Lakeside Lodge - Church Course - 18/04/16
18/Apr/2016 Filed in: Reports
The main course was busy today. We had no problem playing on it over the winter but now the weather has improved slightly a new cohort of golfers are out and about. We decided, therefore, to play the Church Course, a 6-hole course that's due to close later this year. In the past I've used this course as a practice area, as it's not all that popular with the 'serious' golfers.
Today, however, our decision was a mistake. With all the rain we've had recently the course was effectively waterlogged. The rough was impossible and the fairway grass was ridiculously long, making any kind of shot a bit of a lottery. And the greens were more like the surrounding aprons, needing a fairly bold putt to get anywhere. In such conditions practice is almost pointless, as you're playing in conditions that you would hope never to meet in a normal game.
Today, however, our decision was a mistake. With all the rain we've had recently the course was effectively waterlogged. The rough was impossible and the fairway grass was ridiculously long, making any kind of shot a bit of a lottery. And the greens were more like the surrounding aprons, needing a fairly bold putt to get anywhere. In such conditions practice is almost pointless, as you're playing in conditions that you would hope never to meet in a normal game.
My drive on the 1st ended up in long grass to the left of the fairway, from where I dug out the ball with a hybrid, only to end up in long grass again. A 7-iron attempt to extract myself failed, but the second attempt was better. My next 9-iron was short and then I thinned the gap wedge to the far side of the green. Back on with my 7-iron and two putts for a 9. Certainly my worse score ever on this hole.
The tee for the 2nd has been moved and the new temporary tee location was unbelievable. Trying to find a level piece of ground was impossible between tufts of grass and mud. I managed a decent hybrid shot but it drifted right. I pitched on with my 9-iron and two-putted for a 4.
I teed off on the 3rd with my 5-wood as I wanted to practice with different tee heights. At just under 140 yards it was a fair shot and the next hybrid added another 132 yards, but landed in heavy rough. I dug it out with an 8-iron and then put a 9-iron just on the green, followed by two putts for a 6.
The 4th didn't go well. The drive yet again landed in the rough and my first attempt with a hybrid to extract it was a non-shot. A repeat attempt got me all of 40 yards and then I overplayed the next hybrid, the ball rolling up the slope at the back of the green and dropping into the lake. I recovered it and took a penalty drop, then played a pitch and run with my 7-iron onto the green, and two putted for an 8.
The 5th is 110 yards over a lake. I put my 27 degree hybrid on the green and two-putted for a par. A small success during an otherwise depressing round.
Yet again the drive ended up in the horrendous rough on the 6th. Yet again a non-shot on my first attempt to get out. Two more iron shots to get on the green and two putts for a 6.
I was glad it was over. We could have gone around again but I couldn't face it.
No scorecard or images today as there really wasn't anything worth reporting.
The tee for the 2nd has been moved and the new temporary tee location was unbelievable. Trying to find a level piece of ground was impossible between tufts of grass and mud. I managed a decent hybrid shot but it drifted right. I pitched on with my 9-iron and two-putted for a 4.
I teed off on the 3rd with my 5-wood as I wanted to practice with different tee heights. At just under 140 yards it was a fair shot and the next hybrid added another 132 yards, but landed in heavy rough. I dug it out with an 8-iron and then put a 9-iron just on the green, followed by two putts for a 6.
The 4th didn't go well. The drive yet again landed in the rough and my first attempt with a hybrid to extract it was a non-shot. A repeat attempt got me all of 40 yards and then I overplayed the next hybrid, the ball rolling up the slope at the back of the green and dropping into the lake. I recovered it and took a penalty drop, then played a pitch and run with my 7-iron onto the green, and two putted for an 8.
The 5th is 110 yards over a lake. I put my 27 degree hybrid on the green and two-putted for a par. A small success during an otherwise depressing round.
Yet again the drive ended up in the horrendous rough on the 6th. Yet again a non-shot on my first attempt to get out. Two more iron shots to get on the green and two putts for a 6.
I was glad it was over. We could have gone around again but I couldn't face it.
No scorecard or images today as there really wasn't anything worth reporting.