Written on 11-10-15.
I have two birdies to recount, so I’ll get right to it.
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #6-Birdie #42 of 2015
Belinda and I were having a most enjoyable Sunday together. No more Sunday blues. No reason to go to our schools to finish lesson plans, grade papers, or write a weekly newsletter. After mass, I asked her to go to lunch with me, so we did one of our usual lunch dates: Wendy’s and Riverside Park. After parking and eating at our usual spot, the road right next to the river and the walking path, we chose to park in an “actual” parking space and walk around the entire park. It was a gorgeous fall day again, and after we made one loop we talked about going around again, but it was so pleasant outside that I had said I was considering golf, and she told me she wouldn’t mind walking with me out on the golf course, so we spontaneously went home, got my clubs and my shoes, and headed out to Aztec Municipal Golf Course.
Hardly anyone was out there, so when we walked over to #1, it really felt like we were the only two people on the golf course. J.P. was disgusted that more people were not taking advantage of the beautiful weather, but it made it better for my shy Belinda. She walked and talked with me for the first four holes. I did most of the talking, hoping to...
keep her out for the entire nine holes, but she chose to go back and possibly take a nap in the Escape in the parking lot while I finished up.
After getting a bogey on #5 this time, I walked over to #6, Eric’s Big-O sponsorship hole. On two other recent occasions, I used my 8-iron, and I did get my ball on the green, but it was near the back and not where the flag was, front and center and in the smaller valley there.
So, this time I chose my 9-iron, and it worked, it really worked. My ball ended up six feet away and directly below the hole. I took a picture of it with my iPhone to share with C.J., and I shared it with James, too. I thought the putt might break slightly to the left, but it was mostly straight and likely to be directly on the fall line.
This was the first birdie ever with my new Cleveland putter. It’s a belly putter that I bought at Dick’s Sporting Goods on the Saturday of their Grand Opening. It was on sale for $79.99, and I love it. It does not have to be used as a belly putter, so I am using it without anchoring it. It’s so heavy, and it had a sticker on it that says it is counter-balanced. I bought it on a whim, telling the golf people there jokingly (but I was serious obviously) that if I made five putts in a row from outside of 15 feet I would buy it. Then I proceeded to make six in a row instead. Since I made six instead of five, I did not have to buy it, but of course I really wanted it. I called Belinda to get permission, and she said to go for it, so I did.
Written on 11-11-15.
I earned another birdie two days ago while playing with C.J. We chose to play on Monday instead of our now mostly regular Wednesday play dates because it was the best weather day by far. It was the best choice; today was terribly cold and windy. Belinda and I just took a night walk through our neighborhood, and we wore our winter coats. Since it is Veterans Day, many neighbors put out green lights to show their support and thanks. A variety of chimney smoke smells tickled our noses, and it made me want to walk faster to get back to our own gas stove.
It got as high as 60 degrees on Monday, however, and I was quite comfortable with shorts and a polo. C.J. regretted his decision to wear cords and a turtleneck. I chose the game this time. I decided to have us focus on greens in regulation, so the winner would be the person who got the most. C.J. added a variation after hole #4, and it was wonderful, helping us to stay focused per chance we missed a green. Two points were given for every green in regulation, but one point could be earned if a green was missed, but we managed get up and in for a par.
We managed to tie with seven points each on the front nine, but I started to pull away on the back, and that’s when I not only got two points for the green in regulation, but also earned this birdie.
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #13-Birdie #43 of 2015
C.J. and I had just gotten up and down for amazing pars on hole #12, C.J. with a pitch from the front of the green to the back that went past the hole and a putt from about 12 feet, and me with a chip shot purposely hit into the hill to kill my golf ball’s momentum from the right side where it popped up and stopped less than three feet away. I used my sand wedge for that chip shot because it was in some pretty thick grass.
When we came to #13, I used my driver like I always do. I had been hitting some low pulls, so I brought my left foot back a bit and attempted to swing up on the ball more than normal. Boy, did that work! My ball took off like it was shot out of a rifle and headed straight for the green and the flag. C.J. thought it would be on the green for sure, but I had an inkling it would be past the green; that’s how well it was struck.
When we got up there, it wasn’t on the green. I checked the hole just for fun, but it was just the flagstick in there. Then C.J. eyed my golf ball behind the green. It was in thick grass again, and the hole was cut near the front of the green, so I chose my sand wedge again, hoping to just pop it up into the air and get it rolling towards the front. With the green sloping that way, it didn’t take much to get it on and rolling. C.J. teased me about missing my green in regulation, but that wasn’t really a thought in my head. That chip shot was very similar to the one I had just performed on #12, but this one had no hill to bump into, just a wide open green.
When my ball came to a stop, it was still above the hole and to the right of it. I had four feet left, but it had a foot of right to left break in it. I read it higher than I felt comfortable, but it worked out really well. My ball turned nearly 45 degrees before slowing down and dropping into the hole, and it was a really finesse type of putt. This new Cleveland putter continues to serve me well.
I shot a 37 on the back nine, a repeat of one of my best nine hole scores ever. When I write again, I’ll talk about some of the ways I was able to score as well as I did.
Until next time…
I have two birdies to recount, so I’ll get right to it.
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #6-Birdie #42 of 2015
Belinda and I were having a most enjoyable Sunday together. No more Sunday blues. No reason to go to our schools to finish lesson plans, grade papers, or write a weekly newsletter. After mass, I asked her to go to lunch with me, so we did one of our usual lunch dates: Wendy’s and Riverside Park. After parking and eating at our usual spot, the road right next to the river and the walking path, we chose to park in an “actual” parking space and walk around the entire park. It was a gorgeous fall day again, and after we made one loop we talked about going around again, but it was so pleasant outside that I had said I was considering golf, and she told me she wouldn’t mind walking with me out on the golf course, so we spontaneously went home, got my clubs and my shoes, and headed out to Aztec Municipal Golf Course.
Hardly anyone was out there, so when we walked over to #1, it really felt like we were the only two people on the golf course. J.P. was disgusted that more people were not taking advantage of the beautiful weather, but it made it better for my shy Belinda. She walked and talked with me for the first four holes. I did most of the talking, hoping to...
keep her out for the entire nine holes, but she chose to go back and possibly take a nap in the Escape in the parking lot while I finished up.
After getting a bogey on #5 this time, I walked over to #6, Eric’s Big-O sponsorship hole. On two other recent occasions, I used my 8-iron, and I did get my ball on the green, but it was near the back and not where the flag was, front and center and in the smaller valley there.
So, this time I chose my 9-iron, and it worked, it really worked. My ball ended up six feet away and directly below the hole. I took a picture of it with my iPhone to share with C.J., and I shared it with James, too. I thought the putt might break slightly to the left, but it was mostly straight and likely to be directly on the fall line.
This was the first birdie ever with my new Cleveland putter. It’s a belly putter that I bought at Dick’s Sporting Goods on the Saturday of their Grand Opening. It was on sale for $79.99, and I love it. It does not have to be used as a belly putter, so I am using it without anchoring it. It’s so heavy, and it had a sticker on it that says it is counter-balanced. I bought it on a whim, telling the golf people there jokingly (but I was serious obviously) that if I made five putts in a row from outside of 15 feet I would buy it. Then I proceeded to make six in a row instead. Since I made six instead of five, I did not have to buy it, but of course I really wanted it. I called Belinda to get permission, and she said to go for it, so I did.
Written on 11-11-15.
I earned another birdie two days ago while playing with C.J. We chose to play on Monday instead of our now mostly regular Wednesday play dates because it was the best weather day by far. It was the best choice; today was terribly cold and windy. Belinda and I just took a night walk through our neighborhood, and we wore our winter coats. Since it is Veterans Day, many neighbors put out green lights to show their support and thanks. A variety of chimney smoke smells tickled our noses, and it made me want to walk faster to get back to our own gas stove.
It got as high as 60 degrees on Monday, however, and I was quite comfortable with shorts and a polo. C.J. regretted his decision to wear cords and a turtleneck. I chose the game this time. I decided to have us focus on greens in regulation, so the winner would be the person who got the most. C.J. added a variation after hole #4, and it was wonderful, helping us to stay focused per chance we missed a green. Two points were given for every green in regulation, but one point could be earned if a green was missed, but we managed get up and in for a par.
We managed to tie with seven points each on the front nine, but I started to pull away on the back, and that’s when I not only got two points for the green in regulation, but also earned this birdie.
Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #13-Birdie #43 of 2015
C.J. and I had just gotten up and down for amazing pars on hole #12, C.J. with a pitch from the front of the green to the back that went past the hole and a putt from about 12 feet, and me with a chip shot purposely hit into the hill to kill my golf ball’s momentum from the right side where it popped up and stopped less than three feet away. I used my sand wedge for that chip shot because it was in some pretty thick grass.
When we came to #13, I used my driver like I always do. I had been hitting some low pulls, so I brought my left foot back a bit and attempted to swing up on the ball more than normal. Boy, did that work! My ball took off like it was shot out of a rifle and headed straight for the green and the flag. C.J. thought it would be on the green for sure, but I had an inkling it would be past the green; that’s how well it was struck.
When we got up there, it wasn’t on the green. I checked the hole just for fun, but it was just the flagstick in there. Then C.J. eyed my golf ball behind the green. It was in thick grass again, and the hole was cut near the front of the green, so I chose my sand wedge again, hoping to just pop it up into the air and get it rolling towards the front. With the green sloping that way, it didn’t take much to get it on and rolling. C.J. teased me about missing my green in regulation, but that wasn’t really a thought in my head. That chip shot was very similar to the one I had just performed on #12, but this one had no hill to bump into, just a wide open green.
When my ball came to a stop, it was still above the hole and to the right of it. I had four feet left, but it had a foot of right to left break in it. I read it higher than I felt comfortable, but it worked out really well. My ball turned nearly 45 degrees before slowing down and dropping into the hole, and it was a really finesse type of putt. This new Cleveland putter continues to serve me well.
I shot a 37 on the back nine, a repeat of one of my best nine hole scores ever. When I write again, I’ll talk about some of the ways I was able to score as well as I did.
Until next time…
No comments:
Post a Comment