Rain on My Redemption

The Fairways Golf & Country Club
Warrington, Pa
Yards: 2255/2248 - 4503
Par: 32/33 - 65
Rating: 62.1, Slope: 104
Score: 46/44 = 90
Date: September 30, 2012

After shooting a back nine 55 the previous Sunday at The Fairway Golf and Country Club, I was last Sunday looking for a little redemption. I had opened with a front nine 38, but watched as my game abandoned me completely over the second nine. It was a meltdown of epic proportions and I was determined to redeem myself.

 Front Nine Scorecard at The Fairways

I was a bit surprised that the started allowed me to go off as a single with two people waiting on the first tee. Rounds can sometimes be slow on weekend afternoons at The Fairways and this round was no exception. Even through the threesome in front of me was on the first green when I teed off, I had to wait on the green and in the fairway through the first eleven holes. That made it hard to get into any kind of rhythm with my game. I wasn't hitting the ball badly, I was just having a hard time establishing a good pace of play, which it difficult to focus, which made it difficult to score. Still, after an opening double bogey when I hit my approach into the bunker to the right of the green, I was happy with the way I was hitting the ball. But then, while walking off the fourth green, it began to rain. Since the sun had been shining when I teed off, I didn't have an umbrella or a pullover with me. The rain intensified as I waited under a small tree to tee off at the Fifth Hole and remained steady through the next three holes, which took about 45 minutes to play between the weather and the already slow pace of play. Amazingly, I made my only par during the stretch at the 284-yard Par 4 Sixth Hole. I finished the front nine with a 46, but wasn't too unhappy considering the conditions.

 Back Nine Scorecard at The Fairways

The back nine started off with a wild hook and a triple bogey 7, followed by a double bogey at the Eleventh. For some reason, it seemed like the greens got faster from the rain instead slower as one would expect. I was running putts 7-8 feet past the hole, then missing the comeback. But I managed to play bogey golf through the last six holes and shot a back nine 44. Finally, a back nine lower than the front. It left me with a 90 for the round. Not much redemption over my previous 93, but considering the elements and how unprepared I was for them, I was not too disappointed.

 Despite the rain, I parred the Sixth Hole

Having played the past three weeks, I will probably take this weekend off to give my body, and my elbow specifically, a chance to rest and recooperate. The 18 rounds I've played so far this season is the most I've played in a year since 2009. There is still about a month-and-a-half of good golfing weather left minimum, so I should be able to reach my goal of 20 rounds for the year.