Carl's Corner - Adventures in Amateur Golf

 I had a wonderful time playing at Barton Creek Lakeside on July 10, 2022.  The people I played with were great, but I experienced my opponents playing music from their cart.  The good news is that it did not effect my play.  I did ponder the ethics of it and what should I do if the music bothers me. Team in cart 1 were playing Blues music.  The person I was riding with decided to play country music on their phone.  I was tempted to blast some heavy metal (just kidding). Fortunately, this was a causal skins oriented event.  What would be appropriate if the outing was a bit more competitive?  If the music does bother me, I think it would be OK for me to request that the music be turned off. Any strong opinions?

 I have said this several times, but the Austin Golf Association is a great group of people.  On September 19, 2021 we had a tournament at Morris Williams Municipal Golf Course.  I had not played there in probably 25 years.  I was looking forward to it.  I have been on a Paleo reset in attempt to become healthier and I know I need to walk more.  I had the brilliant idea that I would walk this course.  I purchased a really nice push cart, Bag Boy Nitron. Since I was planning to walk I wanted to let someone in the group know so I emailed a playing partner, Paul.  Here was his response to my email, " So a 5 hour walk in 98 degree heat might be tough on me. The last time I walked that course it was 5.8 miles and 108 flights of stairs. I was exhausted."  This should have been a sign.  I think I was a bit optimistic because a few days earlier it was cooler in Austin Texas.  Of course the heat index for 9/19 was above 100 degrees. I starte...

 Austin Golf Association tournament on June 13, 2021 at Roy Kizer GC.  It was a very hot hot day.  I had the pleasure of playing in the same foursome as I did at Delaware Springs.  These are really a competitive and supporting group of golfers.  The course was in great shape.   I was playing really but my putter was letting me down.  I had three 3-putts and yikes a 4-putt on a par three where I hit the green.  Yes I missed a 6 inch put as I watched roll around the hole in disbelief.   Before I get to the rules I need to share what happened on hole 16.  I pull hooked a shot off the tee deep into the woods.  The hole was cart path only.  I pulled my bag off the cart and lugged it across the fairway to take my drop from the lateral hazard.  It was not a far walk, but the heat damn near killed me.  I hit a great approach shot, but was just short and essentially buried into the bank of the bunker in front of the ...

 It was Sunday May 30, 2021.  The AGA was hosting a tournament at Delaware Springs GC in Burnet Texas.  The course was in good shape and the greens were rolling fast.   As a group I think we had some fun.  But I want to highlight one specific shot.  What would you do in this situation as a right handed golfer? The green is to the right of the photo.   Well the choice of my fellow golfer was to use a putter.  He nicely bumped it out into the center of the fairway. Golf balls can end up in precarious situations so be creative and find a way to save as many strokes as possible. Happy Golfing!

 I messed up again.  I think every amateur golfer should pay attention to this costly mistake. I am playing at Plum Creek Golf Course in the Austin Golf Association tournament on Sunday May16.  The weather was a bit ominous and it had rained pretty hard as we arrived, but the tournament was on. I am honesty playing my best 9 of 2021 despite chunking a couple of 100 yard approach shots.  I think it was hole number 4 or 5 the sky opened up with a very hard rain.  I put on the rain gear.  I have to admit playing in hard rain with rain gear on adds a whole new element to the game of golf.  It is extremely hard.  Fortunately after about a hole and a half the rain let up. The two players in my group were amazingly nice.  I had never played the course before so that were helpful in pointing out trouble areas.  Well let's just cut to the chase! Hole number 9, I am putting for a birdie from about 15 ft.  The ball will have a huge break fro...

 May 2, 2021, I was playing in my second golf tournament with a wonderful golf organization, Austin Golf Association.  Austin Golf Association has been around since 1940.   Wow!  I carried into the tournament at 20 handicap, so I was assigned to Flight 4.   We were playing Forest Creek Golf Club .  It was under a very interesting circumstance in that hole #9 was closed due to flooding.  The Marshall told me the cart path was 4 feet under water.  The really cool thing is that Forest Creek is very prepared for this scenario.  They have an extra fully maintained green on the par 5 hole 3.  They can split the hole into a par 3 and a par 4.  This really messes up GPS tools and the actually scoring, but that may be another post.   This story begins on hole 5, which is affectionately named "Tilt".   Fifth toughest hole and from the white tees you are looking at 322 to the green.  Up to this point I am pl...