For the seventh day of January it was quit a a nice day in Western New York. So nice in fact that your King went down to Geneseo and played golf with the usual crew for the first time ever in the month of January. It was really starting to warm nicely until the sixth hole when the front passed through and made it just a tad cooler and also bringing with it a change in wind direction and increasing its speed. The sun also went behind some high clouds which took away a bit of its warming effect.
My point total to hit for eighteen holes was seventeen points and it was a battle to get to it. My front nine was very nondescript with pars on the two par fives, three bogeys and four of the dreaded 'others' so I made the turn with seven points. Wow. Man, after the first three holes it looked like Dave was going to run away with it as he had seven points to my two. But there was hope as I was putting rather well and I had some semblance of a short game which was a surprise after not playing for a month which countered my very sporadic driving off the tee. I gave myself some decent opportunities with my chipping and always seemed to leave myself with tap ins when I missed a lengthy putt. I had a number of putts within six feet and only missed one of them which, for me, is great and that was the five footer on thirteen for par.
Making the turn it looked like more of the same with one of those rotten 'others' on ten but I parred number eleven and bogeyed the very tough twelfth hole. After a crappy tee shot that was about twenty five yards to the right on the par three thirteenth I hit a great chip but left my par putt on the rim of the cup. Unfortunately Carl Spackler was not blowing up gophers that day so I tapped in, took a bogey and a point. Now getting to the hole of the day, and maybe the year, the par five fourteenth. After a great drive I hit a six iron to the right side of the green leaving me a thirty five foot putt for eagle. The last time I played fourteen I sank a birdie putt from about the same line though a bit closer so I had a good idea what the putt was going to do. I lined it up and gave it a spanking and right from the start I knew it was going to be close. When the ball was about 5 feet from the hole I could see I was going to be a very happy King and started to run it out and, of course, I went nuts when it dropped as it gave me six big points. OMG, it has been so long since my last eagle, well over twenty years, and it baffles me why I do not get a few more of them. I have the strength to reach the par fives in two but I usually manage to do something stupid after a great drive but, thank goodness, not today. I tried to keep my nerves calm but the next three holes where pretty much a disaster, even with me putting well, as the 'out of bounds monster' bit me on fifteen and sixteen. Going into the eighteenth hole I did not figure that I was in the ballgame for our little tourney until Dave told me I had a one point lead. I was completely surprised at that fact as I thought Dave was well into the lead. Okay, I just had to play eighteen with a semblance of sanity and I should win. So I had a decent drive, not too good of a second shot as it was about fifteen yards to the right of the green pin high. I wanted to make sure that my chip was was at least on the green past the hole and it ended up about ten feet past it which satisfied me as it gave me a pretty straight uphill putt. Dave ended up with bogey leaving me with a two putt for a win but I put my par putt right into the heart of the cup. Not a bad finish for your King. It wasn't that big of a win as there were only four of us but hey, a win is a win. Maybe January is my month for golf??? Maybe that is why there is usually a ton of snow in January so I can't play.
It was interesting as I had one of my poorer days off the tee but still won. It again proves that you drive for show and putt for dough. I think part of my problem off the tee was that my front foot would slip as I was striking the ball as it was rather wet which led to some rather interesting drives. My twenty yard drive on eight was a peach but I did out drive Hondo by ten yards. Nothing like getting a round in during the dead of winter to put a smile on your face. I would have been satisfied with just getting that eagle but the win was an unexpected surprise.
Normally I would not bore you with an extensive royal golf update but getting an eagle, and playing a round of golf, in the month of January is worthy of note. I will try not to bore you with such a lengthy golf report in the future unless, of course, there are more eagles in my future. Please have a great evening!
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