Golf Tour 2007
Tuesday, Dec. 4 -- Gail was taking the day off, so not a day to try out one of the other top picks. Instead, I went back to a course I played last year, Legacy Golf Links, just south of all the Pinehurst courses. My opinion before was that it was nothing special, but that was right after playing Tobacco Road, compared to which most courses are nothing special. And this time? Well, it was still nothing special, but I quite liked it.
Executive summary -- not playing as well as yesterday, thought I still might break 80, but it seems I first have to find a short game.
Played from the blue tees, 6,495 yards, par 72, 71.4/127. While I was playing, it seemed like I was playing from further back than last year, especially on the par 3s, but my records show that I played the same tees last year. However, it may be that in a number of cases the tees were up last year. They certainly were this year, but I played from where they were supposed to be.
The weather was cloudy and on the cool side (upper 40s). The course was in so-so condition -- the greens were quite bumpy and the winter rye had grown in well in some places, not in others, so the fairways looked splotchy. The other thing that surprised me was that the fairways were on the soft side. I had clumps of mud on my ball a number of times. Considering that they are in the midst of a drought, it seems that maybe their irrigation system needs adjustment. The course certainly played a little longer as a result.
10. Par 4, 376. Started on the back nine. Good drive across the water, good 7 iron but I needed another club, 5 yards short. Chip rolled to 1', par.
11. Par 3, 165, front pin. Pulled 7 iron, must have been worrying about the water on the right, bounced off the big slope left of the green, rolled down, ended up 5' from the pin. Made the putt, birdie! Pure luck.
12. Par 4, 385. Weak drive, in fairway but very short, 5 wood high and right, chunked chip, ran next chip 25' past hole, 2 putts, double. That made up for the last hole.
13. Par 5, 527. Good drive, perfect 5 iron, sand wedge from 95 yards, not quite enough club, 2 putts from 40'.
14. Par 4, 393. Weak drive again, left rough, 3 iron (didn't trust 5 wood) from 200, about 5 yards short of green. So-so chip, 2 putts from 8'.
15. Par 4, 367. Good drive to top of hill, dead center. Pushed 7 iron a little, hole high, just off green. 2 putts from 35'.
16. Par 5, 457 uphill. So-so drive again, ok, just not hitting it real solid. Excellent 5 iron to a narrow lay-up area, wedge to 20', 2 putts.
17. Par 3, 151. Good 7 iron, hit it right where I aimed, bounced hard and ended up on slope just above pin. 2 putts from 25'.
18. Par 4, 432. Tough hole, played it like a par 5. Excellent drive uphill, good 5 iron left of pond in front of green, good sand wedge, 2 putts from 14'. So a 39 for the back side, pretty good!
1. Par 4, 410. Another ok but not solid drive, excellent 5 wood to front fringe, but pin was way back. 3 putts from 75'.
2. Par 5, 532 yards. Terrible drive, went maybe 100 yards (but straight!), then 2 perfect 5 woods, pitch from about 40 yards was strong, 2 putts from 30'.
3. Par 4, 399, slightly downhill. Crushed drive and it got some roll, good 9 iron from 130, 2 putts from 25', first one just lipped out.
4. Par 4, 419, slightly downhill. Good drive but not like the last hole, good 3 iron to about 5 yards short of green, chip to 8', missed putt.
5. Par 3, 154. Water left. Very thin 7 iron, only virtue was it was straight, 5 yards short of green, chip to 8', missed putt again.
6. Par 5, 489 uphill. Another ok drive, not really solid, good 5 wood, sand wedge a touch fat, 5 yards short, good chip to 3', made putt!
7. Par 4, 352. Another ok drive, 7 iron from 150 not solid, 10 yards short. Chunked chip, 2 putts from 30'.
8. Par 4, 355. Tight driving hole but I was dead center. 8 iron from 135, pulled it, hole high but 5 yards left of green. Another chip to 8' and missed putt.
9. Par 3, 162, downhill, water on left, front pin. Ok 6 iron, a little weak, 5 yards short/right of green, and once again, chip to 8' and missed putt.
So a frustrating second nine, not really hitting the ball well (except for #3) and (except for #6) not getting the ball up and down from pretty easy chipping positions just off the green. The good news was that I was hitting the ball pretty straight, never in the trees. No traps either. 11 of 14 fairways, but only 4 greens in regulation, 7 pars and 1 birdie. 43 for the second nine, 82 overall, a couple strokes better than last year. That's ok!
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Legacy, Aberdeen, NC
