The Pace of Play

Rhythm.

It's probably the single most important aspect to my golf game.  When I got fitted for my current set of irons, the pro I was working with said as much after watching me take just a half dozen swings.  When the pacing of my swing is on, then I can predict the flight of just about every ball without looking.  When my tempo is off... well, then it's anybody's guess where the ball is going.

When I do get in the groove I try everything I can to limit the wait time between shots (for that reason I'd generally much rather walk than ride if the pace is going to be slow... but if the pace is fast I'd rather ride so that I can get to the ball and hit again as soon as possible).

Today I rode.

I played Quail Ridge Country Club, which opened in 2003 but has a real "Old New England" course feel. I've now played it four times, and I'm really starting to appreciate the layout -- challenging but fair, with great hole variety.  From the black tees it clocks in at 6412 yards, par 71, rating 73.8/slope 138.

I started on the first tee with no one in sight, which certainly meant that the pace of play was going to be in my favor.  The opener is a tough par 5, 579 yards initially downhill but then back up on the approach to the green, and complicated by a brook/waste hazard that runs across the fairway about 260 yards out and forces a lay-up off the tee.  It's by far the hardest hole on the course (according to oobgolf stats, out of 374 rounds to date the average score is a full 2.2 strokes over par, with only 4.5% of people hitting the green in regulation).  I started by lacing a 2-hybrid down the middle, then hit 2-hybrid again but pulled that one into the fescue about 150 yards from the green.  I was able to get a clean shot with a 7-iron to the back of the green, and 2 putts yielded par.

The second is a sharp dogleg left, only 362 yards but no real possibility of cutting the corner.  I hit 1-hybrid to the right side of the fairway, then a smooth wedge to the middle of the green.  Two more putts and I was even through 2.

At that point I ran into a foursome of gentlemen who were kind enough to wave me straight on through. My 5-iron on the 205 yard par 3 came up just short of the green, but with the pin in front I had an easy up and down opportunity.  I have to admit I rushed a bit with the group waiting now behind me, and I shorted the chip, then pushed my 6 footer to ultimately make bogey.

The fourth is a short par 4, only 297 yards from the tips, with a downhill finish.  The challenge is that the green is blind from the tee, and the fairway pinches with a small water hazard on the right and woods on the left as you approach the green.  In the past I've played it well, making 2 pars and a birdie (after driving the green) in my previous rounds.  Today I hit a good drive, a little down the left side, which I though might end up in the trap to the left of the green.  However, when I came up over the ridge there was no ball to be found.  A search left in the woods, behind the green, and on the 5th tee yielded nothing.  I was left to assume the ball was in the woods and so took a drop, pitched over the sand trap, and then rolled in a no-brainer 25 footer for a sort-of-par.

I played the next 3 holes about as well I could.  On the all-carry par-3 5th I hit 4-iron pin high just on the fringe and 2-putt for par.  On the par 4 6th and 7th I had matching holes -- 300 yard drives down the middle of the fairway, then 54-degree wedges to within 3 feet for easy birdies.

So yes, at that point I was 1-under-par through 7 holes.

On the 8th I had to scramble to make bogey after my tee ball ended up left of the fairway and my 2nd hit a tree branch ending up 60 yards short of the green.  So right away I was back to even par.

The 9th though presents another birdie opportunity.  It's a short, mostly down-hill par 5 -- it's the easiest hole on the course by far, averaging only 0.8 strokes over par for all comers.  I hit a good drive out over the fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway, which then funneled down to the left side due to the slope.  I only had about 165 yards left, but the tall trees that guard the front left of the green were directly in my path.  I tried to hit a hook 8-iron -- and hook it I did, directly into the aforementioned trees.  I got a fortunate bounce and ended up through the trees and in front of the left side of the green.  From there it was an easy up and down for a 3rd birdie in 4 holes.

OUT: -1.  In 1 hour and 15 minutes.

As I stood over my approach shot on 9 I had to wait to hit for the first time of the entire round as there was a foursome on the green.  Remember the kind gentlemen who let me play through on the 3rd tee?  Meet their counterparts.

I came off 9 and drove up to the 10th tee where the two men in the group ahead were still getting ready to hit; their women playing partners were in their cart.

They did not acknowledge me.

All 4 players ultimately teed off.  And then spent the next 10 minutes searching for balls in the waste area in front of the tee.  Then hit again.  And again.  And again.  After a full 20 minutes (20% of the time it took me to play the entire front 9) they were finally out of range.  Immediately I did not feel comfortable on the tee.  I ended up popping up my drive a bit, about 250 yards out, but within the fairway and reachably 220 yards from the green (on the par 5).  I hopped in my cart and drove up to my ball.

And stood in the fairway for another 10 minutes without a single player in the group ahead getting anywhere near the green.

At last one of the guys in the group waved me up.  And I promptly hooked a 2-hybrid into the hazard on the left side.

Rhythm: gone.

After a drop I did manage to hit a nice 54-degree wedge to about 2 feet to save par.  But my round would never be the same.

On 11 I pulled an 8-iron left of the green and settled for bogey.  On 12 it was a pulled/hooked 1-hybrid into the left rough that gave me no shot at the green (another bogey).  On 14 and 15 I again pull-hooked 1-hybrids, both nearly out of play, though in both cases I had a chance at saving par (3-putted the 14th green for bogey -- I HATE 3 PUTTS!! -- but got up and down for par on 15).  In between I did have a routine pare on the par-3 13th.

Notice any trend to my misses this round?

The 16th was another pull left -- this time into the woods -- and another bogey.  17 was a nice par.  And 18 was again a pull left into the woods, and yet another bogey.

IN: +5.  In 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The final tally was a solid 4-over with 4 penalty strokes.  Shot efficiency: 0.752.  But of course I have to wonder what might have been had I zipped through the 10th hole without 30 minutes of wait time.

On the other hand, let's be realistic -- 18 holes of golf are not played in 2 hours.  If I want to reach even par I'm going to have to learn to keep my rhythm even when the pace is not what I want it to be.