Just keep golfing, just keep golfing

So its December, I live in New England, and I just played golf today in a short sleeve shirt.  Buh-dah-du-da-dah, Im loving it!  Sorry to rip off the tag line but it was a widely successful campaign. 

The Course:

My pro J. Struebing and I played Franklin Park Golf Course today (www.cityofboston.gov/golf/WJDGC/).  It is the second oldest public golf course in the nation and it is a great place.  It is mostly links style with some really nice holes tucked back in the woods.    

A view across the course, you can see 4 fairways

It is a great design though with really hard greens.  I thought that I was somewhat able to read greens but this course proved me wrong.  It took 18 holes for me to one putt and trust me I had some really close looks before that.  It made for a good challenge though and a fun day.  There were also some great elevation changes with some blind tee and fairway shots (local knowledge required).  I stood on the 6th tee not knowing where we were going and blasted my drive into the 8th fairway, not helpful.  It was a great drive, unfortunately for me in the completely wrong direction. 

From the fairway on 6. I was 100 yards to the left (not in the picture)

The weather was warm (65, you joking me?) and the rain held off for most of the round.  The golf gods were smiling on us because the weather report said rain all day.  It was $35 for 18 walking.  I was a little disapointed in the price.  I would expect a little discount at this point in the season especially given the condition of the course (soaked and doing work).  I will be back next year though.

One last pic from 16, just a well designed fun hole

The Round:

It is always nice playing with Jesse.  He is such a great guy and an even better golf coach.  He is so laid back and great at explaining the cause and effect of a golf swing.  He lets me bother him with all my questions about plane and swing thoughts and always has an answer.  He's awesome.  To have that on the course makes me feel like a true professional.  If only I played like one.  I did not play up to my potential but I dont care because its December and Im still playing golf in short sleeves (happy dance).  I have plenty to work on in the off season but for right now Im just enjoying the nice weather. 

J-bombs played well.  Straight crushing it off the tee and stupid around the greens.  It wasnt a birdie day due to the greens.  Some unfortunate edge burners that will drop for sure next time around.  He did have some nice sandies and up and downs. 

For all you animal lovers dont read this paragraph.  For those of you who hate Canadian Geese then save and publish this paragraph.  On the 15th tee there was a whole flock of geese about 25yds in front of the tee box.  Now normally they would not be in any immediate danger, but not today my friends, oh no.  I ripped a drive low and left off the inside of the club face and one hopped it into the side of the geese.  It made a thump followed by a squawk.  I hate these flying dump trucks so I thought it was hilarious.  Plus arent they supposed to fly south for the winter.  Its their own fault for still being around.  P.S. The goose was fine so dont worry.

The Beer:

I didnt have any beer on the course or any afterwards.  Im sorry If I have let you down.  I did have a nice dust cutter of Jim Beam though (www.jimbeam.com).  For those of you who dont know me, I LOVE JIM BEAM.  Im somewhat sure that bourbon is the cure all  for a lot of things, colds, broken hearts, AIDS.  Im working on a grant to study its effects.  Ill let you know the results. 

I bought a 5th for the course (I didnt drink it all) and then parlayed it into a lovely Manhattan when I got home.  It was delicious.  I promise to have some beers next time.

Final Tally: 

0 birdies and 0 beers.  Came away with a couple of pars and a feeling there is some great golf in the future.  Until then...Burning edges and pounding beverages.

Gobble Gobble

Thanksgiving is hands down my favorite holiday!  You cant beat a holiday where your holiday cheer is measured by how much you can stuff your face.  Trust me Im real good at stuffing my face.  I won a blueberry pie eating contest for both most eaten and messiest in 3min.  I finished the pie, with my hands behind my back, not kidding.  I wish I had a picture of that to show you, you will just have to take my word for it.  Anyhouch back to golf.

The Course:

I played 9 holes today at George Wright golf course in Hyde Park, MA (georgewrightgolfcourse.net).  It is a Donny Ross (my boy) design that was constructed back in the 1930's.  It is an absolute gem and in my professional opinion (I say that very loosely) the best Municipal course in MA.  This course screams Donald Ross.  It has every aspect of what he was all about.  False fronts, blind shots, crazy greens, working with the land, etc. 

From behind the 4th green, you can see the 3rd in the back ground.

You cant even see where the hole goes from the tee.  It is not low and left which is where I went.

If you are only able to get out for 9 try to get on the back.  It is the much better half of the course.  Unfortunately for me I had to play the front.  Not upset in anyway but just not as exciting.  The first two holes are pretty much a waste.  It is about 650yds from the club house to the end of the property and Donny stuck two par 4s in that space, blah.  After that the course picks up though.  The greens were rolling, hmmm, okay.  They had been sanded recently so that is always a mystery for putting but what can you do?  Im still playing golf at the end of November.  Im not going to complain that much. 

The trees at this point dont have much left on them which hurts you in two ways.  One, it isnt very visually stimulating.  Just makes everything feel gray.  Two, there are a bunch of leaves on the ground which makes it difficult to find your ball when you spray it a little.  Now you can look at this as a bonus depending on how much of a helping hand you require.  If you play like me then you walk up to an area somewhat near to where you hit your ball.  Put your hands in your pockets and kick around in the leaves and mumble to your self.  Pretend that there are far to many leaves to find you  ball and take a free drop and play on.  Perfect!

They are running a small fall discount right now (you can almost call them winter specials at this point) but not much which is a little disappointing.  It was $23 I think for 9.  When you consider that I paid $30 on the weekend at Poquoy Brook $23 doesnt look so good.  The course is 5min from my house though so you cant beat the convenience.  If you are a Boston resident they give you a decent discount year round though. 

The Round:

I couldnt find anyone to come out a play so I headed out by myself.  Im not going to pass up 60 degrees and sunny.  Are you kidding me, its almost December!  Im no scientist or politician but I think that Al Gore has it all wrong.  Global Warming kicks ass!  Walking around in short sleeves with the sun shinning down, yes please.  If you figure that the ice caps are going to melt in what 300+ years lets soak up the nice weather while we can.  There will be a nuclear fall out way before the ice caps melt. 

I ended up playing with a nice family.  The son was in college and could crush the ball, a real solid player.  The dad was alright, mostly annoying and thought he was way better than he actually was.  He was clearly trying to keep up with his son and doing a horrible job at it (little too competitive, just let it go dad).  The mom was a good golfer.  Hit it well off the tee and could really keep moving which was a nice surprise. 

I did not play well.  When I played for a fade, it would go straight or hook.  When I tried to draw it, forget it.  I also had a handful of hosel rockets, always a fun surprise when the ball goes shooting off into the woods.  On a Donald Ross course that isnt going to get you anywhere.  My swing is quickly falling apart at the end of the season.  Im okay with it I guess.  I figure I wouldnt usually be playing at this time of year so who cares if Im hitting everything but a straight shot.  Its all bonus time anyways.

The Beer:

They were running a special on Bud products.  $2.75 for anything Bud related which is a good deal.  I didnt take them up on it though.  The bar was empty and I wasnt about to belly up by myself at 2:15 in the afternoon.  That is the path to alcoholism my friends.  Instead I came home and enjoyed a Back in Black by 21st Amendment with my dog (he enjoyed a rubber bone).  You arent an alcoholic if you drink with someone else.

George Wright does have a handful of domestics at the bar but nothing on tap.  Ive reviewed the Back in Black before in another post (birdiesandbeer.blogspot.com/2011/09/butter-brook-gc).  I was just as impressed this time around as I was the last time I had it.  A wonderful brew. 

Final Tally:

0 birdies (Not even a par) and 1 Beer.  Until next time...free drops and lots-o-hops make for a good fall day.

Woopsie

So here is a picture of the course that we were supposed to play...

This is Shining Rock Golf Course in Northbridge, MA (www.shiningrock.com).  My friend Mike and I were supposed to play for $Free.99 but he messed up the reservation.  He set us up for Monday instead of Sunday, an honest mistake (if you are a dumbass) but it didnt get us on the course because they were all booked up.  To Shining Rocks credit they did give us numbers to surrounding courses so that we could still try to get out and enjoy the day.  Big ups to them for trying to help us out.  It is that kind of hospitality that will bring me back even if I have to pay. 

The Course:

So we called around and Sandy Burr was able to take us.  They had a cancellation and we jumped on the opening.  Sandy Burr (www.sandyburr.com) is in Wayland, MA.  I have played this course in the past but when I was much younger.  I grew up in Natick so this course was the best option that was close to my house.  I never got to play it and drink at the same time though so this was a different experience. 

The course is a Donny Ross design (yea I called him Donny, we're tight like that) but I wouldnt call it one of his best.  Dont get me wrong, it is a very nice course and worth a try but you wouldnt play it and automatically think about Donny.  Some false fronts and it works well with the land but there are better designed Ross courses out there.  It is set on the Sudbury river and a word to the wise, dont ever play there after some hard days of rain.  The course turns into a marsh quickly and they usually have to close some holes.  The day we played was nice though with some soft fairways but it is playing very well for the end of the season (minus the punched greeens).  Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees which makes it not as visually appealing as usual but still a nice walk.

They do have some fall rates going on right now ($40 for 18) so go and check it out.  I think they could do a little better on the price given the time of year and the condition of the course but Im always looking for a better bargain.  It isnt long enough where you have to take a cart.  So save yourself a little cake on the cart and apply it to your bar tab. 

The Round:

So the course was nice but the round was HORRIBLE!  I was playing like poop.  I blamed it on not being prepared to play Sandy Burr but the truth is that I just wasnt at my best.  Now I have played like doodie in the past but had a great time doing it.  That was not the case today. 

We were paired up with a couple of Asian guys.  Dont get the wrong idea about me.  Im not a racist or one to stereotype.  I mention that purely for descriptive purposes.  They were terrible golfers!  They would duff it all the way up the fairway and then take their sweet ass time on the green like they were lining up a putt on the 18th at Augusta (only to 3 putt every green, awesome!).  I thought that golf would be a universal language but I was very wrong.  These guys didnt speak a lick of English.  You try to describe "play faster" with hand signals and gestures and see how far you get.  We just got a lot of head nods a smiles.

Mike played well.  He was crushing the ball off the tee and had some difficulty around the green.  His typical game.  We were both so frustrated with the day that by the 16th tee we were ready to go home.  The only thing that made the back 9 tolerable was the two 16 ounce bud heavies at the turn (by two I mean two a piece).  Just an FYI, a sand trap makes a great koozie. 

Im not trying to condone drinking (yes I am) but lets be honest with each other here, it always makes life better.  It makes ugly people better looking, it makes a hard day at work melt away, it makes your nagging mother less annoying, and it makes playing horrible golf with a couple of people you hope to never see again, hmm okay. 

Needless to say I was happy when it was all over.  I did par the last hole which helped as well.  I was more excited to get into the club house and grab a frosty beverage. 

The Beer:

Sandy Burr did not have any cart girls on the course.  Ive come to find out this is customary for this time of year due to the fact that all the college girls go back to school.  I believe that they usually do have on course alcohol assistance during the regular season.  The club house isnt accessible from much of the course.  Realistically only the 1st and 10th are close enough to duck in and grab your libations.  I tell you this so you can plan accordingly.  If I had planned ahead better I would have grabbed more than two at the turn. 

After the round I tried Festbier by Victory Brewing Company (www.victorybeer.com/beers/festbier).

I have had other Victory's in the past at the brew fests that I go to throughout the year and these guys know what they are doing.  Festbier is their Octoberfest and man is it a tasty brew.  Real good hop flavor and a smooth finish.  Hands down one of my favorite Octoberfests and that is saying a lot, trust me.  This is my favorite time of year for beer and I hold companies fall beers to a higher standard.  Victory straight delivers with this brew.  Watch the video on their website.  The beer flavors actually make your brain think you should drink more (now I know why I like octoberfests).  It is a great beer for the fall and early winter.  I will definitely be looking for this in the liquor stores and you should too.  You will not be disappointed. 

Final Tally:

0 birdies (I didnt even have a legit look at one, sad face) 3 beers.  Until next time...A Slice is never Nice unless you are taking down an OctoberFeist.

Peaks and Valleys

It was a perfect afternoon for golf and the Patsies werent on until Sunday night so we had plenty of time to play.  C-Mo and I decided upon Poquoy Brook which is clearly in support of the home team.

The Course:

Poquoy Brook (www.poquoybrook.com) is located in Lakeville, MA just south of Boston and it is a gem of a course.  I dont know where the term Indian Summer comes from, or what its true meaning is but I like it.  If I were Websters (and thank god for the human race that Im not) I would describe it as a period of time in fall that allows Ian to play a ton of golf at a discounted rate in really nice weather.  Thank you Indians.  You can have my wampum at your casinos as long as you keep providing me with late rounds of golf.  Sounds like a fair trade.  Not like my early ancestors that stole America from you.....too soon?

It was only 30 beans to play 18 holes for walking and only an extra 10 beans to take a cart.  That is what I call value my freinds.  First off only $30 to play this course is an absolute steal.  Minus the leaves on the course it was in fantastic shape.  The greens were quick and rolling true and the fairways were still well kept.  It was a little soggy but you cant fault the course for that.  Secondly an extra $10 for a cart is what every course should charge.  I typically dont take a cart because I enjoy the exercise of walking but when I do I CANT STAND paying $20 to utilize something that only cost the course 20 cents to operate (that is not value)

The course had a great mix of all types of holes.  Short, Long, Up, Down with a couple of nice blind shots mixed in.  Most holes are tree lined which I think adds some visual value.  It also gives me an aiming point and landing point for my golf ball (the two are never the same).  There isnt a whole lot of OB and if you tend to spray it a little you can knock it back in your own fairway without losing your golf ball.  OR, if your feeling saucy you can play it up the other persons fairway and hit back into your hole when you have a clear opening.  I might have done that a couple of times.  They do have a nice creek running through the course on some holes and some other added water features.  Overall a very pretty course with a great mix of holes that are very well laid out.

The Round:

I titled the post peaks and valleys because that is how my day went.  I had two birdes to complement my two snowmen.  I had a great lesson the previous week and was obviously able to incorporate it on a couple of holes and then totally lost it on a couple others.  C-Mo and I showed up a little late so we had to skip the first hole.  We decided that we probably would have birdied it, so we gave ourselves par just so it didnt feel like we were cheating.

My front 9 sucked, minus my birdie.  I decided to grab two bloodies (yea I said 2) at the turn to make my second 9 better.  Apparently something clicked because I hit a huge anti-gravity ball off the 10th tee.  I drew a bulls eye to show where it landed, stupid long!

Here is a view back to the tee from where it landed.  Holy Ballz!

I was sporting my new Triple Bogey vanilla golf shirt.  These guys are awesome, check them out (triplebogey.myshopify.com).  They have a great view on the game of golf and an even better product.  Their shirts run in the $15 range and are well worth the money.  It feels like a cotton bed sheet wrapped around your body.  I think that it is made from 800 count Egyptian cotton, just a guesstimate.  It fits well and leaves you plenty of room to swing (and I have a big swing if you know what I mean).

C-Mo played well.  He had a case of the lefts going on but eventually calculated how to play with them for the better part of the round.  Our match ended up even at the end of the day after a bunch of back and forth.  It added some good excitement to the round though.  We played with two randoms and one of them was named Fuk.  He said it was the John Smith of Vietnam.  I think the Vietnamese could have picked a better letter combination for the most common name in their country.  This only prompted C-Mo to make a ton of Austin Power references.  We thought it was hilarious, Fuk didnt share our enthusiasm.

The Beer:

The Brook does not have cart girls (cart people for my PC readers).  They might during the full season but in the middle of fall there was no one out there to quench my thirst.  I tried to get a bloody before we tee'd off but they dont start serving until 11am (thanks a lot Massachusetts).  I tried to drop a couple of dollars to see if that helped establish my own laws but it didnt change a thing.  Like I said earlier I did have two at the turn and they were delicious.  A home grown mix with good spice and a heavy poor.

Poquoy has a good selection of beers and a full bar.

I decided upon a Bass Ale (www.bass.com) after the round.  It was, okay.  I would typically go for the Sams October but at the beginning of the season I said I would try all types of beers to see what is best.  Bass has a good flavor, not enough hops for my liking, and a little more bitter than I typically enjoy.  It just didnt mix right for me with the crisp fall air.  Maybe it is better suited for a mid-summer or early spring round but that judgement will have to wait until next season.  I do love Bass in a black and tan but I didnt have that option.  Maybe next time.

Final Tally:

2 count em 2 Birdies, 1 beer, and 2 bloodies.  Until next time...its peanut butter jelly time.  I racked my brain for an alcohol related phrase but it just wasnt coming to me.  Ill try better next time.

F!

So I didnt get to play golf this weekend because it SNOWED up here in good old New England. 

Thanks Mother Nature you wicked Witch with a B! Dont you worry honey I had no plans to play numerous rounds of golf this fall.  You go ahead and drop that pretty white stuff.  Damn it! Where is Al Gore when you need him with his global warming BS?  The last time it snowed a "measurable amount" was 1979 and it was .2 inches.  We just got 6in where I live and more than a foot in Western MA.  Im no mathematician but by my count we have a 3,000% increase in snow production over a 22 year span.  Global warming?  Really?

If you cant tell by now I dont enjoy the winter season.  I have been self diagnosed with what is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  Or what I like to call, I hate snow, I hate shoveling, and I cant play golf so it makes me upset disorder.  Apparently that was too much to fit into a disorder so the people with the PhD's just went with SAD. 

Hopefully this will turn around for the next couple of months and I will be able to get a few more rounds in.  Last year I was able to play past Thanksgiving.  In the mean time at least I was able to make a snowman with my dog. 

All Alone

So I was slotted to play 18 with my buddy.  He bagged out at the last moment (due to a night of heavy drinking, cant be that mad at him) so I played 18 at Ridder Farm all by my onesies.  I almost decided not to play but it was too nice of a day to pass up.

The Course:

Ridder Farm Golf Club is located in East Bridgewater (http://ridderfarm.com/).  It used to be a dairy farm (big surprise there) that was switched to an 18 hole course in 1965.  It is a good course to go to if you are looking for a confidence boost.  It is as wide open as a 15 year old standing on the street corner in China Town.  It isnt terribly long either, which doesnt take away from the course but makes it more fun to play.

The back 9 tightened up a little bit (just to give you a little tickle) which was nice because it really brought out the fall foliage.

There are some nice water features on the course too which bring some risk reward into play.  On this hole the 70 year old guy that I was playing with told me he would call me a pussy (so old school Boston, I loved him like a family member) for the rest of the round if I didnt take my driver out and try to go over the water.

I took his challenge and blasted it over the water on the fairway.  Thank god because it was only the 9th hole and I dont doubt for one second that he would have followed through on his end of the challenge for the rest of the round.

They are running some great fall rates right now, $35 for 18 on Fri/Sat/Sun and even cheaper than that for play during the week.  Unbelievable value for the money!  Go out and play there, you wont be disappointed 

The Round:

So like I said I showed up to the course alone.  Im glad that I did though because it made me realize how special the game of golf is.  There is no other sport, activity, place on earth (especially in the North East) where you are forced to spend 5hrs with 3 complete strangers and with-in 5 minutes you are friends.  I was paired with 2 Irishmen and the old school Boston guy and by the time we were walking down the first fairway we were already telling jokes, complimenting one another, and poking fun at each others games.  These guys were great!  I was asked if I took steroids (more on that later), called a pussy, and was told that I was fukin  unlucky (fucking with an Irish accent) all surrounded by a round of golf.  Sounds like family right?

I brought my new driver out to the course with me.  I purchased a Tour Edge Exotics XLD-LS (http://exoticsgolf.com/), and I now call it my anti-gravity club.  This thing is stupid long!  Its made out of some metal that I cant pronounce.  In fact Im lead to believe that NASA is shutting down because their engineers wanted to work for Tour Exotics instead of the government.  When you hit it the ball travels up in the air and just floats, has a nice conversation with a cloud, and then plops down 300yds later.  Im not kidding.  I hit a drive that landed in the rough, bounced, and still went over 300 beans.  That is when one of the Irish guys told me he was going to make me piss in a cup after the round.  The club also sounds amazing!  Everyone in the world turns their head to see what you are doing when you hit it.  Seriously there was a man in Japan who stopped eating his sushi and pondered what was going on in East Bridgewater.  I tried to get a video so you can hear it but it didnt work out.  Ill try again in the future.

Now most of you are probably saying, who the hell is Tour Edge?  I read about them in one of the golf magazines that I get and I was instantly hooked.  They dont sponsor anyone on tour, meaning they dont pay people to play their clubs.  Therefore, the players dont advertise their company on their body or bag.  But dont be fooled by all that marketing BS.  There are a handful of tour players who use a tour exotics club, one might even be ranked #1 in the world.  I think that speaks volumes about the company.  Get out and try one and I can guarantee that you will want it in your bag.

The rest of the round was up and down.  I played alright and came away with a bunch of pars and no big numbers.  I had some looks at bird but the little bastards are elusive.  Still a fun day and I didnt even drink on the course.  I know that I shouldnt need drinking to make an activity fun but lets be honest, it usually helps.

There was one funny hole.  17 has high tension wires right down the middle of the fairway.  Ive never seen it before.

I dont even know what the ruling is for these.  The hole is a par 5 and I hit my drive to the right side of the fairway (depicted above).  I hit a hybrid over the top the wires and it hit them on the way down.  One of the other guys I was playing with hit a screamer down the middle of the fairway that hit the pole and kicked to the right.  We all just laughed and decided to play our balls as they lied.

The Beer:

So Ridder Farm has a very strict policy on drinking on the course...

Clearly enforced...

So I played by the rules and didnt drink on the course.  We tee'd off at 8am so I didnt want to look like too much of an alcoholic in front of people that I didnt know.  The course does have a very inviting sign when you are done though which I thought was a nice touch...

I decided to take them up on the offer and went over for a Harpoon IPA (http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/).  Now I have had Harpoon in the past but Ive never really drank it while thinking about what I was going to write.  They make a damn good IPA and it was a great beer to have on a crisp fall day after the round.  I was honestly a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it.  I also instantly felt like I should now pay attention to every beer that I drink because I might be missing out.

Harpoon has a great combination of hops that give it a great flavor unlike other IPAs that have so many hops in them it feels like you are getting punched in the face every time you take a sip.  Dont get me wrong, I love IPAs.  I just feel like they get a little out of hand at times.  Harpoon gets it right though and they left me wanting more.  I only had one because I had to get home.  Plus I was drinking by myself and didnt want to look like the lonely drunk at the bar.

Final Tally:

0 Birdies, 1 Beer.  Ridder Farm kicks ass.  Tour Edge is the Truth!  Harpoon is where its at for IPAs.  Until next time...In this cold weather use a Hot Tottie to warm up your Body before you play golf

9 With some Fam

My wife, Bro and I played 9 holes this weekend at Wentworth Hills Golf course.  I played there earlier in the year.  It is still in great shape and beautiful this time of the season

The Course:

I played Wentworth (www.wentworthhillsgc.com) at the beginning of the season with Mikey and DJ G-Ram.  Check out the post on May 16th.  At the time they were in a little bit of trouble and havent had the best of seasons in the past and almost got bought out.  I asked for everyone to give it a go and try to support them and a great course.  If you were one of the many that did I thank you because they are going to be around for another season next year, WOOHOO.  Where else would I play my early and late season?

I love this course and if I lived closer I would be a member because it is such a great value for the money.  It is absolutely beautiful this time of year too with all the foliage.  I will never understand why people drive up to NH, VT, and ME to see leaves change color (put a pillow over my face if I ever become that person).  Just play a round of golf and look up every now and then.

The pic didnt come out that great on my I-Phone (I have to start bringing a real camera).  Trust me there are some great reds and oranges in the distance.  I could have gotten some close up shots but that would show you how bad I am and who wants that.

Wentworth is great at running deals too and it was only 50 clams for the 3 of us to play 9.  I dare you to find a better deal, I DARE YOU!

The Round:

My Bro just moved back from New Zealand a couple of weeks ago.  It is great to have him back in the states and even better to be able to enjoy 9 holes of golf with him and my wifey.  It was really nice out especially for  the middle of October in New England.

I mentioned in an earlier post that my wife and I have been taking lessons.  It was nice to get her out on the course again.  She didnt enjoy the group that started behind us (it makes her nervous).  We let them play through though and it was smooth sailing from there.  She hit some great shots and ended up playing really well.

Than, short for Nathaniel, (how cool is that nick name by the way, what a baller) swings like he could care less about the outcome.  So smooth and care free.  It is really fun to watch and reminds me of Big Ern a little bit. In honor of the fall season he decided to make a Jack-O-Lantern ball which was awesome.

I played pretty well actually.  It helps when you dont officially keep score because there is no pressure to do well.  It also helps if you drink a stiff Bloody to start the round.  Loosens you right up.  I did end up hitting some HUGE drives which always feels good.   Here is a picture from the biggest one of the day on the 9th hole.  I added in a yellow flag so you can tell where the tee box is.

Here is a picture of how close to the green I was afterwards.

30yds out, do you think that I birdied the hole.......NOPE, I suck!  I make a great partner for a scramble though if anyone is offering.  I might have video of our swings to add later, stay tuned.

The Beer:

I have officially let you down.  I had ZERO beers during and after the round.  Im sorry.  I did have that Bloody though.  Wentworth has a home made mix which is fantastic!  I had a Manhattan when I got home.  Im not 75 years old but I do enjoy the drink.  It is a socially acceptable way to get more Bourbon in my blood stream which makes me smile.

I promise to double up on beer consumption the next time I play.

Final Tally:

0 Beers, 0 Birdies.  I had a legit 3 looks at bird but couldnt hole any of them.  I told you I suck.  More beers and less hard drinks next time.  Until then, walking 9 is drinkin time.  Exercise and alcohol at the same time, you cant go wrong.