Got out today for a round at the course on Tinker AFB. I've played it once before and came in at 91 back then with alot of bogies, 2 doubles, and a quad. Today, however, was a different story.
I joined a threesome that consisted of an older couple with what I can only assume was their regular playing partner. All three were likely in their mid-late 70's and very nice and laid back. They welcomed me when I asked to join them and we were off to the races.
I took pars on the first two holes, an U&D on 1 and a GiR on the par3 2nd. The third wasn't all that great to me. I pushed my 3wd off the tee and didn't have a really great shot at the green. I wasn't too far off the fairway, but I had a tree to contend with and just could get it on. A chip and two putts for a "routine" bogey.
The par5 4th started off with a drive a little in the left rough. A nice 4i hybrid up to the 100 yard marker and a GW to the front fringe put me in position for my next par. I pulled my 3wd on the 5th tee and ended up with a shot that I probably shouldn't have taken. Luckily, it bounced out of the tree on my 2nd shot and back to the fairway. I just missed the green with my 3rd and then a chip and two putts left me with a double.
I walked to #6 knowing that this hole was a set up for me. It's a short, dogleg left par 4 that simply requires 200y off the tee and in the fairway. Tailor made for my 19° Hypersteel. I stepped up, put it in the fairway, then left my GW about 30' long. Two putts and a par it was. Seven is a shortish par5 that requires about a 240 yard carry off the tee or a lay up to about 200y again. I put a 4i hybrid in the fairway, but left it on the left side and blocked by a tree. I pulled the Hypersteel and hit what was about 5' from being a perfect shot. Unfortunately, it caught a limb and dropped only about 20 yards in front of where I stood. A 4i punched up just inside 100y and a pitch to the fringe left me with a makeable putt from the fringe. Burned the edge and walked away with bogey. Two routine pars (with a 9i from the FW bunker on 9) left me with 40 for the front nine and I was feeling good.
We moved on to the 10th and the 3 ol' timers when in the clubhouse. I stepped up to the 10th tee and hit my best drive of the day... quite possibly one of the best drives I've ever hit. I carried this thing around 240 over a tree that had to be almost 100' tall. If I had to guess I'd say it was about 270 carry because my measurement on Google Earth shows total distance around 290ish. I stuff my GW to about 6' and burned the edge for another par. Two more pars on 11 and 12 had me at 4 over through 12 holes.
I hit my 4i hybrid into a decent breeze and hooked it almost out of bounds on the par 3 13th. After a tough pitch that I left on the fringe and a bad club selection for the ensuing pitch, I walked off with a double. The following hole, I topped my 3wd off the tee and ironically hit one of the five fairways I hit all day... just barely making it to the fairway some 250 yards out on a 300ish yard par 4. A smooth 6i and a wedge to the green left me with a bogey after 2 putts. Two pars the 15th and 16th put me at 7 over through 16 holes. After my 8 that I took last time on 16, I was delighted to walk away with my U&D for par there.
Whether from fatigue or just my lack of attention, I pushed my Hypersteel way right on the 17th tee. I hit the gree, but managed to 3 putt for the first time on the day from about 60'. The 18th didn't fair too well for me either. I hit the worst shot of the day from my driver, a hook into a tree about 100y out from the tee. It's a fairly long par 5 so I wasn't too worried. I was still hoping I could get home in par for an even 80. Unfortunately, my 2nd hit the tree in front of me (I pushed it a bit offline) and dropped out just below the tree. A punched 4i or Hypersteel (I can't remember which now) left me with about 215 to the green with a little left to right wind and a smidge in my face. I put the best swing I could on it and left it just off the front of the green... dead online with the flag. If the wind hadn't been there, I likely would've made it. Anyway, I hit a little bump and run with the 4i and just ran it by the hole. Two putts for a third double on the day left me with an 82.
No need to change the title of the thread just yet... but it won't be long.
