After another long and stressful week, I decided to play 9 holes after work tonight. It was late, and I planned to walk – we have been cart path only for the last few days due to the amount of rain we’ve seen. The Black Course is currently closed, and I prefer the back 9 on the Gold Course, so I grabbed my sticks and headed to No. 10 tee.
We have several sets of tees at Tiburón Golf Club, and I like playing the Tiburón tees. The Black tees are probably the right yardage for me, but the Tiburón tees force me to be smart off the tee and doesn’t let me just rip driver all day long. It also forces me to be strategic if I want to go for a par 5 in 2 or have a wedge on some shorter par 4s. Since the round is fresh in my mind, here is a hole by hole breakdown of how I played:
No. 10: I hit a hybrid off the tee, but was a little quick with it. It landed in the fairway bunker on the left. I had a decent lie and hit a GW to about 15 foot. I left the putt in the center of the cup an inch short! Keep in mind I didn’t roll any putts before teeing off. I had no idea how fast the greens were.
No. 11: I ripped driver right down the middle. It left me 116 yards to the pin. I hit a PW to about 10 foot. I hit a great putt, but it didn’t move as much as I thought it would. Easy par.
No. 12: Hole No. 12 is a long par 3 and the pin was tucked on the left behind a bunker. I hit a 7 iron to the right side of the green. It was a long putt, but I knocked it close for another easy par.
No. 13: This is my favorite hole on the golf course. I hit a 3 wood in the middle of the fairway that left me a GW to a middle pin. I hit it pretty good, and the ball mark was inches from the cup, but it didn’t spin. I hit a good putt from the back of the green, but it lipped out.
No. 14: This is a hard hole. It’s a long par 5 that has a nearly 90 degree dogleg right. I ripped a drive down the middle and hit a hybrid up there close. I had 84 yards to the pin and tried to choke down on a GW. It went long. I did, just to see, drop another ball and hit a 56 degree wedge. Hit that ball to a foot! Oh, well. This was my only 3 putt… Silly bogey! It was a hard putt, though.
No. 15: This is a really good hole, too. I hit my driver right, and was literally hanging on the edge of the fairway. I was 155 out and hit a 7 iron to about fifteen feet. I hit a great putt, but it didn’t break at the end. Easy par.
No. 16: This is a great par 3. There is a gator that lives in the pond on the left, so I am always looking for him! I hit a 7 iron left. It was still on the green, but left a long uphill putt. I hit the putt I wanted, but it didn’t move… Left me 3 foot for par. Made it.
No. 17: This is a great hole. I’ve never been on this green in 2, but after I crushed my drive down the middle, I thought today might be the day. I hit a hybrid but it went left and ran through the coquina into some thick grass. There is a large mound protecting this green and it was a shot that would give any TOUR player chills. I grabbed my 60 degree wedge and swung for the fences. The ball popped out and nearly landed in the hole. It ran over the green, but I was able to 2 putt for another par.
No. 18: The photo above is from the tee box on No. 18. This is such a great hole with the clubhouse and The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples in the background. I hit my drive left, but still on the fairway. From there I had about 155 to the pin over a large bunker. It was a middle pin, but I didn’t want to be short. I hit a 6 iron long and hit a good putt for an easy par on the finishing hole.
After all is said and done, I hit 6 of 7 fairways and 7 of 9 greens. I had 17 putts and shot a solid 37. Not bad… Not bad at all. I will take it considering my last round I shot 73 at Audubon Country Club.
I won’t be playing this weekend, but am playing next Wednesday with my buddy Jason. He is taking me to Hideout Golf Club in Naples. Can’t wait to see what this course is like… I’ve heard nothing but good things. Wish me luck. FORE!
