So I’m in Leicester, MA for the 2009 Vibram Open, the last stop on the 2009 National Tour. The field is absolutely stacked and the course shows no mercy! Got a good practice round in today with my friend Mitch, who has a lot of experience on this course and a good chance to place high in the pack.
A good deal of water and trees come in to play on this course, but all the shots are fair. You just really have to commit to your shot and hit your line or the results can be devastating. There are a few open bombs that you’ll need a good arm and solid throw to have a chance at. However, the holes in the woods are a different story altogether. I was trying all kinds of silly angles with various drivers and eventually determined that I really have to choose which holes to ‘go for’ and which to play smart.
I definitely have issues with controlled distance. If I want to make the cut, I’m going to have to stay in control in the woods. So that means midranges. I’m going to be relying heavily on my QMS (Quantum Midrange-Straight by Millennium for those unfamiliar). There is no point in trying to crush something 450′ down a gap only to drill a tree 50′ off the pad and skip 80′ into the woods. If I can get a safe par on those holes, I’ll take it.
On a similar note, it really is a pleasure to play true par 4 holes. Park and putt gets old after a while. Having to get over a hill or through a gap and then turn the corner for a 150′ approach is a different kind of golf than i’m used to. I was once advised to travel if I ever wanted to advance my game. That is great advice!
Anyway, we joined the local random-draw doubles league tonight. I was paired with a real nice fella named Chris. He single-handedly eagled hole 3, which is no small feat. It’s a par 4 up and over a hill ending left on the back slope through thick woods. He buttered his drive and it faded perfectly leaving a 60′ jumper which he hit! I pulled off a few shots of my own, although he carried me through most of the tougher holes. Still, we took my drive on hole #18, which was a little short and left but in the open. I yanked a sky hyzer into the woodchips left of the bucket and hit the 40′ putt for bird. We played well into dusk and the last few holes were almost crapshoots. We ended up shooting a 55, and doubling our money. Not bad considering all the 1000-raters in the field :)
Tomorrow: Practice Day #2, Dubs Qualifier