The End

 I started this blog in August of 2008, with a challenging goal: to shoot an even par round of golf.  I knew at that time that my game was probably good enough, but I was never quite able to hold it together for a full 18 holes.  I hoped that by writing publicly about it I would get some motivation, and maybe this would be a nice golf journal to look back on someday (which, frankly, it is).

I was 30 years old then.  I'm 43 now.  And the game isn't getting easier.  I haven't written anything in almost 6 years.  There have been some close calls, but between life and kids there just hasn't been time or enough impetus to share it.

So I'm writing today to say this will be the last entry in this journal.  Because today I shot even par.

Without further ado, here's the blow-by-blow.

COURSE: Granite Links Golf Club (Milton-Quincy)

STATS: Par 71, Blue Tees 6379 yards, rating 71.6, slope 132

WEATHER: Overcast and about 50 degrees with steady 10 mph winds out of the northeast, and gusts upwards of 15-20 mph 

1st Hole (Milton 1, par 4) - A challenging opening hole, which today was made all the more difficult since I arrived only 5 minutes before my tee time, and I actually sprinted down to the tee box and had to ask the nice threesome in front of me if they wouldn't mind me jumping out in front of them -- I was playing solo and trying to get around quickly.  They were gracious enough to let me go.  So with only a quick couple of practice swings I launched a 3 iron off the tee and pulled it left.  I got a good bounce around the fairway bunker and settled in a decent lie in the rough.  Still rushing a bit to be sure to get quickly out of the way of the other group, I took aim with an 8-iron and just tried to hit a smooth shot to the front pin location.  There were some grounds crew members working on the bunker left of the green, which is sometimes a magnet for me.  But this time I hit a nice slight draw which settled just 5 feet short of the hole.  1 putt birdie.  SCORE: -1

2nd Hole (Milton 2, par 3) - A fairly straightforward par 3 with a deep green that can play anywhere from 145 to 175 yards depending on the pin location.  Today it was middle, and my 7-iron settled in pin high on the right side of the green.  Routine 2 putt par.  SCORE: -1

3rd Hole (Milton 3, par 4) - Easily the toughest hole on the course, it requires an accurate tee shot of about 240 yards, followed by a lengthy all-carry approach over water to a well protected and multi-tiered and sloped green.  Par is always a good score.  I hit a hybrid a little off the toe but still found the fairway, leaving 190 yards to the back-right pin.  A little draw plus the wind brought my 6-iron to the front of the green, leaving a 60+ footer.  My "lag" was over-cooked and actually hit the hole, bounced out, and finished about 10 feet past.  But I made the testy come-backer for par.  SCORE: -1

4th Hole (Milton 4, par 5) - A reachable par 5 that was playing straight downwind today.  First swing with the driver and I hit a good one, actually carrying the first fairway and bouncing up through the rough into the second fairway.  The approach is well uphill, and I hit a 9-iron a little fat, coming up short of the green.  

Here's where I should pause and say that I've been taking some lessons this winter.  Last week I played a round that was a bit of a mess -- I hit a lot of good full shots, but my wedge game was awful.  So in my last lesson we focussed on half- and three-quarter wedges, and let's just say it paid off: 58 degree to 6 feet, and another birdie.  SCORE: -2

5th Hole (Milton 5, par 4) - Running parallel to the 4th and back into the wind, this is a hole where a great drive can leave a short pitch shot and a birdie chance.  I did not hit a great drive.  On the second shot the ball was below my feet, but I hit a decent 7-iron to just short of the green.  My chip also wasn't the best but at least left an uphill putt, and I happily got up and down for par.  SCORE: -2

6th Hole (Milton 6, par 3) - Generally a tough par 3 with a tricky green, particularly when the pin is back left, which it was today at 190 yards, though down-wind.  I hit 7-iron again, and pushed it a bit, pin-high but missing the green right.  From that angle the green runs uphill until about 10 feet before the hole, then back downhill and severely right to left.  I felt my only option was to try to flop it and get it to stop quick...and I nearly holed it.  Tap-in par.  SCORE: -2

7th Hole (Milton 7, par 4) - A short par 4 that is sometimes reachable, but played longer today into the wind.  I hit a good drive to the safe part of the fairway, which left the exact shot that was a disaster the last time I played: a 60-70 yard pitch.  My distance control wasn't perfect, but at least it went straight, and I had about a 20-footer for birdie.  Par was good enough.  SCORE: -2

8th Hole (Milton 8, par 4) - There are a lot of different ways to play this hole, but most members try to hit the tee shot over the left fairway bunker, which leaves a more direct approach shot and takes the massive right-side sand area out of play.  I chose that route today and hit 3 wood to about 95 yards out.  Another wedge opportunity, and again I was happy with the result, hitting the middle of the green.  2 more putts for par.  SCORE: -2

9th Hole (Milton 9, par 5) - I have the hardest time hitting the fairway on this hole.  Being fair to myself, it's a difficult tee-shot where you have to pick a line with a specific carry distance; anything left of that will run down a steep slope and perhaps out of play, and a good shot that goes a little right might also find trouble.  But I consistently make the big mistake and hit a pull-hook left that gets into the trouble.  Today, though, was atypical: I hit the center of the fairway.  The 2nd shot is significantly uphill (about 2 clubs worth), and with the wind today the green wasn't reachable.  I hit a poor lay-up into the fairway bunker left, and although I got out of there fairly well I was still short of the green in 3.  My pitch shot was good, and left only about 6 feet, but the putt was never high enough.  SCORE: -1

10th Hole (Quincy 1, par 5) - Although there is a lot of trouble if you hit it offline at Granite Links, there are only a few areas that are out of bounds, and one of them is the road left of Quincy #1.  It's pretty far left to get there, but there's a big ravine with thick fescue and brush between that and the fairway which is mostly unplayable in the summer.  I hit my drive just a little left -- not flirting with OB, but in the summer I would have been searching for a while.  Instead today I found a decent lie and a clean swing, and I was able to advance a 7 iron back into the fairway.  It wasn't great from there -- 9 iron well short of the green, then a pitch shot that flew too far, and 2 putts from 20 feet.  SCORE: E

11th Hole (Quincy 2, par 3) - There are three tough par 3's on the Quincy 9, and this one is probably the hardest.  Even playing downwind it was a 5-iron for me, and a decent shot still found the green-side bunker.  I was short-sided, and went a little long with a 58-degree, then 2-putted for bogey.  SCORE: +1

12th Hole (Quincy 3, par 5) - After 3 straight bogeys I felt like I needed to get one back here.  I liked hearing Justin Rose talk about how he tried to play a match against the course in the 2nd round of the Masters last weekend, and right now in my match I was 1-down.  I absolutely piped a drive down the right side of the fairway, but the longer you hit it on this hole the more the fairway slopes right-to-left, and my ball ended up all the way across to the rough on the left.  Still, after 309 yards off the tee I had just 170 left, all uphill.  My 5 iron found the front of the green, and 2 putts meant my match against the course was back to even.  SCORE: E

13th Hole (Quincy 4, par 4) - This is a ski-slope downhill hole that plays significantly less than the scorecard distance.  I hit what I thought was a good drive but the wind grabbed it and I ended up well right, into the 3rd fairway.  That's a fine place to be, though, and I hit an okay 9 iron that also got caught up in the wind, and was left with a long 70 footer.  I hate 3-putts.  SCORE: +1

14th Hole (Quincy 5, par 4) - This is closer to a par 4-and-a-half, uphill and long from the back tees, though from the blues it's more playable.  I hit exactly the drive I wanted to, but it turned out my target was off and I ended up in the right rough.  My pitching wedge from there rode the wind all the way to the back of the green, but I managed a good 2-putt this time.  SCORE: +1

15th Hole (Quincy 6, par 3) - The 6th on Quincy is all about club selection, short but significantly downhill.  Today it was also down-wind, which I didn't love with a back pin position since flying over the green is basically dead.  I went with a smooth pitching wedge...and nearly holed it.  The pitch mark was 6 inches from the hole, and I had just about 5 feet for birdie.  SCORE: E

16th Hole (Quincy 7, par 4) - I play this hole really well.  It's a short risk-reward type par 4, easily drive-able, but the shot toward the green is blind and anything right or short of the target is out of play or at least unlikely to be found.  But for some reason I just have that blind shot grooved, and I average under par.  I went with 3-iron to be sure I wouldn't be short, and ended up a little long and left of the green (which is the safe miss).  My pitch shot was tricky -- a downhill lie playing back uphill to the green -- and I came up short, then putted from the apron and made a 4 or 5 footer for the par.  SCORE: E

17th Hole (Quincy 8, par 3) - This is another downhill par 3, but much longer than Quincy 6.  The green is massive, and I like to think of it like 4 different greens depending on where the pin is.  Today's location was in what I would consider the front-left of the back-right green; or, I guess, "middle."  With the wind at my back 7-iron was all I needed, and I tried to make the same smooth swing I had made back on #15, but I pushed it just a bit.  It hit the right edge of the green and bounced straight right...and into the woods.  Fortunately, I again got lucky with some early season conditions and had a clean lie that I was able to get back onto the green, and 2-putts from 40 feet was just fine this time.   SCORE: +1

18th Hole (Quincy 9, par 4) - Well, this was it.  1-over through 17, needing birdie, standing on the 18th tee, and playing dead into a gusting 15-20 mph wind.  The best line is basically straight at the green, even though from the tee box it looks like all the playable fairway is off to the right; I hit a low drive about 225 yards down the left side of the fairway, right where I was aimed.  The pin was tucked in the back right portion of the green, which sits in a little bowl, and most shots that get back to that location will funnel toward the pin.  I had about 100 yards, and felt good about a 50-degree wedge into that wind.  Ball contact was good but up in the air I had some butterflies that the wind was going to be too much, and it wasn't going to be enough club.  Fortunately I saw it disappear over the little hill in the green, which meant it was in the bowl...and when I got up to the green I saw my ball sitting pin-high, about 7 feet away:

SCORE: EVEN PAR

And that was that.  The long journey is complete.  All-in-all the round was very solid, with 5 birdies and 5 bogeys, no penalties, and of course a little luck.  But I finally halved the match against the course.  

(Now I have to go win one.)

The Alps

It's still winter.

I ventured up to the home course last week.  This is what it looked like at sunset:

With nothing else on the horizon, it reminds me more of a mountain landscape than a golf course.  And the only mountains I want associated with golf are the "Alps."

The Quarry Hills Invitational

One of the absolute pleasures of membership at a golf club is the opportunity to bring guests to enjoy a nice round at your home course.  And the pinnacle of guest hosting is definitely the member-guest tournament that nearly every club hosts over the summer.

Being honest, these events are basically opportunities for clubs (and their members) to showcase everything they've got in one big "my club is better than yours" contest.  But that doesn't mean they're not a lot of fun.  I previously wrote about part of my experience at my friend Kevin's member-guest (and the closest round I ever had to even par), which is just a fantastically run tournament; this year I had Kevin as my guest at the Quarry Hills Invitational at Granite Links.

Kevin hits his 2nd shot -- 4th Hole, Milton 9, Granite Links Golf Club

The Format
The event is played in 2-man teams, slotted into flights of 6 teams based on combined handicap.  I was playing as an 8 and Kevin as a 10, which put us as the top seed in the 4th flight (of nine).  On the weekend, each team plays a 9-hole match against the other 5 teams in their flight, with each hole being worth 1 point (you get 1 point if you win the hole, 1/2 point if your halve the hole, and 0 points if you lose the hole).  Additionally, on the Friday before the weekend there is an 18-hole better-ball event (at 90% handicap) for "bonus points" -- 2 points for the low team in the flight, 1 point for 2nd, 0 points for 3rd and 4th, and -1 point for 5th and 6th.  At the end of the weekend, the team with the most points wins the flight, and each flight winner then plays in a shootout to determine the overall champion.

Day 1: Better-Ball
Before we started, I told Kevin I thought we needed to shoot 6-under to win the flight.  It was a shotgun, and we started on the 5th hole on the Milton 9 and each made routine pars, so we got off to a good start.  From there we really played well as a team, with at least one of us putting up a good score on each hole; I shot 82 and Kevin 87, but together (with our strokes) we managed exactly what I had set as our goal -- a 6-under 65.  Along the way I found my putting stroke,* with just 26 putts for the round, making both a few long ones and several 4-8 footers.  Unfortunately, my prediction about the score we needed to win the flight was way off -- we were 3rd, with groups having shot 61 and 63 ahead of us!

*Side note: I put a new putter in play before the tournament started.  I realize this screams of desperation, but in truth, it wasn't really a new putter -- it's the same one I have in my bag down in Florida.  I love that putter, and happened to see it on sale at Golfsmith earlier in the week.  As you'll see, this was a great decision.

Day 2: 27 Holes (3 matches)
Saturday we played 3 matches covering all 27 holes of the club.  It was an awesome (and full) day of golf.  We got off to a rocky start, losing our first 3 holes, but battled back to halve the first match; then halved the second match; and finally won 5-4 in the 3rd match.  The key to the day was definitely our putting; we both hit it all over the place, but were very consistent on the greens.  Kevin made a 20-footer on the 9th of the 1st match to save the halve; I made a testy 15-footer on the 1st of the 2nd match for birdie.  But the 3rd match was where it really all clicked -- I had 7 putts through the first 6 holes, getting up-and-down 3 times and making two long ones for birdies.

Really, it was a great putting weekend all-around.  I had been struggling a bit with the flat stick this year, which I mostly attributed to my lack of play.  As I said, I decided to put a new putter in the bag this weekend.  I don't know if it was because of that, or the fact that the greens were rolling absolutely perfect, or that I actually played several days in a row -- or some combination of all of the above -- but I was seeing lines on the green like it was a video game.  It felt like everything had a chance to go in.

Here are my short-game stats for the year before and after the new putter:

Short Game Performance YTD (prior to new putter)

Short Game Performance at QHI (with new putter)

There's a little bit of fiction to those numbers since some putts were conceded and there were a few holes where I was out of play and didn't finish the hole -- but not many.  The vast majority of those 1.52 putts/hole represent made putts.

The kicker, though, is that it was putting that was ultimately our undoing.  We both missed 2-footers on the 8th hole of our 3rd match that would have garnered us an extra half-point.  And then there was day 3...

Day 3: 18 Holes (2 matches)

We finished day 2 in second place in our flight, but a distant 6 points out of the lead.  Our matches that day were against the 3rd and 1st place teams, so we needed to be on top of our game.  We started well, each making par on the first hole of the day.  On the 2nd hole (the par 3 #7 on the Granite 9) we cost ourselves a 1/2 point, as we were both on the green and both 3-putt (I hate 3-putts, even when the pin is in an impossible position on a steep slope), ending up with a halve.  We halved the next as well before we each made sandy-pars to steal a full point on the 9th.

The next hole (Granite #1) featured two of the best shots of the tournament.  The hole is a par-5 that plays severely downhill; most players hit a lay-up off the tee, and then must choose whether to lay-up again or hit a 200+ yard downhiller to go for the green.  It's an intimidating-looking hole, especially for those who haven't played it much, because it looks like there is trouble everywhere (in reality, the fairway is enormous).  Kevin struggled with it all weekend, and he did not make a committed swing on his tee-shot, pushing it well right and out of play in the woods.  After a drop and a layup short of the first hazard, he was left with about 260 yards in.  At this point in the match-play format there was no reason to play conservative, so he pulled out the 3-wood and let it rip... and rolled it just about 3 feet past the hole.  It was awesome.

Granite #1

Unfortunately, although that was the best shot I saw all weekend, he wasn't even the closest to the hole on the green, as our opponent hit his drive down the left side to the narrow strip of fairway, getting all the way down to a flat area that leaves just about a 7-iron into the green.  And he stuffed his next one inside Kevin's ball.  So despite Kevin's amazing par, we lost the hole by 2 shots.

We battled right back, though -- I halved with a par on #2, and then made a 15-footer from just off the green for birdie on #3 to get back to 1-up in the match with two holes left.  Both the other member and I made par on the par-3 4th; but then on the last hole Kevin and I both mis-hit our approach shots and had to battle to get up and down for pars.  Those weren't good enough, though, as we watched our opponents roll in a birdie to (yet again) halve the match.

So that left just one more match, and we were up against the leaders in our flight.  We actually had gained a half-point, so we needed 7-1/2 points in order to win the flight.  And we still had a 1-point lead for second (and therefore, the money).  We started this one on Milton #7, a potentially-drivable par 4, though with the wind in our face that was unlikely.  Kevin and I both hit good drives and put ourselves in decent shape to make birdies; but for the second hole in a row we watched our opponent make a nice putt and we weren't able to match.  We did get that point right back on #8 when everybody missed the green and I was the only one that managed to get up and down for par.  Everybody parred the 9th, but our opponent's guest was getting a shot there, so now we were back down a point.  We halved the next two before Kevin won us another point on #3, and I took home #4 to put us up 4-3 with two holes to play.  At that point 1st place was already out of play, but 2nd was a strong possibility.

On the par-4 5th I hit my drive well left, actually down into a bunker on the 4th fairway; my shot from there was never found, essentially putting me out of the hole.  But Kevin was on the green in 2, albeit a good 50 feet from the hole.  From the other positions on the green, it was likely that par would yield a half point.  It was a tricky downhill putt that required a precise line since it could really break either way depending on the line... but it ended up being speed that was the putt's undoing, as he ended up about 20 feet short.  Suffice to say, we headed to the last hole back to even in the match.

But 2nd place was still out there, and Kevin was the only one in our group to hit the green on the 188 yard par 3.  I was in the fescue on the right, but was able to get my pitch onto the green, leaving about 20 feet for par.  After our opponent's guest essentially put himself out of par contention, I was next to putt, and again I felt sure that I was seeing the line perfectly.  As soon as I hit it I was sure it was in, tracking perfectly uphill and slightly left to right... except it just skirted by the right edge.  Bogey.

Kevin's putt was all about speed again -- he had to go uphill over a ridge initially, but the last 5 feet were going to be back downhill.  He hit it just a bit too hard, and left a good 10 feet coming back; he, too, made bogey.  All we could hope for was a halve, which would require a miss from the other member on an 8-footer on the same line Kevin just had.  His putt?  Oh, it only did a full 360 around the cup before falling in.  We lost the match 5-4....

...and finished 1/2 point out of a tie for second place.  Ouch.

Final Analysis

Considering neither Kevin nor I have played much golf this year, I'm pretty happy with how we played.  We certainly were well-placed in the 4th flight since we ended up halving everything -- 3 matches were 4-1/2 to 4-1/2, and the other two were 5-4.  Obviously the missed opportunities on the last two holes hurt, but really I go back to the 8th hole of our 3rd match on Saturday (when we both missed 2-footers that would have won the hole) as the one that got away.

It was definitely a great weekend.  The course was in absolutely perfect condition, the weather couldn't have been better, and the atmosphere amongst the guys was what really made it fun.  I can't wait for next year.

The Best Courses | The Membership

I know, it's been a while.

Let's just pretend that's not the case.  We'll get to the 2012 analysis and what's to come for 2013 soon.

Moving on.... Golf Digest has a new iPhone app for rating golf courses based on their "proprietary formula" that is used to determine their "Best Courses" lists.  The app is pretty terrible, filled with bugs and generally less fun than one would hope.

BUT (of course), I've been using that "proprietary formula" for a few years to rate the courses that I have played.  And after last summer's Scotland trip, I've got enough good ones in the database to put out a list of the 10 Best.

First, here are the categories Golf Digest uses (quoted from their website):

1. Shot Values
How well does the course pose risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?

2. Resistance to Scoring
How difficult, while still being fair, is the course for a scratch player from the back tees?

3. Design Variety
How varied are the golf course's holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?

4. Memorability
How well do the design features (tees, fairways, greens, hazards, vegetation and terrain) provide individuality to each hole, yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?

5. Aesthetics
How well do the scenic values of the course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and backdrops) add to the pleasure of a round?

6. Conditioning
How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?

7. Ambience
How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/100-greatest-golf-courses-methodology#ixzz2Lh4BmpZh

Each category is given a score from 1-10, with 10 being absolutely perfect (in other words, grade tough).  Category #1 (which I interpret as "how fun/awesome is it to play the course") is counted twice, so the maximum score is 80.

With that in mind, here's my list, with the scores I'd assign them:

1. Turnberry Resort (Ailsa Course), Ayrshire, Scotland - 73.4 points.
2. St. Andrews Links (Old Course), St. Andrews, Scotland - 69.8 points.
3. Bethpage State Park (Black), Farmingdale, NY - 65.8 points.
4. TPC Boston, Norton, MA - 64 points.
5. Links at Lighthouse Sound, Bishopville, MD - 63 points.
6. Ballyowen, Hardyston, NJ - 62.7 points.
    Granite Links Golf Club (Milton-Quincy), Quincy, MA - 62.7 points.
8. The International (Oaks), Bolton, MA - 61.8 points.
9. Brae Burn C.C., Newton, MA - 61.6 points.
10. Turning Stone Resort (Atunyote), Verona, NY - 60.5 points.
      Red Tail Golf Course, Devens, MA - 60.5 points.

Honorable mentions: the other 2 courses at Turning Stone (Shenendoah 60 points; Kaluhyat 59.2 points), and Newport National in Middletown, RI (59.9 points).

My category leaders are:
Shot Values - St. Andrews (9.2)
Resistance to Scoring - Bethpage Black (10)
Design Variety - Turnberry (8.5)
Memorability - St. Andrews (10)
Aesthetics - Turnberry (9.9)
Conditioning - Turnberry (9.5)
Ambience - St. Andrews (10)

I look at that list and feel very fortunate.  4 of the courses have hosted major championships (Turnberry, St. Andrews, Bethpage, Brae Burn), 2 others have been the host to PGA Tour events (TPC Boston and Atunyote), and one was the site of a US Women's Public Links Championship (Red Tail).

The others?  Lighthouse Sound has been called the "Pebble Beach of the east" -- probably a stretch, but still gives you some clue to the natural beauty that surrounds it.  Ballyowen is a spectacular track, probably my favorite (US) course on the list.  The Oaks course at The International is the sister course to the multi-record-holding Pines course on the same property (longest hole, largest tee box, largest green).  And Granite Links is my new home.

Yes, that's right, I'm now a member of a club.

I'm not sure what that means for The Mission.  But I know I'm looking forward to playing a lot of rounds on the same course this year.  I know I now have access to a practice facility with a range, short game area, and multiple putting greens, and I can only hope that with that kind of practice that even par is not far away.