Playing Golf 1/8

Course: Little Bennett
Score: ??? (more on that later)
Best Club: 3 wood
Worst Club: Driver
Highlights: Scoring par on the par-3 8^th hole.
Lowlights: Losing two three balls on the par-5 14^th (also, more on that later)

Here’s a Golfing Negro rule. If it is January, the high temperature is in the 60s and I am not working, I’m playing golf.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t set a tee time, although most courses frown on tee times for singles. When I got to the Little Bennett clubhouse and announced I was a single with no tee time, I was told I could fit in with the group going to the tee right now. Whoops, no warm up. No problem, I though. I’ve been using the Birdieballs in the backyard; my swing will be fine.

While positive thinking is a good thing, it is not infallible. While I wasn’t hideous, most of my approach irons were pushed to the right and the driver was less than Fred Funk straight.

I wasn’t playing well, but I was having fun. That is, until the 14^th hole. It is a 500+ yard par-5 that doglegs left. It also, thanks to mounds on the left side, is a blind shot to get to the green. After putting two balls in the woods to the left (thanks to pulls most likely due to adjusting my hand position with the driver off the tee to hit a draw), I dropped past the Titleist eating ravine and hit hybrid onto the fairway. At 250 yards out, I hit a low draw with my 3-wood that a playing partner said would end up really good. I never found the ball, and just gave up for the hole. The next hole is a 215 yard par-3; downhill but into the wind. I hit a 5-iron that was going right for the pin. No one in the foursome could see the ball land, but the thought was it certainly wasn’t long and most likely was just short of the green if not on it. I couldn’t find that ball either. Losing balls from bad swings is understandable. Losing balls from good swings is mind numbing to the point I didn’t want to keep score anymore. Not that that USGA was going to want a copy of the scorecard due to my excellence anyway.

It is good thing I enjoyed myself, as winter is coming back to the Washington DC area. So long playing golf until the end of March.

Playing Golf 7/14

Course: Glenn Dale Golf Club
Score: 106 (not counting numerous mulligans off the tee)
Best Club: None
Worst Club: All clubs were equally bad
Highlights: Hitting the Par 4 4th hole in regulation with a drive over the water and a wedge to 5 feet. Parring the 4th and the 6th on the front side.
Lowlights: Three putting the Par 4 3rd after hitting the green in regulation. Hitting four straight fat shots on the Par4 13th.
Summary: Played the front nine with my brother-in-law Derek and his cousin. The back nine was just Derek and I. Once again, I play a course without warmup, leading to an 8 on the Par 4 1st. Started to get my act together in the middle of the front, only to lose it again on the back nine.

I had played Glenn Dale once before and the only things I remembered about it were you couldn’t hit driver on the driving range and the greens were tough. After playing it again, I want to go back. It is a shorter course than I am used to, but it isn’t easy by a long shot. If I had a decent day with the hybrid off the tee (most of the Par 4 holes are under 400 yards, I would have scored much better.

I have got to carve out some time for iron practice if I ever expect to break 100 again.

Playing Golf 7/4

Course: Poolesville
Score: 109 through 17 holes (Front: 53; Back: 56 through 8 holes)
Best Club: 19 degree hybrid
Worst Club: Driver
Highlights: Par on the Par 4 15th. Hitting the 220 yard Par3 3rd green in regulation. Getting to wear my new Jim Furyk-esque red button down camp style shirt.











Lowlights: Losing two straight balls on the Par 4 10th hole with dead pulls off the tee. Forgetting how to play golf for the majority of the back 9.
Summary: Went out early today to beat the heat, ended up teeing off around 7am. The first warm up swing with the driver went straight and long, which I though was a good omen. I was wrong.

At the first tee I quickly realized I was the worst player of the foursome (a squibed drive that only tricked on the fairway due to the dry status of the course was a hint). This actually is a good thing for me; it forces me to focus on making good shots so I don't embarrass myself. While I didn't do particularly well on the front nine, I was able to keep up. The majority of my mistakes (all shots off the tee with the driver, the majority of irons) were pushes to the right. I bogeyed four of the nine front holes, which is a good score for me. I three putted three times, which isn't good for me.

As I approached the 10th tee, I thought 'at least I haven't lost any balls'. I was prepared to say that out loud but stopped so I wouldn't jinx myself. Too late, as I pull the first drive out of bounds left. Okay, reload and try again. Another pull, another ball lost. That seemed to knock the wind out of my sails and I was useless for the next four holes (it is possible the increasing heat or me running out of gas walking my fat ass around the course had something to do with it). I did decide to hit hybrid on par 4 holes under 400 yards; that lead to par (which could have been a birdie if I didn't miss a 5 foot putt) and bogey on holes 14 and 15 respectively. Then back to pulling as I lose tee shots into the trees left on the par4 16th (with the hybrid) and the Par 3 17th (with a 6 iron). After pulling the tee shot on the 18th, then following it up by hitting the ground before the ball on the second tee shot, I just gave up keeping score and hit three lousy irons before getting to the green and putting my out of my misery.

After today's debacle, I've realized the following:

• I need to practice lat least once a week. If the only time I swing clubs is when I am playing or warming up, I'll never get any kind of consistency. I don't know when I would be able to hit the range, but if I want to get better, especially with my iron play, which once was the strength of my game, I have to put some work in.
• For now on, I will be using the hybrid for all par 4 holes under 400 yards. I get that club out at least 220 yards most of the time and I am much more consistent with it than I am with the driver. The extra yards the driver gives me on the short holes doesn't outweigh putting the ball in the fairway more with the hybrid. If I haven't said this before, I'll say it again; unless someone is paying you to put your name on your golf bag, you need a hybrid.
• If health or vanity reasons aren't enough, I need to lose some weight to improve my stamina walking a golf course. The fact that I wrote the previous sentence after coming back from an Independence Day barbecue where beef ribs, burgers, hot dogs and soda were consumed proves man is not a logical animal.

The next time I am scheduled to play is a company nine hole outing 7/12. Hopefully, I swing the clubs at least once between now and then.

Playing Golf 6/23

Course: Northwest Park
Score: 105 (Front: 55; Back: 50)
Best Club: 19 degree hybrid
Worst Club: Putter
Highlights: Birdie on the Par 3 12th hole. Par on the Par 4 5th hole.
Lowlights: Three putting the Par 5 8th and the Par 4 18th after reaching each green in regulation.
Summary: Started out slowly with two triple bogeys then two double bogeys. I hit good shots with the driver on the 5th, 10th, 16th and 17th, which is good for me. Had a horrible day with the putter, which has been my best club recently. Constantly short with putts. Shanked a ball off the tee at the Par 3 15th so bad, I said out loud I couldn't do worse if I spit the ball out of my mouth. Walked the course and the legs are sore.

105 is the best score for the year. If I can get more consistent with my irons (I'm convinced the driver will always be consistent) and put like I have a pair, I should be able to break 100 this season. I've only done it once before, coincedentally at Northwest.