Golf

I've played golf since I was about 8 years old. My grandfather, who was the impetus in many things of my life, put in a virtual mini golf course in his back yard when I was small. My grandmother on my father's side, then bought me a bunch of clubs out of some old golf catalog, and from then on I was hooked.

My golf "career" began with trips up to the old Fort Devens Golf Course. Devens had an 18 hole layout (which has not existed since the late 90's) at the time. My grandfather used to bring me up there to play, paying as if he was going to (it was ridiculously cheap for people currently in the service, or retired from the service. i want to say..10 bucks with cart. Looking back, from what I can remember, Devens wasn't exactly a terribly difficult layout, but for a 9 year old it was a challenging course to play.

I played relatively often right up through college, scoring a 18 hole best of 75, although that was at Twin Springs, which at the time was a joke of a 9 hole course. (It's in much better condition today). For awhile my frequency of play went way down. Law school, life etc. Sometimes there would only be 5-6 rounds played in a year. But, over the past few years, I'm pretty much back in love with the game.

Since I need some kind of jump start to begin writing here, I think I am going to break down my rounds/tennis matches etc. Perhaps this will lead to one or two intelligent posts a month. Or something.

I played Wachusett on Thursday morning with my brother. Wachusett has a great deal, 40 bucks to play with cart until 9am.

Initially things went extremely well. After a hiccup on hole 1, (Great drive, terrible second shot into the bunker, wedge out of the bunker, two putt for bogey), I managed to play a nice stretch of golf, parring 2 (driver-3-wood, wedge and 2 putt) 3 (3-wood, wedge, 2 putt). Birdie on 4 (9iron to 5 feet and 1 putt) and a disappointing part on 5 (Long drive, 5-wood just short of the green, bad chip 2 putt)

So I stood at the 6th tee saying to myself, hey, I'm even par through 5, I have a shot to break 40 on the front, and maybe 80 for the round.

Naturally as soon as that through entered my head, things went haywire.

I hit perhaps the worst shot of the year from the tee on 6. I barely elevated the ball, and hit a slicing line drive, putting my 15 yards off the front. I tried to be too clever with my chip, and left it short, leading to another chip leaving me about 6-7 feet for bogey. Which I promptly missed. Double Bogey.

On 7 I hit a great drive, leaving me about 115 yards from the green. I hit my wedge dead left, off the green, leading to a chip and a 2 putt for a disappointing bogey.

After a pedestrian bogey on 8, I miss the fairway on 9, only by about 5 yards. But, Wachusett on this hole (and this is my only quarrel with the course) has this stupid mound, where the grass runs wild like it's a British Open course. Despite seeing my ball hop in this mound, I cant find my ball, end up carding a double bogey for a front side 42.

Fuming, I make a mess at 10. I hit a decent drive into the right rough. Try to muscle a 3 wood to the green (it's a par 5) and.....I advance the ball perhaps 60 yards...all due to the ball bouncing down the cart path. Then I hit a 6 iron dead left, hit two terrible chips, two putt and threaten to wrap my putter around my cart.

I bogey 11, bogey 12 (after being on in two...and having a dreadful 3 putt), bogey 13...I finally catch some luck at 14.

I hit a drive which cuts way more than I had anticipated, we couldnt find the ball so I take a drop, and hit another ball. then...as we're heading up towards the green..there's my initial ball, way further down than I thought. I got the go ahead to play my original, and end up parring that hole.

The streak of luck continues at 15 where I hit a bad drive, right into the trees, but the ball not only comes out, but is somehow propelled forward. Instead of losing about 70-80 yards on my drive, I only lose about 20. My three wood second shot ends up about 30 yards short (par 5) I make a good pitch shot in. Just miss the 10 footer for birdie and have a tap in par.

coming in I par 16 with a 1 putt. Bogey 17 after missing an easy putt, and bogey 18 for a 85.

While Wachusett is not the most difficult course in the area, it's a well maintained fun course to play, where you can score well if you play to your capability.