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Today is a great day for golf in my life, I shot my first ever round UNDER PAR! I worked today from 10AM-6PM and I figured I would try and squeeze in 18 after work. So 6 o'clock rolled around and I closed up the pro shop, threw my clubs on a cart and went off on #1 (after a quick bucket of balls to get loose). Now my warm up was, to say the least, horrific. I wasn't hitting the ball well at all, and I almost didn't play. But I figured what the heck, its sunny and I got nothing better to do. So off I go, not knowing what lies ahead...

Hole 1: straight away, short par 5, where you can't really hit driver because of the water in play off the tee. Now normally I can't hit 3 wood either but there was a pretty strong wind into my face today so I went for it. Didn't hit it great, but it was in play. I had about 260 left to the center and about 240 to the flag, not wanting to get in trouble I just pulled my hybrid and just hit it to see where it would go. I hit it well, and i ended up about 20 yards short of the flag (220 yard 20* into a wind is pretty solid if you ask me). Long story short, I failed to get up and down for birdie, so a 5 is on the card.

Holes 2 and 3: nothing really happened here, got up and down on both holes (par 4s) and was even after 3.

Hole 4, short par 3: This is where my round changed...something clicked in my swing and from this point on I was on fire. Despite this, I hit an 8 iron 10 yards long from 157 and 2 putted for par. Even through 4, not somewhere I haven't been. In fact I've shot under par for 9 holes numerous times.

Hole 5, short, uphill par 4: Hit a good drive that just found the right rough, but I had a good angle to the front pin placement. Hit PW to about 8 feet, made the putt for birdie.

Hole 6, short, downhill par 4: Hit a bombed drive, hit 60* to about 18 feet and made the putt. Now I'm thinking "wow this is cool, I'm 2 under....wait keep it all under control buddy, you could lose this round fast if you start thinking about score now."

Hole 7, medium length, dog-leg right par 4: I'm pumped that I just went back to back and I want one more, I want to push it to -3. I hit a poor drive, have long iron left into the green, put it on and 2 putt...par.

Hole 8, par 5 with two hazards in play (one off the tee, and one on your second shot): Hit a good drive, good second shot, 2 putted for par.

Hole 9, dog leg right par 4, wind into my face: without a wind, the creek that runs across the fairway isn't in play at all, but with this strong wind today it was. As a result I try and put a little extra into the driver, hit it poorly and I don't get up and down for par.

I shoot a decent -1 (36) on the front side but I'm a bit disappointed about number 9.

Hole 10, long and tough par 3: the pin was in the back today which made the hole longer and harder. I hit a good 5 iron to the back, get a little aggressive with the putt, but make the com backer for par.

Hole 11, reachable par 5: hit a perfect drive, 250 middle and 240 to the flag. I figured I would hit a 20* again, if I'm on cool, if not I'm up and down for birdie. That's exactly what I do, even after hitting the stick on my chip and almost holing out for eagle.

Hole 12, longish, dogleg right par 4: hit a great drive, hit PW 3 yards long and a little let. Just miss the birdie putt, make the 3 footer for par.

Hole 13 medium par 4: hit a bad drive, hit a great recovery shot, get up and down for par.

At this point I'm -2 again with two easy par 4s, two par 3s, and a par 5 that I've birdied like 6 or 7 times in my last 8 rounds. I was feeling confident about my swing and this round. But I didn't want to get too aggressive and have a blow up hole or two so I played it safe. Holes 14 through 17 I just tried to get on in regulation and 2 putt. I did that on every hole except 17, but I got up and down for par.

Hole 18 reachable par 5: I hit a terrible drive, leaving me no hope of getting home in 2, so now I have to hit 2 great shots to make birdie. Hit my 20* again to lay up to about 105 into the wind. Pin was tucked tight to the left, with O.B. all along the left side. Probably the strongest part of my game is my wedges, so this was a green light pin for me, I was going to make a birdie. I took my swing, aiming right at the flag. The contact was crisp, I had a balanced finish as I watched my ball track at the pin. I was thinking "did I just hole out right now?" BAM! The ball lands about 3" from the cup, spins back to about 3 feet and I tap in for birdie. I couldn't believe it. Not only had I just shot my first ever round of 18 holes under par, but I had also just broken 70. Boy what a feeling that was!

This round couldn't come at a better time for me. I've got a tournament on thursday and friday, and the state amateur next month. I just showed myself with this round that I CAN shoot under par, and I left myself enough time to go out and do it more times before the state amateur, where my goal is to take medalist!

Sorry for the long post, but I'm really pumped about today, and I wanted you guys to hear every detail!

Oh and the stats?

FIR: 10/14
GIR: 13/18
Putts: 28