Playing Fast At Coyote Ridge
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:
| Hole | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | Out |
| Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 |
| Score | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4* | 6 | 5 | 3* | 6 | 6 | 47 |
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
| Par | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Score | 6 | 5 | 5* | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 48 | 95 |
* 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! 😉