Handicap:20
Gross: 99
Net: 79
Verdict: Amazing! Three 99s in a row for the same course!
What Happened
Home course my foot. Again, KRPM, again, the same score, of 99, no kidding. It’s as if it’s groundhog day, every time I play this course, no matter which route I take, I’ll end up in the same score.
Today was one of the days when nature called. Every shot I am hitting seemed to be hitting a dang branch or tree bark one way or another, no kidding. I think I must have killed a dozen innocent squirrels. First hole, pulled left, escape, hit a tree branch, fell right at the tree root. A few more tree shots later and I stumbled in for 6.
Second hole, par 3, I have played +10 over the last 4 times. This time, in water, pitched my 3rd on, and two putted. The notable escape was on the horrendous index 1 8th, when I yanked my second shot hybrid into the tree next to the green. From the tree root, I managed a lucky flop onto the top mound of the green and trickled to two inches of the hole. The next hole, played it perfect, 3 wood, 3 wood, and a nine iron stuck 3 feet from the hole, and a harrowing downhill birdie putt that entered. Aside from one par on the back nine, I was stuck again in survival mode especially the last couple of holes.
Why I Sucked
I don’t like to blame the weather, but it was like teeing off in Mercury. The fact that my slice shot is not getting any better didn’t help. And again and again, my failing irons are completely unsynced. With these two threatening to derail my every move, it’s no wonder I don’t see any improvement in this dang score!
Not So Sucked
I like my 3 wood now. For many years, this 3 wood (old taylormade 360xd) has been in the closet but in some of the holes, notably the birdie hole and the par 5 3rd, I’ve hit the flushest shot of my life with this. Of course, just as many moments when it failed, like the final 2 holes, when it found water…but nothing is more entrancing than hitting a 3 wood off the deck, flushed. More entrancing than blasting a driver I think. But slightly less than seeing Natalie Portman in Black Swan. Yow.
What to Work On
I’m so tired of writing the same thing and not able to do anything about it. I mean, who in their right mind will go to the range instead of heading to the course to play under a mercurial hot sun, lose a dozen balls, get cramps from traisping up and down the hills and risk getting bitten by king cobras? But here it is: Driver and Mid-Irons. Figure that out.
Lots of people will say, don’t concentrate too much on driver lah. After all the most you are going to use it is 14 times. Concentrate on short game such as chipping and putting. Now if our score is 100, using driver 14 times means it takes 14% of your stroke. Except for putter, which other equipment in our bag will take up so much percentage?
I know the frustration when we tee off so nicely, with 100 – 120 metre left but screw up the second approach shot. It is equally frustrating when our driver goes 220 metre, 2nd shot with 3 wood left us with only 20-30 metre chip on for par 5 but we screw up. Now your mate will tell you chipping very important lah…..can tee off with 3 wood, or even use 5 iron mah……chipping more important.
Come up fellas, we are a bunch of amateurs. While we probably struggle all the time, but we still want to get satisfaction from seeing ourself hitting a perfect drive that goes straight and land 220 metre away (it might happen only 1 out of 14 times). That’s moral and ego lifting eventhough we might screw up our second approach shot.
People always say start on right note, first step is important. So I believe driver is important. If we keep hitting our first shot into jungle, into water etc, then by the time we recover our shot, we will already almost blow the hole. So the motivation to put in a good chip probably already gone loh.
I enjoy teeing off with driver. I enjoy seeing my drive goes straight and land 220 metre away…..enjoy it when my flight mate say “wah…so far ah, cannot see when the ball land lor…” So I rather keep practicing it then to give up and tee off say with my 3 hybrid which will give 180 metre, consistently. Aiya….tak pakai driver where got gempak leh…..
hey bro… i have the same problem that u have. i am also a member at krp. probably we could have a round together sometime…. see ya!
If I am at KRPM, usually Sat morning on competition nine…I have only recently went back there to play after a long while…if you can drop me an email on your phone contact, we’ll arrange something! gilagolf78@gmail.com
Steve,
Can you set something that would let others to voice their opinion under separate title? I mean maybe something like “GilaSembang”, “GilaTalk”, “GilaOpinion”?
Sure, it’s a good idea…in fact, I create a login for you so that you can just post articles on the blog…is that a good way?