In the Zone at the Fairways

Fairways Golf Club
Warrington, Pa.
Yards: 2200/2248 - 4448
Par: 32/33 - 65
Rating: 62.1, Slope: 104
Score: 39/36 = 75
Date: June 1, 2018

It was one of days that you typically get in the summer: overcast, very humid, possible periods of sun, threat of pop-up heavy storms. Watching the meteorologists on the morning news, I was unsure if I should try to play nine holes, go to the practice range and just hit a bucket of balls, or find something else to do. Ultimately decided to try to play nine holes--thankfully--and it turned out to be a record-setting round for me!

As I set off to the Fairways Golf Club, my intention was to walk and play nine holes before the afternoon storms. But when I arrived at the course, I quickly changed my mind and decided to get a cart and play all 18 holes if possible. It turned out to be the right decision as the sun came out after a few holes and the storms never materialized. Not only did I play 18 holes, I made 10 pars during my round and shot my lowest score ever on a course with a par under 70: 75.

My scorecard from the record-setting round

The course was fairly empty when I teed off, no doubt a result of the uncertain weather forecast. But standing on the first tee, I had no clue as to the round that I would produce over the next couple of the hours. Here is a hole-by hole breakdown of my record-setting round (all yardage is what is indicated on the scorecard and not the actual yardage from the tee):

First Hole: 341 Yards, Par 4 -- My drive found the left side of the fairway in the first cut of rough. My approach with a 6-iron found the green and I lagged my first putt up for a sure opening par. But when I lipped out the par putt, I thought, "Uh-oh, I could be in for one of those days." Score: 5 (+1).

Second Hole: 322 Yards, Par 4 -- My drive found the fairway and my 8-iron approach trickled out of the left fringe and onto the green. I two-putted for par. Score: 4, Total: 9 (+1).

Third Hole: 109 Yards, Par 3 -- I hit my tee shot a tad fat and came up short left of the green. I chipped past the hole and two-putted for a bogey. Score: 4, Total: 13 (+2).

The Third Hole

Fourth Hole: 161 Yards, Par 3 -- My worst hole of the round. I overplayed my 5-iron off the tee into a bunker on the left of the green. Because of water in the bunker, I got relief, but had an awkward downhill stance and left my second shot in the bunker.  Another awkward stance, but I managed to just blast the ball out of the bunker and into the rough. A chip and two putts for a triple bogey. Score: 6, Total: 19 (+5).

Fifth Hole: 317 Yards, Par 4 -- My 3-wood off the tee found the left center of the fairway, but I hung my 8-iron approach to the right of the green in the collar. I chipped on and one-putted for par. Score: 4, Total 23 (+5).

Sixth Hole: 284 Yards, Par 4 -- I hit a 4-hybrid off the tee to the left side of the fairway, but again hung my approach out to the right rough with my Pitching Wedge. I chipped just below the hole and made the putt for back-to-back pars. Score: 4, Total: 27 (+5).

The Sixth Hole

Seventh Hole: 168 Yards, Par 3 -- My 6-iron off the tee landed in the right bunker. I splashed out onto the green and two-putted for a bogey. Score: 4, Total: 31 (+6).

Eighth Hole: 365 Yards, Par 4 -- My drive found the center of the fairway, but I thinned my 7-iron to the right rough, short of the green. I hit a so-so pitch which hopped onto the front of the green. Two putts for a bogey. Score: 5, Total: 36 (+7).

Ninth Hole:133 Yards, Par 3 -- My 8-iron off the tee found the right side of the green, where I two-putted to close out the front nine with my fourth par of the round and one of my best front nines ever at the Fairways. Score: 3, Total: 39 (+7).

A brief stop in the clubhouse to use the facilities and then I headed to the back nine hoping to continue the momentum from the opening nine holes. Several times on the back nine I had to give myself a pep talk to stay in the present and not think about a final score.

Tenth Hole: 248 Yards, Par 4 -- I hit a 3-hybrid off the tee, which found the first cut of rough on the left side of the fairway. My Gap Wedge from 88 yards found the right side of the green and I two-putted for another par. Score: 4, Total: 43 (+7).

Eleventh Hole: 291 Yards, Par 4 -- A dogleg right where you can only hit an iron off the tee, this hole has given me nightmares over the years. I hit a 7-iron off the tee and through the dogleg into the rough. My approach shot came up short and left. I chipped on and two-putted for a bogey. Score: 5, Total: 48 (+8).

Twelfth Hole: 139 Yards, Par 3 -- My 8-iron off the tee ended up hole-high, but in the right rough. I chipped just below the hole, then made my par putt. Score: 3, Total 51 (+8).

The Par 3 Twelfth Hole

Thirteenth Hole: 292 Yards, Par 4 -- A 3-wood off the tee found the right side of the fairway. My Gap Wedge approach from 88 yards was a touch heavy and trickled onto the front of the green, but a long way from the back hole location. After coming up a good short with my first putt, I three-putted for a bogey. Score: 5, Total: 56 (+9).

Fourteenth Hole: 134 Yards, Par 3 -- I hit my tee shot about 15 feet left of the hole, but left my birdie putt too high and made par. Score: 3, Total 59 (+9).

Fifteenth Hole: 113 Yards, Par 3 -- Playing 122 yards this round, I hit a Pitching Wedge about 20 feet right of the hole, but came up short on my birdie putt. Another par. Score: 3, Total 62 (+9).

Sixteenth Hole: 323 Yards, Par 4 -- I pulled my Driver left into the rough and had a long approach. I hit a 6-iron which again found rough left and short of the green. I chipped on and two-putted for a bogey. Score: 5, Total: 67 (+10).

Seventeenth Hole: 374 Yards, Par 4 -- Another Driver than went left, but this time it was in the first cut of rough. My 5-iron approach from about 165 yards rolled up onto the green about 12 10 feet to the left of the hole. My uphill putt just missed and I tapped in for my ninth par of the round. Score: 4, Total: 71 (+10).

The tee shot at the Eighteenth Hole

Eighteenth Hole: 334 Yards, Par 4 -- Another dogleg right, my tee shot found the left side of the fairway, but my approach was again a touch heavy. From short and left of the green I chipped past the hole, but made the downhill eight footer for my tenth par of the round. Score: 4, Total 75 (+10).

The score of 75 beat the 77 I shot at Juniata Golf Club in October 2001. I was +5 on the Par 3s and +5 on the Par 4s. The 10 pars also eclipsed the 8 I made during a round at the old Horsham Valley Golf Club in August 2010.

I also went back to the bag setup I had for my first round this year, except I swapped out a 3-hybrid for the 7-wood and an old 16-degree Golfsmith 3-wood for my 4-wood.