Twilight

No vampires or werewolves in sight but it was still slightly eerie scampering around a deserted golf course trying to cram in as many holes as possible. The old me would have gone to the range but what I need right now is as much time on course as possible. With the lack of opportunity to play this weekend I grabbed the six holes I got today with both hands.

I didn't get off to the best of starts, though that is hardly surprising. No warm up, no stretching just ball down, hybrid out, practice swing, duff. The pitching wedge shot that followed went horribly left and I had a tricky shot through a number of trees, past a bunker to the green. I made the right shot selection but took the wrong club. Hitting a bumped 8 iron I caught it too well and the ball rolled off the other side. My next chip was spot on for weight and left a simple tap in. I may have scored 5 but the signs for my short game were encouraging, and a double bogey is still worth two stableford points.

Another wild swipe on the second and ball disappears out of play to the right, the second ball is duffed. Maybe I should have gone to the range. Two decent blows put me within 50 yards and I chose another low running shot, and though it was long again (too much club) the shot selection and execution were good. I walked off with an 8. Poor tee shot on the 3rd found a bush but another good chip gave me a chance for bogey. Missed putt, but another good chip, hmmm. Wild slice right off the tee on 4 followed by a tricky second into a strong wind. Left myself a little chip on and again I hit it well and left myself a 12 footer to save par. Missed it but walked off with a bogey and 3 points.

All this brings me to the moral of the story. My swing had been ropey thus far and my tee shot on the 5th wasn't great either, sliced off to right, hit a bunker and looped out. I had hit eleven full shots by this stage, at the range I would just have found my groove. I wouldn't however, have had the opportunity to practice the range of short game shots and putts to dig myself out of the hole. I wouldn't have been able to scramble. Anyway I digress. There I am on the 5th 204 yards off the tee with a tail wind. I had wasted a good opportunity to get further up the fairway, instead I was in the rough with a difficult lie, slightly downhill from the lip of the bunker.

This called for caution so I hit a smooth 6 iron and though it felt good I lost it in the failing light. I strode up the fairway and caught sight of it in the first cut rough on the left of the fairway. GPS said 200 yards to the centre of the green, the lie was good. Wind behind I pulled out the 4 iron and hit it beautifully. That felt great but I had no idea where it had gone. As I approached the dancefloor, the pin was toward the front and I caught sight of a little white blob at the back of the green. 216 yards, arrow straight I was more than chuffed now, I was brimming. Should've taken a 5 iron I chuckled to myself. I saw the line on the putt straight away, lined it up and sent it on its way. About ten foot from the hole the break kicked in and it curved beautifully into the cup. This hole is our SI 1 and measures over 580 yards. I'd hit a poor tee shot and made birdie. I've never birdied that hole before or drained a 60 foot putt or scored 5 points on a hole. Screw the range this is brilliant!

Yes, ok I had a stinker on the 6th, but I did hit a beautiful chip to four feet. Yes I missed the putt, but that didn't matter. I learnt more about my game in playing those six holes than I would have got from six hours at the range. When I can I'll be hitting the course over the range all the time. Obviously I am ecstatic with that birdie, but what I am most happy with is my short game. A major improvement!

33 (23)
5(3), 8(5), 5(3), 5(4), 4(5), 6(3)