to recover to the fairway. The ball caught the sole low hanging branch and flew left out onto the fairway leaving me with over 200m to go. Nicely struck 4 iron across the corner got me to centre of the fairway, about 20m short of the green. From there, it was a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 6.
6 iron tee shot on the par 3 8th was on line all the way, though finding the green, it was well short of the hole. Happily, would manage to 2 putt for par.
Another well struck 1 iron found the fairway about 160m away. Caught my 6 iron 2nd a little fat and it finished about 15m short in front of the green. Managed to clip the ball with the toe of the wedge in taking a couple of practice swings at the chip and knocked the ball about 6 feet forwards. Still shaking my head, I then knocked that second chip stone dead and tapped in for a bogey 5.
So, at the turn, it was 8 over the card 44 off the stick (after having been 7 over thru 4) with 15 putts. 5 of 7 Fairways was pleasing, though, then to only hit 4 of 9 greens in reg brought me back to earth a bit. The bottom line was I’d managed to “stop the bleeding”, as it were and was now looking forward to the back 9.
Opened the back 9 with 2 straight 2 putt bogies and when I was standing over a yet another 15 footer for par on the 12th, I put some extra pressure on myself by telling myself I was due to hole one and this was it. Well, I would roll that 15 footer about 2 feet past and, thanks to that added pressure alone, I recall feeling more disappointment than I had on any previous hole and proceeded to 3 putt from 2 feet
3 more 2 putt bogies followed and after a poor tee shot from the 16th, pulled left into the trees, I could only manage a 2 putt double bogey 6.
My tee shot to the par 3 17th would find the putting surface, only some 15 feet away and 2 more putts for a par brought the smile back to my face.
Thinking I was nowhere near it, I took driver from the last and cold topped it only about 50m down the fairway. A well struck 3 iron then got me to the 150m marker and my 7 iron 3rd was all over the pin in flight before dying off left and finishing pin high about 15m from the flag. From there I would manage to get up and down, holing a 10 footer for par.
So, it was a positive finish to an ungainly round that saw me sign for a net 75 and qualify for the President’s Trophy event starting next week. I have drawn our Club Handicapper, who plays off 10, in the first round and am looking forward to the match.
As always, thanks for reading.
Cheers
