It's been a long time.

[Esox]

It's been about 20 years since I've done it, but today I shot 71 for one under par. I've broken par a fair number of times for nine holes during that period, but never put two nines together. I've been hitting the ball real well off the tee for months, and my short iron game has been excellent. I've been putting, however, like a blind alcoholic after a four day bender. Though most of my recent rounds have been in the high 70's, I routinely three putt three or four times a round, and have been missing a lot of birdie opportunities.

Today I hit nine fairways, one bunker, and the edge of the rough on four others (all were good lies) off the tee. I hit 13 greens in regulation (missing all four par threes). I vowed to myself before teeing off this morning I would not putt poorly, and my plan was to basically lag everything as to not leave myself the 3 to 5 footers that are the absolute bane of my existence. If I made a few great, but I was not going to be aggressive and send the ball by the hole the way I have been.

I love it when a plan comes together. I bogeyed the par threes on the front to go with one birdie for 37, then made seven pars and two birdies on the back, the second a two putt birdie on the par five last.

I had 32 putts. Today I relaxed my grip a la Stan Utley (that's all I can take from his book as my belly seems to get in the way of the rest of it), and extended my low hand index finger down the shaft a bit. All round I gently sent the ball on its way, like a kind pretty woman turning away a fat man at a dance. I had four one putts; a 20 footer for par on the par 3 11th, a scary side hill 10 footer for par on 17, (leaving that after a 100+ foot first putt got away from me), and two birdies inside three feet.

What a difference a few putts makes! 36-38 putts has been the norm for most of the summer.

I did this on my home course that today played about 6,400 yards from the blue tees (not the tips). Tomorrow I'm hunting a 69.

Kevin

Man that round felt gooooood.

 

[MIKE1218]

Nice work. I wish I could have gone to the WI outing with you guys.

I have broken par on 18 holes just twice, but I have a ton of nines under par like you. Good luck with 69 tomorrow.

 

[PureStroke]

Way to go man . Today I shot a 42 31 and during that front 9 I could have sworn I was doomed for a big 80 something and then boom my putter returned from the dead and nailed some clutch birdie putts thanx to my Pw I had 4 one putts in a row. They say the hands are smarter than the head when it comes to golfrop:

 

[RCI]

Congrats and well done!!!

It is a fun game for sure -- when the putts are falling. Keep it up.

 

[gwlee7]

Oh no!!!

Do not ye understandeth that the Golf Godz will not have you mock them so by talking false prophesy of rounds yet to come???? Pray that they may not smiteth you with their heavy hand!!!!


It's always hard to follow a very good round with a great round but I honestly hope you do it. Good shooting!!

 

[ClairefromClare]

Congrats! I have to admit though, when I saw the thread title, I wasn't quite sure of the subject matter. :emot-ange

 

[sssmokin]

Great round, Kevin. Some time you'll have to come up to Waushara CC. I know you'd shoot great on this course. I've been in the low to mid 40's lately, so that's about it for me. I get at least one blow-up hole that kills me.

 

[Eracer]

Great round Esox. And yeah, you should be averaging 30-32 ppr at worst, not 36-38. I'm a marginal putter at best, and I average 31.4.

You should be a scratch player. All you have to do is putt better. If you were already averaging 30 ppr I'd say it would be tough to drop 5 strokes. But you should be able to get down to 31 ppr pretty easily.

 

[julie_m]

Congrats! I have to admit though, when I saw the thread title, I wasn't quite sure of the subject matter. :emot-ange

Are you kidding? That's precisely the reason I read it.

 

[ClairefromClare]

Are you kidding? That's precisely the reason I read it.

I like how you think!

 

[Esox]

Congrats! I have to admit though, when I saw the thread title, I wasn't quite sure of the subject matter. :emot-ange

I believe I would post the type of thread you're referring to in the equipment review forum.

Kevin

 

[ClairefromClare]

I believe I would post the type of thread you're referring to in the equipment review forum.

Kevin

LOL. There's only one possible response to that:

:needpics:

 

[Esox]

Great round Esox. And yeah, you should be averaging 30-32 ppr at worst, not 36-38. I'm a marginal putter at best, and I average 31.4.

You should be a scratch player. All you have to do is putt better. If you were already averaging 30 ppr I'd say it would be tough to drop 5 strokes. But you should be able to get down to 31 ppr pretty easily.

You're probably correct. I've never tracked my putting statistics exactly, but I know every time I post a 78-81 usually at least four strokes can be attributed to missed relatively short putts. I typically hit quite a few greens every round, and don't make many 10 to 15 putts for birdie either. I see players that do not strike the ball as well as I do make those type of putts far more frequently. I chip the ball pretty well but lose up and down opportunities due to missed 3 to 4 footers. Scratch might be a stretch as I'm not long enough when I play from the tips at many courses, though losing some weight would increase my distance. An index below 3 is the goal for next year.

All that being said, I played today from the tips in a strong wind and putted pretty well again. One three putt from really long range and four one putts on the way to a blistering 84. LOL. Couldn't hit the ball a lick, and lost three balls after not losing one for my last three rounds. Today was the fourth day in a row I played, and my old, overweight body was protesting about overuse. I never got loose, and didn't hit a good tee shot until the 15th hole.

I'll give it another try next Saturday and Sunday. A couple more rounds under 75 before the snow flies would really make this year for me.

Kevin

 

[gwlee7]

a blistering 84.

I warned you about tempting the Godz.

 

[Esox]

I warned you about tempting the Godz.

And don't think I didn't have your warning in mind while I was stumbling around out there today. LOL

But what the hell, I break par for the first time in 20 years on 18 holes, I had to gloat a little bit.

Kevin