Day 14 - January 8, 2018 - Golf and more golf

Everybody, I mean in the whole world, has been asking me how a highly skilled, excellent golfer, a really good stable one, a genius golfer, actually sensational like me, could have a score of ten on any one hole.  Like, it wouldn't happen if I didn't want it to, you know.

But, I will give you the lowdown because I know you want to follow my every move.  Because I'm great!

First of all, we were on the 16th hole at the Reserve Course at Orange Lake.  This is the view from the White tees (formerly known as the Men's tees).

The Forward tees (formerly known as the Ladies tees) are just past the corner on the left.

From the White tees the green is 353 yards away.  Beyond the chute of trees the fairway is pretty wide.  For my first shot I went straight down the middle, just over 200 yards and was sitting pretty - I mean, I wasn't sitting, but I was definitely pretty.  And brilliant - a genius you know.

That's my ball in the foreground of the picture.  You can just see the red flag across the pond about 150 yards away.

Now this next point is important!  We golf at home at an altitude of about 600 feet above sea level.  Here in Florida it's more like 60 feet above sea level.  That means that the ball doesn't carry as far in Florida because the air is heavier.  You should use a club which is longer than you think you need in this case.  Are you still with me?

O.K. so I forgot that rule.  My second shot landed in the water only a foot or two from the wall in front of the green.  So I took a drop on this side of the pond where my shot had entered the hazard - you don't drop beside where your ball ended up unless you're cheating, which is frowned upon.  That counted as stroke #3.  I took out a different club because I was now less than a hundred yards from the pin and hit the ball.  That was stroke #4.  Same result!  I took another drop - that was stroke #5.  But I still hadn't figured out that altitude thing so I used the same club once again - but I swung harder!  That was stroke #6. This time the ball took off like a rocket, or perhaps a bowling ball.  It hit the water and skipped twice before hitting the wall and bouncing into the middle of the pond.

So "Tincup" dropped another ball, stroke #7, but this time remembered the altitude rule, took a longer club, and hit stroke #8 perfectly, landing about twelve feet from the pin.  Two putts later, I had completed my score of ten!

Now, if this all seems absurd to you, yes there is another way to play this hole.  You start from the Forward tees and, in order to avoid the water on the right, you hit it into the first sand trap.

Then, to be ultra safe you hit stroke #2 into the next sand trap.

Now, you are looking at this scene.

Because you can hit the ball straight, you aim for the neck between the ponds with your third shot.  On the green with stroke #4 and two putts later you have a four shot lead on your opponent.  It really is a stupid game!

Today we played Remington Golf Course.  I left the cord that connects my camera with my computer at Jo-Ann's tonight, so I can't show you any pictures of the course, or of our evening with Jo-Ann.  We'll catch up with that tomorrow, which is a planned shopping day for the ladies (I need to practice my chipping and putting so I'll stay home).