Break at Brambleton

  Leesburg, Virginia, United States
Tuesday, September 16, 2008

After working 13 out of the last 14 days including nine 12 hour days, I finally have a day off.  Because the weather was gorgeous, clear and 72 degrees, I was definitely going to hit the links.  The only question was what course did I want to play.  I decided to play Brambleton Golf Course, one of the Northern Virginia Regional Parks.  Having played both of the sister courses, Pohick Bay and Algonkian,  I knew that the course would be in good condition for a municipal course.  The fact that Brambleton is also a participating course in the Virginia State Golf Association VIP program helped in the decision.  How can you pass up the deal, 18 holes and a cart for only $15...normally it would have been $47? 

I got paired with Mike/Joe (who were playing from the blue tees) and Ted (who shared a cart with me).  They started us on the #10 hole.  Since I have never played this course, it did not matter where I started.  However, I wished I hit the driving range before playing because this is my first round in September, so I am a little rusty...and it showed!  I posted an 8, 7 and 6...no there were not three par 5 holes in the row. 

Brambleton # 12

The 6 was on the course's signature hole #12, which was a 145 yard par 3 with water guarding the front of the green.  Ted, a regular on this course, advised me to keep the ball below the pin.  Unfortunately, I connected with a well struck 7 iron into the back side bunker.  With very little green to work with, I used my 64 degree wedge to hit out of the sand.  It did not matter how lofted my club was because I failed to hit any sand behind the ball and sailed the ball into the water.  I settled down a little and finished this nine with three consecutive greens in regulation.  I did not make any birdies but did manage two pars...I double bogeyed the other hole with a four putt green.  A funny thing on hole #17 (177 yard par 3);  three of us made the green but Joe, the only one not on the green, was the only person to birdie the hole.

The golf course is located within Brambleton Park, so it is a typical American parkland layout with tons of trees.  For the most part, the trees were not my friends devouring balls with each errant shot...but one.  On hole #7 (545 yard par 5) I hit my drive in the middle of the fairway.  On my second shot, I pushed my 3 wood right and towards the hungry trees, but this time the tree spit back the ball and it landed short of the rock wall, 150 yards from the green.  My third shot was a little short of the green; however I managed to putt the ball from the fringe and into the hole for a BIRDIE...huge break.

My foursome was playing at a brisk pace and was about 1/2 half hour ahead of the target tome when we made the turn.  Unfortunately, the starter placed a foursome in front of us on hole #1.  We still managed to finish the round in slightly over 4 hours, which was a good thing.  I had a volleyball match at 7 and knew I was pushing it.  Tonight was the playoffs.  I showed up a little late and missed the first game, which my team lost 21-25.  Not that I was that important to the team, but we did win the next two games 25-18 and 25-22 when I played, so we advanced to the finals.  We got a lucky break on the third game because the two captains agreed to play to 25 points instead of 15 as typical for the third game of any playoff match.  The other team actually reached 15 first so they would have won under the old rule.  Another break...too bad that was the end of my luck.  For the final match we lost 12-25 and 24-26 and finished second.  There is always the next league session.