Mowsbury Park - Bedford - 31/08/18
Conditions were perfect. Bright and cloudy to start with, with the sun breaking through later to produce a warm day with very little wind. As for the course, I'm convinced I've played there before, but I can find no record of this in my diary, nor in archived copies of the Mad Cats' programmes. This remains a mystery.
My drive off the 1st tee was good, which is always reassuring on a society day. The second shot, however, needed to clear a lateral ditch, so I played safe and laid up. I put the next iron shot to the right of the green with a bit of a shank, but played a good gap wedge over the banking around the green, allowing two putts for a nett bogey 6. The 2nd was very controlled. A longish drive, hybrid and iron down the middle, with a chip and one putt for a nett birdie 5. A good result on this long par 4 (418 yards) which is a par 5 for the women.
I pulled things back on the par 5, 6th, a left-hand dogleg. A drive, two hybrids and an 8-iron got me on the green, where two putts gave me a nett par 6. The 7th was a bit wayward, the drive being short and left, followed by a hybrid that crossed over to the right-side rough. I then pulled my 6-iron shot back into the left-side rough. A deft pitch got me on the green where a single putt was a possibility, but I needed two for a nett par 6. On the 8th, another par 5, I just scraped a point. The drive was a bit short but two hybrids left me a shot to the green, which unfortunately was short. A chip on and two putts for a nett bogey 8. On the par 3, 9th, I had learnt my lesson from the 5th and played to lay up. As it was, I came perilously close to the left-side bunker, but a pitch on and two putts gave me a nett birdie 4.
So it was 54 out with 16 points.
The 10th continued the good run. Another par 5, I played my 3-wood after a good drive, which at 168 yards just exceeding my drive in distance. The following hybrid almost made the green for 3, and a chip and two putts gave me a nett birdie 6.
Hole 10, par 5, with 3-wood 2nd shot
I had a bit of luck on the par 3, 11th. My hybrid tee shot was a ground-hugger, but kindly negotiated a path between the two bunkers guarding the green to end up on the 'dance floor' as they say. Two putts for a par and a nett birdie. On the 12th I made the green for 3, two putting for a nett birdie 5, my third 3-points in a row. Things got even better on the 13th. A reasonable drive was followed by not-so-good hybrid, but I then put a 7-iron shot on the green. It was again a bit lucky, as the ball ran largely along the ground to get there. One putt for a par, and this time a nett eagle for 4 points.
The 14th again went well. A long drive, a hybrid and then a 6-iron put me just off the green. A chip and one putt for a nett birdie; another 3 points, giving me 16 in total for the first five holes of the back nine. The 15th is another par 5 and was the only hole where I had a bit of a mishap. The drive set off left, but on landing rolled right across the sloping fairway. The ball ended up such that there was a large oak tree in front and a tree line to the right. Aiming for the gap, my hybrid was heavy, which sent the ball right where it bounced into the edge of the shrubbery. I had to take a penalty drop. A 6-iron got be back in play mid-fairway from where I put an 8-iron shot on the green. Two putts for a nett bogey 8.
Things got back on track on the 16th. The drive was a bit wayward, the ball settling close to a tree to the right of the fairway. I hit a hybrid out, the ball clipping branches as it shot off. The shot wasn't long but allowed me to put a 6-iron shot fairly close to the green for 3. A pitch on and two putts for a nett par 6. The men's tee on the 17th sits high above the green. After waiting a long while for the green to clear, I topped a hybrid tee shot sending the ball left into heavy rough about 50 yards from the tee. With the group behind watching on, I hit a really good 8-iron out, to shouts of "good shot, Bob", putting the ball just off the back-left of the green. I putted on but needed two more putts to finish with a nett bogey 5. The 18th finished things off nicely. After a good drive I put my hybrid shot on the green, leaving a long putt. I needed three for a nett par 5.
I came in with 47 shots and 22 points, making 101 shots and 38 points in total. The 47 compares with my best 9 hole score of 45. As you may expect, I was very pleased with the day.
Game Golf scorecard.
