On to the golf…my driver picks me up and it’s another 20 minute ride thru twisty narrow streets, congested traffic and people going about their business. Right in the middle of what appears to be an old part of town, we make a turn and we are out of the third world scene and things look pretty darn refined.
Lots of people manicuring the grass, flowers and shrubs and this place has the country club feel right away. I step out of the car and instantly I’m greeted by Jeab. She’s a bouncy gal with a big smile and she will be the caddie of the day. I take immediate notice there is no slimy white makeup, so we are already off to a good start.
The clubhouse was recently updated and it’s modern and sharp inside with a beautifully decorated pro shop locker room and bar area. I like it.
Jeab gathers my bag and I head to the putting green to roll a few. Today it’s not crowded and it’s just Jeab and I. There is no range and she’s anxious to go as there is a small group behind us that she wants to be in front of so we don’t have to wait. Thumbs up to that… let’s roll.
Things start off well with a good drive and a decent approach and I’ve got about a 15 footer for birdie…. Nice !
I give it my best roll only to have covered 8 of the 15 required feet. It’s obviously against the grain but the greens are incredibly grainy and slow.
I absolutely pound the next putt and it creeps over the lip on the last millimeter of roll for a par. As the course unfolds in front of me I can see why the mixed reviews. The greens are incredibly slow but they are also quite small and undulated. Perhaps they fear if they cut them down nice, it will be too difficult for folks. I’m not sure the reason but I certainly don’t like it. It’s slower than anything I’ve ever played on.
I played from the tips today, but there are many legit par 4s you can’t hit driver or 3 wood on due to extreme dogleg architecture. You are forced to hit hybrid off the tee and then you have all of anywhere from 150 up to 200 into a tiny well bunkered green. I’m beginning to understand the mixed reviews.
Lastly the fairways are a mixture of Bermuda and that coarse bladed monkey grass. If you hit into the grain with your drive you get ZERO roll. It stops the ball dead. I’m committed to playing the ball down while I’m here but today was not easy.
Jeab and I had a good time and she was really pulling for me to get my act together but I managed to card a big fat 80 today. I didn’t three putt once but I just couldn’t get the ball to the hole with my short game or putts despite telling myself “ya gotta hit it”!
This would be a fun course to learn…. Kind of like Franklin County… it has personality and some unusual holes that give it character. If they cut those greens it would be a heck of a test for anyone.
On a side note, as I ventured just off the fairway and near a tree looking for my ball, I brushed up against some hanging vegetation and 10 seconds later felt the sting of a fire ant biting the crap out of me behind the ear.
Karma is a bitch.
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