[mealiusarses]

Finally our club championship is rolling around, later than usual this year. I am especially looking forward to the tournament because last year I threw my back out 2 days before the event and had to WD, as I was absolutely unable to swing a club. Two days after the tournament I was well and playing. ARRRGGHHH! And to make it worse, the scoring was such that , well, let's just say it was very winnable.

This year should be great, as the course looks awesome and the weather should be exceptional. I wish I was playing like I did all summer, but my last few rounds have been rather indifferent at best. Still, golf is a funny game and it can all click in with a few nice shots. I have won my club championship 10 times, but now at 57 it has been 10 years since #10. I still play in the open division - I am not interested in a Senior championship. I had a great chance 3 years back, when I tied in regulation and lost on the fifth hole of the playoff. I stuck it within 2 feet on the first playoff hole, but my opponent (also my best golfing buddy) got his within 6 feet and we matched birdies and matched pars to the 5th hole - there we had identical 3.5 foot par putts - his ball stopped against my marker - and I went first and missed when the straight read broke left - he said had he gone first he would have also played it straight and missed.

The club championship has always been the biggest golf event of my year. I am not the player I used to be but I have my moments and no one in the field is that much stronger than me, so I go in thinking I still have a shot at it.

[wepoiyub]

good luck! Go get um!

[endulundaSauh]

Good luck and I'll be rooting for you!

[XU8i6ysK]

Good luck Sam! I'm pulling for you.

Fairways and Greens and don't beat yourself. Like Dr. Bob says... "stay in the present" and concentrate on the most important shot of the tournament - the next one!

[mealiusarses]

Today I got my lunch at the golf course and checked out pairings and tee times. The whole field is going out in threesomes. I have a good pairing and time - I go at 0918, paired with two guys that play in my weekend gaggle. One of them I have known for years, and played pretty well (74) earlier this year when we were paired in the one stroke play event I have played this year. The other guy is new here, and I played with him last Saturday for the first time - he seems like a great guy and a good player and actually I am considering asking him if he would like to become the fourth in our regular Saturday foursome, a spot that has been empty for over a year now. The weather report is for lows around 50 and highs in the low 80's with light wind, so it will be delightful.

[nAKMzyBN]

Good luck!!!


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[strongjannabiz]

good luck bud.... what course and whats ur handicap?

feel better

[mealiusarses]

good luck bud.... what course and whats ur handicap?

feel better

Gordon Lakes at Fort Gordon, GA, a 27 holes facility, the original 18 by Robert Trent Jones. We will be playing the original front 9 and the new 9. I am currently a 1.8 hcp.

[mealiusarses]

The day arrived and I managed to stay relatively healthy. I warmed up on the range and everything felt pretty normal. Then we headed for the first tee. We started on the Island View 9, with a par 4 that has a tee shot that I always think is one of the toughest on the course - there is swampy hazard on both sides, and a crossing creek (that is too close to really be a factor), and a sharp left dogleg heading well uphill, and a huge penal bunker on the far side of the dogleg. Add in hitting directly into the low morning sun, and the tee shot is challenging - I had been thinking about it for 2 days since I found out thats where we would start. I stepped up and hit my 3W perfectly, at the 150 marker with a draw, and wound up at 145 in the left fairway - WHEW! That led to an easy par. At the second I put 3W in the fairway again, but this time pulled my approach into the front bunker - a nice out stopped at 7 feet and I holed the par. My 3rd hole tee ball got a bit right and into the fairway bunker, and from 167 I left a 6I out in front. I chipped poorly (a bug landed on my ball during my backswing), and missed the 8 foot par attempt. At #4 I smacked a good drive and put my 9I approach on at 18 feet, but just missed low and parred. #5 I hit another nice drive, just in the right rough but only 115 out - my approach was on but about 30 feet short of the rear pin, and from there I had a miserable 3 putt for bogey. At the island green #6, I blocked 8I right into the lake, but I pitched to 8 feet from the drop area at 70 yds, and sank the bogey putt. I was +3 thru 6, but the bogey save actually buoyed my spirits. A long drive at the par 5 7th left 213 home; I hit 3H just left of the pin but it kicked off and into a horrid lie, a bit of a hole in the deep bermuda rough - I was not 25 feet from the hole, but had to pop that chip strongly to assure I didn't hit it just a few feet, and left 12 feet for birdie - I read left edge and putted it right there, but it stayed dead straight and slid over the lip - par. #8 was a par 3 playing at 177 - I took 7I and hit it 30 feet right of the hole inches off the green and easily two putted for par. At the par 5 9th I hit 3H off the tee to lay up nicely short of the creek - with 247 uphill I took my driver off the deck and hit it well, coming up just short of the fringe. After a really weak pitch, I ran down a 22 footer for birdie and a +2 38 on the front 9.

I was feeling pretty good - I had played a so-so front, but escaped with a decent score heading to the usually easier Pine View 9. Little did I know that Satan had set the pins on that 9 today. I creamed one off the 10th tee, and put my SW nicely under the hole, but just missed the birdie. At #11 I smacked another sweet drive, and hit my 9I right over the flag. I was 12 feet behind the hole, but the hole was on a slope and tho my miss just trickled by on the low side, it went on 6 feet past, and I hit a poor comebacker - bogey. At par 5 #3 I hit a good drive into the wind, but left my second right in the rough - from 70 yards I hit what felt like a perfect 7I punch under a tree limb to scoot over the ridge and down the hill, but the bermuda rough put heavy brakes on it, and it stopped on the front of the green, maybe 70 feet from the rear pin. I pulled that birdie putt slightly, and watched it catch a ridge just before the hole and sweep left OFF THE GREEN, 20 feet from the hole. I gathered my wits for the par putt and hit it well, but two feet before the hole it hit a ball mark I hadn't seen and skittered enough off line to miss - bogey. #13 was a par 3 at 154 - I put my 9I just off the left fringe and easily two-putted for par, and #14 was another par with a long drive and PW approach and a 2 putt. Then a bad swing started a new adventure - the par 3 15th was playing 155 to a rear pin, and I came over the top of my 9I, going left. We found it in the left hazard, literally 4 inches above the ground on an oak tree root, held there by a half-cylinder of tree bark. My drop area if I took a penalty was in a mass of roots, so I decided to try to poke the ball out - I had to stand with the trunk between me and the ball, reach around the trunk, and take an angular jab at it to at best get it out to the rear fringe - and I PULLED IT OFF! then nearly sunk the par effort from there - bogey, +5 for the day. The par 5 # 16 was just a series of indifferent shots that culminated in my missing a 10 footer for par - +6. At par 4 #8 I hit a nice drive, leaving 82 to the pin - and proceeded to nearly blade my SW to the rear fringe. From there my putt hit the pin and stopped inches away for par - that was lucky because the putt was gonna steam 12 feet past. At #18 I hit another huge drive and from 112 to the rear pin I stuck a sweet AW just under the pin, but it spun back down the slope to 30 feet, and appropriately for this day I raked three more putts to finish with bogey and a +7 79.

I hit 11 of 14 fairways, and no trouble on the misses. I hit 10 greens, and putted from just off 3 more. The putter turned what could have been a reasonably good score into what it was, as I missed 5 putts in the 4-7 foot range that were ALL easy uphillers. While over time that is a putt I can have my struggles with, for months (really since I got familiar with the Odyssey White Hot Tour #2 I got this spring) those putts have been a strength, so today felt like an anomaly. I am 10 behind the leader (a guy who careered and is highly subject to come back to the field), but only 4 from 2nd place. I probably have to shoot under par tomorrow to contend, but at this writing I feel 149 will be a winning score, because it is a tough course and we go back to longer tees tomorrow.

[Clarissa]

I love reading good writeups of peoples rounds. Sounds like you had a pretty good round. Wish I were that good. Good luck tomorrow

[mealiusarses]

I will start with the sign - I took this as I arrived.

Today was round two, and I was warmed up and ready to go for my 0942 tee time - I felt good on the range. I headed for the first tee on Pine View, the longer blue tees today, paired with two guys I know from regular play, a nice pairing again. I "won" the tee toss for honors, so I stepped up and whacked it, a pitiful push down the right tree line. When I arrived I had a bare sand lie and an open shot of 213 yds uphill. I selected my 3H and tagged it, just right of the pin, but it caught the right bunker. I had a nice lie in there and tossed it out to about 10 feet, and made the putt for an ugly but sweet opening par. On to #2, I ripped one long and straight, and stuck my 145 9I to about 8 feet under the hole, but left the birdie putt on the front doorstep of the hole. At par 5 #3 I hit it long but a bit right, and from the rough my layup caught the fairway bunker 100 yds short. I hit it pin high in the right fringe, but had to stand in a bunker to putt it, and was too strong, and missed my 8 footer to save par. Par 3 #4 was playing 182 to a rear pin - I hit my 6I just a tad heavy and landed just on, and 3 putted from 75-80 feet - +2. At #5 I left my drive and my approach right, and chipped short, but knocked down a 12 footer for par. At #6 I put my 8I on pin high from 162, and two putted for par from 18 feet. I tagged it down the middle at par 5 #7, and before I went for it I remembered my camera and took this from left of the fairway:

Then I took my driver off the deck from 233 and hit it on a mound left of the green. I made a sweet pitch to two feet and tapped in the birdie - +1. Then it was on to par 4 #8:
I hit a beauty off the tee to just 34 yds from the front pin, and pitched a hop and stop LW to two feet for another tap-in birdie - EVEN. At the #9 tee:
I hit to the right rough but a perfect lie and angle - from 133 I knocked down a 9I pin high in the right fringe, and just missed the 18 footer for birdie, to finish the front in even par 36.

[mealiusarses]

On with the story - just wanted to make sure the pics were working....

The back nine was the Island View 9, the original Robert Trent Jones front nine. the opening tee shot for my tenth hole was the one I described yesterday as a challenging one - here is a look, but I am not sure the camera gives it justice...

I once again put a 3W perfectly to the corner, and hit a nice 8I on - my 20 footer for birdie was soooo fast - I just bumped it and it trickled down to a few inches for par. I blocked my drive at #11 right, but luckily it caromed off an oak tree back to the rough - from a heavy lie at 125 yds I hit my AW well, landing pin high and stopping 25 feet behind the hole:

Thinking this putt was also fast, I tapped it gently - and came up a solid 10 feet short, which led to a 3-putt bogey - +1 again. A bit displeased, I put some RA on the next drive and creamed it down the center, but my PW approach seemed to balloon in the wind and fell 35 feet short. From there I was too firm and put the birdie putt 7 feet past, then the par putt broke the opposite way from what it had done on the previous putt and it missed for yet another three-putt bogey. I put yet more RA on the next drive and hit it over the corner on the long par 4, leaving just 140 - my 9I was a beauty to 8 feet, but I under-read the left break and just missed the birdie. The driver was cooking if nothing else was, and at par 4 #14 I stoked another down the middle. Before I hit my approach I saw this in the fairway near the bunker:

a football fan, no doubt... an omen of things to come, I pull hooked my PW approach to the left corner of the green, but nearly dropped it from 50 feet and tapped in par - +2 thru 14. Next came the par 3 15th, the island green...

Playing 178 into a breeze, I took a 6I but pushed it and went just off the back right - my pitch from the rough exploded on me, a flyer, and rolled 20 feet past. My par putt was dead on, but stopped a roll short - +3. On the par 5 16th I drove right and laid a 6I past the 150 to here at 129:

Once again I pull-hooked my AW, and it hit on but spun off over the left mound and to the rough. I left an easy pitch and run, but I must have lost focus - I chili-dipped it and hit it about 6 feet. My chip for par nearly fell, but stopped inches past for bogey - +4. Now on the bogey train, I hit a lousy 6I on the par 3 182 17th, short and right - from a thick lie I put it in the opposite fringe, and two putted from there for yet another bogey - +5. At the par 5 18th I chose the 3H for the layup tee shot, hitting it well but in the right rough as it didn't take it's usual draw. I drew a tough lie on rocks and sand and roots all around - trying to slap a 6I to the 100 marker, I looked up enough to blade it right into the creek - ARRGGGHH! Penalty drop, and from 224 hit 3W up the hill to the front fringe. My pitch to the rear pin got to the top of the ridge 8 feet short and stopped, then settled backwards about 15 more feet - I lipped out the bogey putt for a double bogey finish - +7. I wound up with 36-43=79 for a two day 158, 13 behind the winner that shot 69-76=145, and in 5th place.

If you can read it, I am S. Moody on the scoreboard.

[mealiusarses]

More pics... Welcome banner

Pavilion

Back of clubhouse

Practice green from patio

Pro shop next 2


Hallway

Clubhouse from parking lot

[Clarissa]

Good recap SS. Seems like a good round but maybe not good for you? Thanks for the recap though. Wish I could play as well as you can.

[g4YthYXx]

Brings back a lot of memories Steve! The original front nine (Island View nine) does. I have played that course many times and was a member there when I worked at Ft. Gordon. Beautiful layout and a tough track! I am very proud of you for having won the club championship ten times on this course. It will eat your lunch if your golf game is off. Even though you did not obtain your goal this year, I am proud of ya for past wins! You are a true champ buddy ....

[mealiusarses]

Brings back a lot of memories Steve! The original front nine (Island View nine) does. I have played that course many times and was a member there when I worked at Ft. Gordon. Beautiful layout and a tough track! I am very proud of you for having won the club championship ten times on this course. It will eat your lunch if your golf game is off. Even though you did not obtain your goal this year, I am proud of ya for past wins! You are a true champ buddy ....

Thanks for the kind words, Gray!

As usually happens when I have been in a tournament, I do some reflecting and try to figure out what went awry or what I could have done better. I have a theory about this past weekend.

My tee times were similar (0918 and 0942), roughly an hour and a half later than I usually play. Both days I got off to shaky starts but held it in the road and began playing pretty well by mid-front 9. After 10 holes I stood at +2 Saturday and at even par Sunday. Then both days I hit the 11th and 12th greens in regulation and 3 putted. Both days I followed those 3 putts with less than stellar pars at 13 and 14, then skidded in with lots of bogeys on the last 4 holes. I am Type 2 diabetic, and those 3 putts came about the time I normally eat lunch (I ate NOTHING after my early breakfast each day), and they were followed by the late crash and burns as I got more than an hour past meal time. I think I simply screwed myself up by not feeding my body something at the time it requires it, and simply lost some focus and maybe even a little co-ordination. I can promise you that in the future I will be keenly aware of this possibility and will prepare snacks/food for my round accordingly. The worst is that there was a beverage snack cart making regular rounds and the opportunity to feed myself was present - it just never occurred to me since I wasn't stomach-growling hungry.

[entaifsfets]

Nice thread Sam, I loved the pictures and reading how you played. Sounds like you were really close to getting things clicking just right but it just never locked in place. You'll get em next year.

PS- that is a top notch club you belong to, very nice!!!

[pKgGpUlF]

Thanks for the kind words, Gray!

As usually happens when I have been in a tournament, I do some reflecting and try to figure out what went awry or what I could have done better. I have a theory about this past weekend.

My tee times were similar (0918 and 0942), roughly an hour and a half later than I usually play. Both days I got off to shaky starts but held it in the road and began playing pretty well by mid-front 9. After 10 holes I stood at +2 Saturday and at even par Sunday. Then both days I hit the 11th and 12th greens in regulation and 3 putted. Both days I followed those 3 putts with less than stellar pars at 13 and 14, then skidded in with lots of bogeys on the last 4 holes. I am Type 2 diabetic, and those 3 putts came about the time I normally eat lunch (I ate NOTHING after my early breakfast each day), and they were followed by the late crash and burns as I got more than an hour past meal time. I think I simply screwed myself up by not feeding my body something at the time it requires it, and simply lost some focus and maybe even a little co-ordination. I can promise you that in the future I will be keenly aware of this possibility and will prepare snacks/food for my round accordingly. The worst is that there was a beverage snack cart making regular rounds and the opportunity to feed myself was present - it just never occurred to me since I wasn't stomach-growling hungry.

Sam, first of all, congrats on holding it together enough to finish 5th !
Second, being a type 2 diabetic myself, I know what you were going thru without the food.
After a few times of losing focus, energy and yes even a little coordination while playing golf,
I finally started carrying a couple of energy bars in the bag for just the occasion.
They aren't the best tasting snacks, but they sure get me thru a round if I need help.
You can get'em next year ! (just remember the snack bars)

[mealiusarses]

I looked this thread up, because this weekend is my club championship again. I was playing pretty good a month or so ago, but my last few rounds have been going the other way, and my last time out 12 days ago was my worst round of the year, an 85. The weather this week has been pretty much a washout, as the tropical low that started in Florida and is running up the East Coast sat here all week. Finally today I got out to the practice tee and green, and got in a good session. The irons actually felt decent, and the rib cage muscles I pulled two weeks ago seem to have healed completely.

I have an excellent first day pairing - I am playing with the two guys that won the past two championships, and another that is in my regular Saturday group. Also it is a shotgun start but I get to start at hole #1 - I guess this is a nice gesture for past champions. I feel the key will be to get out and make some pars out of the chute.

[pKgGpUlF]

Good luck with this year's tourney !