[innercityteacher]

Congrats City!
Next time we play I suspecty you'll be giving strokes.
Man, I love this thread. It is the best news I see anywhere.

Did you have your usual game today? Collect some quarters?

I have now entered the zone of giving people one or two strokes or being considered the "B" player on our weekday matches of four on four, or 3 on 3. Once upon a time, in April, I was considered a strong "D" player who could putt. I could pitch in two or three holes in 18 and be considered a help.

Today, we had two 15 hcp's and moi (13 on the "trend" which is what we play weekdays). We had 3, 3 on 3 matches, normally, there are as many as 30 guys but everyone's at the shore on vacation before school. We all played off the lowest player, an 8 hcp. today. I shot an 80 (I messed up four holes at least) and my team added an 87 and an 88. There is a $10 limit on the 2-ball match. We lost two matches. My birdies and pars yielded 9 "dingers" for a dollar each which beat out all other dingers by any team by $5. But, we lost the second ball in each match, all day. Crushed 2 side Nassau's, plus $ 8, so down $12

(Two down automatic presses, "natural" scores get a dot/dinger, sandys get a dot.)


I kept looking for help and realized on the front 9, after being 3 over on 4 holes, that there was no cavalry! I was it!

I adopted a policy for the last 14 holes to shoot the best, safest shot I could. I started aiming for the middle of everything! Fairways and greens!!!! I also started chipping with my PW, 9, or 8 after leaving 3 chips short. Low driving chips. Much better. I rehearsed that down stroke waggle until I knew where each shot was going.

Biggest mistakes came when I drove through the greens and found holes in the rough. Bladed a couple almost recovered, but lost 4 shots. I started driving with my 2 hybrid (220 yards) (you recommended) and that led to two birdies.

I just forgot that our greens are pretty soft and I really could carry the ball to the middle of each one and it would hold. I won't make that mistake Friday!

I actually had guys come up to me and complain about the unfairness of dingers being a dollar each! Me!? Are you kidding? I smiled and said, thank God for the $10 limit! I meant it!

About 6 weeks ago, when I was a 16 or so, myself and another guy, an 18 hcp., somehow got paired against a 3 and an 8 hcp. Bernie and I parred and bogied every hole. The 3 had 5 birdies and the 8 was 11 over. I felt bad for them, we crushed them and won $10 each. My point is that a scratch golfer has to be great when playing a hacker! No wonder Dodger never smiles (kidding) he's too used to being abused by hackers!

On the other hand, you and Kevin smile a lot! What's up with that?

I wonder if they make a one hybrid?

Pat