I stank.
Really. Really, really desperate. Striking the ball well? I wasn't even striking the ball. Flubbed the first tee shot, took 7 on the first, 2nd tee shot shanked into the trees on the right for 6, by the time I got on the 3rd green, I'm not sure the ball had left the ground. I hit what felt a reasonable tee shot on the 6th which my obscenely positive playing partner ("Good shot!" Hmm... But was it? Really?) said he'd seen land well couldn't be found, and the seventh hole, despite being in greenside bunker for 3 transpired for 8.
The only saving grace was my new found confidence in chipping was going well, and my putting was ok.
The tough eigth went ok for 6, and the 9th T shot was put squarely in the front bunker, but played to two inches out. That fired me up, but not much. 52. God dammit.
My playing partner returned his dog back home, while I took a few practice swings in the net waiting for him. I was striking the ball pretty cleanly, and waited.
Teeing off on the 10th, I caught the ball the smallest of glancing blows to send it approx 10 inches. Playing the second off the deck was a better strike in the wrong direction. My subsequent 9 on the hole deepened my frown lines by some way.
That said, things then picked up, seing as I actually started concentrating on my pre-shot routine and thinking about the things that I know I have to think about to hit good golf shots. How do I manage not to think about them anyway? I wish I knew...
Bogey, par, bogey, double bogey (but SI 3), bogey. Stepping on to the 16th tee needing 15 shots on last three holes to break 100. This is so stupid!! 4 days ago I shot 87!! But I only have myself to blame. Nevermind the 87, I need to break 100, or have the humiliation of the card not counting...
Crack the 5 iron away, and draw it round the corner exactly as I wanted. The three iron is the front of the green, and the following chip is to 3 feet. I miss the putt, but a score of 5 is great.
17th tee. Uphill, OB left. Hook it, but make such bad contact with the 3 iron it doesn't go far enough to be OB. The second 3 iron is much better, 80yds short of green. A half-swung 9 iron (because I'm tired of thinning the PW) is left to the edge of the green, but a short putt leaves me too much to do, and I end up with a 6 - ok on a tough hole, but I need 4 on the last hole to break 100 and have it count. I don't have to try to ignore the embrassment of having to work my ass off to break 100; it's all I care about now. 4 shots. I'll be damned if it's gonna beat me.
There are tee shots on this course that scare the hell out of me and this isn't one of them, though I don't know why. There's plenty of trouble from the vast drop on the left, and the OB behind.
Pitching wedge and hit it. I can feel myself pull it slightly across my body, and look up as soon as I dare. High, so high, hanging up there. Is it clearing the front left sand?
Yeah.
Then it rolls. My playing partner and I are both straining after it, both of us almost shouting, "Come on! Sit down! Stay!"
It rolls so close - so perilously close to the edge, and teeters above the massive drop on the left...
... and sits
that's prob 25 feet on a flat green. I know I have to at least 3 putt. I'm home
The first putt is short, and I leave myself with a six footer that I miss, six inches wide, which I sink for 47 back (inc a stupid 9), making 99.
Gah...
I don't know. The last 8 holes have been fine, but 99? Godamnit.
But hey. When the HC reduced figure is considered, it's exactly the same as on my first card. And I still have one card to play, against the club handicapper. If it goes well, and I score what I want (a HC reduced score of 86 - resulting in HC of 25) then I will be drinking lots to celebrate. If I don't, and I end with a 28 - well, hey, what the hell. At least my first tourneys are going to be a lot of fun.
You know, I guess the main thing is, the ball striknig came back, and the chipping and putting is in much better shape. I know this sounds dumb, but I've learnt a lot about my game in the last week, and I guess that's the ultimate irony that the score today couldn't have reflected that less.
Oh well. Onwards and upwards