Joey's Golf Bag

Today, I played the nine-hole course at the Hank Haney Golf Ranch in Lewisville, for the first time. Here is a brief review of each hole.

1. First hole is a 104 yd par 3 over water from an elevated tee. Today, the wind was blowing hard from left to right, so I got out the 9-iron, aimed 30 ft to the left of the hole and faded the ball about 8 ft above the hole. I hit the putt just a bit on the high side of the hole and tapped in for par.
2. Second hole is a 263 yd par 4 dogleg right. You can’t see the hole from the tee due to the forest on the right hand side. The landing area is very narrow and there is a bunker on the left side of the fairway that is not in play unless you are a junior golfer. Today, I planned to fade a 3-metal into the center of the fairway; instead, I hit a slight draw and rolled a foot into the rough on the left. My pitching wedge to the green was hit fat and landed short. I chipped with the sand wedge short and three putted (my only three putt all day).
3. Third hole is a 87 yd par three with a deep creek along the right hand side. Today the hole was playing about 83 yds to a pin hugging the right side of the green near the creek. That distance is between a PW and 10-iron for me, so I attemped to hit an easy 10-iron into the center of the green. Instead, I pushed it right and it went out of sight. Just in case the ball landed in the creek, I played a provisional with my pitching wedge, just short of the green. However, my first ball was in play in the rough behind the green, so I chipped with the pitching wedge. I hit the chip way too hard and it rolled over the green. I again chipped with the pitching wedge to 8 ft and two putted from there. Yeech!
4. Fourth hole is a 324 yd par 4 dogleg to the right. Again, you can’t see the flag from the tee, which is right next to the 3rd hole tee. There is thick forest on the right and the driving range net on the left. I planned to hit a 3-metal fade to the center of the fairway; instead, like the 2nd hole, I drew the ball slightly and the ball again rolled just into the left rough. I hit a 9-iron right at the flag, but it hit the top of a tall oak tree growing over the fairway and dropped down into the rough. I hit a sand wedge short of the green, chipped to 8 ft and two putted. Arrrggggg!!!
5. Fifth hole is a 100 yd par 3 playing to 86 yds today. There are bunkers on each side of the hole. I hit a 10-iron short, chipped short of the hole and 2 putted.
6. Sixth hole is a 303 yd par 4 dogleg right. The hole is not visible from the tee, as there is heavy forest on the right. I hit a 3-metal fat into the center of the fairway. Since the drive was well short, I couldn’t see the flag, so I planned to lay up to just in front of the green with a 7-iron. Instead, I chunked it into the right rough, where I had no play except to pitch out into the fairway, which I did with the sand wedge. I hit a sand wedge onto the green and 2 putted from 20 ft.
7. Seventh hole is a 159 yd par 3. Today it was playing a little shorter than that (didn’t write down the actual yardage). I hooked my 5-iron well left into some tall grassy plants that architects love to torture golfers with here in TX. I hit a provisional just in case I couldn’t find the ball, fading the 5-iron just to the right of the green, pin high. I did find the ball, but had to take an unplayable. My pitch to the green hit a branch of an overhanging tree and bounced into the fringe of the green. I pitched onto the green and 2 putted.
8. Eighth hole is a 271 yd par 4, dogleg left. The fairway is narrow with a creek along the left side that you must go over on your second shot. My 3-metal from the tee was straight down the fairway, but I popped it up high and had a 7-iron left to the green. I hit a good fade to the green, but it hit the branch of an overhanging tree, so I had to hit a short sand wedge off the fairway. Two putted from about 12 ft.
9. Ninth hole is a 169 yd par 3, but it was playing about 30 yds shorter today. I hit a fade pin high into the bunker on the left side of the hole, pitched out to 8 ft and lipped out the par putt. CRAP!

My score:

* Hit green in regulation.

Very enjoyable day today, despite my mediocre score. I’m going to play the course again tomorrow!