Roughed Up at The Rookery

The Rookery South
Milton, Del
Yards: 2886/3253 – 6139
Par: 35/36 = 71
Rating: 68.6, Slope: 123
Score: 53/54 = 107
Date: September 11, 2015

It has been a few years since Mrs. Muni Golfer and I have taken a Labor Day week vacation at the Delaware shore, but we got away for five days. I was hoping for two rounds, but unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. I did manage to tee it up at The Rookery South last Friday, but the course was soggy and didn't help my rusty game.

The Rookery South Scorecard

I knew it was going to be a long afternoon when my opening tee shot went way right into the Eighth fairway. For there I hacked it up towards the green and when my second putt finally found the bottom of the cup, I had an opening 10. I had trouble off the tee most of the day--I hit four balls in the water--and consistently put myself into difficulty with the thick, wet rough. My iron game was a struggle and I was tentative with my chipping and pitching all day. The fact that there was little roll didn't help either.

The Eighth Green where I made birdie

I had three highlights for my round:

   * At the 362-par, par 4 Eighth Hole I hit it into the right rough and from a side-hill lie, gouged a 6-iron onto the green about 10 feet from the hole. I made the putt for a birdie.

   * At the 155-yard par 3 Ninth Hole, I hit my tee shot to the front of the green, chipped to two feet and made par.

  * At the monster, 566-yard par 5 Eighteenth Hole, I found the fairway with my driver, laid up with my 4-wood, then hit a 7-iron to about 15 feet. My birdie putt was just wide of the hole and I tapped in for a par.

The Ninth Hole where I made par

Overall, I shot a 107; a disappointing score considering I shot an 87 at The Rookery in July 2014 and a 92 with borrowed clubs in September 2013. As we now enter the fall season, the rounds are coming further apart, so it may be difficult to regroup.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

A Slow Byrne

John F. Byrne Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa.
Yards: 2273/2658 - 4931
Par: 33/34 - 67
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 116
Score: 50/52 = 102
Date: July 5, 2015

Hoping to change the declining fortunes of my golf game, I played a round at one the Philadelphia-owned courses, John F. Byrne Golf Club in the Northeast. Originally built as Holmesburg Country Club, Byrne winds through a valley with the Torresdale creek coming into play on no less than ten holes, including the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, Seventeenth and Eighteenth.

John F. Byrne Scorecard

Hoping to switch up my luck, I put an old 3-wood (TaylorMade Burner), my Callaway X-Hot 7-wood, Wilson Staff RS 4-Hybrid and Odyssey XG #9 putter into the bag. Unfortunately, other than my putting, which improved greatly from my previous rounds, nothing much changed in my game.

The tee shot at the First Hole

Although I pulled my opening tee shot left, I still had a shot at the green, but came up short on my approach and made double bogey. I redeemed myself at the Par 3 Second Hole, where I missed the green right, but chipped on and two-putted for a 4. At the Par 4 Fourth Hole, where you have hit your tee shot over the creek through an opening in the treeline, I managed to find the green in two, but missed short putt--one the few short putts I missed during the round--and made a 5. Unfortunately, that was sandwiched by a 7 and 6 on two of the easiest Par 4s on the course: the Third and Fifth Holes. I made bogeys and the Par 3 Sixth and Eight Holes and double bogeyed the easy 242-yard Par 4 Seventh Hole, before making a disastrous 8 at the Ninth Hole. It added up to a Front Nine 50.

The tight drive at the Fourth Hole

Again, my tee shots were a major cause of my poor play. I hit several tee shots off the heel of the club, putting in a poor position. My second shots were often not much better and my chipping was tentative at best. No excuses, but we had an extremely slow three-some in front of me and my playing partner, 84-year-old Bob, who more than held his own off the tee. The threesome became a five-some at the Tenth Hole, and the prospects for a quicker Back Nine looked grim.

The tee shot at the Tenth Hole

After finding the fairway with my 3-wood off the Tenth, I made a 5, At the Eleventh, the five-some mercifully allowed Bob and I to play through. I made a double bogey after coming up short on the uphill Par 3, then took two shots to chip on. At the Par 5 Twelfth Hole, I began a three-hole stretch that started to give me some hope. I hit driver off the tee and found the left side of the fairway, just in the rough. But my 7-wood went right and hit a tree. I punched out to just inside 100 yards, then wedged on and two-putted for a good bogey 6. I made my only par of the day at the very short, 89-yard Thirteenth (lucky for me) by hitting into the middle of the green and two-putting. At the long, 219-yard Par 3 Fourteenth Hole, I hit my tee shot right of the green, in the Twelfth fairway. I pitched on and two-putted for a 4 on a fairly difficult hole. It was the last decent hole I played. It took my 29 shots to play the last four holes. My legs were gone in the humid weather and I limped in with a Back Nine 52 and disappointing total of 102.

The Par 3 Eleventh Hole

As I stated earlier, my putting was much improved using the Odyssey XG #9. I missed only one short putt, which has been my achilles so far this season. Those missed short putts have turned numerous pars into bogeys, bogeys into double bogeys and even doubles into triples. But that wasn't the case at Byrne. I am however, really struggling off the tee, whether it be the driver, fairway wood, hybrid or iron, but especially with the driver. After the round, I removed some lead tape I had put on the bottom of my TaylorMade Aero Burner Driver and I hope that might help with the problem. I also think I need to use the driver less off the tee in favor of my Adams Golf 4-wood--which is now back in the bag--until I get more consistent. Perhaps a session at the practice range is in order.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

A Golfing Gem in the Valley

Neshaminy Valley Golf Club
Jamison, Pa.
Yards: 3338/2676 - 6014
Par: 36/34 - 70
Rating: 68.7, Slope: 118
Score: 47/47 = 94
Date: June 17, 2011

Yesterday I played Neshaminy Valley Golf Club, a nice family-owned public golf course on Almshouse Road in Bucks County. The course is built along the Neshaminy Creek, which runs along the Fourteenth Hole, a 473-yard Par 5. I had previously played at Neshaminy Valley about 15 years ago, but the course has undergone a complete renovation since. While the course is fairly open, its has some decent length from the white tees, playing just over 6,000 yards. Sloping fairways, doglegs and well-placed bunkers can make for a challenging round. The course is also well marked for distance, with blue, white and red poles signifying 200/150/100 yards respectively. And at only $26 to walk, Neshaminy Valley is a good value for your golfing dollar. I played this round with my cousin, and we were teamed up on the First Hole with a future father-in-law/son-in-law who were practicing for a family golf trip this weekend.

 Neshaminy Valley Scorecard

I came to the first tee on Friday still brimming with confidence over my play thus far this season. Despite a late start, I have been hitting the ball pretty well and my scoring has been better than I could have possibly hoped with so little rounds played. I started off with double bogey at the First and Seconds Holes--the Second being a 529-yard Par 5 in which a I hooked my tee shot under some hanging branches and it was all I could do to punch out. I regrouped with bogeys at the Third and Fourth Holes, then made my first par of the day at the 390-yard Fifth Hole. Another bogey at the long, 219-yard Par 3 Sixth Hole was followed by a very bad double bogey at the 398-yard Par Seventh Hole after my tee shot found the left rough and all I could was hit a poor punch shot about 15 yards. a bogey at the short 317-yard Par 4 Eighth Hole, where I found the right bunker with my approach shot, was followed by a par at the 537-yard Par 5 Ninth Hole. This sent me out in 47.

 The Par 5 Third Hole

The back nine at Neshaminy Valley starts with two Par 4s in which the fairways severely slope left-to-right (Tenth) and right-to-left (Eleventh). I made double bogey at each, then followed that with another double at the Twelfth, a 304-yard Par that doglegs right, in which you hit downhill to a fairway that has a creek crossing it at about 260 yards. Your second shot is slightly uphill to a two-tiered green that slopes back to front. The Thirteenth is a very short, 128-yard downhill Par 3 that I played with a 53-degree wedge off the tee. My birdie putt hit the cup too hard and bounced about four feet past. I missed the par putt for a bogey 4. I then parred the 473-yard Par 5 Fourteenth after my chip from the left of the green stopped about a foot from the hole. The fifteenth is another short Par 3 (149 yards), but with the tees up, I hit a 9-iron over the green, then failed to chip on. After chipping on, I three-putted for a triple bogey 6. I redeemed my self with a par 4 at the 344-yard Sixteenth Hole, but a fat tee shot at the 173-yard Par 3 Seventeenth led to another double bogey. The closing hole is a 367-yard Par 4 that plays slightly uphill and doglegs left. My tee shot left me on teh left side of the fairway, 152 yards to the hole, but I nuked a 7-iron over the green and closed out my round with a bogey and another 47 for a total of 94 on my round.

 The Twelfth Hole

Overall, I continue to be happy with my play. I hit it well off the tee, especially with my Wilson Staff Smooth Driver and my iron play continues to be pretty good. I also hit some really good chips and pitches to help my score. My putting, however, has not been that good over the past three rounds. I have left way too many putts woefully short and I missed the second putts. This has led to an acceptable number of three-putts the past three rounds. I am thinking that maybe I need to change putters to try and get my stroke back to where it needs to be.

 The tee shot at the Eighteenth Hole

As for Neshaminy Valley, it is a course I will definitely look forward to returning to play in the future. If you get the opportunity, try a round at this hidden little gem. I didn't think you will be disappointed. On a quick side note, my camera gave me some problems early in the round, so the pictures here are taken from Neshaminy Valley's Web-site.

A Fair Day at The Fairways

The Fairways Golf & Country Club
Warrington, Pa
Yards: 2255/2248 - 4503
Par: 32/33 - 65
Rating: 62.1, Slope: 104
Score: 42/44 = 86
Date: May 28, 2011

My second round of the season was played at The Fairways Golf & Country Club is Warrington, Pa. The Fairways is a great little walking course that winds through a housing development. A bit short at just over 4500 yards and a Par 65, The Fairways has plenty of protection from little streams that cross fairways, ponds that front greens or catch errant tee shots, deep bunkers and contoured, sloping greens.

The Fairways Front 9

Coming off the sloppy, wet condition of the previous week, The Fairways was in excellent shape. The fairways and rough had been cut and there was little evidence of the rains that have plagued the area for most of the spring. This round was played under hot, sunny skies, but with enough of a breeze it was a pleasant round of golf. While The Fairways is generally wide open, it is still important to put the ball in the fairway. Off the tee had killed me at Fox Hollow because the rough was deep, thick and very wet. At The Fairways, I missed just enough fairways to make me have to scramble to score. I didn't hit my driver or 4-wood as well as I had the previous week, but my iron game was much better, as was my chipping and pitching. My putter also ran hot and cold during the round. This is an area I have yet to practice this season.

The Fairways Back 9

Although I only made three pars, I only had five really bad holes during my round:

 The Fifth Hole

  
* The Fifth Hole, a 322-yard Par 4: I hit my hybrid off the tee well right and was blocked by trees for my approach. I pitched out into the fairway and my third shot rolled to the back of the green, above the hole. I then three-putted for a double-bogey 6.

The Seventh Hole

* The Seventh Hole, a 168-yard Par 3: I topped my tee shot, which barely made it past the forward tees. My second shot didn't come out of the rough that well and barely hopped over a creek about 100 yards from the green. After pulling a lob wedge left of a left pin, it bounced off the green, short-siding me. I skulled another wedge across the green, chipped on and one-putted for a triple-bogey 6.

 The Tenth Hole

*The Eleventh Hole, a 291-yard Par 4: Because of houses to the right on this dogleg right, a local rule only permits an iron off the tee, but also gives players the option to drop their ball at the beginning of the dogleg, about 150-yards from the green. I hit a 7-iron off the tee to the middle of the dogleg, about 155 yards out. I pushed my second shot right of the green and cart path, but just short of the out-of bounds. I hit a chip that rolled across the green and into the collar. I tried to putt it, but it came out soft and short. A two-put from there left me with a double-bogey 6.

 The Twelfth Hole

* The Twelfth Hole, a 129-yard Par 3: Two large bunkers guard the left and right of the green and my tee shot found the right bunker. I hit my sand wedge a bit thin and my ball carried across the green. I three-putted from long distance for a double-bogey 5.

 The Eighteenth Hole

* The Eighteenth, a 334-yard Par 4: The closing hole doglegs severely right and has a blind tee shot. My poor tee shot with driver found the left side of the fairway, well before the dogleg begins. I hit my hybrid, trying to cut the corner of the dogleg, but hit it through some trees, leaving my ball about 60 yards short of the green, with some branches to go under for my chip. I managed to chip onto the front left of the green, but left my uphill putt woefully short, then missed again for a closing double bogey 6.