Lakeside Lodge - Lodge Course - 19/09/19
20/Sep/2019 Filed in: Reports
Not a good day!
Conditions were absolutely perfect. Warm, no wind, a splendid September day. So, no excuses, although my sciatica problem raised its ugly head and I was struggling a bit by the end of the round. I remembered my Game Golf device this time so we have a more accurate report.
Down the middle off the 1st tee was a good start, as was the next hybrid. But the following hybrid was poor. I took a 6-iron to the green but pulled the shot and the ball rolled into the edge of the lake hazard. Not lost, but a penalty drop was necessary. My pitch wasn't good and left me on the sloping bank of the bunker. I putted on and then two-putted for 9; not a good start.
I have in the past bemoaned the challenge of the 1st, with trees and a ditch to the right and trees to the left further down the fairway. Of the courses I've played it's by far the most difficult first hole I've encountered. I took a photo on this occasion in order to show better what I moan about.
Conditions were absolutely perfect. Warm, no wind, a splendid September day. So, no excuses, although my sciatica problem raised its ugly head and I was struggling a bit by the end of the round. I remembered my Game Golf device this time so we have a more accurate report.
Down the middle off the 1st tee was a good start, as was the next hybrid. But the following hybrid was poor. I took a 6-iron to the green but pulled the shot and the ball rolled into the edge of the lake hazard. Not lost, but a penalty drop was necessary. My pitch wasn't good and left me on the sloping bank of the bunker. I putted on and then two-putted for 9; not a good start.
I have in the past bemoaned the challenge of the 1st, with trees and a ditch to the right and trees to the left further down the fairway. Of the courses I've played it's by far the most difficult first hole I've encountered. I took a photo on this occasion in order to show better what I moan about.
The 2nd was a lot better. The drive was good at 165 yards and although the ball bounced right on landing it was safe from the dreaded ditch. My 6-iron was a bit short, as was my pitch on, needing two putts for a 5. I risked the driver on the short 3rd the ball drifting right to a good lie off the green. Again my chip on wasn't great but I got down in two for 4.
After last week's disaster on the 4th I was hoping for a less dramatic outcome this time, but I was to be disappointed. A really good drive was followed by a mediocre hybrid. I then took an 8-iron to try to keep the lake out of play, but I pulled the shot and once again I found myself in the water. The ball was recovered for a penalty drop, but then I was overly cautious of the lake with my next 8-iron, so much so that I put the ball on the far bank and out of bounds. Another penalty drop but at least I made the green with my shot off the bank. Two putts then for another 9.
I took the driver on the short 5th and was off the green to the left. I pitched on and two-putted for 4. I looked up when taking my drive on the 6th and the ball did a daisy-cutter through the longish grass only making 53 yards. I got out with a 6-iron but it wasn't that long. The next hybrid however was very clean and made 136 yards to just off the green. Unfortunately my chip was well short and I needed two putts for a 6.
A reasonable drive on the 7th was followed by a good hybrid, then an 8-iron that got me nearly to the green. A good approach on this longish par 4 (440 yards). I then hit the ground before the ball while trying to pitch a short gap wedge shot, which as a result was a lot shorter than I wanted. But luck was then with me as I putted in from off the green for 5.
The 8th wasn't so good. My drive stopped just short of the trees on a bank to the left, leaving me with a restricted view of the fairway for my next 6-iron. I couldn't hit too far as the lake on the right was in play because of the restricted angle. The following hybrid left me an 8-iron shot to the green but it was short. I then put the next pitch off the left of the green, and my putt on annoyingly rolled off the banked green to the left. I putted on again and single putted for 8. This was a bit disappointing after being almost to the green for 4.
At this point I was suffering a bit from my back problem and the unexpectedly high temperature had also drained my energy somewhat. The drive off the 9th went left and I played out of rough with my 6-iron into light rough across the other side of the fairway. I then pushed a hybrid shot right leaving me with the infamous bank and trees to get over. I tried a lofted pitch but failed, the ball hitting one of the trees and coming to rest on the top of the bank. It then took me three more shots to reach the green, where two putts gave me another 9, the third of the day.
I was really disappointed, both with the result and the fact that my back played up so much, causing me once again to wonder if golf isn't actually helping matters.
I finished on 59 with 15 putts, which considering I did a 47 a couple of weeks ago puts things firmly in perspective.
Game Golf scorecard:
After last week's disaster on the 4th I was hoping for a less dramatic outcome this time, but I was to be disappointed. A really good drive was followed by a mediocre hybrid. I then took an 8-iron to try to keep the lake out of play, but I pulled the shot and once again I found myself in the water. The ball was recovered for a penalty drop, but then I was overly cautious of the lake with my next 8-iron, so much so that I put the ball on the far bank and out of bounds. Another penalty drop but at least I made the green with my shot off the bank. Two putts then for another 9.
I took the driver on the short 5th and was off the green to the left. I pitched on and two-putted for 4. I looked up when taking my drive on the 6th and the ball did a daisy-cutter through the longish grass only making 53 yards. I got out with a 6-iron but it wasn't that long. The next hybrid however was very clean and made 136 yards to just off the green. Unfortunately my chip was well short and I needed two putts for a 6.
A reasonable drive on the 7th was followed by a good hybrid, then an 8-iron that got me nearly to the green. A good approach on this longish par 4 (440 yards). I then hit the ground before the ball while trying to pitch a short gap wedge shot, which as a result was a lot shorter than I wanted. But luck was then with me as I putted in from off the green for 5.
The 8th wasn't so good. My drive stopped just short of the trees on a bank to the left, leaving me with a restricted view of the fairway for my next 6-iron. I couldn't hit too far as the lake on the right was in play because of the restricted angle. The following hybrid left me an 8-iron shot to the green but it was short. I then put the next pitch off the left of the green, and my putt on annoyingly rolled off the banked green to the left. I putted on again and single putted for 8. This was a bit disappointing after being almost to the green for 4.
At this point I was suffering a bit from my back problem and the unexpectedly high temperature had also drained my energy somewhat. The drive off the 9th went left and I played out of rough with my 6-iron into light rough across the other side of the fairway. I then pushed a hybrid shot right leaving me with the infamous bank and trees to get over. I tried a lofted pitch but failed, the ball hitting one of the trees and coming to rest on the top of the bank. It then took me three more shots to reach the green, where two putts gave me another 9, the third of the day.
I was really disappointed, both with the result and the fact that my back played up so much, causing me once again to wonder if golf isn't actually helping matters.
I finished on 59 with 15 putts, which considering I did a 47 a couple of weeks ago puts things firmly in perspective.
Game Golf scorecard: