Friday, September 16, 2005
First Round Recap
Today was a struggle in the first round of the Carolinas Mid-Amateur. I hit the ball all over the lot but managed to get in with a 78.
For you golfers, here are the critical stats. I hit just four fairways and four greens, not good by any standard. Three of the four greens hit were par fives where I was no more than 20 yards from the stick in two.
After opening with three pars, my round derailed a bit on my fourth hole, #13. It is a long and difficult par three, and I pulled my tee shot into very deep grass. It took five of us almost the entire five minute limit to find the ball.
The grass was over a foot deep, and I was brushing the top of the thicket lightly hoping to find my ball below. Just when I brushed the right patch, I saw my ball below just as it dislodged and rolled about 2".
By the rules of golf, it is a one shot penalty if a player or his caddie causes his ball to move (outside a hazard), even if searching for it. I had to replace the ball where it originally lay, assess myself a penalty, then hit it as hard as I could to move it about five yards. I ended up chipping in for a double bogey 5.
There are still a few players on the course, so I do not know how well everyone else played. My guess is I will need 72 or better tomorrow to make the cut, so I better have my A game then.
For you golfers, here are the critical stats. I hit just four fairways and four greens, not good by any standard. Three of the four greens hit were par fives where I was no more than 20 yards from the stick in two.
After opening with three pars, my round derailed a bit on my fourth hole, #13. It is a long and difficult par three, and I pulled my tee shot into very deep grass. It took five of us almost the entire five minute limit to find the ball.
The grass was over a foot deep, and I was brushing the top of the thicket lightly hoping to find my ball below. Just when I brushed the right patch, I saw my ball below just as it dislodged and rolled about 2".
By the rules of golf, it is a one shot penalty if a player or his caddie causes his ball to move (outside a hazard), even if searching for it. I had to replace the ball where it originally lay, assess myself a penalty, then hit it as hard as I could to move it about five yards. I ended up chipping in for a double bogey 5.
There are still a few players on the course, so I do not know how well everyone else played. My guess is I will need 72 or better tomorrow to make the cut, so I better have my A game then.
