The Four Things To Remember

I played with my Dad again this past weekend at a course that we both have a love/hate relationship with: High Bridge Hills. We both love the layout, the challenges presented on each hole, the setting and, I especially, love the GPS in the cart. We both hate the deep rough and fescue, the high price tag for a muni and the fact that we always seem to score higher than we feel like we play.

This week was a microcosm of golf to me. I had some nightmares and some dreams. I had good stretches and bad. I had perfect putts and was, at times a perfect putz. Let me digress …

Hole 1 (which is actually 10 on the weekends as they play back nine first every Fri-Sun), after driving fairly well on the range, I hooked the hell out of my drive and put it on the fairway on the left. I then proceeded to look like I’ve never played golf before. I topped my next shot, flubbed my next shot into the rough, weakly punched out and eventually got onto the green in seven – this is a par four, mind you. I took one crack at putting and then picked up at double par. Not a great start. In fact, my Dad picked up too and it looked like neither one of us had ever been out on a golf course in our lives.

The second hole, things started bad. I put the tee shot far left again – in fact on the neighboring fairway again. I once again topped my second shot. But the third shot got near the green this time, just off to the right. I chipped on and one putted for a bogey. I bogeyed the next hole (a three putt on a par three) and then, after a near perfect drive on the fourth hole, bogeyed that. Keep in mind, as “The Average Golfer” a bogey for me is a good thing and I am usually somewhat satisfied with that.

On the fifth hole (really the 14th) we caught up to a foursome that was hacking around on the tee box. They offered to let us play through, so we thanked them and, while they chatted behind us while we teed off and both my father and I screwed our tee shots horribly. They said, “take your time,” and my Dad and I gave ourselves the rare mulligan. We reteed and I shot mine long and left on the par three. My Dad came up short but at least we were both (barely) playable. By the time I found my ball the foursome had come up to the green and were standing around and, once again, yapping it up as we tried to chip on and putt. I am not going to make an excuse, ok I am, they threw me off and I got a double.

However, the next hole was almost a dream. This par five has always been rather difficult for me. But this time, instead of missing the fairway wide right, I put it right down the middle and drove it to 200+ yards from the green. My three wood shot disappeared over the slope on the way down to the green so I assumed I was a little wide right but in good shape. I had no idea how good of shape I was in: I made the green in two on a par five. I was putting for EAGLE!

I didn’t chicken out on the 15 foot putt. Unfortunately, I went long and took a three putt but at least I got par.
For holes 8 and 9 I doubled and ended the front with a 50 on the front then doubled on the 10th hole (which is really number one).
I parred the 11th after a great chip up near the hole then bogeyed the 12th because of a lost ball penalty stroke. Then, on hole 13 – a beautiful par 3 – I hooked my tee shot, lost the ball, then three putted for a six. I bogeyed the 14th which is the number one handicap hole on the course, double bogeyed the 15th another par 3.

On the sixteenth hole I had a great drive but it landed in the fairway bunker just 80 yards from the hole. I grabbed my eight iron as the shot was also up hill. As I was standing in the sand with the eight iron in hand I thought to myself: go get your sand wedge and pop it up and out onto the fairway. Get on in three. So, of course I ignored the voice and swung down and the ball didn’t get out of the bunker. My third shot was short, my fourth was long, my fifth was on and I finished it with a triple. Two doubles for 17 and 18 and I finished with a 101.

So, what’s the point of all this? I have analyzed the problem areas. Number one, let’s say I didn’t have brain fart on the first hole and got a double bogey instead of an eight. Lesson learned? Don’t suck.

Let’s say on that par 3 where the guys let us play though I asked them to step away, etc and I got a bogey instead of a double. Lesson learned? Ask fellow golfers to abide by etiquette if it will help out your game.

Let’s say I made birdie instead of par on my eagle attempt. Lesson learned? Don’t think about the score until the ball has hit the bottom of the cup.

What about the par three that I had to retee? Let’s say I get a four instead of a six (which is what I would have gotten if I still played mulligans. That one goes back to the “Don’t Suck” lesson learned.

Finally, and probably the most important one. What if I popped out with a sand wedge on number 16 instead of trying to go for the green from the fairway bunker? I probably would have popped out then chipped on and gotten a 5 instead of a 7. The lesson there? If the voice in your head is talking you out of something you’ve never done before on a golf course in favor of the shot you know you should play, listen to it. Chances are you’ll have more confidence in the shot anyway and that is as much a part of the swing as the mechanics.

If I had done all these things, I would have shot 8 strokes better for a 93 which would have been my best score ever. Woulda. Shoulda. Coulda. The story of golf.

So, from this I have come up with
The Four Things The Average Golfer Should Remember on the Golf Course:
1. Ask fellow golfers to abide by etiquette if it will help out your game – it’s a mental thing.
2. Don’t think about the score until the ball has hit the bottom of the cup.
3. If the voice in your head is talking you out of something you’ve never done before on a golf course in favor of the shot you know you should play, listen to it.
4. Finally, don’t suck. But that’s kind of out of your control now, isn’t it.