Inches

This past weekend of golf didn't turn out how it should have.

Saturday was a good day on the course. I was able to make it around the track for my best score of the year so far, 75. Nothing interesting to talk about in regards to this round, it was a very boring 75. Made a good bogey on number 10 (started on the back) after hitting my tee shot out of bounds. From there I made 1 par after another and 1 birdie on the par 3 14th to shoot 37 on the front. The back was no different. I made a lot of pars and 2 bogeys. Swing was feeling great and I was ready for the next leg of the Niagara Mens tour on sunday.

I have to admit, I was a little to anxious to play this round. My home course, coming off my best finish in the previous event, and I played great the day before. Had all the confidence in the world. To bad it wasn't meant to be. I'd start off by hitting a perfect tee shot down the middle on 1 to about 120 yards. For some reason I hit the completely wrong club and fonud myself in the green side bunker. After a poor sand shot and a decent chip I left myself with 3 feet for bogey. I'd end up 3 putting from hear for a 7 and some shaky knees. Luckily, I had about 20 mins to wait on the second tee to forget about it, and I did. I'd end up making a par on the second and a bogey on the third. I settled from hear on out. On the 4th I hit a gorgous 6 iron to 5 feet (I'd end up winning closest to the hole) but missed the easy birdie putt. No worries, I'm just trying to make pars right now. I'd go on to par 5, 6, 7, bogey 8, and made a nice par on 9. However, I was still really frustrated. All day I was leaving birdie putts and par putts about an inch from the hole. In total I left 9 putts or chips 1 to 2 inchs away from the cup for birdie or par. I expressed my frustration of this many times.

So the back nine. I'd start off the 10th sure I'm going to make bogey, but got a little loose around the green and made a bogey. I'm pissed. I used wrong club again on the 11th and found myself in the bunker but left myself a very makable par putt, of course lipped out. 12, I hit another gorgous 5 iron to about 3 feet and actually made the putt for birdie. 13 I struggled off the tee as usual, but almost still made a great par, lipping out from about 12 feet. 14, after going in bunker off the tee, I would lip out a 8 footer for par. 15 I was determined for a birdie. I was on the fringe about 25 feet away for birdie, convinced myself I was chipping this one in. Perfect chip, of course, stoped 1 inch short on the fastest green St. Catharines has been in a long time. 16, I'm making birdie. With a nice approach shot from 100 yards, I left 6 feet from just above the hole and to the right. Any one who has played at St. Catharines would swear this putt is going o break hard left. I read the putt straight but couldn't believe it so i aimed 2 inches right of the hole, I was wrong, ball stopped 2 inches right of the hole, still shocked this was straight. 17, after a solid chip to 4 feet, I lipped out the par putt. 18 I actually found the fairway, hit a nice 7 iron just through the green but followed up with a phenominal chip with a 4 foot par putt, lipped it out. I then proceded to let everyone know that was watching how that was happening all day to me.

I'd end up 41, 41, for an 82. Was ok with it considering i had a triple to start, but I still should have been better. I should have easily been 80, and honestly, I think I could have been 78 if it wasn't for about 6 inches in total of the span of 6800 yards.

Oh well. Atleast I'm showing signs of playing well in tournaments. Not sure how I will fair the rest of the season, I'm about to go on a 1.5 month layoff due to getting married and honeymoons. I guess we'll see.