Date 16/05/2010
Destination: St Andrews
18 Hole Ready Go Tournament.
Picture the scene.....
Out in 30, perfectly respectable, bordering on excellent but not quite there. I then rattle in 7 consecutive birdies to be -13 on the Road Hole tee. Par in for a 59, if the Road Hole is negotiated successfully, who knows a 58 may be on the cards. Ah but there's a fly in the ointment.....I've never shot a sub 60 round before.
The heart rate has gone up a few beats....one good drive is absolutely essential here. Anything else will see you in the fescue and a bogey awaits. I nail the drive, 330 yards right down the middle. 2nd shot misses the green, flopped on and holed the putt. Great joy!
Now I am standing on the tee with the widest fairway in world golf at my mercy, no need for heroics. Just avoid the out of bounds, knock on a lob wedge and hole the putt or putts and finally a sub 60 will be the reward. I set myself up and........whack I get a meter stutter and the ball is topped 70 yards into the burn!!! It crawled in too laughing at me all the way. It even wiped its feet before disappearing into the water.
All is not lost, one good shot on and a putt will save par. I hit it on to 95 feet and 3 jab for a 6. A potential 58/59 becomes a 61. I'm sure I can hear Ha Ha from a Nelson Muntz like character standing outside Auchterlonie's.
Gutted.......the quest continues............