Prepping for Golf in Delaware

As the Labor Day Holiday fast approaches, it's time to start prepping for my annual golf trip to Lewes, Delaware. While my wife hits the beach with a good book, I'll be hitting the links with my clubs. First up will my annual outing with my cousins on Friday. The past two years we've played at Baywood Greens. This year I'm hoping we try a different course. The Rookery or Bear Trap Dunes are two possibilities. Either way, I will probably play four rounds over the seven days I'm there. The Rookery will definitely be on my itinerary one way or another. I may return to Jonathan's Landing near Dover or head south to one of the numerous courses in Ocean City, Md.

The Lewes Beach (above) and
the Fourth Hole at The Rookery (below)

So far, I have changed the spikes in two pair of golf shoes and marked two dozen golf balls in preparing for the trip. My packing list also includes:

* TaylorMade Burner Driver
* TaylorMade Burner 3 Wood
* Golfsmith Big Gun 5 Wood
* Nickent 3DX DC Utility 2 Hybrid
* Nickent 3DX DC Ironwood 4
* TaylorMade Irons
* Solus Sand Wedges
* Snake Eyes MCS2 Putter
* Odyssey White Hot XG#9 Putter
* Two Dozen Titleist Golf Balls
* 3 Golf Gloves
* 2 Pair Golf Shoes
* Granola/Cliff Bars
* 2 Golf Shirts
* 2 Mock Polos
* 3 Pair of Shorts
* 4 Pair of Golf Socks
* Wind/Rain Shirt and Vest
* 2 Golf Visors
* 2 Golf Hats
* Sun Tan Lotion
* Elbow Support

I laundered the shorts tonight and the golf shirts will be washed tomorrow. The golf bag will be packed and ready to leave Thursday night. I am hoping to have a new set of TaylorMade irons to take on the trip.

My Year in Review

As the final hours count down on 2008, it is time to look back at my golf year. This past year, I played 23.5 rounds, which included one-and-a-half practice rounds and one incomplete round. I played on 14 difference courses, including four for the first time: Rock Manor, Center Square, Jonathan's Landing and Talamore. I played 422 holes and averaged 93.1 strokes per 18 holes, excluding the practice rounds and incomplete round. I had a score of par or better on 85 of those holes, or 22 percent of the holes I played. I had at least two holes of par or better in every round this year. The most holes of par or better I had in one round was 6 at FDR on July 19 and Oct. 12 at John F. Byrne. I also made six birdies, all on Par 4s: #1 at Rock Manor, #1 at Horsham Valley, #12 at Jonathan's Landing, #14 at Juniata and two at Juniata's 5th Hole. My lowest round of the year was an 87 at Juniata on September 21 and my highest round was a 101 at Talamore on Oct. 17. I also had an 88 at Horsham Valley (Aug. 16) and at Juniata (Sept. 14), as well as a 90 at Center Square on June 26.

The 1st Hole at Rock Manor
where I made my first birdie of the year

Photos by The Muni Golfer