Long Overdue

Not only am I long overdue for a blog update, but I had been long overdue for a golf game. So, thankfully, I got to play with my Dad over the weekend. It was nice to play with him, and also to take him out to play for Father's Day, since I won't get to see him on Father's Day itself.

We got out to play Thunderbird Hills South, which is a nice course (and fairly forgiving, since it's only 8-10 years old and the trees haven't matured yet) that I always seem to shoot well on (keep in mind that "well" for me is anything below triple-digits).

We were tied at the turn, both under 50. I was killing the ball off the tee, but struggling mightily with my pitching/chipping. I got new irons this year, and am still trying to find the swing for them, but have made great strides. On the round, I hit three of the four par-3 greens, and missed the fourth 10 yards left, but pin-high. My dad was killing me around the greens. He saved about four shots with great 50-foot chips close to the hole.

The weather was beautiful, the time well-spent with Dad. On 10 and 11, he stole three strokes from me. Then another one on 13. Down four, I needed to rally, and I had sub-100 in my sights. I needed to finish with 5 bogeys to hit a 96, which would have been fine with me. Bogey, bogey, bogey, par, bogey. 95. I stole two back from Dad, but he cruised in with a 93.

I suppose since it was our observance of Father's Day, I can let that slide. :-)

As for my golf game, I've finally bought into the strategy of trying to bogey every hole instead of par every hole. I finally see what playing the safe shots instead of trying to make up for every mis-hit on the next shot can do. I'm no longer trying to do things I know I simply can't do. Some positives:

• I hit my driver about as well as I ever have. I hit at least five drives over 250 yards, and actually got some in the fairway.


• I was just KILLING my 5-wood off the deck. I hit a few at least 200+, to which my Dad gave me many kudos. It bailed me out more than once when I was not good off the tee, and on the par-5's.


• My wedges improved toward the end of the round. I still don't have the distance control that I want (I'm often short when I get it up in the air, and WAY long when I don't), but I was better at getting them up in the air and throwing them at the green instead of swinging and hoping.


• I putted well. I almost sank a 40-foot birdie putt on a par 3. In truth, I only read one break and thought I hadn't given it enough room. To my surprise, it broke back toward the cup at the end, and stopped about two inches short of a birdie.


• As I said above, I hit my irons well off the tees on the par-3 holes. I need a little more work with hitting them off the deck. It's coming along. A bucket or two at the range, plus trying to play a lot more on my half-day Fridays with work friends will hopefully help.

All of that adds up to my goal of hopefully breaking 90 this year at some point. Lowest I've ever shot is a 94 (incidentally, also at T-bird South), and on my 95 this past weekend I know I left at least 3-4 BAD shots out there. With a little improvement and better game/course management, I should be able to break 90.

At least, that's the goal.

In other news, House of Cards at C.B.R.'s this Saturday with a nice lineup, including Ladyfinger who's in from out of town. Come and check it out.