Played with Bernie. Colder than expected. Windier than expected too. Only got up to about 46, but wind was over 10 mph, at times 15 mph. Was snap hooking the ball on the range, so was a bit tentative on the tee today. Started on 10th. Played for a hook and hit it straight. Was able to put approach close from the rough and start off with par. Draw on 11th, left of fairway, but also hit good approach and walked off with par. Then on 12th, hit a great baby draw into and well down the fairway, and ended up with a 3-putt double. Go figure.
Snap hook was back on 13 resulting in bogey. Almost aced 15th. Was playing 160+. Hit 6 iron at flag. Seemed to roll right over hole, to about 7 feet past. 5W into wind on 17th off tee to 10 feet. Just missed the uphill putt for bird. Nice par. Real nice drive on 18 ended in par as well.
Hit best drive of day on the last hole---the 9th---perfectly with baby draw into center of fairway, up and over the ridge at the top by 35 yards. Measured 245, uphill, in 45 degrees with about 8 mph wind across the ball. I can only imagine what that might have been in 75 degrees with no wind....and no uphill fairway.
I have been playing the new Titleist AVX ball and I think I am in love. I have hit some great drives with it the last couple weeks. With maybe only 1 more round left in 2018 based on the weather forecast for next week, it looks like I will finish the year out playing the blue tees all the way into the off-season. Far past when I thought I might be ready to move to the whites due to the negative affect of cold on the ball. This itself, is a surprise and a goal well-surpassed for 2017. Wanted to play the blues a few times a month, but instead, played them virtually everyday since late-spring with excellent results. There were only a couple rounds where the extra distance was too much, usually in strong wind. Who'd a thunk, at my age, I'd be moving back a tee instead of up. I might have to play the blacks a few times next year, just for shits and giggles.
