To be fair, the bright-side was not limited to the weather and the company (both were fantastic), I also managed to leave the course with the same three balls in my pocket I started with. While I did hit the water with one, it skipped up onto the bank before settling back, half in the water half out. So, clearly, a big win there.
I managed just three greens in regulation and, for the first time all year, not a single par. We played Boise Ranch, which is a forgiving course (witness the lack of lost balls, despite very poor striking) and that helped the cause. It’s a fun local course with a few decent carries to give one a challenge, but not so many hazards and out of bounds areas to leave you overly frustrated at the end of your round. It was, in short, exactly the course I needed to be playing today. Feeling pretty lucky to card a 95, I fled the course as fast as my push cart would carry me.
I am still a bit in awe of what my new clubs are capable of doing. On one of the (three) actual good shots I hit today, I found myself 204 yards out of a flag in the center of the green. I took out my (excuse me?!??!) 6 iron and placed my shot pin high on the left hand side of the green. It was exactly the shot I bought the new clubs for (i.e. previously impossible). My 5 iron drive on 17 was about 8-10 yards short of my playing partners well struck driver (this was good shot 3 of 3 on the day) placed dead center of the fairway. So, the potential for good play is there, I just think I need to get used to hitting these irons (most notably, hitting from a largely standing position instead of being so crouched down over the ball). 30 years of habits aren’t going to change over night.
I play in a four man scramble on Thursday and I’m looking forward to taking on more of a role than my usual “safety drive” slash pitch and putt specialist.