86!
I played River Ridge Vineyard Course this morning and set a new personal best by breaking 90 for the first time – with authority. A solid 86. I actually had to adjust it to an 85 to post because I took a nine on the par 5 #11 hole. I got greedy there and made some bad decisions because I have birdied that hole before. My drive was bad (tried to chew off the corner) and I had to punch out to the fairway. My third shot which should have been my second I decided to “go for it” instead of laying up because I wanted to make up for the lost shot and… I put it in the lake. Dumb, dumb, dumb. So I was all discombobulated when I dropped and proceeded to pitch it not just over the lake but over the green, where it took me two more hacks to get on the green and then I two-putted. ARGH.
I had a birdie, three pars, three bogeys and two doubles for a 42 on the front nine, and I was so excited. Then I doubled on #10, and after the disaster on #11 I thought my record round was over. But I pulled it together, re-grouped and followed that up with par, birdie, par, bogey, bogey, par, bogey. Solid! 7 fairways hit, 10 GIRs (all of the par 3s) and 38 putts (4 3-putts). Boy, that felt good!
October 11, 2005 at 5:28 pm
WOW, I can’t wait to do the same. 92 is my best. I’ve been soooo busy at work, I haven’t had time to get out. I do swing a weighted club every day, and can’t wait to see how much turn I have when I get back out. Now it’s raining so much here in DE, that the golf course should look great when the sun comes back out … can’t wait!
October 11, 2005 at 11:33 pm
Hey Dave. I don’t know what it means to have turn, but I’m sure it’s a good thing. I’ve been really happy with the speed of my progress! I know it’s going to slow down so I’m just enjoying it while it lasts.
I know what you mean about the courses looking good. It’s been so dry here a lot of the fairways are getting brown.
At least they’re still green enough to stop the spread of the fires! (One private club recently protected a neighborhood just by being too green to burn through it. On the news they showed a wedding taking place with the flames dancing in the background.)
I hope the sun comes out soon for you.
October 12, 2005 at 7:21 am
Awesome job GC!! I just started as well (in June) and I’ve been marching my scores down too. I just found your blog and have been enjoying it. Sunday I beat my best (99) with a 97, and that was after 54 on the front so I know I capable of breaking 90. I can’t wait!!!
-Greg (Houston, TX)
October 12, 2005 at 5:40 pm
By turn I mean the amout of shoulder turn, or body rotation. You know how far back John Daly goes in his back swing? The club is almost pointed back down at the ground. That’s A LOT of “turn”.
October 15, 2005 at 8:14 am
Congratulations that is wonderful. It just keeps going down.
October 17, 2005 at 5:11 pm
Thanks, Dave. (Are there two Dave’s here or not?)