From the 19th Hole

Wednesday 8 July 1998

Round 9

Late last week Richard suggested that we have a game of golf because it has been too damn long since the last time we played. I agreed and after a little negotiation with my boss we headed off. We chose Chamberlain Park over Takapuna because Richard played at Takapuna a few weeks ago after 3 days of heavy rain. Richards comments included "like the bloody Somme in '14", "playing from shell hole to shell hole in Flanders", "never seen a ball hit the ground and bury itself like that before", "might have been better if it did land in the bunker". Takapuna after heavy rain isn't the best place to go.
At Chamberlain Park the weather looked threatening, (Tuesday was brilliant sunshine with a gentle Easterly wind blowing), but managed to hold off raining heavily untill we had left the 18th green. It had been raining a bit over the last few weeks so the course was a lot more lush than the last time i remember it, (it used to be like a hard packed clay which added about 30 to 50 metres to my drives).
Richard managed to maintain a steady front nine, and held to within 2 strokes of me. The back nine with the water was Richard's downfall. Once clear of the water we managed to hit the ball on occasion and on ever rarer occasions the ball would travel in the direction we intended.
We played with a pair of Korean gentlemen, Chang and Sam. As we approached the first tee Richard asked what their handicap was. The reply of "Two" was not what we hoped for, still the worst thing I could do was play an airball at the first tee with everyone watching, (so I did damnit!!). I looked upon it as a challenge to try and get my first two shots near the distance of Chang and Sam's tee shots, while Richard seemed to slump into a depression, (actually the sand trap on hole 6). It was an enjoyable day however. The only problem was a foursome holding up play ahead of the threesome in front of us.
Hole No.123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards285354329110/340294281289156243831814948941715134934212030526405078
AVS6765868866065877783*758118
RPB79757867662679961083*866128
PAR444344443344355344343569

Of the points worth noting. Richard and I are using the white tee's now which are further from the hole than the red, (Novice), tees we once used.

Features of our games.
I played poorly on the front nine but managed to pick up my game on the back nine. One the few occasions I hit the ball well, it went like a rocket, (maybe once every 2 holes). Notably on the 13th with my tee shot which ended only 30 meters short of Changs tee shot. My four iron from the 15th over the canal was a scorcher too. When I played badly it was due to me not being focused when I hit the ball. When I hit a good shot I could feel it was going to be good before I played the stroke. Kind of hard to describe it but I think basketball players refer to it as "being in the zone". Average or poor shots didn't "feel" right.

Richard's game on the front nine is showing his steady improvement. He fears no bunker and despite the odd wayward shot managed to score within 3 shots of par on most holes. The back nine with the water is Richard's biggest problem to date. I think it's all in his head but for some strange reason if you gave Richard a golfball and a carpark with a puddle in it, then Richard would end up in the puddle. Despite a horror second, fourth and sixth shots at the 15th Richard managed to play a brilliant 8 iron over the trees from the 12th tee area and made the green which was completely blocked from view.
Richard admitted to being so angry with the ball that he just swung at it.

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