Final round of the Chandler City Championship

I shot 76 in round 2, I finished the last 6 holes 4 over, eesh, not a strong finish. I was dejected and down on myself, and hey guess what, that doesn't work out too well. I "only" had 31 putts today, so 3 fewer putts, and 2 shots higher. Does that tell you how well I was hitting it? Made par on all 5 par 3's today, small victory. Here we go...

Hit driver through the fairway into the fairway bunker, had overhanging tree limbs, tried to hit a little punch cut 7 iron out of it, hit it real well, just straight, back left, pin is back right. My put of about 20 feet is uphill sitting on a crown, I remembered how many I'd left short yesterday and wasn't going to fall for that today, putted it off the green. Two more putts and we start with a bogey. Snap hook off of number 2, but in a spot where I actually have a shot, unlike yesterday. I hit 6 iron to the right side, pin is middle left, literally on the ridge (greenskeeper was pissed about that 62 yesterday). Leave the first putt 4 feet short, the 4 footer breaks literally 12 inches, missed it, made the 3 foot comebacker for another bogey. Pulled the tee shot on the par 5 3rd into the fairway bunker, hit a great 7 iron out, about 60 yards out, left it short. Chip and a putt, routine par.

Good 3 wood off of 4, pulled 9 iron to the left, nearly made it. Then I made the greatest par in history. Snap hook off the tee about 200 yards (460 yard par 4) and literally can't find the ball. I'm about 5 seconds from dropping and one of my playing partners finds it, oh it's bad. Have to hack out a 9 iron, club gets twisted in the weeds and goes "lateral" (I'm not saying the word) across the fairway into the same trash on the right side. After searching and being literally 5 seconds from declaring this one lost, the same guy finds it. I slash an 8 iron out to about 6 feet and jar the putt for 4. Man this game is easy. Hit 6 iron again on #6, like I've done 6 times in a row, but this time I'm 15 yards short of the green? Hmmm, good chip, solid putt, easy 3. Drive the par 4 7th to about 20 feet, 2 putts for birdie, then hit a gorgeous cut 3 iron to about 15 feet on the 230 yard 8th, 2 putt par. Hit a heeled cut drive, then the most solidly struck 6 iron layup shot on the par 5 9th. At the last instant I told myself to not pull the PW into the lake, and ended up pin high in the right fringe (shocking huh?). Hit a bold putt about 4 feet by and canned it for an official one putt, 3 putts fewer than yesterday on the same hole. We're one over at the turn and hitting it like shit, amazing.

Hit 3 wood into the fairway bunker on 10, and the most perfectly struck PW over the back of the green (oh my God was that hit well!). Good chip and putt for par. Hit 9 iron to the par 3 11th to about 15 feet, left it dead in the heart, one inch short, tap in 3. BOMBED the tee shot on the par 5 12th, 173 yards to the front edge. I'm back and forth between hard 8 and easy 7 (playing a bit downwind obviously), I decide on 7, then just mentally collapse and leave it short right. Good flop over the bunker to about 6 feet, uphill right to left putt for birdie, didn't give it enough gas, missed on the low side. Now I'm fuming, played like shit and scraped it around in 1 over on the front, I'm finally starting to hit it good, should be one under and I have nothing to show for it. The Golf Gods hear people bitching like this and choose these times to kick said bitchers in the nuts, and they did not disappoint.

Blocked 3 wood off of 13 into the desert, was afraid of hitting it thin, about 70 yards out, I actually got under it and left it short. Hit a really lame pitch to about 12 feet, and then proceeded to 3 putt for double. Awesome, I was just complaining about 2 missed birdie putts and get a double shoved up my ass. That's perspective folks.

Hit it a bit heavy on the par 3 14th, water in front and all along the right side, but I had plenty of club, we're about 25 feet up the hill, nearly made it, tap in par. I don't know what the hell I was thinking on the tee at 15, but if you ever play Bear Creek, don't hit it right on 15. Ever. I find the ball in more of that lovely grass / weed stuff, and feel pretty good about getting a 6 iron onto it back into the fairway. I don't know what happened as I never felt the club touch the ball, but it didn't get out. So I've advanced it 100 yards or so, but in more of the same grass, but now a perfect punched through the weeds 6 iron out, hit it well, ball went nowhere. Good news now though, my ball is actually sitting in desert with no danger of weeds. I'm 109 to the center, pin is in front, perfect SW, comes up 10 yards short. Chip and a putt for 6. Decent drive and 9 iron on 16, 2 putts for par. Hit a great cut 4 iron on 17, just into the back fringe. The wind was into us, so the flagstick was blowing a bit away from us. I elected to leave the stick in for the putt from the fringe, putt hits the stick and bounces 4 inches away. That's 3 shots deflected by the flagstick in 2 days. New rule, Paper Hogan NEVER leaves the stick in. Hit a decent drive and a horrible 6 iron into the front bunker (tried to hit a cute little cut in tight so I could make something happen). Bunkers at this course are, what's the word, terrible. Actually hit it well, it just went 25 feet by the hole. Left the putt 5 feet short (lack of any assemblance of concentration?) but canned the putt for bogey, nice 76 holmes.

Seems like a lot of folks went the same way as I did, I looked through the cards after the round (they didn't post them on the board yet) and a lot of the cards were like mine or higher. I called this evening to get the results and I finished T-24 out of the 56 man field. Full field scores "should" be posted here soon - http://www.bearcreekgolfclubarizona.com/layout9.asp?id=558&page=29924