Here is the recap of the match from today.
The day started with me waking up way too early and trying to get myself to go back to sleep. I didn’t so I told myself let’s go early as I might as well prep for this like a tournament round. I stepped outside wearing shorts and immediately went back inside to change to pants and a sweater. The temps were in the upper 50s with wind and I knew that playing on the Potomac River it would be a little cooler with more wind. On the way there I get a sizable rock chip in my windshield. Not the start I wanted for the day.
I arrived 45mins before my tee time and went through my normal warm up routine. Fifteen minutes before my tee time and no sign of the pro. Was I going to win by forfeit? As I was driving up to the putting green next to the first tee my phone goes off. “I am here!” I go and pick her up and ask if she wanted to hit balls or putt. She said she will take 5-6 putts. The greens were running at 12.5 on the stimp and it took her a little by surprise. She then rattled a few 6 footers in a row and said “I am ready!” Really??? Trunk to tee and she is going to kick my ass?
We agreed that she would play the blues tees with me except for holes 4 and 11. She said normally 6700-6800 is meant for the US Open.
My opening tee shot was a touch pulled but in play. She hits this slightly high toe shot that doesn’t really go that far. I was already thinking this is gonna be easy. She then lasers an iron that is all over the pin but it doesn’t hold and goes to the back of the green. I hit my SW to 40 feet leaving a really tough 2 putt. I drain my birdie and thought to myself. Yes, no, wait. Is this a good thing? She casually hits her 20 foot putt that lips out and makes par.
The next hole played straight into the wind. I hit a great drive and was left with 210. I hit a 4 iron to 6 feet as she hits her third to 15 feet. She misses the birdie putt and I miss my eagle putt. -2 to E. What a dream start.
The next hole we tie with pars.
Onto hole 4 which played downwind. The wind was the opposite direction today so this hole played way shorter than it does. We both hit great drives and I hit my second to 15 feet. She hits a great shot but the fringe killed the ball and it stopped a yard short of the green. She gets up and hits this great chip that lips out. I bury my putt. -3 to E
We tie with pars on the next hole.
On 6 she hits her third to gimme range and I miss a 10 foot putt for birdie -3 to -1
We tie the next hole with bogeys.
On hole 8 it played 284 into a stiff wind. I hit a driver that was just short of the green. She hits a good drive thats 30 yards short. I two putt for birdie and she lips out her 15 foot birdie putt. -3 to E
We tie the next hole with bogeys.
After holes 10-13 I was feeling pretty good as I was up by 6 -3 to +3.
On hole 14 it was playing 171 into a crossing wind. The pin was up front with no room to miss short. I hit a punch 6 that held its line and had a 15 foot putt for birdies. She hits a soft hybrid that stops an inch behind my ball. She buries her putt and I sink mine.
The cart girl arrived and I was thinking it’s time for a transfusion. I got this locked down. Bad idea Don.
I bogey the next three holes and she plays them in even. She then turns to my playing partner and said next time I need Don to drink earlier. 🤦♂️
We finish the round with matching pars. I shot -1 and she is at +2.
My takeaways:
The course was definitely too long for her as some of the holes were straight into the wind. She did have to hit 3 wood into some greens. But she didn’t miss one fairway and each tile she pulled out a three wood it was all over the flag. She just couldn’t control the distance. She hadn’t played in a month and you could see she was a little rusty in her short game. We are having a rematch next week at a different course that plays around 6400. Let’s see if I can do it again.
