My wife and I traded our timeshare to visit Kauai last week. We stayed in Princeville, on the north side of the island. I brought along my golf clubs, hoping to sneak out a few times while my wife enjoyed shopping or sitting by the pool. I was able to get 4 rounds of golf in!


The Prince Course, Princeville Kauai

The first course I played was 5 minutes from our condo - The Prince Course at Princeville. I played with a threesome from Auburn, CA consisting of 3 friends and their wives. The wives each drove a cart, the husbands rode along and played golf. We had 4 carts between us! The group was very friendly and fun and made me feel very welcome joining their group. Two of us started off nicely with birdies on the first hole. I had opportunites for several more birdies on the front, but had difficulty dealing with the slow and grainy bermuda greens and turned a couple opportunities into bogies. Still, I had a good round going into the back nine with just 1 mishap on 8 - a double bogie tallied from the frontside bunker. I figured out then that you had to pick the ball out of these sandless traps.

The back nine is where the challenge began. Somehow, I found a way to par the horseshoe shaped par 5 10th after nearly going OB to the far right off the tee, then barely getting back to the fairway. A landed a long approach from there by hitting across the canyon, found inside the horseshoe shaped fairway. On the short par 3 11th I hit a solid PW into the right to left headwind that carried the ball just enough left to loose it forever in the jungle below. I dropped near the green and chipped up close to save bogie.

The course then presents you with a long drop from the tee on 12 to a narrow jungle and tree-lined sliver of a fairway below. I hit a solid 5-wood, leaving me with an easy 9i in. A par here kept me 5-over.

The trouble began on 13 where the fairway is cut in half about 200 yards out by a ditch lined with dense shrubs. I hooked my hybrid and found the ball directly behind some rocks, forcing me to pitch out to the fairway, still leaving me 185 yards out. From here I pushed a 5i right of the green and never found the ball. When it was all over, I'd quadrupled the hole. I followed this with 2 bogies and a double bogie over the next 4 holes to ballon my round to 13-over. A respectable par on the #1 handicap 18th kept me from scoring over 85.

The next day, eager to master that back nine, I invited my wife to ride along with me after showing up early and finding the parking lot empty. Apparently, The Prince Course is empty on weekends since tourists just assume it'll be too busy to play and locals play elsewhere. For most of the round, my wife walked from each tee to green while I played the hole with the cart. She'd show up at the green about the time I'd hole a putt and I'd then give her a ride to the next teebox. She got some exercise and enjoyed the views. I got to play a much better round.


The Prince Course, Princeville Kauai

I made the turn at just 1-over, a score which would have even been a few strokes lower if I had figured out those greens. I made a mess of 10 again, but chipped in from behind the green to get another par! I made the exact same mistake on 11, taking too little club and letting a slight draw get carried left of the green by the headwind. This time I failed to get up and down and added a double bogie. However, I managed another par on 12 and improved on 13. This time on 13, I hit 5i to the end of the 1st half of the fairway, then hit 6i to the green. I caught a little bit of shrubbery trying to carry the ditch and came up just short and bogied. I parred the remaining holes to finish just 4-over! And I only lost 1 ball, on the 11th!

I had the opportunity to play The Prince Course one more time a few days later and played well. This time, although I finally parred 13 with a 5i followed by another 5i, I blew up on 12. I skied a 5w off the tee, then laid up to 100 yards instead of trying to hit this small green surrounded by jungle from over 200 yards out. Somehow, I then shanked my wedge from there and lost the ball right of the green. I stumbled in with an 81, going 8-over on the back! I got to enjoy this round with 3 other singles, 1 who I learned lives just 30 minutes south of me and plays the same home course.

On the afternoon of our last day, just prior to taking the red-eye home, I played my final round at Poipu Bay Golf Club. My wife did a little sight-seeing and shopping, then enjoyed the pools at the Hyatt while I played with 2 other singles. On my first trip to Kauai 2 years ago, my son and I played this course. I was hoping to play much better this time around, but poor play in the wind on the back nine only allowed for incremental improvement over that initial round. I did manage to finish the front just 3-over, but I 3-putted so many times on both nines, that I decided to just let go of the score and enjoy the setting. The finishing holes with the ocean bordering the left side of 15 to 17 are breathtaking, and challenging! The long drop to the par 3 17th green is quite fun. From 185 yards, I first tried hitting a 7i, but went a little right and long. Just for fun, I hit another ball from the tee with my 8i and put the ball just 10 feet right of the pin, carrying the frontside bunker! I nearly birdied 18 to finish off a fun week in Kauai.

As much as I enjoyed the golf, the highlight of the trip was a helicopter tour of the island. The views of the waterfalls and Napali coastline were beyond spectacular. Of course, we enjoyed the beaches, dining, and hiking as well.

Next trip, I'm planning to play the Kiele Course at Kauai Lagoons, whose back nine was closed for renovation; Puakea, which I'm told provides superb scenery and a just a great stretch of holes from the 11th to 17th; and Kiahuna Plantation, a RTJII course that was recently revitalized into a quite interesting course. Looking forward to that next visit!

Labels: Courses, Golf Destinations, Golf Vacation, Poipu Bay, Prince Course, Princeville, Rounds

Dean Barnett shares an interesting article in The Weekly Standard this month about a renaissance in golf course architecture that began in 1994, when Sand Hills Golf Club opened for business. He argues that this minimalist design is ending the modern trend of moving copious amounts of earth, often creating uninspiring golf courses on land better suited for strip malls. Excerpts from his article are included below.


Sand Hills #8 by DustinJo at flickr.com

The Coore & Crenshaw masterpiece at Sand Hills ushered in a new era in golf architecture that aficionados characterize with one word: minimalist. The guiding principle is deference to the land. Minimalism holds that a golf course developer should look for land that is ideal for a course, and the architects they hire should let the characteristics of the land dictate the nature of the course.

Shortly after Pacific Dunes debuted, Tom Doak journeyed to remote Holyoke, Colorado, where he would create what is perhaps the fullest expression yet of golf as it was meant to be. The Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club of Holyoke opened for business in July 2006 and has already won the highest accolades. In its first year of operation, Ballyneal debuted as the 46th best course in America and the 83rd best in the world according to Golf Magazine. Ballyneal is the youngest course on either list.


Ballyneal by rebjr at flickr.com

There remains the pressing question of what long-term impact places like Sand Hills, Bandon Dunes, and Ballyneal will have on golf architecture and the game itself. The early attempts at golf-course design by Jack Nicklaus's successor as king of golf, Tiger Woods, may offer a clue. When someone asked him to describe his design philosophy, Tiger Woods used the magic word: "I'm more of a minimalist," he said.

Putting Golf Back on Course - Dean Barnett, The Weekly Standard

Labels: Articles, Ballyneal, Course Architecture, Courses, Pacific Dunes, Sand Hills

Ian Andrew, a Golf Course Architect residing in Ontario, Canada, just finished up a long exploration of design ideas, holes, strategic concepts, architects and architectural history at his blog about golf course architecture. The series ended with a countdown of his choices for the greatest architects of all time. Only two living architects make his list. I was particularly pleased with his top choice, Alister Mackenzie, the renowned designer of Cypress Point, Royal Melbourne, Augusta National, Pasatiempo, and remodelling work at Pebble Beach and St. Andrew's Old Course.


Alister MacKenzie's 15th at Cypress Point by rebjr

Alister MacKenzie was a doctor in Scotland before giving up his medical practice to become a golf course architect. The monumental change in direction came about when he suggested to the old men hanging around his office, "why don't you go out and play some golf." And although they had been complaining about an endless number of ailments, once they started playing golf, they never came back. With that, Dr. MacKenzie figured he could do more for the world by designing golf courses than by being a doctor.

Ian Andrew shares that, "MacKenzie could do it all. His work has so much variety from the strategies to the artistry that he almost defies description as an architect. His routings featured holes that very few would dare try, he almost seemed to revel in the oddest bits of land and there possibilities for holes. Every part of his designs pushed the envelope from the wildly contoured greens through to spectacular bold bunkering that framed his strategies. MacKenzie loved to present multiple options from hole routes to approach styles, leaving the player often to choose where they cam in from and what style of approach to hit. He generally presented the player with choices but occasionally pushed the player to hit one great dramatic shot too. Only a handful of architects have been able to create bunkers that blur the line between strategy and art and the greatest of all was Alister MacKenzie. He was able to combine artistic flair, with scale, a little intimidation, a tremendous amount of strategy and the greatest blending of grades around bunkers any architect has ever done to build the best bunkers the game has ever seen."


Alister MacKenzie's 2nd at Pasatiempo by rebjr

Although it's only a dream of mine to someday play Cypress Point Club or Augusta National Golf Club, I do have plans to play Pasatiempo Golf Club next month with the Shivas Irons Society!

After being inspired by Ian Andrew to play a Mackenzie course and by Hilton Tudhope to play more courses this summer and play golf in a place where there are like minds, I decided to sign up for the Pasatiempo event. And amazingly, Pasatiempo was Mackenzie's favorite layout and where he made his American home, which still borders the sixth fairway.

I can't wait to play my first course in the Monterey Bay area!

Labels: Alister Mackenzie, Courses, Ian Andrew, Pasatiempo, Shivas Irons Society

I always get inspired to play the world's best golf courses after watching an episode of The Wandering Golfer on the Fine Living Network. As much as I miss their original host, Chad Maulsby, I'm really warming up to his new replacement, Gia Bocra. I recently watched the new episode on Barnbougle Dunes, a new course by Tom Doak in Tasmania [Review]. During the episode, Gia interviewed one of the course's first caddies, who shared an inspiring poem he wrote about his experience at Barnbougle Dunes. I've shared the poem below, making my best attempt at transcribing that Aussie accent.


Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania by Tom Doak

As the sun sets slowly over the dune,
The company's good and my swing is in tune.

All around me is beauty like I've never seen,
It's on every tee bed and each fairway and green.

The lovely sea birds and wildlife abounds,
While the waves on the seashore make a mystical sound.

Am I in heaven? Are they Angel's tunes?
No, It's just the wind through the marram at Barnbougle Dunes.

Labels: Barnbougle Dunes, Courses, Gia Bocra, Wandering Golfer

I just returned from a trip to Sedona, AZ. Sedona is a long 10 hour drive from our home near San Luis Obispo, CA, across a lot of hot desert. Our route takes us along Hwy 58 through Bakersfield and Tahachapi, then I-40 from Barstow to Flagstaff. Sedona is just a short drive south of Flagstaff, through scenic Oak Creek Canyon. In addition to taking several hikes with my wife, I worked in three rounds of golf at Sedona Golf Resort in the Village of Oak Creek. I usually try to play a variety of courses on vacation, but I liked this course so much after the first day that I kept returning.


Sedona Golf Resort, Sedona, AZ

I joined a father and son from Edmonton, Alberta and a local named Ernie for my first round. I thoroughly enjoyed Ernie, a recent Assistant Mayor of Sedona who got involved in local politics in an effort to stop plans for a new 4-lane freeway into this picturesque town. Lots of development including tons of new multi-million dollar vacation homes have already sprung up since my last visit 15 years ago. Ernie succeeded in getting elected to the city council, but the council later filled with pro-development representatives, so Ernie has made plans to leave.

Ernie proved to be a great guide for my first visit to the course, giving advice on the best targets for tee shots and approaches. His biggest advice was to avoid the bunkers, which were more like crushed red rock than sand. What made the round especially memorable was the weather. The winds were up, but we weren't expecting rain. But after playing the first two holes, storm clouds began appearing over the mountains to the west and began drenching us by the time we reached the third fairway. I could tell the other three golfers really wanted to turn back, but I was eager to keep on and mentioned it would probably pass over quickly. Instead, the rain turned to hail. We got hailed on four times, making for interesting putting! On one fairway, I stood over my ball and watched a huge wall of white hail approach us. It was remarkable watching this curtain of white pass over the distant green, then approach us yard by yard down the fairway. I got my shot off just as the hail reached us. The cart made for timely cover! By the time we reached the sixteenth, the thunder and lightning were so frequent and close that sirens began to sound and our cart's display panel informed us to return to the clubhouse. Our Edmonton friends left, but Ernie and I continued on, agreeing that the lightning seemed to have already passed us to the south. The sun finally came out on the eighteenth, casting shadows while we made our final putts! The weather definitely hurt my score, finishing with an 83, but I actually loved being out in it and watching the storm and it's incredible cloud formations among the spectacular red rocks surrounding the course.


Sedona Golf Resort 10th

Wanting a chance to improve on my score and experience the course in better weather, I headed out again two days later in complete sunshine. I played this round with only another single, which made for a lot of waiting over many shots since the course was full in front of us with foursomes. Although the weather was very pleasant, my partner, who was a personal injury lawyer, spent most of the front nine on the phone attending to business. I'm pretty easy going, but it became very distracting. Due partly to his lack of etiquette and also due to slow play, I finished the front nine 6-over. I had shot 4-over on the front two days earlier in harsh weather conditions! Fortunately, my partner had to make a court appearance by three o'clock and had to stop after 13 holes! I finished by myself and shot even par on the back with 1 bogie and 1 birdie, happily ending the round with a 6-over 77! It's interesting what you learn about someone in a single round of golf. I learned that my lawyer buddy is 37 years old, married, 2 kids (5 and 7), is originally from Phoenix, runs the biggest personal injury office in Northern Arizona, and has a 5400 sq. ft. home on Flagstaff Ranch Country Club, which he bought for $875k, including the $75k golf membership. Boy, you sure get a lot more for your money in Flagstaff than where I live!


Sedona Golf Resort 11th

I played a final round the very next day among spectacular cumulus clouds, but no rain. I hooked up with another attorney, from New York, and an old Irish twosome from Long Beach, CA. This attorney was not only a very good golfer, starting the game when he was 6 years old, but was pleasant to play with as well. He also had an appointment which cut his round short, but he never pulled out his cell phone. One of the two Irishmen was an absolute joy. He started the round duffing one shot after another, but putting his lobs right up to the pin. After a few holes, he apparently got warmed up and remembered how to play, and began hitting pretty impressive drives for such a squirrelly swing. I finally got off to a good start, parring most of the first holes, but lost a ball on one tee shot causing a double bogie, then loosing another soon after, leading to a triple! I snuck in a birdie to finish the front just 5-over. I got a little sloppy at the end of the round, trying to repeat some great drives I'd hit earlier in the round - trying to keep up with the crushing drives of the attorney. I landed a lake on both 16 and 18, and finished the back nine 3 over for an 8-over 79. Not a bad finish to a wonderful vacation!

I absolutely loved the course! Not only was the setting spectacular, but I found it much more difficult than it's 120 slope would indicate. The greens were fast and undulating, and well protected by crushed red rock bunkers. Many fairways were tight, with menacing desert shrub grabbing any ball that seemed only slightly offline. But what challenged me the most was the thin air at nearly 4500 feet of elevation. I never quite figured out what club to use on my approaches. Although I loved hitting my 8 iron 170 yards, it usually resulted in finding a bunker beyond the green. On the downhill par 5 eleventh, I crushed a 345 yard drive, leaving me only 189 yards out. I then hit a 7-iron 10 yards past the hole, thinking I'd leave my shot below the hole for an uphill chip or putt! Believe me, I've never hit a 200 yard 7-iron before!

I definitely look forward to returning someday to Sedona, to enjoy another hike to Cathedral Rock, and to play a few more rounds at Sedona Golf Resort!

Labels: Arizona, Courses, Golf Destinations, Golf Vacation, Rounds, Sedona, Sedona Golf Resort

In March of last year, I took my first vacation centered around playing golf. Although I played one round during my vacation to Kauai in 2005, this trip was my first-ever golf vacation. My wife and I traded one of our timeshare weeks to stay at the Desert Oasis Resort in Palm Springs, just a 5 hour drive from our home on the Central Coast. While my wife and I enjoyed time together shopping and dining, I also got to sneak out for 5 straight days of golf! Prior to this trip, I'd only played golf on back-to-back days a total of 3 times.


Silver Rock in La Quinta by golfslo at flickr.com

In all honesty, Palm Springs isn't really my cup of tea. As more of a nature lover, it's a little too upscale for my liking. However, being situated at the base of the snow covered Mt. San Jacinto, made for quite an impressive desert setting. The deeply weathered summit of Mt. San Jacinto stands 10,800 feet above sea level, and is the second highest mountain range in Southern California. That's a pretty impressive backdrop from the 500 foot elevation in the desert, making for the largest elevation gain from base to peak in the continental U.S.

I'm particularly drawn to this mountain since my in-laws own an old cabin in Idyllwild, which we love to visit. Idyllwild is located one mile high on the other side of the mountain, among the majestic Ponderosa and Sugar Pines and Incense Cedars.

With so many golf courses to choose from, I decided to whittle the list down to only those with 4 and 4 1/2 star ratings from Golf Digest Magazine. I also tried to pick a couple courses I could walk.

I decided to start off easy at the Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort - Resort Course (Whites 69.9/123). The Resort Course was designed by Ted Robinson Jr. and opened in February of 1995. The course is a links style desert layout, and like many of the courses in Palm Springs, is lined by homes on many of it's holes. I joined three other singles - all walkers. One of the golfers was in his early 60's, retired, and lives year round in Palm Springs. He plays Tahquitz Creek regularly during the months that all the tourists are in town, but spends the hot, but quieter, summer months playing 36 holes a day at all his favorite local courses. I can't imagine playing 36 holes a day in temperatures over 100! Anyway, the guy could play golf! As I remember, he shot 1 over on the front and 2 over on the back. He shared with me later in the round that his son plays on the Nationwide Tour, so I imagine they both play a lot of golf. Even though from the whites the course was easier than most of the courses I play at home, I had a rough start and came in with an 88. However, I was playing to about an 9 then, rarely breaking 80 and still getting scores in the high 80's perhaps 1 or 2 rounds out of every 10.

My next stop was Indian Wells Golf Resort in Palm Desert. I joined a threesome and played what was then called the East Course (Whites 70.1/131). I think it's now been redesigned and renamed. This is the first course I'd ever played where you get young guys taking your clubs and parking your car as soon as you pull in. A men's club tournament was going on when I got there, so I had to wait a couple hours for my teetime. I used that time to get in some good practice on their very nice range and putting green. That seemed to make a difference. I played well and shot a very respectable 80. The course difficulty was about the same as the two courses I play the most at home. Overall, I loved the course, but the pace of play was horrible. They were putting foursomes out every 7 minutes! That was a little painful, given the $125 I'd forked out to play.

The next day, I headed over to Silver Rock Resort in La Quinta, a new course that will soon be home to the Bob Hope Classic. This turned out to be my favorite course. The area around the course was still undeveloped and it sat right up against the region's rocky foothills. The course didn't have any homes bordering its fairways, but instead was lined with native desert sand and flora. Sand traps were everywhere! Again I walked, but joined a delightful threesome (1 couple and a friend) from Pennsylvania in carts. They were playing the whites (72/130), so I did too. I played another great round, avoiding all but 1 bunker, coming in with an 81. I was pretty happy to record an 80 and 81 for my last 2 rounds on relatively difficult courses I'd never played. I highly recommend this course.

A first trip to Palm Springs isn't complete unless you try your hand at the PGA West Stadium Course in La Quinta. Many golfers believe there may be no greater challenge in the game of golf than the PGA WEST Stadium Golf Course, designed by Pete Dye and ranked in The 100 Greatest Courses in the U.S. by Golf Magazine. Nine of the holes have water very much in play, and almost every hole displays Pete Dye's tremendous bunkering. It's no wonder the Stadium Golf Course has been the site of so many high-profile events, including The Skins Game, The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. I hooked up with 3 young guys visiting from San Diego who insisted on a milder challenge, so I again played from the whites (70.4/135), still nothing to sneeze at. Amazingly, I landed only 1 or 2 greenside bunkers and 1 lake. I even hit the green in 1 on the fabled 17th island green (which we played from the back tees). My good play continued and I finished my initiation at PGA West Stadium with a respectable 81. Next time I visit La Quinta, I plan to play the PGA West Nicholas course, which was recommended to me by the friends from Pennsylvania.

I ended the trip at Desert Dunes Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course over on the windy side of the freeway. Desert Dunes is widely considered one of the best layouts in the Coachella Valley. Mr. Jones took maximum advantage of the natural sand dunes and native desert vegetation when creating this timeless masterpiece. Perfectly situated to provide some of the most stunning views of the surrounding mountains, this championship course was one of my favorites and is known as one of the best golf experiences in the area and a favorite among both locals and visitors. I thoroughly enjoyed it's natural setting with fairways lined with native desert shrub and chaparral. The views offered of Mt. San Jacinto were stunning. I arrived early to save on greens fees and avoid the common 40 mph winds. I walked the course, playing again from the whites (70.2/124), with another single from the Midwest. My partner shared my appreciation for birding and we quickly started identifying the many desert birds during our round. Before I knew it, I realized I was only 1 over on the front! Being one of my first experiences with such a good start, I faltered on the back and shot 42, still managing a 79 - my first sub-80 round on vacation and a pleasant way to end the trip!

Labels: Courses, Golf Destinations, Golf Vacation, Palm Springs, Rounds

I was planning to take this weekend off from golf because rain was forecast, but a friend called this morning when the weather appeared to be clearing, so I agreed to join him. It turned out to be a perfect day - blue skies with big cumulus clouds and mild winds. If anyone spent the day watching the AT&T at Pebble Beach today, you got a glimpse of how nice it was here on the Central Coast. I live about two and half hours south of Pebble Beach. The recent storm passed and left us with a gorgeous day.


Monarch Dunes 9th, photo by Aidan Bradley

We played Monarch Dunes Golf Club in Nipomo which is located just 4 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and Guadalupe Dunes, south of Pismo Beach. The eleventh tee provided incredible views of the dunes and ocean today.

I was especially excited about playing today too after getting some good suggestions from a couple golfers who posted comments on yesterday's blog entry. I've been collapsing at the end of some great rounds lately, and I was eager to try out their advice to finish strong.

I started with a good drive on the challenging first hole, followed by a 5-iron in which landed on the right edge of the green, 50 feet from the pin. I made a great lag putt, leaving me with an easy 2-footer. I missed it to start off with a 3-putt bogie.

My drive on 2 ended up just right of the fairway, behind a tree. I cut a wedge around the tree from 120 yards out and landed short of the green. I pitched up to about 3 feet, but followed with another missed putt for bogie #2.

I didn't get discouraged and focused instead on how great it was to be out with a good friend on an empty course and on such a beautiful day. I decided right there to let go of any concerns about score and to just enjoy the round. I knew a great round would eventually come, I just needed to stay patient.

I parred the next 4 holes, then birdied seven after sinking a 25-foot putt. I parred eight and nine, and finished the front just 1-over!

I hit a pretty poor drive on the par 4 tenth, leaving me about 230 yards out with an uphill approach into the wind. I hit a great 3-wood, but came up short of the green. I pitched my third shot over a bunker to about 4 feet and made the putt for par.

I hit a 6-iron into the wind on the downhill 180 yard par 3 eleventh overlooking the ocean, to about 6 feet from the pin. I made the putt for another birdie, getting me to even par.

At this point in the round, I didn't know my score. I took the advice of one of my readers and didn't tally my score until the end of the round and just kept taking things one shot at a time. I usually don't record my score on a scorecard, but keep track in my head of how many strokes I am above par. Today I decided to write down my scores on each hole, but not keep track of the total. This seemed to help me remain unattached and unaware of my score throughout the round.

I shot another par on twelve, but managed another 3-putt on thirteen for bogie, missing another 2-foot putt. I came through and followed up the bogie with pars on fourteen and fifteen.

So, I walked up to 16 just 1-over par, but at the time unaware of my actual score. I knew I had a good round going, but didn't focus on that. I actually didn't realize I was scoring this well, since all I remembered was all the missed short putts. On the sixteenth green, I remembered the advice from another reader who suggested I treat the last 3 holes like a new round. I did just that. I made a mental note that I'd just finished a good 15 hole round and was starting a new 3-hole round. I wasn't feeling any pressure to score.

I shot a par on both sixteen and seventeen. I'd now played the last 15 holes in 1-under par and was 1-over for the round! I walked up to eighteen unaware that I was shooting my best-ever round. Although I shot a 1-under 71 a couple months ago at another local course, it was from the white tees with a slope of only 124. Today, I was playing the gold tees on a harder course, with a slope of 135. Being 1-over after 17 at Monarch Dunes is quite an accomplishment.

My drive on 18 faded a little too far right, but stayed out of the eucalyptus grove bordering the fairway. I hit a sand wedge from 106 yards out just a little too strong and ended up on the upper tier of the green, above the pin. I made a pretty nice downhill sloping putt from 30-40 feet, leaving my ball just 3 feet below the hole for par. Unfortunately, I missed the putt slightly right and ended with bogie and my third 3-putt for the round.

I then tallied my score and learned I'd shot 1-over on both nines to end with a 2-over 73, beating my previous 3 best rounds of 75 at this course! The score was rated with an index of 1.9, beating my previous best 2.1 from the 1-under round just mentioned. I can't help but consider what could have been if I hadn't missed 4 putts from within 3 feet. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled!

My index has now trended down to an all-time low of 4.1. Thank you to Nolan and Greg, whose responses to my last post helped make this career round possible!

Labels: Courses, Monarch Dunes, Rounds

As I've shared previously, one of my goals this year is to cut my index in half for the third time and to shoot my first round under 70. These are appropriate and realistic goals to set for the year, but goals that should not influence my goals for individual rounds.

Ironically, I've finding that the biggest stumbling block to going low and shooting extraordinary rounds is putting any emphasis on doing so. If during any round, I try to make this round the round that helps lower my index or sets a personal record, the round is doomed and destined to be ordinary.

In golf, it appears that you can't try to achieve your goals, you have to learn to remain open to the possibility of achieving them naturally, through effective physical and mental preparation.

I've experienced three breakthrough rounds in my two years of play, and each one took place naturally, with little effort, and little emphasis on score. This happened the first time I broke 80 on a difficult course, the first time I broke 75, and the first time I shot under par.

However, I've played dozens of rounds that could have been extraordinary, where I started off without an emphasis on score. But after finding myself below par early in the round or at or near par towards the end of the round, I experienced a breakdown after trying to reach a goal or benchmark.

My most memorable examples are shooting a quadruple bogie on the eighth hole after getting to 3-under, ending with a double and triple bogie after entering 17 at 1-over, and shooting a double bogie on 18 after entering the last hole at even-par for the first time ever.

In each of these rounds, and many others, I got caught up with my score and let my mind race away from the present moment into the future. Instead of continuing to enjoy the process of taking each shot one at a time, the very process which setup the chance for another great round, I let my focus change to the outcome.

I did it again yesterday at Dairy Creek Golf Course. I played this course for the first time yesterday from the back tees and surprisingly found myself even after 10 holes. I was striking the ball well and sinking critical putts for par.


Dairy Creek Golf Course

I managed to bogie 2 out of the next 3 holes, then made a disastrous decision to make up for a poor drive on the par 5 14th, which led to a triple bogie. Instead of laying up in front of a creek crossing the fairway on my second shot, I tried to bend a shot around a large eucalyptus tree to get across, closer to the green. I hit the tree and couldn't see where the ball came out. I hit a provisional, and hit the tree again. This time I saw where I came out - an unplayable lie next to the fence bordering the creek. I never found the first ball.

I shook it off and finished the round okay, but missed a great birdie opportunity on 17 after reaching the green in 2 but 3-putted, then bogied 18 to finish 6-over. It was a good score overall, but a disappointing finish after such a good start.

As most golfers are aware, as soon as you place emphasis on your score during a round, you place unnecessary pressure on yourself, which adds tension and stress, and makes you more error prone.

This has become my biggest obstacle to breaking through 75 and reaching another round of par, and thus, my biggest opportunity for growth.

I think the solution has to do with finding joy in the process of creating and executing each shot, not in the outcome of each shot or round.

Labels: Attention, Courses, Dairy Creek, Disciplines, Joy, Rounds

This winter, I've spent most of my available free time playing golf instead of practicing golf. With flexible hours working from home, I can usually sneak out for one or two rounds of golf during the week and once over the weekend. But I haven't been making time for practice, assuming I can maintain my current level of play just being on the course. Instead, my index has drifted from my recent low of 4 back up to 5.

Last fall, I spent many of my lunch breaks at Cypress Ridge Golf Course working on my chipping and putting and hitting balls on the range. I was using my practice sessions to not only improve my ball striking, accuracy, putting, and touch around the greens, but also my concentration and visualization skills.


Cypress Ridge Golf Course 18th

My game began to improve quickly. I started hitting more fairways and greens in regulation. I succeeded in getting chips close to the pin and making putts for birdies and pars far more often.

During the last three months of last year, I not only scored my first round of 75, but recorded a total of nine rounds of 75 or lower and shot my first hole-in-one! My index quickly dropped from 7 to 4. In the nine months prior, I'd only seen a gradual decrease in my index from around 10 to 7.

Although my game has become pretty consistent now without practice, with nearly 80 percent of my rounds under 80, I haven't recorded a single round below 77. Those low scores just don't happen unless you're hitting greens in regulation and making a lot of putts for birdie and par. As should be expected, that part of my game has slipped a little without practice.

Looks like I'll be spending a little more time back on the range and practice green.

Labels: Courses, Cypress Ridge, Disciplines, Practice

The primary motivation for many golfers is to earn recognition from others. For these golfers, what others say about them is more important to them than improving and developing their game. Rather than being lost in the thought of hitting the precise shot they want, these golfers often become indecisive and uncertain with the club in their hands - a quick way to unravel a golf swing.

In contrast, some golfers have as their primary incentive a desire to learn, improve and excel. A focus on learning and personal development is inconsistent with worries about how our results will be viewed by others.

In both these cases, a golfer's attention is on things related to hitting better golf shots - strategy, course conditions, tempo, and location of hazards. But the golfer intent on learning and improving is better able to stay focused and remain composed during their round.

And it's a pretty good bet that they're enjoying themselves a good deal more and worrying a lot less than their self-obsessed and self-conscious counterparts.

According to Dr. Gio Valiante in Fearless Golf, "these Mastery golfers get lost in the details, puzzles, and mysteries of the game, and they see their task as mastering those details and understanding the game's mysteries. Because they view mastering golf as a constant challenge, they find it easy to become fully involved in what they are doing, whether practicing chip shots or putting in competition. Their motivation for playing is not for awards or approval from others. For mastery-oriented golfers, the shot matters much more than the consequences. Awards, trophies, and public recognition are seen as natural consequences to excellence, not the primary motive for achieving that excellence."

Today I had the unique experience of playing a round with a local golfer who I just met last week online on a new golf community website. It turns out we both spend most of our time playing Monarch Dunes Golf Club - a new golf course designed by Damian Pascuzzo which was recently rated the top new course in California by Fairways & Greens magazine and among the top 10 new courses in the country by Golf Magazine. So, after a introducing ourselves via email, we decided to meet and play a round at our favorite course.


6th Tee at Monarch Dunes Golf Club, Nipomo

He had read my profile online which included information about my relative success in lowering my handicap from 16 to 4 in my 21 months of play, so I was a little concerned that I might feel a little pressure to live up to that level of play - and instead choke.

Instead, I stayed focused and relaxed, committed to play for my own enjoyment instead of impressing him or anyone else. I played well, hitting only a few poor shots.

However, going into the last hole with a chance to shoot a 76 with a par, I saw a couple course employees by the clubhouse, watching groups come in on the last hole. I had 180 yards in and thought to myself that it would be nice to give them a nice approach shot to admire on this hard-to-hit green. With that grand thought in my mind, I hit my 6-iron right into the lake well in front of the green. In all my many previous rounds, I'd never hit a ball into this lake! I dropped at 160 yards, hit a nice 7-iron to about 15 feet, but barely missed my bogie putt to end the round with a double-bogie 78. Argh.

Seems every round I play presents me with a new little opportunity to grow! I guess that's one of the reasons I play.

A funny side note is that when I finally met this new online friend face-to-face today before the round, I immediately recognized him. Someone in my group had rudely, but accidentally, hit into his foursome that was ahead of us a couple weeks earlier. He recognized me as well.

Labels: Books, Courses, Disciplines, Dr. Gio Valiante, Fearless Golf, Monarch Dunes, Motivation, Rounds

The California Central Coast has a beautiful golf course located in Morro Bay. Although not as challenging as the local courses I play more frequently, what sets Morro Bay Golf Course apart from the others is its scenic setting on Morro Bay Estuary adjoining the Pacific Ocean.


2nd Green at Morro Bay Golf Course

Morro Bay Golf Course is often referred to as the "Poor Man's Pebble Beach" and is especially rewarding to play in winter when the clear skies provide incredible views of the bay and ocean from tree-lined fairways, and many species of birds can be seen who find sanctuary in Morro Bay during their migration south.

Interestingly, of all the courses that I've played in our county, Morro Bay is the only course where I've failed to break 80 - even though it's rated among the easiest. However, the last time I played Morro Bay was one year ago, back when my index was about twice what it is now.

So, now a better player, with an opportunity to play Morro Bay yesterday with a friend, I decided it was time to finally shoot a round at this course in the 70's. With 9 out of my last 10 rounds in the 70's at more difficult courses, this seemed like a pretty realistic goal.

I started the round with a nice run of pars. But midway through the front nine, I started a run of bogies that lasted 7 straight holes. I was driving well and putting okay, but I kept coming up short on my approaches. I just wasn't hitting many greens in regulation.

I finally broke my run of bogies with an awesome birdie putt on 12. The putt was easily one of my best ever - a 40-50 footer with a horseshoe-shaped downsloping break. It looked like the horseshoe chip shot Tiger made a couple years back when his ball went into the hole with the Nike logo captured nicely on the edge before dropping.

I followed that only birdie for the round with a great drive and long approach to 13 for an easy tap-in par. Breaking 80 was still achievable.

Approaching 16, all I needed was one more par to break 80. On the long par 5 16th, I killed my drive, but duffed 2 shots in a row from the fairway. However, I hit a perfect wedge on my 4th shot to within 2 feet of the pin for a great opportunity to save par. I missed the putt!

I still had 2 more holes to get one more par.

I missed the green on the long 240 yard par 3 17th, but lobbed my 2nd shot to within 5 feet for a makeable par. Another missed putt put me on 18 with my last chance for par.

I continued my streak of great tee shots on 18, but again came up short on my approach. My chip went right by the hole, but a little too far past to expect to make the return putt for par. I missed the putt and ended the round with an even 80.

On the bright side, I did achieve a round free of double or triple bogies - something I've only accomplished now about 6 times! But I failed to set appropriate goals for the round. I started the round with a "result-oriented" goal for breaking 80, and then even expected to do it.

When setting goals for a round, I've learned repeatedly now to avoid making goals tied to results or score. Our goals should be more about how we want to think and how we want to manage the course.

Decide before the round starts how you're going to think, and do it on every shot. When you add up your score at the end of the round, use it as an indicator of how well you achieved your goal for consistent thinking. Your state of mind is a matter of choice. Make a choice to think well and you'll score well.

Labels: Courses, Disciplines, Goals, Morro Bay Golf Course, Rounds