HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
In this exciting series, I'll take you through my journey round some of the countries finest golf courses. You'll get an insight into the joy and despair that can come from playing golf courses that are in the most part, far too difficult for the average golfer. From the glorious pars to not so glorious 4 putts, You'll gain an insight into what goes through my mind as I plot my way round 18 holes that invariably end in epic failure.
In this first (and probably last) episode
Hawkeye versus The West Course at Wentworth
It was a dream start, a good drive down the left side of the fairway, a perfect layup, a wedge to 10ft and a single uphill left to right putt; I was under par on the West Course! On the way to the 2nd tee the alarm clock went off to awaken me from slumbering bliss.
I actually wrote that first bit last night before my round, so here's what actually happened. I was playing with friends from the Royal Ascot: Steve (who'd set it all up) Colin and Matt (Sundance). We met early for breakfast, hit some balls on the range and then made the walk to the 1st tee for our 9:42 tee time. Being the lowest handicap in the group I was unanimously voted with the honour. I was strangely calm, I'd thought I would be nervous but wasn't and I smashed my drive down the right of the fairway just at the top of the slope. I had been telling myself to play sensibly but as I walked to my ball I felt the breeze on my back and before I knew it I was standing over the ball with my 3-wood. It was 211yds to the pin and I smoked it. It pitched in the upslope between the bunkers and stopped just short of the green about 20 feet from the flag. 2 putts later and I was actually under par on the west course, and no alarm clock was going to wake me up this time :whoo:
I didn't like my tee shot on the par 3 second but it came to rest pin high just of the left of the green and two putts later I was still 1 under. It was all too easy, surely the course would bite back? It wasn't long before it did. I sent my drive on the 3rd down the middle of the fairway (I drove it beautifully all day) but hit my second a little fat, leaving myself a 30yd pitch which I left 10ft above the hole. The greens weren't in their best condition and not as quick as I had expected but the slopes made putting enough of a challenge for me and I 3 stabbed for the first time in the round to card a 6. Another 6 on the par 5 fourth and another couple of 3 putts later I was out in 42 (+6). Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be this good.
The back nine started horribly, I pulled my tee shot on the par 3 10th and had a shocking lie, totally uncommitted to the chip, thinking I should be hitting my hybrid chip shot instead of a wedge I duffed it about 4" and once on the green 3 stabbed for a 6 :embarrassed:
The back nine proved tough, it really gets hard after the turn, not helped with the last 4 or 5 holes being straight into the wind and if I'm honest, started to hit a few fats which is a sure sign I was getting tired. It is, as it is any course of this stature, really really easy to waste shots. I was hoping to finish no worse than 18 over and a par on 17 had me on that number standing on the 18th tee. Not for the first time I smoked it but duffed my layup onto he downslope just shy of the ditch and 5 shots later was writing 7 on my card for a 20 over par 93 which was a little disappointing but there had been more good than bad and as I said, it is really easy to waste shots.
All in all it was a cracking day. Until you play the course you don't appreciate how good the pros have to be to shoot the scores they do. The greens weren't running anywhere near as quick as they would in summer yet the slopes still left us all a little bamboozled. I hit several chips I thought would be tap ins only to find myself 8 feet down a slope and I don't think any of us made a putt of more than 6 feet all day. It's difficult to be too disappointed though, it was the West Course after all.
In this first (and probably last) episode
Hawkeye versus The West Course at Wentworth
It was a dream start, a good drive down the left side of the fairway, a perfect layup, a wedge to 10ft and a single uphill left to right putt; I was under par on the West Course! On the way to the 2nd tee the alarm clock went off to awaken me from slumbering bliss.
I actually wrote that first bit last night before my round, so here's what actually happened. I was playing with friends from the Royal Ascot: Steve (who'd set it all up) Colin and Matt (Sundance). We met early for breakfast, hit some balls on the range and then made the walk to the 1st tee for our 9:42 tee time. Being the lowest handicap in the group I was unanimously voted with the honour. I was strangely calm, I'd thought I would be nervous but wasn't and I smashed my drive down the right of the fairway just at the top of the slope. I had been telling myself to play sensibly but as I walked to my ball I felt the breeze on my back and before I knew it I was standing over the ball with my 3-wood. It was 211yds to the pin and I smoked it. It pitched in the upslope between the bunkers and stopped just short of the green about 20 feet from the flag. 2 putts later and I was actually under par on the west course, and no alarm clock was going to wake me up this time :whoo:
I didn't like my tee shot on the par 3 second but it came to rest pin high just of the left of the green and two putts later I was still 1 under. It was all too easy, surely the course would bite back? It wasn't long before it did. I sent my drive on the 3rd down the middle of the fairway (I drove it beautifully all day) but hit my second a little fat, leaving myself a 30yd pitch which I left 10ft above the hole. The greens weren't in their best condition and not as quick as I had expected but the slopes made putting enough of a challenge for me and I 3 stabbed for the first time in the round to card a 6. Another 6 on the par 5 fourth and another couple of 3 putts later I was out in 42 (+6). Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be this good.
The back nine started horribly, I pulled my tee shot on the par 3 10th and had a shocking lie, totally uncommitted to the chip, thinking I should be hitting my hybrid chip shot instead of a wedge I duffed it about 4" and once on the green 3 stabbed for a 6 :embarrassed:
The back nine proved tough, it really gets hard after the turn, not helped with the last 4 or 5 holes being straight into the wind and if I'm honest, started to hit a few fats which is a sure sign I was getting tired. It is, as it is any course of this stature, really really easy to waste shots. I was hoping to finish no worse than 18 over and a par on 17 had me on that number standing on the 18th tee. Not for the first time I smoked it but duffed my layup onto he downslope just shy of the ditch and 5 shots later was writing 7 on my card for a 20 over par 93 which was a little disappointing but there had been more good than bad and as I said, it is really easy to waste shots.
All in all it was a cracking day. Until you play the course you don't appreciate how good the pros have to be to shoot the scores they do. The greens weren't running anywhere near as quick as they would in summer yet the slopes still left us all a little bamboozled. I hit several chips I thought would be tap ins only to find myself 8 feet down a slope and I don't think any of us made a putt of more than 6 feet all day. It's difficult to be too disappointed though, it was the West Course after all.
H'cap limit on the West is 18 and h'cap certificates are required
