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LowPost42 · #16 (**permalink**) 05-22-2007, 04:55 PM

The Tournament: Domtar Invitational
The format: 3 days; 2 days to set flights, 3rd day play to win!
The goal: Keep the 3 day score under 300.

Day 1: Ballstriking was hit and miss, driver was OK. Putting was off, short game was non-existent. There was an hour long wait between 9's. One 9 and two 7's with only 1 par makes it tough to score well... Not to mention the 4 penalty strokes. 51/48 made for a 101. There's some work to do tomorrow - I'm already 2 strokes behind the goal.

Day 2: Ballstriking was still hit and miss, driver was getting better, putter was getting better. However, 3 penalty strokes, one 9, four 7's, and an avalanche of 6's upended the four pars. Another 40 minute wait between 9's.56/47 makes for 103. Now I'm 5 strokes behind. My 2 day total is 204. I've gotta shoot a 96 to make 300, 95 to achieve the goal. The idea that "I'll work to make 5's" after Robert's post backfired - but I sure made a lot of sixes! And I didn't quite make any compact backswings...

Day 3. Unbelievably, I'm not in the last flight! Instead, I'm 11 strokes behind the guy that leads the second-to-last flight (193 to my 204). So, winning the flight is out. All I can hope for is to be the best in my foursome - I'm pretty sure given the previous two days, I will not achieve my 3 day goal. I lead my foursome, but by 1, 2, and 4 strokes. Each of these fellows had a sub-100 score in one of the first two days. I don't have any style today - I'm playing aggressive golf today - go for the green if you have the smallest look. If laying up made me a bunch of sixes yesterday, maybe I can make a bunch of fives today.

I start out double double double bogey. This is my best start in 3 days, as the other two I've taken a 9 by now. Another double, three more bogies, and a par get me to the turn with a sub 50 front 9. The short, compact backswing is working, although I'm topping tee shots again, and my miss is a 30 yard pull. Still, I'm pretty pleased to be on pace for a 96 (even 300) if the day continues this way. There's no wait today between 9s, so having made a great up and down for par on 9, I get to carry that momentum into the back 9. Flub a chip to have to go up and down for bogey on 10. Yank a shot into the trees on 11, but have a window to the green. Stick a PW on, and take a two putt par. Top a tee shot on 12, take 4 more strokes to get on, then drop a 6 footer for double. Airmail the green on 13, chip back and two putt for bogey. Top another tee shot on 14 - and it runs into trees. Punch out to 230. 3 wood fades to pin high, but just off the green. Chip across 50 feet of green to leave a 1 footer (make the bogey). 15 almost jug my chip (approach short) for a tapin par. I was all over the flag, but about a half club short. Par the par 5 (nothing unusual). Clean lie in the rough on 17, but completely misjudge my yardage. Airmail the green and a bad hop leaves me behind a tree. Chip to the clear, chip up, two putt double. 18 gets a topped tee shot with an unknown yardage in (par 3). Try to 'feel' a half wedge. I felt it over the green. Pitch back is the perfect distance - but kicks hard the wrong way, and runs downhill. I've got a 15 foot sidewinder that breaks about 3 feet - and to miss will have the ball run away. Lag it up to 1 foot (short and right - high side miss). Tap in and finish with double.

Tally up the card - I've got 93, and a 3 day total of 297!

Lesson learned - half a backswing is way, way better than a 'full swing'; and I really don't lose much distance.

Now I have to figure out why I top these other balls. I'd wager at this point that I'm simply swinging too aggressively, and I'm lunging at the ball. Off the deck, the same club was money - so that's another angle to consider. Perhaps I need to not tee up anything but driver for a while.

Next up - trying to break 90!