After finding the dam behind the 10th green from the 1st tee, my happiness that my ball was still dry and I could get a club at it soon disappeared as my attempt to get back to the fairway hit a tree, finishing dead against another one. Opting not to take an unplayable, my attempt at "back handing" a 3I wasn't all that flash and when I was still not on the dance floor after my 4th, I was already thinking I should have stayed home in bed. A 2 putt triple bogey 7 resulted. Not at all happy.

Swung driver in anger on the 2nd tee box and blocked my drive right and out onto the adjacent 3rd fairway. Far enough back from the tree line, my 7I from about 150m away, across the trees was well struck and would finish about 10m short. My chip on wasn't the best and 2 more putts meant a bogey 5.

Now back in some form of control, driver from the 3rd tee found the right side of the fairway, but I was blocked by trees and too close to try fade 3W around them. So it was driver again, this time just a half swing punch n run type shot and my ball rolled along through the trees, finding fairway again, now only some 60m from the green. 52° wedge to the green and 2 putts for a par 5. My smile was returning.

A half swing with a 5I saw me find the putting surface in regulation of the par 3 4th. Not at all close, leaving myself a double breaking up and down hill 60 footer. Struck that 1st putt well and the ball would shave the hole in running about 2 feet past. Not my best work though in taking 3 more putts to get the ball in the hole. A 4 putt double bogey 5 after putting my name on the NTP card for the hole. Not good.

Driver from the 5th tee missed the fairway left and the breeze would knock my approach shot down and finish short. Chip on and 2 more putts for another bogey 5.

Given I'd only hit 1 of 4 f/w's with driver, I settled on 3W from the short par 4 6th and struck it sweetly. The ball turned left on the breeze, missing the edge of the green and finishing pin high about 30m from the cup. Chipped the ball to about 10 feet and holed the putt for a birdie 3.

3W again from the Par 5 7th tee found the fairway, long enough to have a crack at the green in 2 across the corner. Again 3W across the corner, struck well but not high enough, the ball flew into the foliage of a tree and out of sight. Not having heard the tell tale crack of hitting solid timber I wandered off into the trees in search of my ball, finding it about 50m from the green under a bushy shrub. Poked at the ball with driver, found the putting surface a long way away and would 3 putt for a bogey 6.

Another half 5I from the tee at the Par 3 8th hole finds the putting surface about 20 feet away, name on the NTP card again, and 2 putts for a reg par 3. Nice.

3W again from the par 4 9th tee found the fairway again about 160m away. Easy 6I finds my 6th GIR in 7 holes and 2 more putts for a reg par 4. Nice again.

Easy 6I from the par 3 10th tee missed the green pin high left, would manage to get up and down for a par 3.

3W again from the par 4 11th tee again finding the fairway about 170m away. Easy 6I wasn't enough club, though well struck, finishing about 20m short. Again managing to get up and down for a par 4.

Another fairway with 3W from the long par 4 12th tee, this time about 190m away. Catch my 3I attempt a little fat and though on line, it too would finish about 20m short. No up & down this time, 2 putting for a bogey 5.

3W again and a 3rd fairway on the trot from the long par 5 13th tee. 3W again looks goodand finishes about 30m short of the green. Chipped on for another GIR and 2 putts for another reg par 5.

3W again from the short dogleg par 4 14th tee just missed the fairway left and my easy 8I in from about 125m looked good in flight, only to finish short of the green. A chip and 2 putts for a bogey 5.

Missed the fairway to the right in amongst the trees from the long par 4 15th tee. No shot to speak of, so it was punch a 3I to try to advance it as best as possible. Just missed the green with 9I from about 100m away and again a chip and 2 putts for a double bogey 6.

Easy 3W from the dogleg par 4 16th tee found the centre of the fairway 110m out. Easy 9I finds another GIR and 2 putts for another reg par 4.

Half a 5I from the par 3 17th tee finds another GIR and again my name goes onto the NTP card and I would make the 20 footer for my 2nd birdie of the day.

3W finds the fairway again from the par 5 18th tee and my 3W 2nd fades badly right and out into the trees about 50m from the green. I'm in a little bit of a clearing, so taking my 60° hit it well, high and pitches on the green and hops forward and just off. From about 20m from the flag I would get up & down for a closing par 5.

Would sign for a gross 82 off the stick (43/39) with 34 putts. 9 f/w's and 9 GIR. Net 69 saw me runner up after a count back.

Pretty happy to shoot net 69 knowing I'd left a few out there.

Thanks for reading
Cheers