Week 3 - League

1 of the players in my league has Driver as his last name. Thats a good golf name. He's also lefthanded, like Phil Mickleson. So the doglegs present a different challenge for him then most players. His fades are my pulls. I guess they have more choice of equipment then they used too, but if someone I knew wanted to start playing golf and was a lefty, I would tell 'em to play righty. For one, taking lessons is easier because you can more easily imitate the pro. (Unless he's lefty as well!) Also, a lot more equipment choices. And when you're just starting something, your muscle memory can learn better then if you've been doing it for a while and then switch hands later.

So the round was played on the back nine this week, and I bogeyed 3 straight holes before parring the par-3 13th after just clearing the green on my drive and using the Texas wedge to lag it close. I hit my next drive OB next to a house, and took a DB. I parred 15, a par-5, again needing 4 to get on, then popped up a 3wood on the long par 4 and DBed it. After just missing a par putt on 17, I creamed a 3-wood on 18 to 140, and stuck a 7iron to 15 feet, and finished with a nice par, for a 44, with 15 putts, 3 FH, and 1 GIR, the last hole. Shot of the day - the drive on 18 with the 3 wood. I had only 2 awful chips; 1 scooted in and out of a bunker, 1 I hit behind after 2 great shots on 15, and it shanked off right of the green. Getting better, but need more chipping practice.

Improvement League

On Mondays last season I started playing in a 9-hole league at Deer Creek in University Park called the Improvement League. Launched just last season, it uses a special scorecard to track clubs used, fairways and greens hit, and whether or not one was over, short, left or right of those targets.

http://deercreekgolfcourse.com/improvement%20league.htm
We also had our swings videoed on a DVD so we could study them, which was real neat, and had 2 clinics, one was a full-swing lesson, and the other was a putting lesson.
Of my 15 birdies last year, 7 were in this league.
This season the league started on May 4, and I played last week and had a 48. We were real lucky with the weather last year; hopefully that will continue.

Tuckaway

Round 4 was played at Tuckaway on May 7, a sort of flat course out in Steger. Some of the greens are hilly enough so if the pin is in a certain position, the ball will roll off the green if landing in the wrong place. Also the greens are sand-based, which doesnt allow for them to hold shots well. I played the back 9 first, and took a snowman on 10, mainly due to poor chipping. After 3 straight bogies, I played 2-9 because of slow play ahead of me. I had 4 6's in a row befor DBing the Par3 6th, then I took 6 shots to reach 7. On 8, I hit a 3iron 10ft., then left the birdie putt short. After 9, I went to the car to get my raincoat and umbrella because it was raining. I then parred 1, then went back to 14, a hole I have eagled (yeah,EAGLED) twice, in 2004 and 2007. Amazing. Its a short par-5 that plays sorta downhill, so 2 good shots and you're dancing. That was my last par till 18, with another GIR and 2 putts. I was 4 over from 15-17. I also just beat the hard rain, as it really came down as I was leaving the last green. So my scores were 50-48-98. My actual 9-hole breakdown was 52-46. I had 34 putts, so most of the damage was again, chipping and pitching. I hit 5 fairways and chipped in for par on 14 as my shot of the day. Most telling stat: only 3 GIR. I need to get that figure up to 8 or 9. I also had no birdies, ending my little streak of a birdie a round at 3. Had 4 pars; need to double that. At least I got it in.

Silver Lake

Round number 3 was played at Silver Lake in Orland Park, a 36-hole layout that is usually busy, but the twilight rates are decent, so I went after work with a relative. He was a little late, so our tee time was pushed back, and the league got ahead of us, resulting in our teeing off on the North Course.
We actually started on 13, because 10-12 were being airrated. The grass was pretty smooth, so my contact on the ball was improved over the 1st 2 rounds. I had no pars on the first segment of holes, but had a shot near the road that went thru 2 trees and landed near the green, and a passerby in a car said "Nice shot." Cool. We then went to the South course and played 16-18. I was 5 over on that segment. Then we went to the front on the South and played 1-4. On 4 I drove to 100 yards, then put a PW stiff to 4 feet. I buried the putt, just hitting it hard enough, for my 3rd birdie of the year in 3 rounds. We then played 10-11 and called it a day. So no pars, 6 6's, and a 79 for 15 holes. I was 19 over par, which projects to about a 92 over 18, so again, getting a little better with the full shots. We took 3 hrs and 20 min to play.

The Meadows

Todays goal in round 2 was to play better on the back 9. The weather was similar to last week, cold wind blowing, sunny, eyes dry. I started with a yellow ball, hit my 1st drive on the driving range, found a yellow ball that was Probably mine, and lost it on Hole 2 in the water. Ranger reminded me to keep cart 90 degrees from ball on front and cart path on back. Had 3 6's to start, then settled in with a par on 7 after driving the ball so far I couldnt find it till after I hit another ball. So 48 on the front with 18 putts, and 4 fairways. Grass was pretty short, and greens were a little slow. Made a 20-footer to save DB on 9. On to the back. Lost drive on 10, and had 3 6's on par 3's and 2 5's. This is a testament to the length of the holes and the wind. Parred 12 and 15; tho on 15 was 25 yds away in 2. Then the shot of the year on 18. After driving right near a trap, I stuck a 6iron stiff 1 foot away. Tap-in bird. 2 rounds, 2 birds. Not bad. Final numbers 46 and 14 putts for total of 94, 6 shots better then last round. Hit 6 fairways, and had 32 putts. Left with good taste in my mouth. Have to get a lot better 80-30 yards away.

Opening Day - Windburn in Beecher

Another season begins - this time at Shady Lawn, or Cardinal Creek. I've hit 3 buckets, and putted twice, and chipped once. Really not enough, esp. since most work is on turf, an annual problem. Weather also has been coolish. Goal is to break 100 today. Played North side first, made my first putt(1 foot). Hit 5 FW on front, so decent drives. The rest of the clubs were subpar. Hit way behind about 6 balls, resulting in muddy divots. Best drive was on 5, 25 yds from green, still needed great lag after approach thin. Got 1st birdie on 8, a par-5, draining 20-footer crossgrain. Good to get off schnod; the longer you go without one of those, you start pressing. Had 4 4's on front, for 48. Not bad. Almost had sand save on 7. Greens were a little slow, probly cause of wet. Back nine pretty bad, for me. Didnt hit 1 fairway with wood. Had 4 bogeys, couldnt keep momentum from 3-hole stretch on front going (1-over). 2 snowmen not acceptable, but its the first round. Hit 6 fairways, had 34 putts, and too many pitches/chips were mishit. So a 52 on the back (South) adds up to an even 100. Wind was hard on my eyes and face. Will try to practice sometime this week. Grass contact needs to improve.

Ravisloe going public

I learned this morning that Ravisloe Country Club, a private club since 1901, 108 years old, is going public, due to it being bought by an invester. So thats 1 more course to play, since the only private course I ever played was Flossmoor Country Club, in 1982 or so, with my dad. I'm sure I will play this course many times in the future.
On the heels of courses closing like Westgate, and others, this is good news.
This also eliminates the course from consideration as a course for my nephew to caddie at this summer, as I am looking into private courses that utilize caddies. Public courses really dont.