I shot an 82 on Saturday from the blue tees at Bella Vista. I had a minor rule infraction on hole 12. After hitting a thin ball into the thicket from 200, I re-teed about 40 yards further up and hit another one in. I then hit a shot over into a bunker behind the green. As Bud and I are driving up, I see a drop area that was covered from the tee box. Without a doubt, if I knew there was a drop area, I would have hit from there. It gets a little dicey if I hit my re-teed shot close, without a doubt, I would have taken it. Rather than lying 5 in the back bunker, I ended up making a triple from the drop instead of an 8. Considering the drop area was in front of the brush, I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to play from it because I didn’t clear it. Either way, it gets into if you’re playing for money, you have to have a set of rules to abide by and this was definitely a gray area.
It’s been about 4 months since I bought my Titleist T200 irons and the TSR2 driver. I’ve now carded and 81 and 82 from back tees which seems like a step in the right direction. The irons don’t go quite as far as my Maverick’s and I’m getting used to it. The mishits feel worse as I struggled topping the lower clubs and thinning random shots. However, I do seem to be playing straighter with very few wild iron shots. The driver has been a huge factor in lower scores. Aside from the occasional top, and I had 0 on Saturday, I keep the ball in play. I don’t think the distance is incredible, as I’d guess I’m averaging about 240-250 on well hit balls, but I’ll take shots in the fairway all day. I’ve also been chipping with a 54° instead of the 58°, and I have a few less duffs, and my control is getting better from the 40-50+ approach shots. My putting has been a dramatic improvement since I have an office with a putting mat. I’m rarely missing gimmes and even sink a long one here and there.
I’d like to think I’ll be playing to that high 70’s range, but I’m not quite there yet. Saturday it took me 4 shots from 30 yards, I had a 3 putt on 9 after a poorly played chip, the aforementioned cheating hole, and a double because of a sand shot I hit too far behind the ball. If I cleaned that up, I could have shot high 70s, and that would have been extremely clean. Unfortunately the season is coming to an end and 18 birdies has me as an 11. I don’t think it’s calculating the greater than triple holes, but it’s probably close. Single digits would still be the goal.
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