9th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

Written on 12-5-02.

        I got to play at Encanto Golf Course in Phoenix this Thanksgiving.  We went to go see Jess during Thanksgiving.  It was a wonderful trip.  Jess very generously gave us our Christmas gifts early, four tickets to go see Cirque Du Soleil-Dralion.  It was fantastic! It was just as wonderful a gift as our trip to see the Titanic Exhibit last year at Christmas.  This show was incredible.  The acrobats/entertainers were amazingly talented.  The children enjoyed it as much as we did.  I especially liked what I called the hoops.  They linked three hoops stacked on top of each other on a square, one stack of hoops on each side of the square.  Then they tumbled and dived and went through the hoops.  They would never touch the hoops, and they would go through backwards and forwards and jump through the top hoop on one side and slip through the bottom hoop on the other.  Sometimes they would go at the same time without hitting each other.  One guy went from a bottom hoop through the top hoop on the other side.  I still don’t know how he did that!  I kept saying the word ‘Wow!’ throughout the entire show.  Joe had burned the CD of the show for me about a year ago, so it was neat to hear the music with the performance for the first time.  I am actually listening to that CD right now. 

I played well at Encanto again.  Last Christmas, Eric and I played the front nine two times.  I remember that my back was still very fragile after I had damaged a disc.  I did not play very well that first day, but the second day we played the front nine again, and I shot my best score ever at that time, a 39!  I even made back-to-back birdies on holes #5 and #6, a first for me.

It was similar this time.  I didn’t play well on the front nine, but got things going on the second nine.  On the front nine, I did par the most difficult hole #9 again!  I hit a long drive with my 3-wood, then a 5-iron up close to the green where I could chip it close and putt it in. 

On the back, I scored all fours and fives!  I shot a 42 with seven bogeys and two pars.  It felt great to play so well during the off-season, especially since I have not been practicing or playing much recently.  

        I played with some interesting characters.  Their names were Jaime (hi-mee) Laza, a master goldsmith who gave me his business card. He had moved here from Columbia some thirty years ago.  He always lined up way to the right of his target.  One time I thought he was going to hit in the water for sure, but he always pulled it back and ended up hitting it straight, just not very far.  Henry Gin was the guy I rode and played with.  He told me that Jaime had polio when he was younger and that’s why he played that way.  After he said that, I did notice that Jaime had one leg shorter than the other and it made a lot more sense.  Jaime rode with a guy named Lee, whose wife was a teacher of emotionally handicapped children.  He was quite opinionated about how public schools should be run.  He even helped his wife get a raise and reduce the number of students she was serving once.  His father was a superintendent.  Out of the three of them, he talked to me the most.  Henry was pretty quiet.  He made potato chips.  He asked me if I liked chips, and I said they were okay, but not very good for you.  Before our round, he took our cart over to his van and rummaged around, finally pulling out three bags of chips, which he gave one to each of us.  They were chips from Hawaii, and they were actually pretty good.  They tasted sweet.  He was not a very good player, but they said they were all playing in a tournament, and with his handicap being so high, I think he won.

I enjoyed the round very much.  I especially liked the back nine.  I was driving the ball very well.  It was also nice to satisfy my curiosity about the back nine.  They said it was tougher, but I thought it was easier.  On two holes, the tee shots were intimidating.  If you sliced it at all, you would be hitting a golf ball into oncoming traffic!  I hit two of my best tee shots on those holes.  They were holes #12 and #13.  It was on hole #12, a par five that I earned par, and hole #15, a 426-yard par four, where I earned the other par.  On that hole, I hit a great 5-wood off of the dirt to just off the green.  

Well, I am all caught up!  I am going to play this weekend with Eric and Chris if the weather is good enough.  Hopefully, I will have some birdies to write about.  Until next time…

8th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

Continued from the last post...

My Partners

I am ashamed to say that I have completely forgotten my partners’ names from the tournament.  Completely!  On Saturday I played with an older gentleman whose company is in Denver.  His company was the reason he was in the tournament.  He was very nice and I even played with him again on the second day as well, which is rare, and makes me feel even worse that I forgot his name.  

       My other partner was from Monte Vista.  I think he was a rancher?  I wish I could remember.  I was so depressed about my play that I didn’t write for a long time, and that’s why I forgot their names.

        My third partner was the “much older gentleman” I mentioned earlier.  I think he was in his seventies.  He played the best of all three of my partners.  His brother had won the Club Championship many years ago.  He was a straight shooter, but lacked the distance to be in a better flight.  He also had quite a temper.  He lives right behind the golf course.

I will be sure to remember my partners’ names next time.

The Weather

The weather was bad.  We had to stop play on Saturday when we were on the seventeenth fairway.  I learned a big lesson.  I was about to hit my gap wedge after a nice drive when lightning struck very close.  I didn’t see anyone coming out to tell us to stop, but it was so windy and the rain was coming down hard.  

I addressed the ball again, but all I was thinking was, “Please don’t get struck by lightning.” 

        Well, I chunked the ground and my ball went maybe twenty feet.  Right after that, a cart pulled up with a tournament person telling us to head to the clubhouse!  I was so upset that I had swung when I wasn’t really ready to swing.  Next time, I will mark my ball and wait!  When we came out to resume play, I played even worse.  I got a high score because I had allowed the weather to disrupt my concentration.  I will prepare better when that happens, so it won’t happen again!

        On Sunday, we had another delay due to the weather, but this time I waited before I took another swing.  I knew someone would be coming to tell us to go inside.  And this time, I made sure I was ready to swing and focused on my target when we came back out to resume play.  I even ran up and down some hills to make sure I was warmed up. 

        One more comment about the weather.  It did rain quite a bit for the first two holes, but then it cleared up just like I said it would.  I did my best to stay dry, but realized a big mistake was that I hadn’t brought rain pants.  If it had continued, my pants would have been soaking wet by the fourth hole.  They were allowing us to play when it was just raining and there was no lightning.  Luckily, it did clear up, though.  I wonder if Chris or Eric thought of O.P. when the sun came out.  Ha!   

Final Comment

I want to say one more thing about this tournament.  I was very disappointed in my overall play on both days.   If I missed a green, my short game was nowhere near it needed to be in order to be able to save par or even a bogey.  Many times I would hit a trap, and then either hit it short, long, left, or right, but not on the green where the ball needed to be.

I think I was most disappointed in my cowardly play on hole #9 on Sunday, though.  It was the last hole for me, because we had started on hole #10.  I hit an okay drive and a good second shot to the left of the green.  I had about a forty-foot pitch to get it on the green, but there was water and another trap on the other side.  I chickened out and barely hit it close to the green, and then I barely hit it on the green.  I left my first putt way short, and then my second putt short, too.  I finally got it in for a seven.  Yuck!  I was so afraid of having a terrible hole that I ended up having a terrible hole!  Next time... go for it.  Eric took 19th in the tournament, and I took 20th.  I believe there were 24 participants in each flight.  

       That’s enough about this tournament.  I look forward to next summer’s tournaments.  I will not place in every tournament, even though I should expect to.  I am happy with my third place at Pinon, and I am thankful for the lessons I learned at Dalton.  At least my money went to a great charity, the American Cancer Society.

Next time I write, a nice round back at Encanto in Phoenix.  This time I got to play the back nine, and I played it very well. 

7th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

         I am including excerpts from my Golf Diary this month, because we decluttered Mom and Dad's house to get them ready for a possible move to Colorado Springs, I had CORE work, my dad got very ill so he ended up in the hospital, and I had more CORE work.  In other words, no playing golf, therefore, no writing about golf.

Written on 12-4-02.

        Hello!  The children are at CCD.  B is at her school doing some grading.  I am at home typing.  The Christmas tree is decorated and lit.  We did that together as a family on Monday.  I even missed my other family’s chat night on AOL Instant Messenger to spend time with my family here at home.  Our cat Raichu, or “Fat”chu as I call her now due to her small overeating problem, went right under the tree as soon as it was put up as if to say the tree belongs to her.  We adopted two new cats this year after our other two, FastFeet and Angel, disappeared.  We had left them out at nights sometimes and sadly we don’t know what happened to them.  We keep our two new cats inside every night now.  They are Raichu and Pikachu, named after the Pokemon characters they resemble. Pikachu has half of a tail with two kinks in it.  Raichu has a longer tail with only one kink on the end.  

I am caught up with all of my grading.  Today my class watched the movie “Spirit” as a prize for filling up the “marble bus”, a small metal bus I fill up with marbles for the class’s good behavior.  I used that time to get caught up.  I have also done my workout already tonight, so I have some time here alone to catch up in the diary!  Here goes.

I played in my second tournament ever, and was quite humbled by the whole experience.  I did have a great start with a bogey and a par on Saturday, but after a disaster on hole #3 and some terrible weather, I couldn’t pull myself or my game back together.  I shot a Saturday score of 107!  Yuck!

On Sunday, Chris drove Eric and me, and I was trying to be optimistic.  The weather looked worse the closer we got to Durango.  I said it would clear up, but they wouldn’t believe me.  I told them to think of me when the sun came out later, though.  I even joked around by singing “The sun will come out tomorrow.  Bet your bottom dollar that…”  You know the rest of the song.  Anyway, they teased me and called me O.P., which stands for Optimistic Pat.  Nice nickname.  I like that.  

Sunday was better, but I had mostly shot myself out of the tournament on Saturday.  I scored a 100 on Sunday.  I was proud that I could better my score from the day before.  

Even this terrible tournament performance with its terrible weather had some bright moments.  Here are the holes I played very well.  By the way, no birdies at all in a tournament yet!  I’ll get one next summer.

Dalton Ranch-Hole #2

   

This hole is the first par three hole and it’s a pretty short one.  We played from the gold tees, which is only one away from the farthest tees.  This hole is about 141 yards from the gold.  I hit two great tee shots, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday.  I double-putted both days to earn my pars.  

Dalton Ranch-Hole #8

On Saturday, I hit the best drive of the tournament on this hole.  This hole is a long par four at 436 yards.  I hit it to about 150 yards out, but the pin was on the back, so I chose my 6-iron to go for the green.  The younger partner I was playing with said I had crushed my drive.  If my math is right, I hit my drive approximately 286 yards.  I never once used my driver in this tournament, so that was with my 3-wood!  Wow, that is a big drive.  Then I hit a smooth 6-iron right onto the green and double-putted again.  I was very proud of my play on this hole, the #3 handicap hole on the course. 

Dalton Ranch-Hole #12

This hole is the longest par three at 187 yards.  I played this hole the best on Sunday.  I used my 4-iron instead of my 5-wood from the day before, which had gotten me in a real fix in the trap behind the green.  My 4-iron was the right distance, but I pulled it substantially to the left of the green.  I was stuck in some fairly thick grass about twenty feet from the green.  The ball was on a hill that sloped down toward the green.  I hit my best recovery shot here.  I used my Cleveland Sand Wedge to chop down through the ball and it shot out perfectly and landed on the green about ten feet from the hole.  From there I made my putt for par.  

Dalton Ranch-Hole #13

I like par fives.  Especially beautiful ones like this one.  It has the train tracks and some water running down the left side, traps all along both sides, and the fairway looks gorgeous when you stand on the green and look back on it.  It is also a very tough hole.  On Saturday, I hit the trap on the right side on my tee shot.  Then I hit another trap with my second shot.  Then I found the trap up next to the green for my third.  I would have loved to have made a sandy par, but it wasn’t meant to be.  I splashed my fourth shot short right back into the bunker I was already in.  Bummer!

  On Sunday, though, pure perfection!  I hit my drive to the left of the trap on the right side and on the fairway.  Then I hit my lay-up shot in between all of the traps along the fairway.  From there I hit a great approach right onto the green. One of the guys I was playing with, a much older gentleman, said I was playing this hole like a pro!  I double-putted for my only back-to-back pars of the tournament. 

Dalton Ranch-Hole #15

This is another long par four that has given me fits in the past, but not on Sunday.  I hit a decent drive, but I missed the fairway on the left side.  My lie was not great, and I still had 170 or so yards to go, but I went for it with my 5-iron.  This was my best approach of the tournament.  I was behind a hill too, so I couldn’t even see the flag.  It landed right on the green, and I double-putted again for another par. 

6th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

Written on 11-14-02.

I’d like to start my new birdie count now.  The last one I counted was #22.  Since then, I have had five more that I can remember.  I am going to start over again for this year.  I would like to get forty birdies now by the end of September next year.  Two of those birdies came from my round of 18 holes when I played with Joe and Laura.  That round included my lowest nine hole score, which I have mentioned earlier, a 37!  I shot a 37!  I am still very impressed with that.  I’ve shot a 39 before, but a 37!  That’s just a glimpse of my true potential.  Two over par!  Here are those birdies.

Dalton Ranch-Hole #6

Eric, Chris, Greg Braum and I played a “practice” round together a couple of weeks before the tournament.  It was our last chance to look the course over and figure out a plan for playing in the tournament.  I did not prepare for this tournament as well as I did for Pinon Hills.  I didn’t walk an entire nine holes backwards here!  Nor did I hit seven or more large buckets the week before.  I did, however, look back on certain holes and try to get a sense for what would be the best approach.  I also tried to figure out which holes I needed to use my 4-iron instead of driver or 3-wood.  I also played a perfect round in my head the night before the tournament.  It did help on some holes, but definitely not on others!  I digress.  I hit a huge tee shot with my 3-wood past the 150 marker.  Then I hit my 9-iron.  This was another very smooth and well-balanced swing.  It felt comfortable, but aggressive.  It landed right on the green, but short of the hole.  I had to go pee really badly and since I was closest to the hole, I had some time.  I took my putter and set it outside the bathroom.  I came out in time to watch Chris putt.  He did not putt well.  I don’t remember what I told him, but he was upset.  It had something to do with putting out first or taking your time, but I can’t remember.  Anyway, I had a putt of about fifteen feet to make.  I made that for what I will say is my first birdie of this year.   

Hidden Valley-Hole #5

This birdie came on the front nine, where I scored a 47.  I don’t remember how I got on the green, but I do remember that it was a long putt that earned the birdie, so I must have gotten on the green in three shots.  It was a downhill putt to a flagstick on the front of the green.  Sadly, I don’t remember very much about this birdie.  I think I told Joe and Laura that it was a birdie just to make sure someone else knew that, but they were so involved in their game that I don’t think they cared.  That was birdie #2.  

Hidden Valley-Hole #14

This is the birdie that came smack dab in the middle of my best round of nine holes ever.  Hole #14 is a par five, also.  This one I remember.  I know that my second shot ended up above the green in the rough on the left side.  There’s a little hill there.  I call this green the “toilet bowl”, because that’s what it looks like, a great big toilet seat.  The flag was on the rim of the “seat” on the opposite side.  I hit a relaxed pitch that ended up about twelve feet away.  From there I putted in for birdie number two of this round with Joe and Laura.  I was so happy they had come to visit me.  I kept telling them how happy I was when we were done playing, and that I needed them to come play with me all the time.  After making that putt, I made par on the last four holes, including the difficult #18.  That last putt was a tricky down-hiller that broke to the left.  Actually, the putt before that was a long uphill, downhill putt with about eight feet of break that was very difficult to read and get the ball close.  I really took my time reading those last two putts and making sure I was prepared to hit them.  Somehow I knew a double-putt would earn a record score for me, and I was right.  That birdie on #14 was birdie #3 for this year.  

Hidden Valley-Hole #10

Eric and I played Hidden Valley when I earned this birdie.  This hole was one of twenty-seven holes where we actually ended up tying.  This is also the same hole I earned my one and only eagle so far.  It’s a short par four where the green can be driven if you hit a great tee shot.  I hit my second shot just barely on the green on the right side.  From there, I thought I had hit my putt too hard.  It surprised me when the ball fell right in the hole.  Yeah!  Birdie #4!

Hidden Valley-Hole #6

It’s nice to get a birdie on a par three, which is what I did on this hole.  I was playing with Eric and Chris.  Chris asked if we could play one last time before daylight savings came where we lose a precious hour of golf-playing daylight in the evenings.  I am glad he asked us, because I got this birdie in before darkness fell completely on late night golf adventures.  This hole is 159 yards, but it’s downhill.  I sometimes use a 6-iron, but sometimes I feel a 7 is better.  One time I used my 8-iron.  It varies every time we play there because of the location of the flag or the tee markers, and maybe the wind.  This day, the 7-iron got the call.  The pin was back and in the middle.  The swing felt effortless, and the ball took off like a rocket!  It was high and straight, and it just hung there above the flag for what seemed like a full minute.  I held my pose, and Chris complimented me on my follow-through.  The ball hit the green and rolled right toward the hole.  My breath stopped for a second as I thought this was going to be my first ace ever!  It wasn’t to be, though, but I wasn’t too upset.  I was left with only a one-foot putt for birdie #5! 

There.  I am all caught up with birdies.  I wish I could say I have eight!  I have missed some birdie putts lately that all had really good chances, but have just missed or lipped out.  It doesn’t bother me, though.  It just means I’m due to make my next few opportunities.  

       Next time I write, I need to tell of my experience in my second tournament ever, the Four-Corners Stroke Play Tournament.  I will talk about the difficulties I had, the really good holes, the lessons I learned, and the weather