Wednesday Golf Group

Played 9 holes on LPGA Legends today with the work group. Didn't play very well or anywhere near my expectations (+6), especially considering the work I've been putting in. Putting was the main problem, although the greens were recently aerated and the bunkers were rock solid from all the rain lately so those were factors too. I'm trying not to put too much stock in the putting or bunker display I put on today since the ball was literally jumping off the green and diverting 90 degrees to the left or right at times before it reached the hole. My ball striking was so-so. Definitely not my best but it was all recoverable if I had a better short game.

The shot-by-shot recap:

1. Par 4, 374 yards dogleg left - 3 wood off the tee, slight draw settling into the left rough. Strong wind from the right seemed to push it more left as it came down. 127 yards to the pin, located toward the back left of the green on a hump. Hit 52* gap wedge to about 15'. Faced a double breaking uphill putt, left it short - greens were slower with the aerification. Made the 3' putt uphill for a par 4. (E)
2. Par 5, 548 yards double dogleg - Driver off the tee, again strong wind from the right pushing it more left into the left rough beyond the cart path that cuts across the fairway. About 270 to the pin with trees in the green line of sight. Laid up with a 4-iron to 98 yards. Pin on the right back of the green. With the wind blowing hard from behind and right-to-left, tried to hit a cut low wedge but caught it thin to go over the pin and behind the green. Tough lie and not much room to work with - pitched up to 15', leaving an uphill and left breaking putt. Putted it short, leaving 2' to the hole. Cleaned up for a bogey 6. (+1)
3. Par 3, 140 yards - Pitching wedge (PW) off the tee, pin measured at 145 yards. Pin on the right front side of the green. Lightning was nearby and thunder rolled at the top of my backswing - didn't block out the distraction and pulled the shot left into the rough but pin high. Chipped up to 1', saving par with a 3. (+1)
4. Par 4, 340 yards dogleg right - 4-iron off the tee with 235 yards to the end of the fairway. Caught it a little fat, leaving 140 yards to the pin from the fairway. Pin tucked in the front left of the green. Hit PW to about 20', leaving a straight putt. Misread it as a slight right-to-left and downhill putt. Left it short at about 6'. Burned the right edge of the hole after the ball hit a bump and jumped right, missing the putt for a bogey 5 with 3 putts. (+2)
5. Par 4, 366 yards - Driver off the tee, slight pull draw. In left rough with a downhill lie and 90 yards to the pin, which is tucked in the middle front of the green over a greenside bunker protecting the left and front of the green. Ball is sitting up in the rough. Opened up the clubface to about 2:00, aimed to the left side of the green and gave a full swing with the Lob Wedge to land near the pin and roll to the back of the green, leaving about 25' to the hole. Uphill left-to-right putt, misread as a straight putt and left short with 6' remaining. Missed the uphill right-to-left putt with the ball hitting another bump inches before the hole and darting off to the right of the hole. Tap-in for bogey 5 with 3 putts. (+3)
6. Par 4, 393 yards hard dogleg left over water - Driver off the tee, mishit on the lower half of the clubface - knew it immediately - ball landed in the water about 3 yards from the other side. Went to drop zone with 255 yards to the pin, tucked in the front right of the green next to a greenside bunker. Hit 3-wood to pin high but in the bunker, which had packed sand from the rain. With pin about 15 yards away, tried to chip out of the sand/mud and ball made it to the edge of the green. Uphill, right-to-left breaking putt from about 15' missed right and went long to about 2'. Tap-in for double bogey 6. (+5)
7. Par 3, 195 yards - 5-iron off tee, pin measured at 203 yards, went right of the green pin-high leaving a short-side chip up to the green. Chipped to 6' with an uphill left-to-right breaking putt. Missed to the right after hitting a bump, tap-in for bogey 4. (+6)
8. Par 5, 518 yards - Driver off the tee, fade to the right rough. 267 yards to the pin located on the left middle of the green near the water. Hit 3-wood out of the right rough to finish about 3 yards off the front edge of the green. Chipped to 4' for an uphill, right-to-left breaking putt. Missed putt to the right after the ball bounced off a bump (very frustrating). Tap in for a par 5. (+6)
9. Par 4, 374 yards - Driver off the tee, hit it too well and it fell into the right rough where the rough cut in. 80 yards to the green, hit Lob Wedge pin high on the fringe. Chipped to 2', tap in for a par 4. (+6)

Notables:

• Need to stop giving away the hole with putts within 6'. Even if there is an obvious break.
• Hit 1 of 7 fairways. Check alignment.
• Didn't hit many approach shots close to the pin - again check alignment.
• Chipping was good but could be better - remember to use shoulders.

Signed up for a GCAT tournament on Saturday to get a competitive round in before the two day event next weekend at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. This Saturday will be at Hammock Beach - The Conservatory course.