It’s a beautiful course, also quite difficult. Played from just the white tees, 5,866 yards, par 71 (course rating 69.7, slope 138), but that actually worked out just right as there wasn’t much roll on the soft fairways. The blue tees at 6370 would have been too long.

 

I played well, really well at times, certainly better than my score (87) reflected , or so it seemed, though I suppose the reality is that your score reflects how you played. Mainly I drove the ball really well, hit some good irons, and putted ok but almost nothing went in. Still, it was really fun to drive well.

 

Gail played well, 100, with a little bit generous scoring. Chuck was struggling, Bob was struggling something awful, made Chuck promise to never bring him back there, too hard, too many balls given up to the golf gods. But I certainly had fun, and Gail even remarked afterwards how well behaved I was, and how exceptionally clean my language was -- and that was even before I found out that Bob, a retired Marine colonel after 28 years in, was now going to seminary to become a Baptist minister. Given how bad his golf was today, Bob was surely the one that deserved the medal for good behavior. Chuck, of course, was also well behaved despite his struggles, but maybe it comes natural for him because he is just such a good and friendly guy.

 

As usual, hole info (and all of this, in fact) is so I can remember some of this in the future.

 

1. Par 4 with a split fairway. Normally I would have aimed right at the narrow marsh running down the middle, figuring I couldn’t it straight, but this time I aimed at the left half and hit it perfect. 9 iron, 2 putts from 30’.

2. (see photo above) Par 4, water all down the left side, perfect drive, perfect 6 iron, 3 putts from 35’.

3. Par 4, pushed drive to the right, never found it, second drive fine, 8 iron to fringe, 3 putts, triple bogey. So now I’ve hit 6 out of 7 shots perfect and am 4 over.

4. Par 5, pushed another drive, got lucky and had a swing, perfect 7 iron over the marsh, perfect 5 iron, 2 putts from 25’.

5. Par 4, pushed another drive, fat 8 iron just cleared marsh, lob wedge to 4’, sank putt!

6. Par 3. Pushed 5 iron, bounced off cart path into trees, never found it. OK second try, ok chip, 2 putts from 10. Another triple.

7. Par 4. Excellent drive, 7 iron to back right pin, just short. Good pitch from grass bunker, 2 putts from 15’.

8.  Very short par 3. Sand wedge, 2 putts from 35’.

9. Par 4. Excellent drive, perfect 9 iron, 2 putts from 8’. 43 for the front side.

10. Par 4. Excellent drive, perfect 8 iron, 2 putts from 7’.

11. Par 5. Excellent drive, 5-iron, and sand wedge, 2 putts from 30’.

12. Par 4, Excellent drive and 6 iron, right on line but 30’ long, 3 putts.

13. Par 4. Excellent drive, 5 iron was a little weak but left an easy chip. Thought I hit chip perfect but it went 15’ by, 2 putts.

14. Par 3. Hit 3 iron really fat, lucky to clear marsh. Lob wedge to 7’, made putt! Unexpected par.

15. Par 4. Excellent drive and sand wedge, 2 putts from 30’.

16. Par 4. Excellent drive, and then I should have quit. Very solid 8 iron, just pulled enough to miss narrow green. Chunked first chip, hit second too hard and over, third to 5’ but missed putt. Third triple. But no swearing!

17. Short par 3. Chunked 9 iron into left trap. Terrible lie, left first sand shot in trap, next one excellent, 2 putts from 12’. Double.

18. Par 5, not long but uphill. One more excellent drive, perfect 5 iron lay-up, then a sand wedge hit just a touch too soft, hung up in the rough just short of the pin. Excellent chip to 3’, missed putt.... 44 for the back side, 87 overall. Disappointing after so many good shots. But also really fun to hit the ball so well. 9 pars, 8 greens in regulation, 12 of 15 fairways.