Played yesterday at one of the tougher courses in SoCal. Driver wasn't great, seem to be getting my fade swing back that I thought I had corrected. Irons remain solid. +3 on the front. Started to string pars on the back, and then made a 30 foot birdie on 14.
That brings me to the "Quandary" - the nasty finishing stretch of 4 holes.
#15 is a 160 yard par 3, into a 1-2 club wind. Two tier green, skinny, bunkers on both sides. Hit a solid 6i that just catches left edge, 25 feet from hole. Drain the birdie.
#16 is one of the hardest holes in SoCal. 442 yards, sharp downhill, into the same wind. If you hit a hard drive down the left edge, you can get some roll. Miss the fairway and you can't go for the green in 2. I hit a decent drive, but a bit high and down the right side. There's a big mound there that kills any roll, but does put you back into the FW. I am left with 217 to the pin. A pond borders the front and right sides of the green. Bunker over the green. A go with a 3 wood, and hit it perfect, 25 feet from hole. Nearly made the birdie, but the par feels like birdie.
#17 is a 380 par 4 with danger all down the left side, and a green 40 feet above the fairway. After backing away from my tee shot 6 times (the twosome I was paired with would not stop talking all day), hit a good 3w, followed by a good 8i. Good run at birdie, tap in par.
#18 is a 370 par 4, back into the wind. Hit a decent drive, leaves me 140 in. Again, pond covers the entire front side of green, bunkers long. My usual play here is to target the back of the green and take par. But I was sitting at +1. Had to go for the pin, which of course was 10 feet off the pond. Hit a solid 7i (155 club) right at the stick, lands on front fringe, bounces up, and then back down the slope into the water. Double. Rats.
