2nd Round: Golfing Road Trip Update

We played our qualifying round in more brutal head.  "Qualifying" in this case translates as "flighted."  Everybody plays.  When I turned in my card I was asked if I wanted to be placed in the Championship Division or the Senior Division.  I just laughed.  My score was embarrassingly high.  No picking up when I've reached my maximum number of shots and a course I haven't played before are doubly challenging.  However, I shaved 10 strokes off my back 9 score, so I'm getting better.  Will my improvement curve be enough for tomorrow's match?

Barb @
WSCGA Match Play Championship

Some of us played better than others, which is the way golf works.  Despite my miseries, I also had my moments -- the final one another spectacular escape from the bunker on 18, this time for a chip-in.  But why am I spending so much time in the sand to begin with?  When I asked Barb, she just laughed at me.  I guess that's some kind of an answer.  It is, after all, golf, and somebody needs to be testing the sand.

I really enjoyed the company of my cart-mate for the day, MJ Knauss.  In fact, one of the side benefits of this event for me has been the opportunity to meet and play golf with

MJ Knauss @ WSCGA Match Play Championship

women from throughout the state.  I'm amazed that there are so many of us who are taking 5 days away from our families and domestic and professional responsibilities and immersing ourselves in the game of golf.

Playing with (and against) women I didn't know created such incredible anxiety 3 days ago.  Now I find myself wondering what it was I feared?  These women are here for the same reason I'm here.  They just plain love playing golf!  And golf is ultimately more fund when we're competing against each other.

A round of golf in heat and humidity followed by lunch with the women who are my competitors followed by a shower and a nap have readied me for tomorrow's match.

I think I understand most of the par 3 pitfalls, and I have an intimate familiarity with the sand in the bunkers.  My 13 wood is easily and consistently taking me out of the fairway bunkers and sending me 125 yards toward the green.  I have a fix on the greens -- no 3-putts today, and several 1-putts.  My drives still aren't traveling far, but neither are others' because of the heavy air, so we're all playing with the same disadvantage of heavy air.  But mine are flying straight and true, so I can assume that I solved my grip problem.  My trusty flop shot is working, and so is my bump-and-run.  I'm keeping my head down.  My 3-wood is doing its job.  So I'm as ready as I can be now.  I know the killing ground and my weapons are clean and in working order.  Tomorrow the beast takes charge!