Blowin' in the Wind

Fairways Golf Club
Warrington, Pa.
Yards: 2200/2248 - 4448
Par: 32/33 - 65
Rating: 62.1, Slope: 104
Score: 44/46 = 90
Date: October 21, 2018

Indian summer has finally given way to more traditional autumn-like weather. Temperatures barely reached 50 degrees when I teed off with my cousin on Sunday morning at Fairways Golf Club. But steady winds gusting at 35-40 miles-per-hour across the course made it feel much colder. It also made playing a challenge as club selection became a guessing game, while trying to play with or against the strong gales.

Fairways Golf Club Scorecard

I enjoy the challenge of playing golf in adverse conditions, whether is be windy or rain. On a day like this, my strategy is to play conservatively and accept bogey as a good score. A bogey is becomes a par and a par is often becomes the equivalent of a birdie. Thus, the par 65 for the course is thought of as a par 83.

The strong winds had the pins bent like this one
at Juniata a few years ago

On the front nine, my strategy worked through the first five holes, with one par at the 109-yard par 3 Third Hole and four bogeys. On the Next four holes, I again made a par at the 168-yard Par 3 Seventh and just lipped out a par putt at the 133-yard par 3 Ninth. But the 284-yard par 4 Sixth and 365-yard Eighth holes both caused me problems. I made a 7 at the Sixth when I failed to get out of a bunker and made a triple-bogey and an 8 at the Eighth when I hit a tree with my second shot. This left me with a 44 for the opening nine holes.

Wilson Staff Di11 Iron

On the back nine, I started with a par at the short 248-yard Tenth Hole, then bogeyed the next two holes. A double bogey at the Thirteenth Hole--I fatted a chip on my third shot--was followed by three more bogeys. Bad drives and poor putting the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Holes saw me finish out my round with a quadruple bogey and a double bogey for a 46 on the back nine and a total of 90 for the 18 holes.

Except for the 7 and two 8s that I posted, I was happy with the way I played in the windy conditions. I also had two new irons in bag: Wilson Staff Di11 5- and 6-irons, which replaced the Ci&s I had been carrying. These irons are designed for more distance and they delivered when I hit them during my round.