Date: 27th March 2007Place: Forest Hills Golf & Resort
Weather: Heavy Rain / Wind
Conditions: Dry fairways / Wet greens
Shot of the Day: Jaime's 2nd to the 9th, 8i middle of green with the pressure of clubhouse diners watching on!
Our confidence was high after a good practice the night before, Jaime breaking in his new hybrid club (Nike Slingshot, 20 degree 3w) with great success and Dave's swing evolving with more consistency and distance. Unfortunately all the positives from the night before evaporated on the 1st tee! Jaime smashing his ball through a mini forest to the right and Dave topping his drive about 60 yards...Not a promising beginning.
Indeed the whole outward 9 was painful, seemingly endless duff shots, wrong club selection, green mis-reads as well as some serious trekking through the lovely Hiroshima countryside staring hopefully at the foliage for a small white pimpled object. The worst shot of the day (and there was plenty to choose from!) was recorded on the 6th hole by Jaime who hit the tee shot so far left in was close to landing on the neighbouring Hiroshima International Airport. Only to be being saved from going to airport to ask for his ball back by the border fence. Air traffic control must have been very worried if they had been following our round!
Dave's hopes of avoiding a double figure was also dashed, with a horrendous score on the 6th, but at least he was on the fairway during the hole, unlike Jaime who incredibly rescued a bogie despite not once being on grass less than ankle high. (You are in the rough, you know you should play safe, but hey what the hell right? A curse word and an almighty whack will serve just as good...until you land in the rough again! But hey, you are in the rough, so....)
We trooped in for the luncheon break downhearted and wet from the heavens that had poured on us for most of the morning. Trying to forget the scorecard we both indulged in a delicious lunch. One of the true enjoyments of playing golf in Japan, is the without exception excellent food offered in the clubhouses. (The other 2 being the beer machines/food huts & the bath house after the round) They really set you up for the afternoon play.
With rounder mid-drifts we set out for the afternoon 9 and even though the weather continued to be foul, the scorecard observed a slight improvement, with Jaime at least edging nearer the birdie end than the bogie one. Dave again just failed to achieve is perfect single figure score, but the weather was a distinct handicap. By the last few holes the wind had really got going and with the rain as further hindrance, not too much should be dwelt on the final score. In the end both Dave's and my scorecard wasn't as bad as it looked at the halfway point and the weather did play its part.
Dave could take pleasure from his continued increase in length from the tee, breaking his own yardage distance with a 176 yard drive. Jaime too gained some distance as was getting the ball 250+ by the outward 9. At one hole, according to the computer Dave hit 228 yards and Jaime 331 - so we assumed it was having a momentary loss of control due to the extraordinary dreariness of some of our play. If indeed our little monitor was correct I would have landed right bang on the green from the tee...if only wishing made it so!
Golf Photos
Unpredictable Greens - Missing a birdie on the 10th by running out of juice
On the same green Dave's ball slid 2 feet past...Notice the plane flying overhead
The Scoop & Scrap Method - Dave's unusual way of playing a bunker shot...
Confusingly brown fairways - despite the rain & cold!
Things of real beauty - The traditional Japanese Mid-9 holes Beer Hut! (and loos)
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An Applicable Golf Quote:
"Golf is a day spent in a round of strenuous idleness"
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William Wordsworth
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