Creta Golf Club Back 9

#10, short par 4 downwind . . . but . . . wtf? , , , can't go left, or right, and it looks like they want us to lay up . . . on the scorecard it looks straight . . .just like the front 9, good drive, flukey approach that misses the green, can't get up and down, bogey

#11, same deal, but on this one there was the extra twist that the scorecard map was backwards . . . the hole doglegs RIGHT not LEFT . . . my tee-shot actually came up short of the trash I was aiming at left in confusion . . . the hole is downwind, but blind-landing, but I still think I could drive it . . . 8^D

#12 par 5, tried to sling a hook around the dogleg, but blocked it instead . . . 5iron and 9iron later got a 2putt par.

#13 is bodacious par 4, #2 handicap hole, signature hole quality, skied a ball so authoritatively the wind didn't bother it, 8iron to the green, finally a bonafide missed birdie (aka GIR). I had to take a pic of the cliff next to the green.

. . . but this is looking back up to the fairway from the back of the green . . . 

. . . and from above the hole on the next tee.

sort of an uphill into-the-wind par 3, #14. . . hit an impossibly high 8iron (dang these callaways, but a pro-shot), pulled left into the sand trap, pin high. blasted out long, 2 putt bogey

#15 par 5 really is unfair in how completely camouflaged the hole is . . . I finally just flared a 4iron onto the right side of the fairway, cuz that was the most club I could envision hitting . . . could have hit 3iron safely, or something longer not a driver if it was perfectly straight. Foolzed a 5iron, out of uncertainty even from there where the hole was going. STILL could not see, so I hit a 9iron over the trap -- , er, into the trap, from where I could see I still had 120 m . . . hit a patented cactus-dave fairway bunker 7iron onto the back fringe, 2putt bogey

Don't remember #16 at all. Par.

#17 par 4, breather hole, except for the way the green goes away from the fairway . . . not the only hole that way, you know . . . after doing the algebra, I hit an 8iron to the back of the green . . . wasn't displeased . . . algebra not my best subject . . . 8^)

#18 is another scary, narrow, short par 4 . . . but AT LEAST there is a fairway marker to aim at . . . hit a towering, wind fighting drive to the end of that top level of the fairway . . . a few yards from that marker . . . pureed a 9iron to the back of the green and 2putt for par.

Not a typical resort course . . . sort of like Sanctuary in Scottsdale that way . . . short, narrow, windy and difficult . . . all the holes kinda feel the same, with blind landings . . .#7 & #13 are great holes, the rest are just very nice . . . only that 1 par 3 #16 didn't seem that interesting . . . but maybe 16 & 17 as breather holes is a good idea . . . sort of a high 3 (not quite a 2) on the Scottsdale scale . . . but I was playing really well, despite low expectations and that may have made it seem less challenging that it would be on another day . . . .would love to play it again, knowing the course a little better . . . 

Concentration

ONLY A GOLFER CAN UNDERSTAND HIS CONCENTRATION!

 

It was later reported that his wife got out safely, and that he did indeed par the hole .... he says the divorce isn't going to be that bad, now that there's no house involved!!!...

 

 

 

Tiger v Sergio

After the round, he blamed it on Tiger. Sergio claimed Tiger took a 5-wood out of his bag during his backswing, which prompted oohs and aahs from the crowd that distracted him.

When he was asked about it, Tiger said it was all big misunderstanding. He told reporters:

"The marshal told me he already hit so I pulled the club and was getting ready to play my shot, and then I hear his comments afterward. Not really surprising that he's complaining about something."

But in an interview with Michael Bamberger of Sports Illustrated, two separate marshals say that that conversation never happened.

John North, who was standing over Tiger's ball at the time, told SI:

"Nothing was said to us and we certainly said nothing to him. I was disappointed to hear him make those remarks. We're there to help the players and enhance the experience of the fans. He was saying what was good for him. It lacked character."

Another marshal, Gary Anderson, added, "He didn't ask us nothing, and we didn't say nothing. We're told not to talk to the players."

They are both accusing Tiger of lying here, North explicitly so.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/marshal-says-tiger-woods-lied-about-sergio-shot-2013-5#ixzz2TLB8xoom

Tiger Drops Again

Satellite Images Show How Violently Tiger Woods' Shot Must Have Hooked Before His Controversial Drop

Cork Gaines | May 13, 2013, 4:43 PM

On the 14th hole of The Players Championship, Tiger Woods once again found himself in the middle of a dropped ball controversy.

At the center of the controversy was where Tiger's ball last crossed the border of the hazard.

Unfortunately, the network broadcast was unable to provide us with a definitive replay. But if we piece together images from the broadcast and overlay them on a Google Earth satellite image, we get a much clearer picture that suggests Woods took a drop in the wrong spot (click on image for a larger view) ...

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-images-of-tiger-woods-controversail-drop-2013-5#ixzz2TFMgFPsX

Winter Rules

 

 

I am still waiting for Sergio to comment, he’s gotta be steaming now . . . and “Thurston” Howell III, too . . .

Augusta Changes

Illustrator Chris O'Riley drew up changes to Augusta National through the years for Golf Digest a few years back. He gave us permission to re-run some the illustrations.

We're going to use them to show you how the course has changed.

As a reminder of why the course was altered, here's Tim Rosaforte in 1997 describing Woods at Augusta National: "Woods reduced this once mighty track to an executive course. He was reaching the par 5s with wedges and driving it pin-high at the 360-yard third. All he did was go 18 under, set the tournament record, win by 12 strokes and turn Augusta into Indian Wells."

Woods was just the first of a generation of long hitters aided by improvements in technology. If Augusta wasn't made longer, the course would be a joke for pros.

The first changes in 2002 didn't really work. He won twice after those changes. The second changes in 2006 worked. He hasn't won since.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-augusta-national-has-changed-2013-4#ixzz2Q2lbvjIh

 

Tiffany and Brittany

Tiffany and Brittany are standing on the 18th tee at their Country Club. They are the final twosome in the Women's Country Club Championship and are tied for the lead. The 18th hole is a beautiful par four with a deep valley descending down to a dogleg right.

Both Tiffany and Brittany hit long, straight tee shots which disappear down into the valley. A short time later, the fore caddie appears at the top of the hill and announces that both balls are within a foot of each other, but there's a problem. Both of the golf balls are Titleist #4s.

Tiffany and Brittany look at each other and realize that they had not informed each other as to what kind of ball they were playing, nor its number. They quickly descend into the valley and, sure enough, their two Titleist golf balls are right next to each at the bottom of the valley in the middle of the fairway.

Britt looks at Tiff and says, "We had better get a ruling from a tournament official to straighten this out." "This is the Women's Country Club Championship and we don't want to be disqualified for making a mistake and hitting the wrong ball." "After all, we are tied for the lead."

Soon after, a rules official appears and examines the two #4 Titleist golf balls. He then looks up at Tiff and Britt and says,

"Which one of you is playing the orange ball?