Always Bet On Black

Westport

8/26/10

After the debacle at Rocky River, I needed to get back on the course and play away the demons that were haunting me. I had been trying to erase the thoughts that were swirling around inside my head from Tuesday. Each time I play I feel like I've learned something. The difficulty comes when I try to reproduce my swing and can't. I learn the most from watching the pros and from the feedback my friends give me when we're playing. I used to go to the range more frequently, but as of late, I play way more than I practice. Kevin keeps telling me that my swing is too flat. Instead of taking the club up and around, I take the club more to the side and the arc is low so lose distance. I still think something is wrong with my hands and wrist because I can't make consistent contact. Everyone has a different swing but as long as the impact position is correct, a decent shot should be produced. Once I hit a few bad shots in a row, I lose confidence and focus, and it's all downhill from there.

Anyhow, Kevin called and was ready to follow up his good round. We decide to go out to Westport in Denver, North Carolina. I played there a few weeks ago and was really impressed with the course and the price. After 1pm it is only $25 to play. Denver is North of Charlotte and on the West side of Lake Norman. Right away you get a feel for the elevation changes. The first hole is a short, par 5 that drives downhill, approaches uphill, and measures about 450 yards from the white tees. Kevin hadn't lost any distance in the 48 hours since we last played. The challenge today was for him to hit it straight. The fairways were in great condition but I wouldn't know because once again I couldn't hit one. I keep switching my grip, but the slice continues. Not hitting the fairways creates tension which is like kryptonite in golf. The greens were a bit fluffy so it was hard to judge the roll of a putt. The other greens around town have all been burned up by the summer heat so I can't complain too much about the greens at Westport being like carpet. We figured they were letting them grow out so that as the weather cools they can cut them down instead of trying to grow them out like all the other courses will have to do.

The highlight of the round is when Kevin decided to wager a beverage on the last four holes. He gave me 4 strokes which I thought that was more than fair. We were on a 273 yard par 4 and he drove the ball about 275 yards, but just left of the green. I on the other hand, tried to hit the ball too hard and almost completely missed my tee shot. I watched it dribble about 30 yards down a hill to my left. Not a good start. Advantage Kevin. I hit my second shot over the small lake that separates the tee from the fairway and green. I was still short of the green but at least I was on the proper side. Still away, I pitched on to the green. Kevin was in the rough to the right of the green. He chunked his first chip and then chipped on tho the green. He two putted and I three putted. I had given one stroke back. Kevin was pissed that he drove the green but still bogeyed the hole.

The 16th hole was a 362 yard par 4 that drove slightly down hill and again approached uphill. Kevin hit an iron long and had a bad angle for his approach. I tried to play it safe and hit a 4 iron, but it ended up in the rough. The approach was across water again so I pitched in to the fairway to set up my approach. Kevin tried for the green but sliced into the woods. He tried again and ended up in the woods again, but it was playable. Advantage me. I hit a 5 iron on to the green and Kevin chipped out of he woods. I went on to make bogey and Kevin made double par. I got my stroke back and some. I was now up six strokes.

Next was a 190 yard par 3. I wanted to hit my hybrid, but thought better of it because we weren't getting along. I hit a 4 iron that cam up about twenty yards short. Kevin hit a towering 6 iron that faded into the woods. Advantage me. He dropped and chipped on. I chipped over the green. Oops! Then I chipped on and one putted for bogey. He took double. Another stroke.

On the final hole Kevin pretty much conceded that I had won, but we played out. I wanted to win in stroke play and match play. I double bogeyed and he bogeyed, so we would have halved in match play. We each won two holes. We both realized that I play better when it matters. Kevin settled up with a cold beverage and I could at least take some consolation from my two, not so good rounds this week.