I created this after having a slightly hellish nightmare on RSG #18.
I'd like to create a space where we can cry, cringe, and commiserate.
Anyhow, on to RSG #18.
I should preface this by saying that I haven't mapped out all the greens yet and have been playing mostly by memory. I think it's a little more fun and I just haven't much felt like making too many notes. Well, that hurt today.
I started the back with a bogie, and then made a par on the 11th. From there, I made 6 consecutive birds and was feeling quite the Tour Master, so I began my descent down #18 on the way to my sure-thing 7th bird. Woohoo.
Hit my approach a tad short and it bounced off the downslope of the front of the green and rolled way past the pin. The putt was crazy. I had a fine ridge to work along with a sheer drop a few inches to the right. It was about 7 inches downhill and I could only aim so far to the left. I hit my shot and it looked really good at first. It made it past the hell slide into Cadillac SUV tree hell...almost. Caught the last edge and the ball flew down faster than Elin down the driveway with a 3-iron.
Ball ended up off the green and I had to hit up 21 yds onto the ledge with about 3 ft to the pin from the ledge. I hit it crisp and it landed on the brim. It could have gone either way, but like Dennis Rodman, made the painfully wrong choice. Down the ball came again. My own fault for trying to baby it up there, I said. So, I'm sitting at 4 shots and my bird is gone, ostensibly flying over the clubhouse looking to take a Mickleson-sized poop on Tom Watson.
I was resolved to get it up (I'll let that one go...), so I hit it well past and had a 21 footer for double.
I was lucky and escaped with a double, but it was horrifying, and I'll be sure to never become complacent again...unless it's St. Andrew's.