Quote:
Originally Posted by psyang
One of my favorite fast rounds was playing Eagle Ranch in Invermere a few years ago. It is the only time I played it.
ER is usually pretty pricey compared to other courses in the area, and they don't often have deals, so I often don't even check the course when I'm in the area. But I was there late in the season (end of September) and saw they had a great deal - something like $70 including cart and range balls after 2pm. I grabbed a time, and when I arrived the place looked deserted. Hit a few balls, then started.
I think I met a foursome at the third hole, who let me play through. Over the next 8 holes, I think 4 more groups let me play through. After that, I didn't see a single player the rest of the round.
I ended up shooting my best (then) ever round of 82 in 2:30. This included a miracle on 18.
18 is a par 5 over a gully, but the tee shot is blind as the the hole doglegs left and severely downhill. I just saw it was a par 5, and hit driver. cutting the dogleg a little. At the bottom of the hill, and just before the gully, is the red tee box, and there was my ball, sitting pretty on the tee box. Literally 2 meters more it would have been in the gully. I hit 3 wood to just short of the green, then up and down for birdie.
On exceptional rounds I try to buy something at the pro shop as a memento. I went for a cap. My head is short, and I find a lot of caps are too deep cutting into my ears. But I found a decent Eagle Ranch cap that was short and bought it.
When I got back to where I was staying, I saw that the cap had little rhinestones on it and a small pink trim I somehow missed in my euphoria. My daughter wears it now, and it makes me smile every time I see it.
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I love this story for so many reasons. The obvious big reveal at the end...but also the subtle cliche of shooting a great round while by yourself.
Two years ago I had a short eagle putt, it would be my first in years. I was playing by myself and was super nervous that no one would ever believe me...luckily I missed it short by a mile, whew.
@Lanny -> I've never heard of golfing the shot holes off shorter tees, haha, that would actually be pretty clever.
Arccos tracks a lot of stats and relates it to handicap. Tee shots are the biggest place that we hackers differ from better players. The high handicapper that is great off the tee and has a terrible short game is a myth. I'm sure we all know a guy, but are you really tracking his stats? Or just noticing when he catches one clean instead of being in the trees 6x a round.
I understand Calgary is at elevation, so you get an extra 7% on your shots compared to sea level, so a lot of players can reach 300yrd drives. I don't think a lot of golfers back home realize what an advantage that is until they go golf in Florida / Hawaii / Phoenix / Palm Springs and struggle to hit their handicap. The difference on a 300yrd drive in Calgary vs the 280yrd drive in Phoenix is two clubs. Miss the center of the face a touch which all of us do and that 280yrds is now closer to 240-250yrds...that 150yrd 7iron or 8iron is now a 6iron+.
Anyway, not having a go at anyone, just saying as I've gotten older I've noticed how much more enjoyable my rounds are playing off shorter tee boxes...except when we play with my one friend that hates going off the blue tees, on those days you gotta stretch it out to the tips.
