My Garbage Round

Tony Covey MGS · July 12, 2012

Tuesday night is my two-man match play league. My partner and I started slow (took 1 point each of the first two weeks), but rattled off a string of 6s and 5s to finish the first half of the season. Tuesday we played the number one team, and while my partner played ok, I continued my streak of futility off the tee (which generally turns into futility in all respects).

After pulling my 2nd left of the green on 1 (short par 5), I made an easy par. My opponent made birdie.

On two I hit a big pull OB. Managed a 2nd ball par for a 6. My opponent made par

On 3 (par 3), I pulled a hybrid into the woods (playable, but not good) . Made a double - lost the hole.

On 4, I just missed the fairway (left with a hybrid again), but bladed by 2nd OB over the green. I made 7. My opponent made 5.

On 5 I hit the green...and then bounced off. I made 4. My opponent made 3.

On 6, trying to avoid a pull or a hook, i hit a big slice OB with the hybrid. 2nd try I hit a pull. In my pocket. My opponent...I don't know...he could have made 9 and won the match right then and there.

On 7 I hit a big drive...just missed the fairway...on in two...3 putt. I made bogey. Doesn't matter...the match was over.

On 8 I hit a high pull...which forced me to play back to the fairway (par 5...no biggie). Rolled through the fairway, which forced me to try and hit a fade around some branches...I got around the branches, no fade. Front of the green, 2-putt par (hey things are looking up...even if my opponent made a birdie he didn't need).

Which brings me to the 9th hole. My match is over, but my partner can still win his match, and somehow we can still halve the team match. I'm cooked...obviously not playing well, so on a very short (300 yard) par 4, I pull the driver. As was the case all night, I hit a big high pull. The course is narrow (and overly developed with town homes) Bang (one roof), Bang (2nd roof), Bang (3rd roof). The ball was so far left, the guys were joking that I might be in play on #1 (WAAAAAY left from 9).

I reload...overcompensating slice...you know how it goes. I'm in my pocket again. As we're walking up the fairway the guy who just kicked my ass all over the course tells me about the time 10 years ago when somebody he was playing one hit one almost as bad as mine, but he ended up finding it by the bell (well in play). So I figure what the hell...I'll walk up the left side...maybe I got a bounce (the course owed me at least one). Sure enough...20 yards back from the bell, in light rough, some 85 yards from the pin, by ball is in play. The lie is awkward (sideways and down hill), but at least I get to hit the ball again.

Given how the night was going, catching a 60Â° off the toe and ending up in the fairway 10 yards short of the green, while not what I was going for, seemed about right. My partner tells me to try and get it close with my putter...you never know, a par might be good enough to halve the match. Putting from well off the green isn't something I do often, and when I do, it generally ends badly, so I decided not to.

I settled on my 53Â° and picked my spot. Damned if the ball didn't come off the face exactly how I thought it would. I hit my spot, got my roll, tapped the flagstick, and was in the hole for a birdie....which was good enough to half the team match. So basically I had a lousy night, but I'm trying to ignore the 3 houses I hit, and focus on the fact that I finished the last two holes one under and halved the match.

Just for fun, I've included a photoshop rendering of my final hole (roof impact is estimated since nobody saw the ball). Shots, 1, 2, and 3 are color coded for your amusement.

JMiller · July 12, 2012

At the very least you have gotten to play golf the weather here in NC is s***, haven't been on the course since the 7th and one range time on the 10th and hopefully again today, but weather isn't looking great again. Heat T-Storms suck badly, This time of year you better play early morning because come 3 to 5pm the sky is going to be black and lighting.

You could find out how far your ball traveled using http://www.measurelinks.com/ in a straight lines lol.