Lakeside Lodge - Lodge Course - 15/08/17
16/Aug/2017 Filed in: Reports
After yesterday's abject performance I decided to join Helen today and play 18 holes with her and one of our female friends. To be sociable I went off the red tees with the women, which gives an entirely different perspective to many of the holes, and makes them easier of course. I also scored against the women's hole index numbers for the purpose of Stableford points. My driving continued to hold up and I managed to pull my hybrid and iron shots together, although there were still a few bad ones. Today's problems were mainly around the greens, where on a number of occasions a superb approach was thrown away by some terrible chipping or putting.
A good drive on the 1st crossed the path into the longer grass on the other side. With trees to the front I took an 8-iron back onto the fairway. A hybrid then put me just off the green to the right, from where I putted on and two-putted for 6, a nett par.
On the 2nd I clipped the large tree to the left of the fairway but the ball went through and still made 167 yards. My 8-iron was short and I chipped again with it, two-putting for a nett par 5.
The 3rd is a much shorter hole off the red tee position. I used my 27 degree hybrid but was short and right. I fluffed the 8-iron chip but got on with the second attempt. A single putt gave me a nett birdie 4.
A good drive on the 1st crossed the path into the longer grass on the other side. With trees to the front I took an 8-iron back onto the fairway. A hybrid then put me just off the green to the right, from where I putted on and two-putted for 6, a nett par.
On the 2nd I clipped the large tree to the left of the fairway but the ball went through and still made 167 yards. My 8-iron was short and I chipped again with it, two-putting for a nett par 5.
The 3rd is a much shorter hole off the red tee position. I used my 27 degree hybrid but was short and right. I fluffed the 8-iron chip but got on with the second attempt. A single putt gave me a nett birdie 4.
The 4th lived up to its reputation as a very difficult hole. A good drive of 194 yards left me with a chance to reach the green in 2. But I sliced the hybrid and ended up in the trees to the right, lucky not to run out of bounds. I chipped down off the higher ground with the 6-iron to keep the shot low under trees, then pitched on but the ball ran off the back of the green. I putted on and single-putted for a nett par 6, which wasn't bad considering my excursion into the trees.
My hybrid went left on the 5th, the ball ending up on a ridge, sitting in bare earth. The combination of a poor lie and my lack of ability sent a gap wedge shot right across the wide green into long grass on the other side. I chipped back with the 8-iron and then two-putted for a nett par 5. ( The women get 2 shots on this hole, whereas the men only get 1)
On the 6th I forgot that the bunker comes into play for me off the women's tee, and I found it. I played a good shot out with my pitching wedge, leaving me just short of the green. A putt on and two-putts on the green gave me a nett par 5.
I grounded the club driving off the 7th tee and only made 120 yards. A good hybrid after that left me within pitching distance, the ball rolling off the right of the green. An 8-iron back and one putt for a nett birdie 5.
At 193 yards my drive on the 8th nearly found the lake, which is out of reach for me off the men's tee. A hybrid then left me with a pitch to the green, but I was a bit short. I putted on and two-putted for a nett par 6.
Things had gone well up to now but I made a bit of a mess of the 9th. The drive was good but the next shot put me right with trees to carry if I wanted to go for the green. I took my 7-iron but, as is often the case when I have a challenging shot, I looked up during the stroke and had an air-shot. I made the shot with the next attempt but still needed to chip on. I then played a poor chip that shanked right and needed another to get on the green. Now on 6 I needed to putt out to save a point, but took 2 for a blobbed 8.
So it was 50 shots out with 15 putts, and 18 points scored against the women's hole index ratings. This was a nett par score of 37 as the women's par is 37 out and 36 back, the 8th being a par 5 for them.
A drive, a hybrid and a pitch on the 10th green for 3, and two putts for a nett birdie 5.
The 11th was perhaps the saddest of the round. I hit a long drive and then a long hybrid putting me just off the front of the green for 2. I then thinned a pitching wedge sending the ball across the green into long grass. A totally fluffed gap wedge with grass between the club face and the ball only got me to just off the green. I had to putt on and take two more putts to finish with 7, a nett bogey, but nothing short of a crime considering where my second shot ended up.
The drive on the 12th was I think the longest of the day at 199 yards. I then put my 8-iron shot on the green, only to three-putt for a nett par 5. Another wasted approach.
If the 12th was bad, the 13th was worse. A good drive and second left me a simple pitch to the green. But it was over the bunker, and I took my lob wedge to avoid running on across the green. I got under the ball with the wedge, lobbing it up almost vertically into the bunker. I used the lob wedge again out of the bunker, again hoping to limit the run on the green, but I thinned it this time running off the far side; exactly what I was trying to avoid. Now on 5, my 8-iron chip nearly went in, the ball crossing the cup but lipping out. So it was a nett bogey 7. This is the index 1 hole for the women.
I grounded the club again on the 14th tee making only 126 yards. My next hybrid was good on this fairly short par 4, leaving a short chip onto the undulating green. Two putts for a nett par 5.
On the long 15th the women's tee gives you nearly 100 yards advantage, and with a drive of 195 yards I was well placed after my first shot. My next hybrid wasn't that good, just missing the fairway bunker that I expected to clear easily. The next got me about 10 yards from the green, where I proceeded to thin an 8-iron chip across into the long grass on the other side. Déja vu! I then fluffed the next short chip, leaving a long putt. But I needed two for a nett par 7.
The 16th was ridiculous. I was short and then dug in with my pitching wedge, leaving me still short. I then thinned the gap wedge sending the ball yards past the other side of the green. I pitched back up, the shot looking fine from my stance below the elevated green, but in fact the ball had run off again. I putted on and two-putted for a ridiculous blobbed 7 on this par 3. Only my second blob of the round.
After my drive, a well-placed hybrid and a pitch, I was left with a longish putt on the 17th. I needed three for a nett par 6.
The women again get a fair advantage on the 18th, nearly 60 yards, with the lake taken out of play. My drive was straight but a bit too far to the left, the ball ending up with trees obstructing the line to the green. I played out avoiding the trees and then pitched on for 3, two-putting for a birdie 5.
The back 9 was 54, with 15 points, but with 20 putts. I three-putted three times in fact. If I had been able to match my putting score on the front 9, I would have completed the full round in one under par nett. But it was the women's course, so the achievement wouldn't have been quite as memorable. As it was I had a nett 77. I was pleased that my approach play had recovered after yesterday's poor showing, but the play around the greens really let me down. Sadly I didn't have one true par.
Game Golf scorecard:
Note that while Game Golf allows you to select the red tees as an option, it doesn't show the associated data on the scorecard.
My hybrid went left on the 5th, the ball ending up on a ridge, sitting in bare earth. The combination of a poor lie and my lack of ability sent a gap wedge shot right across the wide green into long grass on the other side. I chipped back with the 8-iron and then two-putted for a nett par 5. ( The women get 2 shots on this hole, whereas the men only get 1)
On the 6th I forgot that the bunker comes into play for me off the women's tee, and I found it. I played a good shot out with my pitching wedge, leaving me just short of the green. A putt on and two-putts on the green gave me a nett par 5.
I grounded the club driving off the 7th tee and only made 120 yards. A good hybrid after that left me within pitching distance, the ball rolling off the right of the green. An 8-iron back and one putt for a nett birdie 5.
At 193 yards my drive on the 8th nearly found the lake, which is out of reach for me off the men's tee. A hybrid then left me with a pitch to the green, but I was a bit short. I putted on and two-putted for a nett par 6.
Things had gone well up to now but I made a bit of a mess of the 9th. The drive was good but the next shot put me right with trees to carry if I wanted to go for the green. I took my 7-iron but, as is often the case when I have a challenging shot, I looked up during the stroke and had an air-shot. I made the shot with the next attempt but still needed to chip on. I then played a poor chip that shanked right and needed another to get on the green. Now on 6 I needed to putt out to save a point, but took 2 for a blobbed 8.
So it was 50 shots out with 15 putts, and 18 points scored against the women's hole index ratings. This was a nett par score of 37 as the women's par is 37 out and 36 back, the 8th being a par 5 for them.
A drive, a hybrid and a pitch on the 10th green for 3, and two putts for a nett birdie 5.
The 11th was perhaps the saddest of the round. I hit a long drive and then a long hybrid putting me just off the front of the green for 2. I then thinned a pitching wedge sending the ball across the green into long grass. A totally fluffed gap wedge with grass between the club face and the ball only got me to just off the green. I had to putt on and take two more putts to finish with 7, a nett bogey, but nothing short of a crime considering where my second shot ended up.
The drive on the 12th was I think the longest of the day at 199 yards. I then put my 8-iron shot on the green, only to three-putt for a nett par 5. Another wasted approach.
If the 12th was bad, the 13th was worse. A good drive and second left me a simple pitch to the green. But it was over the bunker, and I took my lob wedge to avoid running on across the green. I got under the ball with the wedge, lobbing it up almost vertically into the bunker. I used the lob wedge again out of the bunker, again hoping to limit the run on the green, but I thinned it this time running off the far side; exactly what I was trying to avoid. Now on 5, my 8-iron chip nearly went in, the ball crossing the cup but lipping out. So it was a nett bogey 7. This is the index 1 hole for the women.
I grounded the club again on the 14th tee making only 126 yards. My next hybrid was good on this fairly short par 4, leaving a short chip onto the undulating green. Two putts for a nett par 5.
On the long 15th the women's tee gives you nearly 100 yards advantage, and with a drive of 195 yards I was well placed after my first shot. My next hybrid wasn't that good, just missing the fairway bunker that I expected to clear easily. The next got me about 10 yards from the green, where I proceeded to thin an 8-iron chip across into the long grass on the other side. Déja vu! I then fluffed the next short chip, leaving a long putt. But I needed two for a nett par 7.
The 16th was ridiculous. I was short and then dug in with my pitching wedge, leaving me still short. I then thinned the gap wedge sending the ball yards past the other side of the green. I pitched back up, the shot looking fine from my stance below the elevated green, but in fact the ball had run off again. I putted on and two-putted for a ridiculous blobbed 7 on this par 3. Only my second blob of the round.
After my drive, a well-placed hybrid and a pitch, I was left with a longish putt on the 17th. I needed three for a nett par 6.
The women again get a fair advantage on the 18th, nearly 60 yards, with the lake taken out of play. My drive was straight but a bit too far to the left, the ball ending up with trees obstructing the line to the green. I played out avoiding the trees and then pitched on for 3, two-putting for a birdie 5.
The back 9 was 54, with 15 points, but with 20 putts. I three-putted three times in fact. If I had been able to match my putting score on the front 9, I would have completed the full round in one under par nett. But it was the women's course, so the achievement wouldn't have been quite as memorable. As it was I had a nett 77. I was pleased that my approach play had recovered after yesterday's poor showing, but the play around the greens really let me down. Sadly I didn't have one true par.
Game Golf scorecard:
Note that while Game Golf allows you to select the red tees as an option, it doesn't show the associated data on the scorecard.
