No Chickens Are Being Counted

That fanfare you can hear is the sound of me blowing my own trumpet. Why the self-congratulatory and strangely upbeat mood you may ask? Finally, after months of promising the faithful blog follower that the swing was coming, the short game was getting better, heck that I could even get out of bunkers, I put together a round of golf that pulled everything into a hugely satisfying combination of all these facets working as one. It was good, very good, but there were at least three shots left out there.

It was my first round of the Haig Cup. It's a bogey format where you take on the course. If you score better than par (or net par) you are deemed to have won the hole. A net par is a half and a net bogey or worse and you've lost the hole. The person that ends up the most holes up over two rounds wins. It is open throughout the Easter break and you can choose which two days you wish to play. Simple.

There was a covering of frost on Bedborough Field a.k.a the practice ground when I went to warm up and it seemed the world and his dad (not a lady member in sight) wanted an early start so the first tee was rammed. We were hanging around for the best part of an hour and that can never be good for a fragile golf psyche like mine. I was worried that any hint of tempo and rhythmn I'd built up would be lost.

The opening tee shot wasn't a thing of great finesse or technique and was a big looping hook but I'd started it sufficiently wide, or in other words aimed badly, for it to work and find the green. A rare occurrence at the best of times let alone in a competition and I managed to make a comfortable par to take an early lead on the course. I made an error of judgement on my second to the 2nd and put it in the rough and couldn't control the nine iron approach which found the back bunker, close to the back lip and on a downslope. A bit of an early test for these so called new bunker skills but I got it out and settled for a half.

I made a par at the 3rd, another rare beast and followed it with another at the 4th to be +2. The 5th hole is about as wide a driving area as we have on the course and to be honest is one of the few holes that holds no fear usually. I've no idea where the big hook came from then although I think it was down to simply swinging too fast on that shot. Either way it was out of bounds left (and never seen again) and so I reloaded. I never looked like making a birdie with the second ball to rescue a half. Onto the 6th which has been a real terror hole in competitive play. Today though I was going to be brave and banish those memories. In truth I hit the 4 iron pretty well but it was a hair left and caught the greenside slope and went left. The chip wasn't great, still better than it has been, but a four was another defeat. I managed a half at the 7th despite a wayward tee shot and got down from the fringe at the next.

The 9th hole always plays into the wind and today was no exception. I pushed the tee shot right and it found the light rough. I went with a five wood when hybrid would have been the better choice and hit it way too thin. It avoided the bunkers and finished about ten yards short of the green. The first chance to really test the chipping. I hit it really well to within three feet and converted for a par and a win. +1 at the turn.

I missed the green left at the 10th. Sitting on a bare lie with the edge of the bunker to negotiate to a tight pin placement it wasn't looking appetising. However in a moment of clarity and great visualisation I reached for the putter. The group on the 11th tee AND my partners found this hysterical and there was much mickey taking. I hit it with sufficient pace to take it past the edge of the bunker without any danger of it dropping in. That would have made me look very foolish. It found the green albeit eight feet away and so I felt my shot choice was vindicated. A minute later I was walking off with a huge smug grin and much fist pumping after making the par putt. The group on the 11th were suitably impressed.

I hit a pretty ropey tee shot on the par three 11th and found a greenside bunker. The green is long and narrow and so there wasn't acres of space to land it in. I wanted to make sure a) I got it out first time and b) it was on the green and not launched forty yards over the putting surface. Anything after that was a bonus. It came out like a dream and left a six foot uphiller. Easy peasy and that was three consecutive up and downs to win the hole. +3 and rocking.

I pured the tee shot off 12. Right out of the screws and as good as I can hit it. Adrenalin can be a wonderful thing. It cleared the large tree by the 11th green and flew the line of trees protecting the fairway with ease. And into the wind for good measure. I think I was being overly ambitious to hit a 7 iron from 152 yards but I caught it well. The wind pushed it right a tad and it wasn't really enough club and it was back in more sand. Again the execution was good and it came out first time. After recent weeks that is news worthy on its own. It wasn't that close, maybe ten feet but the putter was on fire and I sunk another. Four up and downs in a row and back to back sand saves.

In case you are of a nervous disposition, you may be relieved to know the real Homer came out to play at the 13th and I hooked the tee shot left into the hazard to weakly give back one of the holes. To be honest although it it stroke index 17, the hole plays longer than its 186 yards and I'd always take a four here and walk away. I'd had it down as a potential loss anyway so mentally at least no damage down although the tee shot was disappointing.

I made a net par (halved the hole) at 14 and 15 and after a long and nervous wait on the 16th cracked a decent drive away. This is a real tight driving hole with out of bounds only some ten yards left of the tee, running the length of the driving area. I hit a good hybrid for my second which just ran through the back of the green. To be honest there was no reason not to chip it, and I'd even taken a club with me onto the green in case. I simply didn't trust myself having got into such a good position and thought the putter would have been the safe play. I under hit it and missed the six footer left to give away a real opportunity to steal another hole.

I have to be honest and say I was pretty edgy on the 18th tee. It's been a long time since I had a decent competition score going and the last isn't an easy drive with out of bounds waiting to trap anything pushed or sliced and two big oaks ready to block progression down the hole if you venture too far left. I went a little right, and there was a heart in mouth moment until it started to draw a fraction and it wasn't too bad. I played a second that was a little too far left and found a heavy lie in the rough. It was only a wedge in and to be blunt I got a little tight on the shot making sure it didn't go right into the pond and as a result pulled it onto the left hand collar. The first putt down the hill was great and left maybe a foot and a half at most. However I had to wait while my partners putted and then decided to finish off  and hole out. I had too much time to think about making it and winning the hole and when it came to it I hit the poorest putt of the day. No conviction and it was almost as though I'd thought it didn't matter and I'd take the half anyway. Gutted and it upset me more than the two lost balls from the wayward drives and left a bitter taste in the 19th that is still lingering.

On the plus side the +3 score was good enough to be clubhouse leader by the time I left. I have to be very happy with the game today and it is proof that the decision to change teaching pros and the swing was the right way to go. The driving today was solid as were the irons although I did miss a few greens. What a difference a short game makes though. I've said on here all along once that start to work it makes scoring so much easier and it was proven today.

Of course, it's a two round event and I've history for bigger implosions than Rory McIlroy at last years final round in the Masters and can melt quicker than ice cream in the summer sun but tomorrow as someone once said is another day. I can't win it after one round but I could have played myself out of the event and so if I can shut up the voices in my head (not those ones!) and use the six inches between my ears in a positive way the game is there. Win or lose tomorrow, and I'm counting no chickens, I'm just going to go out and enjoy the game, the company and the course and what will be will be. For four hours today I finally looked like a golfer and there will be a handicap cut of some description to come for the score today so there is much to enjoy. Cue one more blast on that self blown trumpet!