Joey's Golf Bag

Yesterday, John and I played 18 at Coyote Ridge on cool, but sunny morning. There was just a little 1-club breeze most of the day, from the south. We went off just after 11AM on a largely empty golf course and finished in 3-1/2 hours. We never had to wait until we caught up with a foursome on the 15th hole. And that group was moving fast enough that we really only had to wait a couple of minutes on 2 holes. I just love fast golf.

My score:

* Hit green in regulation.

Themes:

• Off the tee. While I didn’t have a great driving day, I did manage to get around the course without a single penalty. I didn’t keep stats (except putting), but I probably hit about 8 fairways. My best drive of the day was a wind-aided drive of nearly 300 yards on the par-5 4th hole, where I had 175 yards remaining to the pin.
• Approach shots. Not very good, as I hit only two non-par-3 hole in regulation (the par-5 4th hole and the par-4 12th hole). On the other hand, I didn’t have any penalties, so I’m not complaining (much!). Even my approach on the par-5 4th (going from the green in 2) wasn’t great, as I hit the rocks in front of the green and the ball bounced over the green (I did get up-and-down for birdie, though).
• Wedges. I didn’t really have a lot of wedge shots, but the ones I had were pretty stinky, with one exception. I was in the center of the fairway on both #6 and #17 with short wedge shots into the green. I hit the one on #6 pin-high right of the green, and chunked the one on #17, then hit a poor one to follow. My best wedge shot of the day was a lob wedge over a pine tree to less than a foot (nearly went in for eagle) on the par-5 #4 hole, where I tapped in for birdie.
• Chipping. I only got up-and-down twice, so pretty pathetic.
• Sand shots. I hit into 3 greenside bunkers and one fairway bunker. I got out successfully out of two of the three greenside bunkers (failing on #18 to get out on the first try). I got out successfully out of the fairway bunker on #15, but the ball went only a few yards.
• Putting. I did keep putting stats, having two 3-putts and two 1-putt greens, for a total of 36 putts. My speed was off all day. I nearly putted off the green twice.

Well, considering I’ve not practiced but once in the last two weeks, I’m not going to complain too much about a 95 on Coyote Ridge. And I beat John! 😉

For weeks, Tiger has been dragged through the scandal sheet grinder, and will take a break from the tour.

Probably a good idea to take a break.

Tiger Woods to take ‘indefinite’ leave from golf – Tours & News – Golf.com.

Tiger Woods is shifting his focus from winning majors to saving his marriage.

Two weeks after Woods crashed his SUV into a tree outside his Florida home, setting in motion a swift fall that featured reports of rampant extramarital affairs, golf's biggest star delivered a stunning development of his own. He temporarily is walking away from the game that made him the first $1 billion athlete.

“After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf,” Woods said Friday evening on his Web site. “I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.”

Michelle finishes 2nd in the Dubai Ladies Masters and manages a B+ in her statistics class after taking the final while in Dubai.

Wie makes charge, finishes second in Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

Honolulu’s Michelle Wie put on a show and a strong rally to finish second in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.

Wie, who started the day six shots back of leader and eventual winner In Kyung Kim, shot a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 to finish with a 15-under 273.

Kim of South Korea shot a 4-under 68 for a four-round total of 18-under 270 to win by three shots.

On Saturday, I played the Grapevine Golf Association tournament at Grapevine Golf Club. We went off in a shotgun start just after the frost melted around 11AM and finished nearly 5 hours later. We played lift, clean and place, as there were significant wet spots on the course that left mud on the ball. We went off on Pecan #2.

* Hit green in regulation.

Themes:

• Off the tee. I hit only four fairways and had two penalties off the tee (into the water on #9 on Pecan) and lost in the brush to the right on #3 on Pecan). I also hit two of the four par-3 holes in regulation.
• Approach shots. I hit 5 greens-in-regulation, though two were on par-3 holes. I had a penalty on the 2nd shot on #9 on Pecan (ball into a pine tree for an unplayable) and my second shot into #3 on Bluebonnet went long into the woods (hazard). My best shot all day was a 7-iron approach between two trees and over the tree in front of the green on the goofy par-4 fifth hole on Pecan, where I overclubbed a bit and hit the ball 25 ft over the pin (made a difficult downhill putt for birdie, though).
• Wedges. I didn’t have to hit a lot of wedges, other than a few get-out-of-trouble shots.
• Chipping. My chipping was mixed. I got up-and-down 4 times, though not always for par. Mostly, I left chips short.
• Sand shots. I hit into only one fairway bunker, on the short, up-hill par-4 sixth hole of Bluebonnet. I hit a really nice 9-iron from the bunker, into a strong wind, to about 30 ft and two-putted for par.
• Putting. Oh my, how I sucked. Two 4-putts, two 3-putts, 37 total, only 5 one-putt greens. On the other hand, I hit a 25 foot, downhill, left breaking putt for birdie and bombed two other putts from more than 30 ft. But really, now can you three-putt from four feet?

Well, it was ugly, ugly golf. Very cold (I had long underwear, a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie and a rain jacket at the start, though it warmed up enough to ditch the rain jacket) and windy. On the other hand, I managed 1st place net (2nd gross) in D flight, so I’m not complaining to the golf gods.

Much.