Time to brag.

My golf partner and I won our company golf league this year.  I have participated in this league for about 12 years, and finished no higher than second.  We were in a position where we needed to win our final match by a large margin to be sure and stay in first place.  I shot a 5 over par 9-hole round, while my partner (who is usually better) shot an 8 over par.  I have had a few better scores than this, but not on a course this hard, or in a round this important.  This is the first time I have won anything like this, so I am pretty excited about it.  I would like to review some highlights of the round.

1st hole

We were allowed to go off first since we were at the course first.  This meant nearly everybody in the league was gathered around the hole.  There is usually some good-natured heckeling going on.  With this being the last week, and our being in first place, there was more than the usual distractions.  One particular loud-mouth yelled out ‘How do you do under pressure, Eric?’ just as I was beginning my backswing…..POW!  I drove a beautiful high draw that covered about 250 yards and ended up in the middle of the fairway.  ‘Pretty well’, was the obvious reply.  I ended up bogeying the hole which was enough to win it.  (Basically a match play format with an overall score bonus in this league).

2nd hole

A very low and powerful drive straight as an arrow.  Probably about 240.  Approach on the fringe, 2-putt for par.

4th hole

A good drive, but pulled into the trees on the left.  A low punch shot between a few trunks to the fringe of the green.  Chip and a putt for par.

6th hole

Another towering draw off the tee.  Appeared to be the perfect shot.  Unfortunately it was hit to far and went through the dogleg left.  I ended up just in front of a tree.  I had hardly any room for a backswing, and I knew I would hit branches on the follow through.  It must be low enough to get under the near branches, but high enough to clear the next tree.  It was possible, but foolish.  The smart play is to punch it out into the fairway and hope for an up-and-down for par.  I go for it anyway – couldn’t have been much better.  It flew exactly how I wanted and ended up about three feet from the pin.  Birdy for the win.

So I ended up with a 5 over 40, and we took enough points to keep first place.  I consider it the best round I ever shot, at the most important time.