Huapai Golf Course
Friday May 23rd 2008 Huapai Golf Course West Auckland.
Ordinarily I wouldn't go through in such depth about my round but seeing as though we are almost halfway thru the year and this being my 3rd round for the year I figured it prudent for my own personal posterity. On with the story.
Tee off at 10.18am
First Hole: Par 5 - Pulled my 3wood into the trees left, steriotypical how my ball finds itself drawn to them. However I did aim towards them expecting to fade the ball into the middle of the fairway. 5 wood for the second shot is all I could muster to advance the ball and play safe. 9 iron for my second and went right of the green and following shot I cooked over the green chipping on and making a one putt (albeit a very tricky putt) to make par.
Second Hole: Par 4 - topped the ball just past the ladies tee (phew) then smoked a 3wood right and short of the green chipping on with one putt for par, a nice recovery
Third hole: par 3 - My 9 iron contacted with a closed face resulting in my ball pulling way out left leaving an up & down flop shot over a bunker and no green to run with. fell short into the bunker one shot out and two putt for double bogey.
Fourth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver for the first time and smoked it straight down the fairway with a 1/3 52degree wedge to the green - again pulled left but hit the green making my first GIR for the day, 20ft putt falling 1ft short tap in par
Fith Hole: Par 4 - Smoked the driver once again with a lovely draw, 9 iron left of green, chip on with two putt for bogey
Sixth hole: Par 4 - Blocked my drive out right but sitted nicely and shot an 8 iron over a tree falling just short of the green, chip and run up to the hole with one putt for par
Seventh Hole: Par 3 - Had the right club but miscalculated the strength of the wind up up as my 6 iron was pushing the ball into the wind falling short of the green. Chipped on and two putt for bogey. I choked on my first putt and my playing partner forced me to putt first to read my line.
Eigth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver and stepped it up a notch to 80% and faded the ball a little to much rolling just off the fairway but behind a small tree so had to play out safe and advance the ball. I decided to play the next shot safe and play to the centre of the green rather than play over the bunker to the hole. As I swung down on the ball I cut the swing and the ball shot out to the right over the bunker straight at the hole where I stood shocked and confused for a time then elated at the result. I would two putt for bogey after that.
Ninth Hole: Par 4 - a big dog leg to the left I decided to play a 3wood and my driver in past has shot straight through the fairway on previous occasions. My shot was perfect and nice draw around the corner setting me up for a nice angle into the green where I would unfortunately catch it fat and have to play my 3rd onto the green. I was standing over my first putt when a ball flew on to the green from a group behind us totally disrupting my trained focus on the putt and ended up falling short on that putt and two putt for bogey.
Front Nine would be 7 over
Tenth Hole: Par 3 - always a tricky long par 3 I decided to play my 5wood with a 70% smooth swing and fell short of the green. I would catch my chip fat and two putt for double bogey so wasn't happy.
Eleventh Hole: Par 4 - this is the hole we were waiting to play as the green had finally been changed from a rediculous 6 level tiered green to something more reasonable. Pulling driver I shot straight over the hill putting myself in a great position to make an up and down to a raised green at the top of the hill. I would smoke it over the top and chip onto the green. The putt i was then faced is probably the most difficult read and challenge i've ever had to date. I was on the top tier playing to the hole on the lower level. I would have to play my line out to the left so it breaks right to my check point to the edge of the ridge where it would then break a hard left picking up pace towards the hole. I didn't sink it but it did shave the hole and I would tap it in for bogey and I was happy with that given the putt.
twelth hole: Par 4 - pulled 3 wood and fell just short of the green where I would again duff my chip and have to settle with a two putt for par.
Thirtenth Hole: Par 4 - Got a bad read on the fairway and aim to far left thinking the green was located where it eventually worked out Not to be but I shot a nine iron out of the rough over trees to a raised green putting it 3ft from the hole. I would unfortunately choke again and missed the birdy op but took the par.
Fourthenth Hole: Par 4 - Driver fade right running just off fairway where i would put my 52degree wedge short leaving a touch chip which ran way past the hole. I would be left with a long up hill putt for par which i was half a foot out from going in so two putt for bogey.
Fiftenth Hole: Par 4 - disappointing with driver as i was perfect but with one branch from a tree sticking out my ball just had to connect and fall short just short of 200mts leaving me sitting under a long line of low hanging branches forcing me to play a punch shot nice and low. Focussing simply on advancing the ball I chipped on and two putted for bogey.
The closing holes
Sixtenth Hole: Par 3 - shot my 9 iron onto the green and had a tricky right to left break about a foot and a half out to the right for about 8ft. I fell short but made the second for a par.
Sevententh Hole: Par 4 - Smoked my drive to the base of the hill only short of the green chipping up and two put for par
Eightenth Hole : Par 5 - Smoked my drive but hindered by tree's but ok being a par 5 i just had to make my second shot count. 3wood fading out over the lake crossing over the fairway and into the rough with about 145mts to the green. I hand a relatively blind shot so just gripped my 7 iron and ripped it placing it on the green in regulation but left me with a mega long putt of about 30-35ft to hole out for birdy. My pace was perfect however the break from right to left was harder than I anticipated and ended up a foot to the left of hole so was an easy tap in for Par.
So I would close the back 9 6 over par making me 13 over for the day which is my handicap so was wrapped that I could go out after not playing much at all this year and still shoot my handicap. Gives me hope for future rounds.
When your not playing often the first thing to go is your chipping, this is a very technical aspect to the game and to shoot low rounds your short game is where its made. But what I was able to walk away with at the end of the day was the fact that I went the entire round without any 3 putts. That's something I've not been able to do.
Ordinarily I wouldn't go through in such depth about my round but seeing as though we are almost halfway thru the year and this being my 3rd round for the year I figured it prudent for my own personal posterity. On with the story.
Tee off at 10.18am
First Hole: Par 5 - Pulled my 3wood into the trees left, steriotypical how my ball finds itself drawn to them. However I did aim towards them expecting to fade the ball into the middle of the fairway. 5 wood for the second shot is all I could muster to advance the ball and play safe. 9 iron for my second and went right of the green and following shot I cooked over the green chipping on and making a one putt (albeit a very tricky putt) to make par.
Second Hole: Par 4 - topped the ball just past the ladies tee (phew) then smoked a 3wood right and short of the green chipping on with one putt for par, a nice recovery
Third hole: par 3 - My 9 iron contacted with a closed face resulting in my ball pulling way out left leaving an up & down flop shot over a bunker and no green to run with. fell short into the bunker one shot out and two putt for double bogey.
Fourth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver for the first time and smoked it straight down the fairway with a 1/3 52degree wedge to the green - again pulled left but hit the green making my first GIR for the day, 20ft putt falling 1ft short tap in par
Fith Hole: Par 4 - Smoked the driver once again with a lovely draw, 9 iron left of green, chip on with two putt for bogey
Sixth hole: Par 4 - Blocked my drive out right but sitted nicely and shot an 8 iron over a tree falling just short of the green, chip and run up to the hole with one putt for par
Seventh Hole: Par 3 - Had the right club but miscalculated the strength of the wind up up as my 6 iron was pushing the ball into the wind falling short of the green. Chipped on and two putt for bogey. I choked on my first putt and my playing partner forced me to putt first to read my line.
Eigth Hole: Par 4 - Pulled driver and stepped it up a notch to 80% and faded the ball a little to much rolling just off the fairway but behind a small tree so had to play out safe and advance the ball. I decided to play the next shot safe and play to the centre of the green rather than play over the bunker to the hole. As I swung down on the ball I cut the swing and the ball shot out to the right over the bunker straight at the hole where I stood shocked and confused for a time then elated at the result. I would two putt for bogey after that.
Ninth Hole: Par 4 - a big dog leg to the left I decided to play a 3wood and my driver in past has shot straight through the fairway on previous occasions. My shot was perfect and nice draw around the corner setting me up for a nice angle into the green where I would unfortunately catch it fat and have to play my 3rd onto the green. I was standing over my first putt when a ball flew on to the green from a group behind us totally disrupting my trained focus on the putt and ended up falling short on that putt and two putt for bogey.
Front Nine would be 7 over
Tenth Hole: Par 3 - always a tricky long par 3 I decided to play my 5wood with a 70% smooth swing and fell short of the green. I would catch my chip fat and two putt for double bogey so wasn't happy.
Eleventh Hole: Par 4 - this is the hole we were waiting to play as the green had finally been changed from a rediculous 6 level tiered green to something more reasonable. Pulling driver I shot straight over the hill putting myself in a great position to make an up and down to a raised green at the top of the hill. I would smoke it over the top and chip onto the green. The putt i was then faced is probably the most difficult read and challenge i've ever had to date. I was on the top tier playing to the hole on the lower level. I would have to play my line out to the left so it breaks right to my check point to the edge of the ridge where it would then break a hard left picking up pace towards the hole. I didn't sink it but it did shave the hole and I would tap it in for bogey and I was happy with that given the putt.
twelth hole: Par 4 - pulled 3 wood and fell just short of the green where I would again duff my chip and have to settle with a two putt for par.
Thirtenth Hole: Par 4 - Got a bad read on the fairway and aim to far left thinking the green was located where it eventually worked out Not to be but I shot a nine iron out of the rough over trees to a raised green putting it 3ft from the hole. I would unfortunately choke again and missed the birdy op but took the par.
Fourthenth Hole: Par 4 - Driver fade right running just off fairway where i would put my 52degree wedge short leaving a touch chip which ran way past the hole. I would be left with a long up hill putt for par which i was half a foot out from going in so two putt for bogey.
Fiftenth Hole: Par 4 - disappointing with driver as i was perfect but with one branch from a tree sticking out my ball just had to connect and fall short just short of 200mts leaving me sitting under a long line of low hanging branches forcing me to play a punch shot nice and low. Focussing simply on advancing the ball I chipped on and two putted for bogey.
The closing holes
Sixtenth Hole: Par 3 - shot my 9 iron onto the green and had a tricky right to left break about a foot and a half out to the right for about 8ft. I fell short but made the second for a par.
Sevententh Hole: Par 4 - Smoked my drive to the base of the hill only short of the green chipping up and two put for par
Eightenth Hole : Par 5 - Smoked my drive but hindered by tree's but ok being a par 5 i just had to make my second shot count. 3wood fading out over the lake crossing over the fairway and into the rough with about 145mts to the green. I hand a relatively blind shot so just gripped my 7 iron and ripped it placing it on the green in regulation but left me with a mega long putt of about 30-35ft to hole out for birdy. My pace was perfect however the break from right to left was harder than I anticipated and ended up a foot to the left of hole so was an easy tap in for Par.
So I would close the back 9 6 over par making me 13 over for the day which is my handicap so was wrapped that I could go out after not playing much at all this year and still shoot my handicap. Gives me hope for future rounds.
When your not playing often the first thing to go is your chipping, this is a very technical aspect to the game and to shoot low rounds your short game is where its made. But what I was able to walk away with at the end of the day was the fact that I went the entire round without any 3 putts. That's something I've not been able to do.
posted by Mike J. Stark @ 9:57 am
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