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I played a memorable round today. I shot ok, but it was memorable more for the round. It was pretty much an ideal round, it was golf the way I like to play it.

I played a new course, something I usually like. It was hot, but not killer hot, not much wind, generally dry and the course was in good shape.

I played the back tees and they were tough but very fair, the layout was varied and interesting. This course had a decent designer, you could tell that quickly.

I played alone, on a Sunday. And I walked 18. Four hours flat.

There was no one ahead of me, or behind me, for almost the entire round. At one point on the back nine, I just sat and counted a minute to rest and get settled for the final two holes. Not a soul in sight anywhere, no sounds but a little breeze, a few birds.

While I like playing with good partners, I also enjoy a a solo round to focus on my golf and nothing else.

What I shot, eight over for 80, was ok on a new course. But it's memorable for the round.

Now your turn-- when was the last time you played golf like you think it's meant to be, and what was it like?

The 14 I had in a tournament on a par 4 from a green side bunker that i was laying in 2.... Don't want to talk about it.

The only time my HS golf coach told me I couldn't hit a particular shot, I did it anyway just to spite him and made it. He never said I couldn't make a shot again.

The one time during a scramble I felt I rifled the long drive ball winner. I walked very arrogantly down the fairway foregoing the cart ride strutting to my victory ball of 314 yds..... To find a kid 4 years younger than me hit one 320. My friends never let me forget that.

Many things about golf that I remember. I really do love this game.

I'm not sure if i'll remember this years from now, but today in a tournament, i shot 2 over taking a 10 on the 380 yard 16th. I hit 5 balls into 5 different hazards (well not different hazards, but different areas of 3 different ones) and one putted for a 10. I've never had a meltdown like that before....and i finished par, birdie. probably the worst hole i've played in my entire life.

Have to be Saturday morning shooting a 39 on a 34 par 9 hole course. 2 Drives hit for 270 with a draw, 3 wood 230 yards faded around the bend, then hit a SW with a divot and it had back spin!! stopped 8ft from the pin and still 3 putt for a 5.

But, i was'nt too worried with them, disapointed yea but i was hitting the ball so well that it made up for those missed birdied chances. Only took one out of 5 chances, but everything else was there expect putting. Good excuse for that as im using a new putter :)

I was out golfing with a friend of mine in High School. We were just practicing (we were on the golf team).

On the 9th hole, it is a par 4 IIRC.....(its been 4-5 years since I've played there). There is an approach shot that requires you to fly a pond...

Actually, it must be a par 5......

Anyway, you can cut the corner and try to land the green in 2.....

Or you can play it up the fairway, hit the green in 3.

He attempted to fly the pond (like I did). He hit three shots straight into the pond. He pulls the fourth out, hits it....its heading straight for the pond....it skips the water. Not lying...skips the water twice, bounces off into the low cut right before the green, creeps onto the green.

Probably the funniest/luckiest thing I have ever seen.

Sure, it took him repeated attempts to to do so...

But it was awesome. And funny.

Had to be a round a couple years back. I was playing with a best friend and my brother (also a best friend). The three of us were the first ones out in the morning or "dew sweepers" so to speak. We had to play through grounds crew on 2 of the first 3 holes, but the final 6 going out were pure bliss. No one in front of us and a slow foursome behind us that was never going to catch us. It was just us and the squirrels. Unfortunately the starter played a terribly cruel trick on us and put 3 foursomes off the back 9 within about 15 min of us making the turn, and we followed a log jam all around the back 9. However for those 6 holes going out, that was how I would picture heaven.

Since I came back to the game (10 months) a round that I shot 84 (on a 72 par) with an eagle on a par 5 (got it from 60 yards with a wedge).

Scuba

This past weekend, three of my best buddies took me out to a great 18 hole course for my bachelor party. I played fair, nothing incredible. Nobody really did well, nobody did really poorly. It was just an awesome day with my best friends. Afterwards we went out to eat, got a limo and hit the town. Of all the festivities, the round of golf will stand out as the best. Just my 2 cents.

You mean the obligatory adult entertainment didn't make the evening? I would probably feel the same way. The round of golf and maybe a good meal would have been the best parts of the day. Of course the meal conversation probably drifted towards the round that day once or twice.

wow i think i have done what you guys have been talking about..

off to not a bad start then from 3 -8 this was the best i have ever played and most enjoyment.

chipped in for birdie from over 80 yards.. - thing is, wasnt the fact i chipped in, was the fact i knew i was going to get it good, it was sitting in the semi. nice lie i thought jeez Marc you can put it close here - use the loft of the club and let it run right up. and woala

i didnt score a great round but from hole 3to8 everythiing was perfect - was placing shots exactly where i wanted them - hitting the sweet spot everytime -

sorry guys just thought i'd share it.. sound like a goof talking like this on the course

I was heading out to my condo in Kona, Hawaii. I did not bring my golf clubs, and I hadn't golfed in over a month and a half (I live in Minnesota and it was December).

I ended up sitting on the plane next to some great guys from Vegas. My wife said I should go when they asked me to fill out a foursome for them at the Waikaloa Kings course north of Kona.

The golf course was stunning. I played smart golf, had fun, and played well enough to be asked to fill in again while on my vacation.

One of the best times I've ever had on a golf course came several years ago. It wasn't memorable for score, I can't even remember what I shot. It wasn't a perfect summer day.... in fact, it was a late fall/early winter day. It wasn't even a full 18 hole round. What it was is.....

I was playing with my best friend. We were playing the 9 hole executive course at my home facility (5 par 3 holes and 4 par 4's). We teed off about 10 AM, a nice sunny day, temperature about 45° F. We decided to play a 4 club match. That way we didn't even have to carry a bag, just a few balls, 4 clubs, tees.... the simplest kind of golf. The match was dead even when we finished 9 holes, so we cut across and started at #3 again. I actually wound up winning the match on the 9th hole the second time we played it, so I guess you'd say I won 1 up, but we only played 16 holes total.

The thing that made the day wasn't the outcome though, it was the experience. We never saw another human being on the course, so we just played at a decent pace, talked and joked with each other, and never had to worry about waiting, or about holding up a group behind us. IMO, what we did that day reflects the simplicity of golf as it was 100, 150, 200 years ago. Just a couple of guys, a handful of clubs, a less than perfect course with the dormant winter grass and semi-frozen turf, and the good-natured bantering of 2 mates having a friendly competition. How does it get any better than that?

That was a nice read.

Shade

Motivation

I had been enjoying unemployment for a year (minus two weeks).
It was the day before starting a new job. I knew that I wouldn't be playing as much golf.
I had brand new Vokey wedges (56 and 60).

On the first hole, I was a sand wedge away on the approach. I hit to the flag and it backed way up. Cool. These new wedges are going to be fun.

They were. I hit the new sand wedge on several holes and backed it up every time. It was fun to do.

What made the score tie my lowest round in all of my years playing was my putting. When I did hit a poor shot I always made a great putt and drained long putts.

I shot a personal best 5 under 31 from the back tees on the front nine. That included an eagle on #8 and a birdie on #9 (another new sand wedge approach).

Alrighty then! Now to play the back nine and break 70 for the first time ever!

Nope. Women's league tournament. Have to wait hours to play the back nine.

I went to a nearby course and hit some balls. I told my golf teacher about the nine and he said that I should finish it and treat it like a long rain delay.

I went back after hitting a small bucket and finally continued the round. I was playing alone on the front nine just humming along at a pace that I set (always helps). I joined a father/son.

The back nine wasn't quite so good to me, but I hung tough. On #12, it is a very long par 4 and I missed my drive in the trees. I ended up having a very difficult chip for bogey...had to hit it high and land it soft going with the slope. I hit it close and made the putt to stop the bleeding. On the next hole, a par 5, I had a great birdie to recover.

On #18 I just needed a par on the short par 4 to break 70 for the first time. I missed my drive to the right, but had somewhat of a shot. I hit a beautiful wedge to what I though was close to the hole. But, when I got to the green I saw that my putt was a difficult and lone one. The flag was way back and it was a tough putt to get close. I made the mistake of not hitting the birdie putt hard enough and was left with a 4 footer to break 70 for the first time ever. I missed and now my extended time of leisure was over.

I ended up shooting another 70 there later that year. I think I birdied the last hole that round. Those are still my lowest scores about 4 years later.

New wedges always make me happy and I still use the same putter.