2005 golf highlights

Before I go on, I guess I’d better get you up caught up with some highlights of 2005. First off, I hit my first hole-in-one of my life! Yes, it was on a 162 yard par 3 at West Richland G.C. For some reason, I had been hitting my 7-iron with a draw that day and so on this hole, I just decided to allow for it and aimed right of the green. Darned if that ball didn’t make a big curve to the left and head for the flag. My buddy Greg and I heard it hit the flag but couldn’t see it on the green. I asked him to go up and check the hole and THERE IT WAS! I hope you get to experience that someday it is one of golf’s finest!

Next, I scored my first sub-par round of my life! This was a 71 on Sun Willows G.C., in Pasco playing from the blues at 6785 yards on June 15th. What really surprised me about this round was that I was 1 over after the front 9. This after taking a double bogey on the 3rd hole. So never give up! But the lesson I learned very distinctly is that once I thought I didnt’ have any chance to break my old scoring record of 73, that’s when I relaxed and put myself in a state where I COULD play my best! Amazing how that works huh?

What else? I changed to putting sidesaddle this year and had the best rounds of putting and more birdies than ever. What the heck is sidesaddle? It’s where you putt facing the target with the putter at your side. The stroke is straight backward and forward. Now, I will admit to also having some rounds where I couldn’t make anything but overall, my putting improved drastically from years before which definitely helped me finish out the year with a handicap of 5.2.