Back on Track at John Byrne

John F. Byrne Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2273/2610 - 4883
Par: 33/34 - 67
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 44/47 = 91
Date: October 10, 2010

After drying out from last Tuesday's wet and soggy round at Cobbs Creek, I was back on the First Tee at John F. Byrne Golf Club in Northeast Philadelphia. I had played 18 holes there about a month before when I shot an 89 and was looking to shoot something south of the triple digits I put on the scorecard at Cobbs Creek.

My Scorecard from John F. Byrne

Topping my opening tee shot and hitting a wrong ball for a two-stroke penalty and a 9 on the First Hole was not exactly the way I wanted to start, especially after I double bogeyed the Second Hole, but I then got in a bit of a groove and parred the next two holes, including the dreaded Fourth Hole, which has been my nemisis on many occasions. A shanked tee shot at the Fifth Hole led to a 7, but I parred the next three holes, with a nice up and down from behind the green at the treacherous Par 3 Sixth Hole. I finished off the front nine with a bogey to go out in 44, only one stroke worse than I shot back in September.

The First Hole from the tee

 The back nine started much like the front, with a topped tee shot and a ball in the creek, for a 7 at the Tenth Hole, but I responded with a par at the Eleventh. I hacked it up the 516-yard Par 5 Twelfth Hole for a double bogey, but responded again with a birdie at the very short Par 3 Thirteenth Hole; my fourth birdie of the year. The next three holes went double bogey, bogey, double bogey, although the bogey at the 155-yard Par Fifteenth Hole was pretty good after I missed to the left above the green. The 371-yard Par 4 Seventeenth Hole is quickly beginning to match the Fourth as a hole that just drives me nuts...and my scores up.  The creek which runs down the right side angles in shortly off the tee, calling for a cut or fade shot which is just not in my arsensal since I hit a pronounced draw. The hole features a green that is narrow in the front, with bunkers on either side. The left bunker, which I seem to have difficulty playing from, has become a magnet for approach shots. This round was no different. I barley got out of the bunker, then chipped past the hole and two-putted for a 6. At the Eighteenth, I found the creek yet again off the tee, but managed to finish with a 6 for a back nine 47--again, one stroke higher than last month. This gave me a round of 91.

The view from the Tenth Tee

Although I am still ahving problems hitting Driver off the tee, I did put my TaylorMade Burner 3- and 5-woods back in the bag, as well as replacing my 4-hybrid with a TaylorMade GCB 4-iron. As I continue to search for a Driver I can put in the fairway, I will try to stay with the rest of the current set-up for a few rounds and see how my scores go.

Photos by The Muni Golfer