Record Setting & Tiring Weekend

This weekend was flat-out tiring. In fact, I'm actually slightly sick. Was just non-stop running around after golf in the mornings and I'm feeling run-over.

Saturday I played with Harry and Gary. None of us played particularly well. My driver was OK, irons were not very good and my putting was solid. I couldn't score, so shot 83. Lost a match to Harry (again) and tied Gary. I'm ok with that.

Sunday my alarm went off at 6:45. I felt like a bag of shit. Unfortunately, drinking the night before and early morning golf do not mix well, at least for me. I could feel my drinks are I rolled out of bed and threw on some clothes that weren't dirty or wrinkled. I boot over to the club for a 7:15 tee time with Harry and Mike K. Mike is our former club champion, great player and is playing a match with Harry. Both like to chirp so I asked to be in the group to watch the fireworks.

With about 5 minutes to spare I hit the putting green. We have this one green with the half-sized holes so you have to make putts dead centre. I was making a lot of them. 10 footers, 15 footers, quite a few. Didn't think much of it but the stroke felt good.

I'm going to detail the round a bit for posterity. It was memorable.

We started on the back nine, #10.

I started off Birdie, Par, Bogey. Pretty typical for that stretch. Made a nice putt on #10 for birdie otherwise nothing serious.

#13 was a par, #14 I left a 6 foot sidehill right to lefter and made it to go to -1. Then bogey'd #15 after almost hitting it in the water on the approach and having to hit into the green from a steep sidehill lie. Even Par still.

#16 was played in the normal fashion, lay up to the bottom and a wedge into the green. Made a nice putt there for birdie and I'm back to one under. #17 I hit it in the bunker left as usual, and made a nice sand shot leaving a 4 footer which I made to stay there. Sweet. #18 was a nice drive followed by a decent choke down 7i into the wind leaving a 14 footer which just missed.

It was a good start. -1 on the back nine I'll take any day. At this point I'm thinking my swing is pretty smooth and i'm feeling no pressures, just having fun.

I start off #1 with a rescue into the rough left. I chased an easy PW into the green from 120 yards leaving an uphill right to left 10 foot putt. It went down and I'm -2. #2 was a 2 putt par, and so was #3.

I'm now 2-under, 6 holes to go. #4 the pin was tucked middle and tight to the right protected by trees. I opted to try and hit a high fade at the middle which naturally for me became a slight draw so I'm 40+ feet away. However, my putting is good today so I make a nice lag and have an easy 1-foot par putt. #5 is a nice drive down the middle leaving 176. I hit a good 6i slight draw and leave it 12 feet away. Drained that with my trusty putting device and I'm -3 with 4 to go. #6 was a solid drive followed by a great layup. My wedge into the green was a bit disappointing and left a 20 foot putt at least. I was not able to make it but made the Par.

#7's pin was back right. My iron ended around 20 feet away, pin high. Two putts and moving on. #8 was my last real birdie chance. My drive ballooned in the wind slightly and ended up short of the right bunker. I knocked a shot to the bottom and had 115 into the pin. My wedge ended up 15 feet away (tough wind) and I could not make the slider.

Ok, #9. Tough 450 yard par 4 playing slightly downwind. My drive ballooned again right and ended up on the netting of the driving range (ground under repair). I took my drop and my 4i fell just short of the green and left. As I lined up my chip, Harry said "Don't be a f*cking pussy" and Mike also said "Be Aggressive". I was feeling no pressure as my chip jumped up, checked and finished 3 feet past -- a nice chip.

So there I am. Putter in hand, 3 feet to go for a record round. In the past, my thought at this point would be "don't miss, don't miss" but this day it was "I want this, you can make this" and there was never a doubt as my putter struck it true and it fell into the heart of the hole.

MY NEW PERSONAL RECORD: My Home Course - Black Tees - 69
GIR: 15/18 (that might have helped)

Congrats to Harry for beating Mike. Great match from an entertainment point of view and from a golf perspective as well. Very back and forth on both accounts I hope to see you in the Langley finals.

Harry's got a pool going on what Matt will shoot at Riviera. I'm going to say 80 and he will claim to have played well to shoot it. Lucky bastard.

Comments

Harris said…
Great round Cal. If I wasn't so focused on trying to make 1 foot putts I would have been more into it. I didn't even realize how low you were untill the last hole.

By the way, thanks for the talk after #8.
Matt said…
Congratulations on breaking 70! Awesome accomplishment!
Schaubs said…
Congrats indeed. Glad to see there is another one of many poker/golfers out there.

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