Bon Air Country Club - Where Grain Matters!
Tournament Time! This week's Golfweek AM tour stop brings us to lovely Glen Rock, PA. A mere 20 miles south of York to a well kept but slightly quirky Bon Air Country Club. The course definitely favored the golfer who played the course before or talked to a few members before the round. What side of the fairway mattered to your approach, and what side of the pin mattered to your putt. And most importantly, the grain mattered. That's right, if you were putting with the grain, it was at least 2 notches on the stimpmeter faster than if you were putting against the grain.
Date: Saturday 7/12/2014
Location: Bon Air Country Club, Glen Rock, PA
Score: 83
Excuses: A touch aggressive on some holes, not enough on others, one severe mental mistake.
Course Conditions: Excellent, greens rolled very well, course was in beautiful shape.
The Good: First hole birdie, 45% on par saves, front nine 39, second place finish!
The Bad: 28% greens in regulation, 6 over in a stretch of 4 holes
The Ugly: Putted a ball into my foot for a two stroke penalty (seriously)
Best finish in a GolfWeek AM tour tournament thus far.
Could I have made up those four strokes. Possibly:
1) Hole #6, 315 yard Par 4. I checked the laser and the hole was playing a mere 270 yards downhill and slightly right. Typically in my wheelhouse. So I take out the big stick and hit a great drive with a slight draw. Unfortunately I needed a fade and the shot landed in the greenside bunker. Of the 4th hole on the other side of the trees. I hit a wonderful lob wedge out of the bunker but cook it over the green. I muff the chip slightly but almost make the putt, sadly I have to settle for bogey. Might have had a better chance teeing off with a 7 iron and finishing with a pitching wedge. SCHR: 1
2) Hole #12, 372 yard Par 4. Massive dogleg left, not a lot of fairway to work with once you reached the dogleg. I checked the distance to the trees and it did show me around 235, which is reachable with my driver. I felt that since I was hitting a good draw for the past few holes, I could draw this in perfectly and have a wedge in. It was aggressive but I was chasing a good score. Sadly I hit the ball straight and long and buried myself in the trees. I get to the ball and decide to punch out and leave myself a good wedge. Unfortunately, mistakes tend to compound and I punch it all the way across the fairway into the rough and am blocked from using a wedge by a tree. I get a good punch shot with my 7-iron but am an entire 50 feet away from the pin. I hit an incredible putt that settles 3 feet from the hole. Sadly I lip out that putt for a 6. If I hit a 3 wood or a 3 hybrid off the tee and settle for a 6 or 7 iron approach. I at least get the bogey. SCHR: 1
3) Hole #15, 507 yard par 5. Reachable par 5, dogleg right. I take out my driver and try to hit a good cut to put myself in position to go for it in two. Unfortunately my drive tails left and I bury myself in the trees. Fortunately I find the ball and manage a miracle punch out to around 150 yards. I then take an 8 iron and leave myself on the right shelf around 10 feet from the cup. I had a good read from another person in my foursome who putted a few feet from my line. It was a bit downhill and with the grain so I had to be careful. I barely touch the ball an it goes 5 feet past the hole. I was fairly confident in the comeback putt so I rush the putt and miss it 5 inches to the right. I step up to knock the ball in and when I contacted the ball, it hit the lip of the cup and hit my foot which was way too close the the hole. Two stroke penalty... If I take my time, it's a routine bogey. SCHR: 2
And there you have it. Lapses in judgement, not a lack of skill, cost me a chance at a golf tournament. But, looking at the positives there were many, including some skin money :) and valuable lessons were learned. Overall, if I would have lost by two strokes, then I would have been angry, however in the grand scheme, the guy in first (Bob T.) shot an excellent round and deserved to win. I'll gladly take second place this time and more gift certificates towards a new set of clubs and more golf equipment. The wins will come, just keep shooting well and cut the mistakes. And above all, enjoy the beauty of the game and the course.
Until the next round. Back to the RANGE, PRACTICE GREEN, and GYM!
Next Stop: Reston National
Date: Saturday 7/12/2014
Location: Bon Air Country Club, Glen Rock, PA
Score: 83
Excuses: A touch aggressive on some holes, not enough on others, one severe mental mistake.
Course Conditions: Excellent, greens rolled very well, course was in beautiful shape.
The Good: First hole birdie, 45% on par saves, front nine 39, second place finish!
The Bad: 28% greens in regulation, 6 over in a stretch of 4 holes
The Ugly: Putted a ball into my foot for a two stroke penalty (seriously)
Best finish in a GolfWeek AM tour tournament thus far.
Could I have made up those four strokes. Possibly:
1) Hole #6, 315 yard Par 4. I checked the laser and the hole was playing a mere 270 yards downhill and slightly right. Typically in my wheelhouse. So I take out the big stick and hit a great drive with a slight draw. Unfortunately I needed a fade and the shot landed in the greenside bunker. Of the 4th hole on the other side of the trees. I hit a wonderful lob wedge out of the bunker but cook it over the green. I muff the chip slightly but almost make the putt, sadly I have to settle for bogey. Might have had a better chance teeing off with a 7 iron and finishing with a pitching wedge. SCHR: 1
2) Hole #12, 372 yard Par 4. Massive dogleg left, not a lot of fairway to work with once you reached the dogleg. I checked the distance to the trees and it did show me around 235, which is reachable with my driver. I felt that since I was hitting a good draw for the past few holes, I could draw this in perfectly and have a wedge in. It was aggressive but I was chasing a good score. Sadly I hit the ball straight and long and buried myself in the trees. I get to the ball and decide to punch out and leave myself a good wedge. Unfortunately, mistakes tend to compound and I punch it all the way across the fairway into the rough and am blocked from using a wedge by a tree. I get a good punch shot with my 7-iron but am an entire 50 feet away from the pin. I hit an incredible putt that settles 3 feet from the hole. Sadly I lip out that putt for a 6. If I hit a 3 wood or a 3 hybrid off the tee and settle for a 6 or 7 iron approach. I at least get the bogey. SCHR: 1
3) Hole #15, 507 yard par 5. Reachable par 5, dogleg right. I take out my driver and try to hit a good cut to put myself in position to go for it in two. Unfortunately my drive tails left and I bury myself in the trees. Fortunately I find the ball and manage a miracle punch out to around 150 yards. I then take an 8 iron and leave myself on the right shelf around 10 feet from the cup. I had a good read from another person in my foursome who putted a few feet from my line. It was a bit downhill and with the grain so I had to be careful. I barely touch the ball an it goes 5 feet past the hole. I was fairly confident in the comeback putt so I rush the putt and miss it 5 inches to the right. I step up to knock the ball in and when I contacted the ball, it hit the lip of the cup and hit my foot which was way too close the the hole. Two stroke penalty... If I take my time, it's a routine bogey. SCHR: 2
And there you have it. Lapses in judgement, not a lack of skill, cost me a chance at a golf tournament. But, looking at the positives there were many, including some skin money :) and valuable lessons were learned. Overall, if I would have lost by two strokes, then I would have been angry, however in the grand scheme, the guy in first (Bob T.) shot an excellent round and deserved to win. I'll gladly take second place this time and more gift certificates towards a new set of clubs and more golf equipment. The wins will come, just keep shooting well and cut the mistakes. And above all, enjoy the beauty of the game and the course.
Until the next round. Back to the RANGE, PRACTICE GREEN, and GYM!
Next Stop: Reston National
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