A post-Harvey replay at Cypress Lakes.

Enough about Harvey. Obviously it wiped out one weekend of play and has flooded who knows how much area as we sit here typing this. The only course that I knew that was high and dry was Cypress Lakes so I decided to go back there, especially since its about five minutes away. This time I played a tee further back as the two guys I was paired up with were playing there. Fine by me.

Since I just played here I had at least a little bit of an idea of what to expect so that helped a bit. Also, one of the guys I was playing with was definitely a quality player (he'd end up shooting 40-35=75 on the day with borrowed clubs) so that was helpful, even despite the fact that we were firmly entrenched behind a fivesome all day. The day was a little slow but at least it was possible to find a rhythm.

No pictures are in this one since we saw the course last time. I will mention the one thing I did try to change with my swing... well, really it was my grip. I strengthened my left hand to the point that it definitely felt awkward. I hit the range the day before so I was at least familiar with the feeling but it was certainly a noticeable difference. The main reason I did it was that I felt I would have the temptation to lift my arms so much as opposed to turning my shoulders. That seemed to do the trick on the range, now I had to see if I could do it on the course and still hit the ball somewhat in the direction I wanted it to go.

My first few drives were all hit solidly, I could tell a difference compared to what I was doing. The first three were a bit left, then on the fifth I left it a little right. None were grossly offline, I had shots to the green each time. The biggest surprise was how well I hit the irons, which has been my biggest issue (or at least the one I mainly complain about). I hit four of the first five greens, the one I missed was a knockdown wedge on the par five that I hit the fringe with. The best thing about them all was they were all LONG, one of them was a 5-iron that was at least 7-8 yards past the hole. I hope I keep that up, that would be really helpful.

I parred all five of those holes and then hit the fairway with a good drive on the sixth and left myself with about 125 yards to the pin. My first mistake today came when I decided to try to hit wedge instead of the 9-iron. I wanted to force it, I wanted to see if it would go the little bit further. Nope. Instead I kinda reverted back to the old weak leaker and ended up short-siding myself to a front pin. Then the shanks happened.

Yep, I cold shanked the pitch. It wasn't an easy shot, but a shank? I wasn't happy at all about that but I just assumed it was due to the type of shot I tried to hit from a semi-tight lie. I then shanked the second try. Now I'm worried. I'm still not on the green and I now have a chip going downhill to the hole that must carry the fringe in order to get rolling. Fortunately I pulled that one off and managed to at least score a double bogey but that really ruined a great start.

On to the seventh, the par-3 that was playing 167 yards today. I chose 6-iron, thinking that if I don't get that extra five yards that I was getting from the previous shots I'll be fine, under the hole and still looking at 15-20 feet for birdie. I hit it 166-1/2. Nice bounce back birdie there, the swing felt really nice too.

I then parred the eighth and butchered the ninth in a similar fashion as the sixth. This time my drive missed left and though I had a line to the green the lie wasn't too good. I either caught the ball a little heavy or I get could get it to go anywhere and left it a bit short. I then shanked another pitch, though this one at least decided to roll onto the green. I then three-jacked from about 40 feet for another double. Again, I was simply perplexed by it all but what could I really do? On to the back nine.

On the back I hit every fairway but one, the one I missed was hit really solid but a shade left on the par-5 14th. I parred the 10th, bogeyed the 200-yard par-3 11th (but I pulled off a really nice pitch, so I can do it!), bogeyed the 12th when I tried to hit less club that I should of again, parred the 13th and the 14th and bogeyed the 15th, a par-4 that was playing 433 yards. This was the one drive I didn't catch solid, which figures since it was the longest par-4 on the course.

On the 16th I hit a good drive and then hit another really nice 6-iron that landed right near the hole and rolled about 10-12 feet past. Too bad I missed the putt, which was again the status quo on these greens. My putting was pretty good as far as getting the speed right, even the three putt on the ninth wasn't awful. I just never made anything of any length. Maybe the third time I play here, whenever that is, will be the charm.

SO after parring the 16th I had a 9-iron on the short par-3 17th. I didn't hit it terrible but it was more like the weak leaker than what I had been doing earlier in the day. However, I was still only about 25 feet away but I had to pitch over the fringe to a pin cut somewhat close to the edge of the green. Again, I pulled it off as I had been the entire back side, nearly chipping in for birdie. I was feeling better about myself again.

So I stroll to the 18th hole, today playing at 425 yards. I'm sitting at 6-over on the day so I've definitely played pretty well overall, despite the disasters around a couple of the greens on the front side. I hit what was probably the best drive I hit all day, really solid with a slight draw that follows the curve of the fairway. I have 166 yards left to the hole, so that means I get to hit that 6-iron again. Good for me, right?

Nope.

I'm really not sure what happened but I hit it a bit fat and lost it well right. It ended up closer to the green than I thought it would but it was easily the worst full swing of the day. I'm not sure if I had an uneven lie and I missed that fact or if I just tried too hard to hit another solid 6-iron after than weakish 9-iron on the 17th. Anyway, at least I had some green to work with.

I get to my ball and its not good, its sitting down in the rough to where I could only see the top third to half of the ball.Since I have some space to run it up I just figured I had to get the ball out and have it carry far enough to reach the green, where it would run out by itself. OK, I've done that plenty of times before.

I shanked it again.

Maybe it was the lie. Maybe not. I really think I tried to stab at it too much and too fast. I don't know but it shook me a bit, so much that I did it again on the next try. I'm just baffled, I have NO IDEA what was going on, especially after I just hit three or four quality pitches and chips on the previous eight holes. Somehow I managed to hit another one of the quality shots to within two feet and made the putt for double. I have to admit that I felt embarrassed by those shanks, I really did. I shot 80 and shanked five shots. Five. I lost at least three shots there, maybe more if I make a putt or two.

Feeling a bit pissed off I rode over to the chipping area that they have there. I shanked the first one. I didn't do it again after spending about 15-20 minutes there. I even holed out two of them. I still don't know what I'm doing to cause it though I suspect its that stab-like motion that I felt on the one attempt earlier. Instead of turning through with the shoulders I guess I suddenly decide to go at it with my hands and arms. Or something. I don't know.

I went back to Cypress Lakes today to practice but the chipping area was crowded so I hit the putting green instead. As I was leaving I went over there with my wedge and hit five shots... all of them were near perfect, no issues at all. The one thing I did try to change was not being so open with my stance on those shots. That seemed to make it feel a little easier to do what I wanted. We'll see if it helps on the course next time.

Anyway, I'll take an 80 om a 6566 yard track even in spite of the peculiar short game issues. Overall I hit my driver solid all day and hit quite a few really solid iron shots. Yeah, I still had a few stinkers but even those weren't all that bad. I'll see if I can improve on it some more and see if its something I can repeat more consistently.

As far as where I'll play... good question. Irma killed the plan to fly out to Jacksonville for an extended golf weekend with my good friend Bill, a plan that had included a round at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. So much for that idea. What was $215 for a round would now be $499 as the twilight rates go away later in the month. We've rescheduled the trip for the end of September and we still have plenty of quality place to choose from so don't cry for us... I've already done that.