Pathetic round of golf

I am a 18 handicapper & so usually play every round to between 86 and 88.

Just when I thought my swing was coming together & felt consistent, it had to disappear right in the middle of a the round, right after a fairly decent front nine.

I was playing to 9 over after nine holes and the triple bogey at the 1st had a significant contribution to the score.

I really hate that first hole at the Bangalore Golf Club (BGC). Not that it's a very difficult hole. It is, in fact a fairly easy hole. Problem is, at the start of the round, I tend to miss to the left (as I am natural drawer of the ball) and so I end up on the 18th fairway with no approach to the green & I am left with the only option of chipping back to the 1st fairway & get going.

As luck would have it, my putts on the 1st green refused steadfastly to drop & so I three putted to make my triple bogey. Not a good start to a round, I assure you.

But then, the fighter in me came back to life. I parred the next 2 holes, double bogeyed the 4th & parred the next. Bogeyed the really long par 4 index one 6th, parred the 7th & missed par by a whisker on the 9th. That left me with 9 over on the back nine. Not something out of the blue for an 18 handicapper. So I was playing to my handicap.

I started the back nine by parring the 10th. And I thought I was on a roll. It looked like my swing was back & it was consitently swishing down the path that took the ball where it was supposed to go. Boy, was I wrong!

The double bogey jamboree started from the 11th tee & did not relent until the 16th & 17th, which of which I parred. That was 10 strokes in 5 holes. All my dreams of making a good round were shattered. Then I had to go and miss par by a whisker on the 18th as well. What is it with me and the final holes of the front and back nines?

I finally wound up my game with a 91. Now most people on the golf course would be happy to go back home with a 91. But I was really pissed. I hit 7 pars & missed 4 birdie chances. At this rate, I should have had a lot better score. But I did not.

Hitting 7 pars in a round is the maximum I have done...EVER! And yet, I am pissed. I am not at all satisfied with the way I played today. I think I need to start being a lot more consistent, even with my pre-shot routine. That is the only way I am going to get my scores down & feel happy with my game.

Problem is: I don't think I am ever going to feel happy with my game. I realised that as you start playing better & better, you want to get even better & there lies the misery.

What a game! Makes you miserable after you played a reasonably good round of golf. But that does not stop die-hard golfers like me. The next round is already planned! Hopefully the next post on my golfing will be a lot more cheerful!

Or maybe not!

You'll know when it gets here.