My game (if you can call it that) is characterized by a lot of bogeys mixed in with a few pars. Steady and boring.
But the last month I haven't lived up to my moniker, "Bogey Bao." Like at the club championship. I'm on a 5 hole par streak, playing some of my best golf, then 4-jack from 15 feet. Not sure if it's lack of focus or nerves. Whatever it is, the result is the same, extreme frustration. Entire round, ruined by one bad decision, one lousy hole. 4 hours of good play derailed by a 5 minute span.
Today, that frustration ended at our season ending event. Things started off slow. Driver wasn't working on the first and second holes, forcing me to punch out and scramble for bogeys.
Third hole I 3-jack from 12 feet. 4th hole I 3-jack when I missed a 1.5 footer (no gimmes in tournament golf). Back-to-back doubles. It's going to be a long day.
I made a mess of the 5th but a good chip and putt saved bogey. The 5th probably saved my round. 3 straight doubles and I might not have been able to mentally recover. So through 5,
score (putt)
1: +1 (2)
2: +1 (2)
3: +2 (3)
4: +2 (3)
5: +1 (1)
6th I hit a good approach shot from 168 but came a yard short so instead of putting for birdie I was playing out of the bunker. After a poor out from the sand I 2-putted for another bogey. Through 6, still no pars.
Finally par the 7th. Hit a laser from 185 on the 8th for another par. 9th, what I consider the easiest hole, got me when the wind took my ball into the fairway bunker. So I finished the front +9.
1: +1 (2)
2: +1 (2)
3: +2 (3)
4: +2 (3)
5: +1 (1)
6: +1 (2)
7: E (2)
8: E (1)
9: +1 (2)
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+9 (18)
Nothing to write home about, but I was feeling good. No triples, no blowups. I'm back to playing steady, relatively stress free golf. Without those inexcusable 3-putts I'd be Bogey Bao again.
Back nine started well with a par on the 10th. After bogeying the 11th I GIR the 12th. About a 10-13 footer for birdie but I completely misread the putt so I'm left for a 5 footer for par. Missed it for a 3-jack bogey. Uggh.
10: E (1)
11: +1 (2)
12: +1 (3)
Then I got on a hot streak. Par the 13th, bogey the tough 14th, par the 15th, par the 16th.
13: E (1)
14: +1 (2)
15: E (1)
16: E (2)
So I'm +3 with 2 holes to go. 17th is a par 3, playing 168 today. I hit a great little fade but it just didn't have enough with the head wind. Another yard and I'd be vying for closest to the pin, but it caught the fringe and rolled back into the bunker. Bogey. Poor driver on the 18th left me little chance for par.
10: E (1)
11: +1 (2)
12: +1 (3)
13: E (1)
14: +1 (2)
15: E (1)
16: E (2)
17: +1 (2)
18: +1 (2)
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+5 (16)
Still, +5 on the back nine I'll take any day. Final tally, 86 with 34 putts. Putting, putting, putting. Gave away 3 strokes from the 3 3-jacks.
The frustration has ended.
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