Tuesday, February 26, 2013

B Meets C, Birdie #2, and a 44 on Presidents' Day

    Last weekend, I also got to play with Bruce, C.J. and Cameron.  It was the first time the four of us got to play together, so I was curious how it would all play out. 
    We chose best ball match play, of course.  Cameron and I took them on.  Cameron carried me for the front nine.  Bruce started off with a birdie, so we were one down for the first two holes.  We got back to even with Cameron’s par on #3.  I helped a little with a par to put us one up on #4.     
    Bruce countered with another birdie on hole #5, so we were even.  Then Bruce knocked us back down again with a par on #7.  He played the par fives at two under!  My par on #8 was the only...

one while all the others got doubles, so I got us back to even and then Cameron and I both got pars to their bogeys, so we had scrapped our ways to one up on the front nine.
    Although it did not help our team, I did earn a bogey on #5 after hitting my tee shot out of bounds.  Basically, a birdie with one bad swing.  I was proud of that effort.  Bruce made a crazy up and down to earn his birdie from behind the green. His putting was lights out, especially on the front nine.  Cameron nearly missed his birdie putt for what would have been another great up and down from the right side of the green.
    The back nine started with two of the best short game displays I have witnessed in a while, coming from Cameron and C.J.  They were both on the left side, so getting their golf balls on the green without rolling off was amazing in itself.  C.J. chipped his shot low and made his putt from about four feet.  Cameron made a high, soft pitch that hit just off the green and then rolled neatly around the curve of it, stopping just above the hole within three feet.  I was impressed.
    I earned my second birdie this year on hole #11.

Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #11-Birdie #2 of 2013


    I chose driver, and I aimed for the first cottonwood on the right side, but it pushed/sliced over the other cottonwoods that are farther to the right.  I hoped the flag was on the back side of the green because that’s where it looked like it was headed.  Bruce said it wasn’t; he was right, but my ball was even with the front more than the back.  I made a pitch with my sand wedge that got some good bounces in the rough.  My ball settled just short of the hole on its right side, less than four feet and my ball rolled straight in for the bird.  We went two up with this birdie.

    To make this story shorter, we ended up winning at the 16th hole.  Bruce made yet another birdie on the 17th.  The final stroke play scores were Bruce 82, Pat 83, Cameron 84, and C.J. 92.  It was an exciting match. 
    I had a great opportunity for another birdie on #18.  I was within pitching wedge distance after a long drive, so Cameron said he wouldn’t play with me again if I didn’t birdie this hole.  I was just off the green with my second shot, but my putter popped my ball up higher than I wanted from there, and I missed the birdie putt by an inch or so.  Thankfully, he said he would still play with me again, though.
    I played again alone on Presidents‘ Day, but I didn’t have a great score.  I shot a 44 with no birdies.  I just realized something.  Wow, it’s ironic since Barack Obama is the 44th president.  The only good thing was a great up and down on hole #2 where I made a pitch to within a foot from about 30 yards away.  That par was the beginning of three pars on all of the par 3 holes.  It was the par fives I struggled with, earning three bogeys and one double on hole #9.
     If you have read this far, I will also share that I learned some great news today that I will share on my Caring Bridge site soon. 

Until next time...

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