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Shot 80. Yep, 80. In a Pro-Am.

Dave tells me "weird things happen in tournaments that don't normally happen" and this was the case for me. I had two bogeys going into the sixth hole (bounced a wedge over a green, tried to cut a shot with the ball a foot above my feet, dumb) but was getting good looks at birdies and tap-in pars on the other holes. Feeling good, striking the ball well.

Thing #1 that doesn't normally happen:
I hit a ball on the line I was told would be good. Ball clips the top of a tree and bounces backwards and I have to pitch out backwards. I don't remember the last time I pitched out backwards. Tried to make up for it from there and ended up doubling the hole. Pffft.

Thing #2 that doesn't normally happen:
Lost ball on the next hole off the tee. No idea where it went. I thought I saw it land, but nobody else in my group was watching and they didn't help look for the full five minutes either - about 1:00 to 1:30 they helped. Had to re-tee. Drill the second tee shot down the middle of the fairway. I don't remember the last time I lost my own golf ball.

Thing #3 that doesn't normally happen:
Same hole as #2. Approach shot hits a sprinkler head and bounds 30 yards over the back of the green! I try to get aggressive with the pitch (lying four, after all) and it runs through the green. I tried to chip to a bowl and the chip came up short, then. In the end, I score a QUAD on a hole that's a driver/PW. I'd have done no worse than bogey, most likely, had we found the original ball. Still no idea where it could have gone.

So I'm 8 over after 7 holes. Nice.

But I was playing well so I just told myself "keep playing well and you'll be fine. I finished out the last 11 holes in even par, birdieing two holes that were "reachable" - a 280 yard par four I drove to pin high in the greenside rough and a 550-yard par five on which I reached the greenside bunker in two and got up and down.

Best yet, our team tied for first in the Bombay at -18 (best two of four, net scores for the amateurs). I put $4 on our team for all three spots in the pari-mutuel. I should win a few hundred bucks in total (most from the Bombay).

So, all things considered, a successful day despite the score. The amateurs were great to play with and we had a lot of fun.

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