Career Best

You all know that my favorite hobby is golf.  Over the past two years I have committed to playing in competitive golf events, and have really enjoyed the improvements in my game.  When I started carrying a USGA handicap about 3 years ago it was over 15, it currently sits at 10.5 and is on the verge of breaking into single digits for the first time ever.

Anyway, I decided to play in a Men’s league at one of the local courses here in Nampa this spring.  I got paired up with a nice older guy named Bruce and after 7 weeks found ourselves in 4^th place. Thursday night we moved up at least one spot by demolishing the team ranked in third.  I can’t take all the credit for the win, because my partner overcame a quadruple bogey on the 3^rd hole to finish with a nine hole score of 40.

During the round I managed to play the first 7 holes 1-under par with 2 birdies and 1 bogey.  On hole #17 (we played the back nine) I hit my tee shot under a tree on the right side of the fairway and had to punch out into the fairway.  I was able to advance it forward and had about 100 yards left to get up and down for par. From there I hit a 56* wedge to about 12 feet below the hole.  I lipped out the right-to-left breaking putt and settled for a “good bogey” considering my tee shot.  I followed that by making a regulation par on hole #18 and finishing with an even par 36.

I’ve shot 36 a handful of times but have only broken 80 twice, so I decided to see what would come of the full 18 hole round.  Since it was the longest day of the year yesterday I had plenty of time to make the turn and finish all 18 before dark.  I met my brother in law JP on hole 4 so I didn’t have to play by myself.  I continued the good streak by making par on holes 4, 5, and 6.  A bad shot on 7, an unlucky break on 8, and a regulation par on 9 left me 2 over for the day so I set off to the #1 tee box knowing I had a chance to shoot a really good score.  Hole #1 proved to be no challenge at all as I laced a tee shot to nearly 300 yards, stuck the green, and two putted my way to par. 

My first real adventure of the day came on hole two, the shortest par four and easiest hole on the course.  It was getting hard to see the ball in the fading daylight, but I knew I hit my 3-wood down the left side of the hole.  When I got to the landing area I couldn’t find my ball lying in the rough and began to panic. After walking up and down the roughly mown waste area I found my Taylormade 3, marked with a green line for Michigan State, sitting on a patch of dead grass.  I was fortunate that it had been mowed recently and my ball was sitting up.  I lofted the ball onto the green and made an easy 2 putt to make par.

Every golfer understands the fickle nature of the 18^th hole.  It seems to give the struggling player one great shot to keep them coming back, or steal a stroke or two from a player trying to have his best day.  For me this was hole #3 and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it.  I popped up my tee shot and was left with 150 yards downhill from the left rough.  I was in between clubs with the pin in the front so I settled on going with an easy swing 8 iron.  The rough grabbed my club a little and caused a severe under hit that only travelled 60 yards.  I followed that up with a 60* that rolled past the hole and onto the fringe.  A mediocre chip and two putts later I had made my only double bogey of the day and finished with a 4-over 76, my lowest score ever.

June 21, 2012: a 76

It’s always great to set a personal record and we’ve all had them in different arena of our lives so of course I am very excited.  However, as I sat reflecting on the round there were two responses I kept having. 

The first was that it seemed almost easy. Even though it was my best round ever I didn’t feel like I had to overcome any obstacle.  Maybe that means there is better yet to come, or maybe it is just the sign of me coming closer to mastering my own game.  Either way I sure won’t complain if I keep shooting scores in the 70’s.

The other was an emotional response that I experience quite often regarding all sorts of things in my life.  I really wish I have shot that round playing with my dad.  I am very blessed to have met and married Faith, a phenomenal wife, and my very best friend.  I have a great job and good friends out here in the northwest, but I wake up many days wishing I could play golf with my dad, sit and talk with my mom, or go goof around with Marty.  I miss you all so much, and wish we were able to share more milestones and accomplishments together.

So here is to shooting your career best, and having a great big loving family to share it with.

-R