I guess I had it coming to me. I've been too cocky for too long. I always feel like I can do anything and say anything and get away with it and it'll never catch up to me. Well, today, I ended up with the short straw and it didn't feel good. It was a nice day, too, for January. I never dreamed it would turn out like it did after just wanting to get in a quick nine holes of golf.
I went to play a course that I've never played here before. It's just a short 9 hole track... 3100ish yards from the tips. There were only 3 guys on the course with me so I figured the chance of even crossing paths with someone else was slim to none.
It's always fun to play a new track, but this time of year all the grass is dormant so it's really a different game. You can spray it all over and not really worry about losing a ball because the rough is so short and I did so on the 2nd hole. Ended up with a double on a relatively short par 5. Anyway, as I was coming up the 3rd fairway, I saw the other threesome on the course a few holes ahead. I had no idea of the layout, but figured they were far enough ahead that I wouldn't have to come into contact with them.
Then, on the 8th hole, it happened. I've been in some fights before in my life and generally held my own, but this time I was beat to within an inch of my life... maybe less.
It was a 510ish yard par 5 that called for a slight fade/cut with a lake on the right hand side. I hit the ugliest slice and it headed for impending doom in the water. Alas, it did not get wet, but ended up on the 4th tee box on the other side of the water... a 160+ yard carry at the shortest line back across the hazard. I pulled the 4h and proceeded to top it in the water. Dropped and chunked an 8i that barely made it to the hazard. Dropped again and hit a thin 8i that barely made it over the water and nestled in the junk just to the water's edge. I only had about 3" in front of the ball before the lip of the hazard that, while not tall, was very wet. I opted to try to blast it out, but ended up lodging the ball firmly in the ground. Too an unplayable and dropped to a stupid, ugly lie in the hazard, but out of the water. Hit a SW to about 65 yards out. Wedged it just short of the green, then shipped up to about 25'. Somehow, after this arse whoopin' that I just took, I found the way. I holed out the 25' putt for a nice, ugly 12 on the scorecard...
... and that is the story of the arse kickin' I got on the course today. Haven't seen 50 on the card for nine holes for a long time, but as Forrest Gump said... it happens.
For the record, the provisional ball I hit went just over 300 (downwind). Probably should have abandoned the first ball and played the 2nd, but I never dreamed the first would turn out that way.