Saturday, April 30, 2022

A Rare Birdie

Enjoyed a decent round of golf on Saturday morning. While waiting on my regulars I went ahead and hit two poor tee shots: both low and right. Went back and hit two more. The yellow ball sailed right toward the trees. Fourth try was better. No one was coming, so I headed out alone. Only found two of my balls, both in the fairway. Hit a hybrid: low but long, to the hill just short of the green. My chip skidded right, but rolled up onto the green. Decent lag putt close, then in for a rare "bogey".

2. Three wood off tee sailed far, and only sliced slighty right. With my poor vision its hard for me to tell exactly where my ball goes. Found it on the green (below), so close to the hole that I stepped off the distance: five feet! Took my time and sank the putt for birdie.

3. Decent six iron off tee. Good distance, but rolled right at the end. I was concerned it had rolled off the hill, so for fun I hit a provisional. Hit it good, but it sailed left down into the gulch. Found my first call on the fringe (below). Perhaps my best tee shot ever on this hole. Two putt. First time ever to be even par after three holes.

4. Three wood off tee. Hit it well. Not sure, but it seemed to go left. Found another ball near the trees, then saw my ball up on ahead - on the fringe of the green (below). Three putt for bogey.

5. Stuck with my three wood off the tee. Felt like my first shot went right and not that far, so I hit a second. Found both in the fairway, not too short of the green (below). With the round I was having I decided to putt. Both were short. Chipped a yellow ball I had found, but it rolled off the back of the green. Two more putts. Another "bogey".

6. Hit driver. Didn't slice that much. Decent distance, almost to the big tree in the middle of the fairway. The ball was in the rough so i hit a 5 iron low and straight. The hole is a slight dogleg right, so my straight shot rolled under a tree on the left side of the fairway. Much further down the hole than I usually am. Hit three chip shots: one left, one right, and one onto the green. Three putted. "Double bogey".

7. Hit driver. Both shots went further than usual - almost to the fourth tree up the hill on the right side of the fairway, instead of the second tree I'm usually near. My first 5 iron skidded left so I hit a second: low but better. It topped the hill and rolled, further than most of my second shots on this hole. Flubbed one 7 iron, but my second try meandered to the right fringe (below). The long putt crossed more fringe than green, and slowed to a stop considerably short of the hole. Three more putts on the wet green. Triple bogey.

8. Hit driver again. Felt good, and I found it in the middle of the fairway (below). My first 6 iron skidded right. Hit a second 6 low and left. First shot had made it all the way down the hill but far right. Was surprised that my second ball had rolled across the green to the back fringe. Three putt for "bogey".

9. Decent 3 wood off tee went further than usual (below). Decent chip to right fringe, but for fun I tried two more: one to the far back edge of the green, and one far left that rolled off the edge down the hill. Three putt for "bogey".

Finished up right at 8 am. My rounds are starting to have fewer red stops, a good thing.

JUAN MARICHAL  [SABR Bio] took the loss in Crosley Field’s last MLB game, on 24-Jun-1970. He claimed to have mastered the curve by age ten and the screwball by fifteen. From 1996 to 2000, Marichal served in the cabinet of Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández as his country’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, and is still one of its most respected citizens. He had more career complete games that wins: 244 complete games and 243 wins. He took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his major league debut, on 19-Jul-1960. The Phillies’ Clay Dalrymple pinch hit for catcher Cal Neeman in the 8th, and singled for their only hit of the game.

Pitchers who debuted during the expansion era and reached 50 career complete-game shutouts.

Name Shutouts WAR

Blyleven...60........94.5

Carlton.....55........90.2

Marichal...52........62.9

Palmer.....53........68.5

Perry........53........90.0

Ryan........61........81.3

Seaver.....61......109.9

Sutton......58........66.7

 

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