Day 4

Saturday, Dec. 1 -- Heading towards Roanoke, we stopped to try out a relatively new course just outside Buena Vista (and just off I-81), and it was all that we could hoped for. Beautiful, interesting, in good condition (including looking green, because the grasses were all northern, mostly bent), not crowded. Very much worth a visit if you are going by (course website). And if you are lucky you will have as nice a day, sunny, minimal wind, low 50s, felt very pleasant.

Executive summary -- a lot of good holes, but my usual assortment of questionable shots.

Played the blue tees, 6,447, par 72, 70.1/124. A little long in places, but not bad as the ground was reasonably firm so you got some roll. Many holes were quite wide open, at least on one side. A few towards the end were very tight.

No time on the range before we headed out, just on the putting green, because that was where I figured I needed the most work. Not that it did me any good. Did find out that the greens were nice, just a little slower than the last couple of days. Not that that did me any good either.

1. What I love -- a wide open first hole. Down, then up quite a bit.

1. Par 4, 405. Drive to the right a little but good lie in the rather short rough. Excellent 5-wood up the hill from 180, bounced up perfect, 2 putts from 11'. First of many not so long putts that didn't come close.

2. Drive right down the middle, 5 wood to 5 yards right of the rock outcrop, 100 yards in from there....

2. Par 5, 557. Gorgeous hole, played it perfectly -- drive, 5-wood, wedge, 2 putts from 35'.

3. Par 3, 142. One of many weak short irons, 8 iron in this case, timing just off a little, shot short and right into second bunker. Good sand shot, 2 putts from 20'.

4. Planning to hit over left bunker, lots of trouble off to the right, pulled it, bounced off slope by cart path and back in fairway! (Tees were way up, but I played back from what the card said.)

4. Par 4, 313. Another gorgeous hole. Pulled drive slightly, but slope brought it back to left edge of fairway, sand wedge, 2 putts from 8'.

5. Quite a bit downhill, and slopes in the green.

5. Par 3, 171. 6 iron high/short/right, somehow hit on severely sloping hillside and just stayed there in a little rock outcrop. Lucky to have a swing, so-so chip, 2 putts from 45'.

6. Par 5, 502, uphill. Good drive, topped 5 wood, very solid 6 iron, but landed hard and bounced into rough behind green. Feeble chip, 2 putts from 12'.

7. Par 4, 355. Perfect drive, another weak iron, 9 iron this time, to right front bunker. Excellent sand shot, 2 putts from 11'.

8. Left bunker was in range, hit just to the right of it.

8. Par 4, 335 uphill. Perfect drive, perfect 9 iron to back pin, 2 putts from 6', damn.

9. Par 4, 423. Drive to the right but well hit, 5 wood to the right but well hit, hole high. Excellent chip to 3', 2 putts.... 41 for the front side, 18 putts.

10. Par 4, 390. Pulled/hooked drive, but got good kick, in left rough, 3 iron to just short of green, excellent chip to 1', made putt!

11. Par 4, 312. Pulled drive into bunker, nice wedge from 90 yards onto green, 2 putts from 30'.

12. Par 5, 522 uphill. Perfect drive, good 5 wood in the left rough but correct side to miss on, wedge landed right behind pin but released, 2 putts from 50'.

13. Par 3, 133 downhill. Weak 9 iron, chunked sand shot, next sand shot over green, good chip to 1 foot, double.

14. Small creek down the right, then cutting just in front of long narrow green. Compare the feeling here to #1!

14. Par 4, 358 downhill, narrow. Crushed drive, aiming at traps on left, figuring I couldn't reach them, ball stopped yard short. Sand wedge 35' past front pin, 2 putts.

15. View for second shot from the far right "rough."

15. Par 4, 413. Solid drive but to the right, but no trouble. Excellent 6 iron off sloping lie to front of green, 3 putts from 45'.

16. Par 5, 505. Another beautiful hole. Aimed at traps on left because there was trouble on the right, crushed drive again, this time just missed trap, a couple yards to the left. Perfect 5 iron lay-up short of right bunker. Sand wedge ok, but too soft, way short of back pin, but 2 putts from 65'.

17. Par 3, 167 uphill. Excellent 5 iron, 2 putts from 35'.

18. Second shot, lots of space to the right but didn't go there....

18. Par 4, 444 uphill. Pulled drive a little but hit it well, hit 5-wood well from 200 but hooked it a little into left greenside bunker. And here we go again. Chunked sand shot, just got it out. Chunked chip. Tried the putter and fortunately rolled it to a foot, so only a double....

Another 41, 82 for the round, as usual felt it could have been a lot better if I could putt. But got lucky a few times too. Seven fairways, 10 greens, 10 pars. Gail had 100, hit a lot of good shots.

And did I say it was a really nice course?

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Vista Links, Buena Vista, VA