Lake Isle, Front Nine: 51

I spent some time at Cherry Lawn today trying to correct what has developed into a real problem with my woods. Thursday afternoon I played a round of nine with Mom and Dad at Lake Isle in Eastchester. First drive, first hole I took out the Big Bertha Titanium and immediately hit a fade that sent the ball somewhere over the range and onto the 10th hole. I didn't even bother to chase it down. I took a drop and misplayed the hole, I was lying five on the green and three putted. Ugly.

The second hole proved to be my best of the nine. I hit a pretty good drive, relatively straight and on target, a bit on the left side of the fairway. I misplayed the chip, short, and ended up on the green in three. I punched the putt a bit hard but on target and in the cup. Par.

Lake Isle's third hole is a real short 150 yarder. It runs along the parking lot behinid the old Mobil office building. I took out the eight iron and hit a ball straight but to the left of the green by about twenty yards. I used my 3 iron to punch it between the trunks of a couple of trees to the apron of the green. I then hit a chip off line to the pin and two putted. Double Bogie.

The next hole is a 425 yard par four that has consistently killed me the past few times I've played the course. My first drive I whacked right out of sight over the trees that run along the right side of the hole. I can't even say it was a fade, just a mishit. The next drive (mulligan) went lower and hit the trees. I found a ball where I believed my ball should be, but never found my actual shot. The ball was Nike, so I took it as a sign from the golf gods and played it. I took out my Cleveland Halo 3i and whacked it right back through the trees and onto the adjacent fairway. From where I had to play the ball tehhere was no approach to the green. I had to punch it back onto the fairway with my five iron. From there, about 100 yards out, I hit a beautiful nine iron, to about 4 yards from the pin. Best shot of the day.

The fifth hole is a dog leg right around a stand of trees. I hit my first shot off to the right again and ended up with a decent shot back to the fairway. I ended up on the green in three, but then 3 putted the green. At this point I knew I wasn't going to have a stellar round.

The sixth hole played pretty straight forward except I lost my third shot in the high weeds next to the green. I was on in four and I two putted. The seventh hole is a nice three par. I sent the drive into the drainage off to the left of the green. I had to drop and was on the green in two and two putted.

The eighth at LI is a blind drive over a hill and into a dog leg left. My Dad was standing at the top of the hill when I hit up, and I think he was in my head when I hit because my drive went low and ended up rolling up to the ladies tee. My next shot, once again with my Cleveland, faded off into the trees that are between the 8th and 16th hole. I hit a branch and was lucky to find my ball. I immediatly smacked the next shot into the frog pond. I got away with a seven.

The ninth hole is a long three, 230 yards. I hit the heavenwood and completely missed the ball in the setting sun. I was happy to find it in the fairway, but my chip up bounced over the elevated green and down the 10 foot drop behind. I hit another chip that went right and away from the green. My next chip landed me on and I two putted.

I walked away with a nasty 51.