Gunning for the Cup Part Deux

Trip Start Jul 18, 2008
1
11
24
Trip End Dec 31, 2008


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Flag of United States  , Virginia,
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

In "Gunning for the Cup" I detailed my adventure in qualifying for the Fort Belvoir Commander's Cup Golf Championship.  The round is being played on the Woodlawn course, not quite the pedigree as the Gunston but still a challenging course.  Due to my work schedule I was not able to practice on either of the two courses this month.  It did not matter because MVR did not inform anyone that the championship round was going to be played on the Woodlawn course...everyone thought Gunston was going to host the final round.  The only impact was I had to return to my card and get my 4 iron out of the trunk.  If we played the Gunston course, I was dropping my driver and 4 iron to make my bag USGA legal.  Since we are playing the Woodlawn course, I know I will need the 4 iron for at least one par 3 hole and decided to drop the 5 iron instead.

Our foursome started on an easy and short, 454 yard, par 5 #16 hole.  It did not start well for me and Paul, my assigned cart-mate.  We both pulled our drive into the woods on the left.  With the lost ball penalty, I carded a snowman.  I thought things we going to settle down for me when I pared hole #18, 346 yard, par 4.  It was by the book with a drive on the fairway, green in regulation and a two putt.  If an eight was going to be my highest score for the day I would not complain, unfortunately it will not be my worst score.  On #2, the easiest par 4 (286yard), I scored a ten when I pulled my drive out of bounds across Woodlawn road.  My fourth shot ended up into woods on the left of the green.  My fifth found the green side bunker.  It took two shots to get out of the sand but I still am not on the green.  Laying 7 and I find the ball under a bench.  Using some imagination and a great deal of luck, I hit the ball out with my putter and on to the green.  My adventures did not end there; I drove two balls out of bounds on hole #4, hardest par 4 on the course, and scored a whopping 11!!

Knowing that I am out of contention actually helped me play better for the rest of the round.  I pared the next hole, 445 yard par 5.  I even birdie the second hardest hole, #14.  This hole has a sharp dogleg to the right with the second leg climbing straight uphill to a three-tiered green.  My tee shot left me well right of the fairway.  I needed a club with enough loft to clear the trees guarding the approach but long enough to make the green.  I hit my 6 iron on the green and within 8 feet from the pin.  My one shining moment during an otherwise frustrating round.  To compound my frustration was the blatant cheating of Charley, one of the other guys in the foursome.  Paul and I commented each time he claimed a bogus score but neither one of us challenged him directly.  Charley claimed to have shot a 86 for the round.  I shot a 105.
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