Getting Back in the Swing at Juniata

Juniata Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2735/2070 - 4680
Par: 34/31 - 65
Rating: 63.2, Slope: 106
Score: 50/46 = 96
Date: June 7, 2009

Hoping to rid myself of the horrible swing memories from Wednesday's round at Paxon Hollow, I headed out for a late afternoon round at Juniata Golf Club. I put my Wilson Staff Spine Driver back in the back for this round, as well as an old Golfsmith XPC Plus 16-degree 3-Wood. I was joined on the first tee by John, a 14-year-old who will be a freshman at Father Judge High School next year. John has been playing golf for six years and hopes to try out for Judge's golf team next year. He had a nice grip and a nice swing, although I think his backswing is a bit too long. He played well overall and was a fun companion for the front nine. On the back nine, I was joined by Mike, who was only playing his second round this year. Mike was another good golf companion.

Front 9 Scorecard

As for my round, I started out playing decent, making a par at the short 260-yard 2nd Hole, and was a mere three over par through four holes. But at the 5th, I hit a fade off the tee again and the doubts quickly crept back into my psyche. I stared making mental errors and soon tallied an 8 for the hole. At the 6th, I decided to try to go with the fade, but hit the first tree on the right just over the first ridge. I got a break and bounced back towards the fairway. I couple of more mental errors and I putted out for a 7. At the 7th Hole, with the tees forward on the lower plateau, I hit a hybrid and suddenly, there was a nice soft draw in the fairway. My second shot was again a draw, just missing the left edge of the green and into a bunker. I took two to get out and wound up with a 6. But I was feeling confident again. Something in my swing started feeling right. I hit my tee shot at the 8th fat which led to a double-bogey 5. But at the 9th, I hit my best drive of the day, a solid draw right up the right side of the fairway. It caught the slope that goes to the left and looked like a monster drive from the tee. I expected to find my ball along the left side of the fairway or just in the rough. But after searching and searching, neither John nor I could fine the ball! I finally took a drop and made a bogey 5. My front nine score was 50. Most of that came at the three hole stretch of 5, 6 and 7. Overall, I didn't play as badly as my score indicated.

Back 9 Scorecard

My back nine started with a drive hit straight, but right of the 10th green. I attempted a flop shot, but didn't clear the bunker. I got up and down for a 4. My tee shot at the 11th was solid and straight, just over the trees on the right side of the fairway. My approach was partially obstructed, but I was able to punch a 6-iron up the right side of the hill and made a 5. At the Par 12th, my tee shot found the fringe in front of the green and I three-putted for another 4. I continued to hit the ball well, either straight or with a bit of a draw, and made 4-5-5 at holes 13 through 15. At 15, I again was my own worst enemy. Unable to find an even lie, I should have teed it high and hit driver, but I topped a 3-Wood into the brush on the right. I tried to then hit a 5-Wood off the tee and topped that up the right side, but in play. My hybrid out of the rough was off the heel and hooked across the fairway and into the brush on the left side. A drop, a short pitch, a chip and a putt left me with an 8. Again, mental errors. At 17, I aimed a bit right trying to draw the ball back into the fairway, but I had the ball a bit too far back in my stance and hit it straight right. My ball was in the rough at the top of the hill, only 100 yards out. But I chopped it up to the green in 3 swings, then three-putted for a 7. At the 18th, I put a 4-iron just outside the right bunker, pitched on and two-putted for a 4. A 46 on the back and a round of 96.

New footbridge being built at the 7th Hole

Except for the four or five holes where I executed very poor course management, I felt very good about the way I played. I started hitting the ball straight or with a slight draw again, which is encouraging. One thing I need to work on is my short game: pitching, chipping and especially putting. But I definitely feel I'm exorcizing the fade/slice demons from Paxon Hollow.

Photo by The Muni Golfer