I also played golf, lots of golf during the break. I am happy to report that the birdie count continues as I earned four birdies, three of them coming in one nine hole round with Brad (not his real name), the manager of Aztec’s Durango Joe’s Coffee. This is what happened…
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #13-Birdie #2 of 2015
I didn’t know what this guy was doing. He had just played hole #11, so I thought he would continue on to #12. I warmed up a bit on the practice green, so that’s why I saw what he was doing. Then he drove his cart up to #10. I walked up to #10, and he was sitting there in his cart waiting. He said...
I could go ahead and play ahead of him, but a family was making the turn, and because he had a cart, I offered to have him join me instead, so he did. As we played, I learned he was the manager at our Durango Joe’s. I was glad to have the company.
I used my driver. This drive looked similar to the one when I played with Bruce, Reilly, and C.J., but it had a much better result. It flew the wash and ended up just off the green on the front right side. The hole was cut on the back middle. I chose my A-wedge, and I used the slower chipping method that Dana taught me. I have great contact when I keep my nose pointing straight down. This chip left me with about a four foot, flat putt with a slight break from right to left. I used the new putting method, too, the one where the ball is farther ahead in my stance, and when I look at the line my eyes go from behind the ball, through the ball, and then to the target. It worked! Two birdies on this new season so far, but it got better!
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #16-Birdie #3 of 2015
Bruce almost aced this hole the last time we played, and this shot stopped even closer than that approach. I had less than three feet, and as I watched it going toward the hole, I thought it was my turn, but it slowed and stopped. Darn it! This putt was slightly left edge, but it was mostly straight. Head down and still, I put this one right in. I remember Brian saying after some of my shots, “Not bad.”
I was making some of my best golf shots, but to him they were just “not bad.”
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #18-Birdie #4 of 2015
I was so proud to earn three birdies in nine holes, especially with my different swing. C.J. says my swing looks the same, but it feels different to me. I feel that it is much more upright than before, and I also feel like I am leaving the club face open to avoid shanking, too.
I told Brian about the shortcut to #3, but he really didn’t have the length to put long drives out there, so it didn’t really matter. He was more of a beginner/Civitan type of player. I aimed for #3, but I ended up doing the rainbow high fade that landed neatly on #18’s fairway instead. From there, the 5-iron got the call, and I swung another high fade type shot that didn’t really fade much. The flag was on the left side of the green, and my ball (I was using the Bridgestone golf balls this time) landed on the left side off of the green, just behind the smaller hill over there.
This next shot was nearly identical to the chip shot on #13. I used my A-wedge again, and it popped over the hill, matching it’s shape with its flight and then stopping about four feet left of the hole. Head down and without any peeking, I made another birdie putt, finishing with a 37. Sweet!
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #7-Birdie #5 of 2015
This is the last one, and I’ll be all caught up. It’s late, and I need to go to bed. Bev and Curt are headed this way, but we will be asleep before they get here. They stopped by on the way to see Emily play at NAU, and now they are stopping by on the way home.
C.J. and I played alone on Friday, and we decided on match play. He had played at Twin Warriors the day before, so he was a little “golfed out.” He did not play like he is capable of playing, and I won handily 4 and 2. This birdie sealed the deal.
I used my driver off the tee, and I swung it way left, definitely onto #14’s fairway. It was long, though. When I walked over the hill, a family of three was playing #14, but they were in no danger; they had just walked up to where my ball was, and they were nice enough to show me where my ball was. The ball was on a hill, so it was at about my knees when I settled into my stance. I took several practice swings with my 7-iron before I took my real swing. This was the best shot of the hole, especially considering the lie. My ball flew over the trees and landed on the fairway, just a short pitch away from the green and in the middle. I used my PW for the chip shot this time. The grass was really dry and dead, so I knew it would roll more than usual, and I was right. It bounced off the green, rolled up onto the green and stopped well left of the hole, about fifteen feet away. This hole was cut on the front middle part of the green. My putt was a left-to-righter, so I picked a spot just left of the hole and slightly past it. It worked.
I played two other times during the break. After two holes, Patrick (last name) and I took on Bruce and C.J. in match play. The two Patricks came away victorious on that one. I played well, helping our team for most of the first part of the round, but Patrick finished stronger than I did to clinch the match. We played the front nine for that round.
I also played seven holes with Mark (last name) one evening, the third of my former students to ask me to be his Confirmation sponsor. He is just starting out in golf, so it became like a playing lesson, but we had a great time together.
Until next time…
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #13-Birdie #2 of 2015
I didn’t know what this guy was doing. He had just played hole #11, so I thought he would continue on to #12. I warmed up a bit on the practice green, so that’s why I saw what he was doing. Then he drove his cart up to #10. I walked up to #10, and he was sitting there in his cart waiting. He said...
I could go ahead and play ahead of him, but a family was making the turn, and because he had a cart, I offered to have him join me instead, so he did. As we played, I learned he was the manager at our Durango Joe’s. I was glad to have the company.
I used my driver. This drive looked similar to the one when I played with Bruce, Reilly, and C.J., but it had a much better result. It flew the wash and ended up just off the green on the front right side. The hole was cut on the back middle. I chose my A-wedge, and I used the slower chipping method that Dana taught me. I have great contact when I keep my nose pointing straight down. This chip left me with about a four foot, flat putt with a slight break from right to left. I used the new putting method, too, the one where the ball is farther ahead in my stance, and when I look at the line my eyes go from behind the ball, through the ball, and then to the target. It worked! Two birdies on this new season so far, but it got better!
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #16-Birdie #3 of 2015
Bruce almost aced this hole the last time we played, and this shot stopped even closer than that approach. I had less than three feet, and as I watched it going toward the hole, I thought it was my turn, but it slowed and stopped. Darn it! This putt was slightly left edge, but it was mostly straight. Head down and still, I put this one right in. I remember Brian saying after some of my shots, “Not bad.”
I was making some of my best golf shots, but to him they were just “not bad.”
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #18-Birdie #4 of 2015
I was so proud to earn three birdies in nine holes, especially with my different swing. C.J. says my swing looks the same, but it feels different to me. I feel that it is much more upright than before, and I also feel like I am leaving the club face open to avoid shanking, too.
I told Brian about the shortcut to #3, but he really didn’t have the length to put long drives out there, so it didn’t really matter. He was more of a beginner/Civitan type of player. I aimed for #3, but I ended up doing the rainbow high fade that landed neatly on #18’s fairway instead. From there, the 5-iron got the call, and I swung another high fade type shot that didn’t really fade much. The flag was on the left side of the green, and my ball (I was using the Bridgestone golf balls this time) landed on the left side off of the green, just behind the smaller hill over there.
This next shot was nearly identical to the chip shot on #13. I used my A-wedge again, and it popped over the hill, matching it’s shape with its flight and then stopping about four feet left of the hole. Head down and without any peeking, I made another birdie putt, finishing with a 37. Sweet!
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #7-Birdie #5 of 2015
This is the last one, and I’ll be all caught up. It’s late, and I need to go to bed. Bev and Curt are headed this way, but we will be asleep before they get here. They stopped by on the way to see Emily play at NAU, and now they are stopping by on the way home.
C.J. and I played alone on Friday, and we decided on match play. He had played at Twin Warriors the day before, so he was a little “golfed out.” He did not play like he is capable of playing, and I won handily 4 and 2. This birdie sealed the deal.
I used my driver off the tee, and I swung it way left, definitely onto #14’s fairway. It was long, though. When I walked over the hill, a family of three was playing #14, but they were in no danger; they had just walked up to where my ball was, and they were nice enough to show me where my ball was. The ball was on a hill, so it was at about my knees when I settled into my stance. I took several practice swings with my 7-iron before I took my real swing. This was the best shot of the hole, especially considering the lie. My ball flew over the trees and landed on the fairway, just a short pitch away from the green and in the middle. I used my PW for the chip shot this time. The grass was really dry and dead, so I knew it would roll more than usual, and I was right. It bounced off the green, rolled up onto the green and stopped well left of the hole, about fifteen feet away. This hole was cut on the front middle part of the green. My putt was a left-to-righter, so I picked a spot just left of the hole and slightly past it. It worked.
I played two other times during the break. After two holes, Patrick (last name) and I took on Bruce and C.J. in match play. The two Patricks came away victorious on that one. I played well, helping our team for most of the first part of the round, but Patrick finished stronger than I did to clinch the match. We played the front nine for that round.
I also played seven holes with Mark (last name) one evening, the third of my former students to ask me to be his Confirmation sponsor. He is just starting out in golf, so it became like a playing lesson, but we had a great time together.
Until next time…
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