October golf

Jeff and I played golf on October 13th with Phil from Steel Services in Macon. He belongs to a nice new course just north of Forsyth, just east of the interstate. The carts even had GPS units, so you always knew how far you were away from the hole. We also played with George Elkins, the GM of the Harris Waste plant in Baxley, one of our big customers…so we had to be on our best behavior. George used to work at Club Car, and had several golf cart stories. While riding with him, he told of testing out the carts…and rammed Jeff to demonstrate. George also helped us both out with several tips.

Though the day started off cloudy, gradually the sun came out, and it turned out to be a beautiful fall day. We started on the 18th hole. My tee shot avoided the rough, and my second shot from a bunker went further than I’d thought. But I had a great shot from the greenside bunker, closest to the hole, to help save par.

I also avoided the rough on the first hole, but muffed my second shot. I think I had a half decent long putt. I had the best approach shot on the second hole, the only one to hit the green, and also hit a nice putt. The third hole was a par five, and all I could contribute was another good putt, though my chip shot wasn’t bad. I had two chip shots on the fourth, a par three, but didn’t really put either close.

I couldn’t remember any shots from the next three holes, but finally hit a nice tee shot on eight, into a bunker on the par three. I also hit a long putt pretty close to the hole. The ninth was a par four, and I nailed my second shot too good, and it landed just past the green. Again I putted well, putting the ball close to the hole, in spite of a big break.

The tenth hole was a long par five, dogleg left, then over a lake to the green. All three of us kept hitting bad shots…but I finally hit a nice putt. We managed to par eleven, a par three, where I put another big-breaking putt close. On twelve I hit a nice drive out in the middle of the fairway, as well as putting another putt close. Again on thirteen my only contribution was another long putt close to the hole. None of us sank a long putt all day, though I did make two or three in the four-to-six foot range.

The fourteenth hole was a par four…dogleg right, then downhill to the green. I hit a great tee shot, pretty long and straight for me, with a slight slice, which is quite normal for me. Jeff also launched a great drive. Both shots turned out to be in perfect positions for pitch shots to the green. I hit mine real close to the pin, and made the putt for a birdie.

Though I hit a few shots into the woods, for the most part I kept the ball in bounds all day. I did hit four or five into the water. Fifteen was a tough par four, dogleg left, then over a lake. My only decent shot was a chip shot. Sixteen was a par three, also across a lake…all of my shots were bad.

As we arrived at the seventeenth tee, George commented how he enjoyed playing with Jeff and me. Jeff told George he would love to as well, gushing and offering his business card. George had the perfect comeback…” Jeff, I was just being nice.” We had a great laugh. George had been riding Jeff all day, and we did have a good time.

Before I teed off on our last hole, George told me to get out a long tee and tee it up high. I had been teeing it off real low, just because I seemed to be hitting it better that way. Seventeen was a par five requiring a long tee shot over a creek. I teed it up high and swung. It was my best shot of the day, a long, straight drive that easily carried the creek. It turned out to be a better drive than George or Jeff hit. I also hit a good approach shot, chip shot, and long putt, so I finished well.

With only three players, we alternated taking a second shot. Too often I was faced with the approach shot on the fairway. I came through several times, but more often the pressure was on George to hit a decent shot. We finished with a 70, done in by the double-bogey on the tenth hole.