Lol, dunk!
Only I could drive 60 miles to give my regular driving lessons (cars, not golf) at a school I always teach at, and then get there to remember it's their half term.
So I head back, and know at least I get to fit in some golf on a day I thought I couldn't
It's gorgeous weather in Bath, and though the course is quite busy, I'm in the mood for some relaxed swing-time.
I realise that my plan of doing nine holes and spending more time around the greens practising isn't going to happen today; I'm not sure why it's so busy - I guess after all the rain, everyone's come out of the woodwork.
I've made a couple of decisions today though. One is to swing slow and easy - to really focus on not hitting on anything. I keep thinking of my dad's swing, so slow I think he's not going to make it all the way through it. That's how I'm going to be today. Slow, easy tempo. Also, I've been enjoying the feeling of - in setting up with the RHD - allowing myself to feels that my right hand is pulling my left hand back on the takeaway to maximise my extension of the left arm.
Finally, I want to use Greg's advice of not beating myself about putting line, but to focus much more on putting speed.
I take the big stick off the 1st tee - you know, this is real progress for me!
It's a big hit, but it's sliding right into the trees, but when I get there, I've got a very do-able forward-ish sideways chip on to the fairway, leaving me 50 to the flag. On to the green, but 3 putt for a 6. Oh well.
2nd tee shot is shanked in to the trees 20 yards right. Here we go. Thin the next shot to the front of the green, chip, 2 putt. 5. Hey that could have been worse.
250 yard par 4. 3 iron off the tee couldn't have been better, the pitch rolls to 8 feet and the birdie putt never looks like missing
Bogey, double bogey, bogey (on my nightmare hole
), bogey on the SI 1! Yeah! Come on!!
A six on the eighth, and a good par on the 9th gives me 43! Awesome! 2 shots below The Plan, and everything feels good. I've come to realise that I don't have to take The Plan absolutely literally. I have enough chances at pars to patch up other stuff.
So - on to the 10th (the 1st, as it were). Big stick again. ****, that's a big hit slicing. FORE RIGHT!!
When I get there, it ain't pretty. Sitting down in heavy rough, and when I set up the impeded stance, I get the familiar feeling of knowing I should call it unplayable, but it's not THAT bad, surely? Luckily, I get it out about 3 metres. I flub the next, leaving me with a do-able shot between 2 trees back on to the fairway. Hit the left tree, and ricochet back but with a clear path in now. Played four, but have to play over the monster bunker that I've never had to get out of. Yet.
I hit the 40 yard pitch more firmly than necessary but at least it's well over, on the green. 2 putts for a 7. Hmm. Not a thing of beauty.
Bogey, bogey, par, bogey. My nightmare tee shot on the 15th (6th) beckons. I concentrate so much on keeping the club face open to avoid my classic draw left OB that I shove it right. It breaks a lot of foliage before richocheting off something and landing in the middle of the narrow fairway 30 yards in front of me. Oh well. It's better than being OB.
I get to the top of the downhill with the 2nd shot and the front of the green with the third. Chip and two putts for a 6, and I'll take that
So it's with a slightly surreal feeling that I step on to the 7th tee for 30, according to The Plan. This is still totally doable. I know that everyone thinks I'm mad for being aware of my score, but I guess it's how I do it. I don't think it would work for everyone and I couldn't swear it works for me, but hey
Using Wireless18, like I said, I have no choice but to know my score
I know this is the tee shot that will make or break this round now. If I let this slide right on to the 17th (8th) fairway, it's a world of trouble. If I try to draw it, there's a lot of OB left, and there isn't much of a gap to aim at between the two. Oh well.
I get caught behind a four ball who make it clear they're not going to let me through. Oh well again. I swallow my annoyance. It's a stupid rule any way.
Swing slow.
Perfect.
Straight, then gently drawing, right down by the drain cover. Honestly, if I'd put it where I wanted it to end up, it couldn't be better. I can't help but smile, waiting for the four ball to get the hell out of the way. The 3 iron is topped to 100 yards, and I take the pitching wedge, knocking it into the casual water from all the weekends rain that lies at the front of the green. Free relief, chip over it, but it rolls furthre than I thought to a nasty bendy 15 footer. I putt that to 3 feet past. Gulp. When I sink that, I punch the air. That feels like a good 6.
Again, I get caught in the tailback on the 17th, and have to wait to tee off. Big stick out, but I really try not to hit it hard, and get it probably 160 yards up the middle of the fairway. That's ok. 3 iron into the front right bunker...
...or is it? When I get there, it's short, leaving me with a nice 30 yard pitch. I don't think, I just do, put it 15 feet past, nasty downhiller back, but it's on the dancefloor. Somehow, I get the bendy downhiller to 1 foot and am delighted to take a 5. You know? This is looking good. I MUST be ahead of The Plan.
Now I look. 84. Gotta take a 5 to break 90. Even if I hit the bunkers at the front, I should be alright, shouldn't I?
*shoulder demon whispers in my ear* shouldn't I?
PW. Right hand pulls it back, try to swing slow and easy.
click
Perfect. There's no doubt that's cleared the bunker, the only question is, is it going to sit down. I look at how high it is. That's going to sit down. I'm even happy to bend down to pick up my tee, before I straighten up to watch it land...
...when it rolls 3 feet. Yeah - that sat down - 12 feet away? Come on, you good for nothing piece of ****. If you can't 2 putt from there, you don't deserve the score anyway.
Gulp...
When I stand over it, it kind of does that Hitchcock Vertigo thing - it zooms out away from me and suddenly looks a lot further away
I hit it, and the speed feels comfortably. And it rolls. And rolls. Stop now. NOW!! 3 feet past.
Yuk. And now my shoulder angel whispers, "Come on. Put this ***** down, and let's go home."
Hit it - and wait. It never looks like missing. RATTLE.
87. 43 out, 44 back. Joint personal best ever, and some really solid (for me) golf. One of those rounds I want to remember
The putting thing was great. 33 total putts, 38 feet of sunk putts. Felt so much happier with it, and totally from just giving myself one thing to concentrate on - putting speed. I didn't ignore the line, of course, but I knew I wasn't going to get it THAT wrong. Great advice, Greg - again!
The takeaway with the right hand, combined with the RHD, felt hugely helpful, and couple with the deliberately easy swing made for some great ball striking.
I hit 3 out of 6 fairways with the driver, but didn't get into any trouble with the other 3! And hit 8 out of 12 fairways altogether.
On the way out, I bumped in to the club captain.
"I shot 87!"
"Great! Well done!"
"Bloody wish I'd done it on Sunday."
"Well, do it on Saturday instead."
"Yeah, I wish."
"You know it's Stableford? Do you know what Stableford is?"
*slightly annoyed* "Err, yeah."
"Last year's was won with 42 points."
*my ears ***** up* "Really? That's what I just scored."
"No - Stableford points."
"Yeah. I just scored 42 Stableford points."
"Really? Well done!"
Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to do it on Sunday. Like Slats said, I need to work on keeping my expectations lower. Even so, it felt kind of nice, in a slightly indescribable way. I guess you probably know what I mean. There's nothing wrong with leaving yourself the dream of "what if..?", is there?
Today was great, laidback, easy, and fun. I can't turn it on and off, and I don't expect I ever will be able to. But while it's 'on', by God, I enjoy it...