Chronicling My 2008 Golf Season

[swerb]

Bad weather, new baby ... first round of golf of the year for me came late this year.

Peeker & I trudged out to Berkshire Hills in Chesterland for a little afternoon 18. Weather was a little nippy, but very comfortable golf weather.

Swerbs 52-41 -- 93 (14 skins)
Peeker 43-42 -- 85 (8 skins)

Peeker starts out hot, pars the first two, misses a bunny for par at #3. Swerb starts out disasterous. Tee shot on 1 in the lake, snowman's the first hole. Triples #3 as well, double #4.

Things really turned for me on the back. Even with the atrocious 52 on the front, hit the ball well all day. Couple tee shots out of bound. Couple first round of the year duffs. Outside of that, was really happy ... especially with the way I rolled the ball.

Peeker, very solid golf game. First time out, didn't really play much last year. If I can finally convince this cat to get one of these new fangled drivers with a head as big as a Buick ... add another 20 yards to his tee shots, we'll get him out on the Nationwide Tour.

Berkshire, a solid course. A good example of the slew of great, old school tracks in NE Ohio that can be played for under $40 for 18 holes and a cart. A nice assortment of holes, some really fun ones to play, and 3-4 ball buster 430+ yard par 4's. An enjoyable course to play with friendly staff. Being out there yesterday made me remember why I always get out to Berkshire at least 2-3 times a year.

Look forward to playing a lot of golf this season ... good to finally hit the course with Peeks.

[peeker643]

Is there anything better than leaving the office and playing golf on a course of your own? And a nice course of your own to boot.

And I like playing golf with people who are serious about it but not deranged in regard to throwing stuff, taking 15 minutes to address a shot, MFing at the top of his lungs, etc. That's pretty much Swerb. Hits a ball a long way, took a few holes to dial in and then it was on.

Very solid game.

Nationwide ain't happening for me. My golf game is pretty much like my softball game. It'll take more than a $350 driver for me to hit balls as long as most of you guys do. My play off the tee is designed to let me find my ball and hit my next shot somewhere close.

Berkshire is a great weekday course if you can get there boys. Well maintained, not really expensive and it's not crawling through a development of $500k houses. Nice course to look at, nice set up and variety of holes.

[swerb]

Second round of the year yesterday at another hidden gem, Wicked Woods in Chardon.

http://www.ctowngolf.com/courseDetail.php?courseId=339

Played with D$ and lizard09.

Lizard shoots 46-43 -- 89. D$ shoots 47-46 -- 93. Swerb shoots 46-48 -- 94.

Wicked Woods, not a long course. But a difficult one. Greens are, to me, as hard as any course I've played locally outside of Stonewater and Thunder Hill. Every green is tiny, severly undulated, and hard to read. This course features several short par 4's in the 350-360 range (white tees), but that are ballbusters.

Me, I'm a masher. I want to unleash drives to get as far out there as possible. And I don't hit as many greens on my approaches as I should. Not a good course for my game.

But glad we made it out there. Me personally, I drove the ball real well again, but could not fillow up my best drives with good approach shots, and missing greens here is penal. Four putted back to back greens on the back, which killed my score.

Off to the amazing Sandridge CC in Chesterland today for a little client golf.

[mikebrownz26]

Wicked Woods is not for those who struggle with control off the tee. Intensely tree-lined, but still a fair test. It undoubtedly lives up to its name.

When I was on the golf team in high school, we had a match there, and the kid I was paired with was DQ'd for losing all 10 of the balls he carried with him.

[peeker643]

Nope. You need to be able to shape and make shots at that course. The 'grip it-rip it and find it' thing doesn't work and you need to think a couple shots ahead there.

Love the course though. It's also one of those affordable Geauga County courses, especially early during weekdays.

I think it's in Newbury though. Not a Chardon course.

[swerb]

Talk about a course that mentally and physically just rips away at your inner fabric, that is Sandridge.

Golf Digest does their 100 Greatest Courses in America issue every year, a very popular piece. Sandridge was ranked #52. To give you an idea of the type of course Sandridge is, Spyglass Hill (of Pebble Beach fame) was right behind it at #53. Only Inverness was rated higher amongst Ohio courses.

It's a private course, I'm lucky to have a friend/business associate that is a member, so I get to go out there at least a couple times every year. Gorgeous scenery, hundreds of bunkers, greens that roll very true. But the rough ... my god. Its the type of rough that makes you take your medicine in almost every case. Many times yesterday that I hacked at balls in the rouch with everything I had with an iron, and was only able to advance them 20-30 yards back out into the fairway.

Also, they have caddies there, so you have to walk the course. It's a sprawling, winding, up and down layout. The fatigue factor of walking the course combined with the rough .... it just wears on you.

Shot 52-47 -- 99. And wasn't at all disappointed. Parred back to back holes on the back nine, the #2 and #3 handicap holes on the course.

[peeker643]

Talk about a course that mentally and physically just rips away at your inner fabric, that is Sandridge.

Golf Digest does their 100 Greatest Courses in America issue every year, a very popular piece. Sandridge was ranked #52. To give you an idea of the type of course Sandridge is, Spyglass Hill (of Pebble Beach fame) was right behind it at #53. Only Inverness was rated higher amongst Ohio courses.

It's a private course, I'm lucky to have a friend/business associate that is a member, so I get to go out there at least a couple times every year. Gorgeous scenery, hundreds of bunkers, greens that roll very true. But the rough ... my god. Its the type of rough that makes you take your medicine in almost every case. Many times yesterday that I hacked at balls in the rouch with everything I had with an iron, and was only able to advance them 20-30 yards back out into the fairway.

Also, they have caddies there, so you have to walk the course. It's a sprawling, winding, up and down layout. The fatigue factor of walking the course combined with the rough .... it just wears on you.

Shot 52-47 -- 99. And wasn't at all disappointed. Parred back to back holes on the back nine, the #2 and #3 handicap holes on the course.

Walking that course in 95 heat huh? Even w/o carrying the bag that's a long day. Keeping it under 100 on a legit, difficult course is commendable.

[DarNoor]

I enjoy reading your golf updates, Swerb. Keep them coming.

[swerb]

Played in a scramble at Blue Heron in Medina last week. A really cool course. A Troon course. Target golf, large waste areas, very visually beautiful.

And A LOT of shots you have to hit between 180 and 240 off the tee. Which takes the driver outta my hands, which I don't like at all.

Still, a great course. Now 27 holes cause they put in a new 9 last year, and man is it cool. Luckily, the new nine was part of the scramble. Some really neat holes. Much shorter than the other two nines, but gimmicky. Three par fours you can drive. Goes underneath the freeway, and there's some really cool drives from hole to hole.

We had a great team. Eagled the par 5 18th for a -12 score.

Group behind us eagles 18 to shoot 59 and beats us by a stroke.

[furls]

I saw my golf clubs in the garage last week. That is as close as I have come to using them in two years. One day I will have time to enjoy life!

[swerb]

Getting caught up ...

Played nine holes at Manakiki last week. My goal every year is to play as many different area courses as possible. I'm even more gung ho about that this year, with the golf site now up and running.

Manakiki is a very nice course. I grew up in Willowick and have been playing it since I've been about 10. Improbably though, I hadn't played it in 3-4 years since heading out there last week after work for a quick niner.

Was my worst nine holes of the year. Shot a 47 as my driver was erratic and got me in some trouble.. But hit two 25 foot putts to get that 47, so it coulda easily been a 49. Putter felt really great though, which is a great sign. I am a very consistently below average putter. And a good driver of the golf ball. So as bad as I played, I walked away happy cause I was rolling the ball real well.

Played the front. First two drives, long and right down the middle. Parred #1 and did not have another par or birdie the entire nine. One more great drive on #8. But I sucked on the par threes, hit two drives OB, and another one so far right that I hit my second shot on that hole OB.

Three balls OB. That's the difference between a 43 and a 47.

Playing Sleepy Hollow in Brecksville tomorrow. Maybe one of these days the driver and putter will decide to show up on the same day.

[mikebrownz26]

Did it take you three hours to play the front nine? That is usually the case at Manakiki.

[swerb]

Did it take you three hours to play the front nine? That is usually the case at Manakiki.

Almost! Like 2:40.

Also, the people working there are always dicks. Every single time I've ever played there, there's some cranky old a-hole hell bent on making every one he comes into contact with miserable.

Love the course, once you get out there.

[mikebrownz26]

Yeah, they have a rule there that the starter must be an 80 year old cranky old fart.

I went up there last year at one point and they had done significant work to the back nine, it was almost country-clubish in quality. Its a course that you can tell was once one of the premier tracks on the area at one point. Hole 8 (I think) from the tips is one of my favorites in the area.

Just wish the service/pace of play was better there.

[peeker643]

18 is being redone. The "green" currently sits at the bottom of the hill and is about a 10 x 10 swatch of asphalt/grass mix. It plays about 240 from the middle tees.

Horrible way to end the round until they get it fixed but the course is in great shape. I entered a review on Swerb's new golf site that also made mention of the a-holes they employ as starters.

A couple friday's ago we played in less than 4 1/2 hours but that was a 4pm tee time.

[swerb]

Played Sleepy Hollow out in Brecksville today, like Manakiki, one of the Metroparks courses. Cost $38 to ride 18 holes on a Monday, and worth every penny.

I really like Sleepy Hollow, it's my favorite of the Metroparks courses. It's a solid test, and the course was in incredible shape. All this sun and rain has been perfect for courses so far this summer. Every inch of this course was well kept, and the greens rolled great. The staff was friendly, and we played in 3 hours and 55 minutes. It rained off and on, but only once hard enough where we had to take shelter for about 10 minutes.

Typical day for me at the office today.

48-45 -- 93

Three putted four greens on the back! Four! And still shot +8. I was hitting the ball as good as I have in a long time on the back, hitting 7 of the 9 greens in regulation. My putter, which has been pretty damn good for me, just went away for about an hour. Very frustrating.

On the front I hit four balls OB, including two on the very tough par 3 seventh, where I took a quadruple bogey 7, and effectively ruining what would have been a sub 90 day at a very solid course ... which would have been great for me.

[furls]

I swear to god, my goal in life is to become a starter at Manakiki and raise hell and unfuck that place. It has always been my favorite course in NE Ohio due to all the memories (Rich, Do you remember the skins games with Parina, Frank, and the boys?) but the service (even 15 years ago was substandard). The starters are Dicks and do not do their jobs. If they spent more time worrying about pace of play and less time being cocksuckers to guys on the tees it would be a very enjoyable place to play.

[skatingtripods]

As a three or four times a year golfer, I'm horrible. If you need practice with your irons like I do, Cleveland Metroparks Washington Park course in Newburgh Heights is a good place to play. If you don't hit the ball straight, you're in trouble because it's fairly narrow for 4 of the 9 holes, but it's a nice par 3 course.

That said, I played it today and shot somewhere near 55. Lost three of my first four shots to the right because they went sharp right in mid trajectory. My wedge play was downright awful and I had lots of two putts from 15-20 feet. Only two holes even possible to take a wood to (240 and 231), but the pin placements were on the far side of bunkers, so that made it a bit more challenging.

[swerb]

It has always been my favorite course in NE Ohio due to all the memories (Rich, Do you remember the skins games with Parina, Frank, and the boys?) but the service (even 15 years ago was substandard). The starters are Dicks and do not do their jobs.

I never forget a Skins game Furls. And absolutely nothing has changed there from when we were kids.

[swerb]

Played Punderson last week with Peeker. First time I have ever played Punderson.

Your typical state owned park course. Nice, long, traditional ... reminds me of Sleepy Hollow, Manakiki. Some cool holes on the back nine.

It poured all morning, was still raining hard when we rolled the dice and teed off. Rained hard for holes 1, 2, 9, and 10. Rain held off the rest of the day.

But it was WET. Tough conditions.

Swerb 47 - 47 -- 94
Peeks 41 - 46 -- 87

I parred 17 and 18 for that 94. Was erratic all day. Lost prolly 4 strokes on shots where I got too much soaking wet ground with my swing and essentially duffed em. Had one of those strings on the front I'm famous for where I three putt three straight holes.

[Doc]

Hey Swerb...

This is a great read. Couple questions on the outing...I know I'm a n00b, have a little interest in the outing, might be able to get 3-4, not sure though. Is the 87 on the website 87 tops right now or 87 with your other pending entries? Playing from the whites or the tips?

I'm a very marginal golfer, but LM is an epic course I'd love to play.

Anyways, I'm going to put a couple feelers out tomorrow and see if anyone is game.

FWIW I think I met you once at an old Scout Draft party at Bunkers...probably the Braylon draft IIRC. I used to post there a lot more. Great site by the way...much better conversations, and I love all the baseball talk, plus the golf and MMA stuff. And the movie reviews. I'll try to give you a better idea within the week.

[swerb]

Doc, 87 locked in. Prolly another 10-20 out there close to locking in. We can go up to 124.

Make it out Doc. The outing is really gonna be a great time. Little Mountain is superb. Especially in a scramble where you can play most of your approaches from the fairway, and not one of the 800 bunkers. Lunch, steak dinner, beer, booze, golf, prizes ... gonna be a great day.

And thanks for the propers on the site. I think I do remember you from the Braylon Draft Bash. You posted as doc with some numbers after it over at The OBR, didn't you?

Lemme know on the outing. If you need a guy or two for your group, let me know on that as well.

[swerb]

Played Fowler's Mill yesterday with clients. It had been 3-4 years since I had been out there. I'll never go that long again between visits in my life.

Fowler's is spectacular. I forgot how nice it is there. There is nothing not to like, and for my money, is right up there with Boudler Creek, Little Mountain, and Avalon Lakes as one of the nicest, if not the nicest public golf course in NE Ohio.

Fowler's is just a tough golf course. Man. Long, demanding, and very challenging. But fair. You don't use your head around that course, it will add 10 strokes to your score, no question. You gotta think your way through that track, which I like. The fairway bunkers are well positioned and overhanging trees affect approach shots after seemingly solid drives. There's several risk/reward holes, including two holes with split fairways, divided by water.

I played great yesterday. Just could not putt to save my life. Didn't hit a putt outside 6 feet all day. Was burning lip after lip. Three putted 7 holes.

49-45 -- 94

13 of my 14 drives were long, and in the fairway. If I hit the green, I'd three jack it. If I missed the green, I'd chip on and two putt. Tripled #1 and quadrupled #3. From holes 4-18, I hit the ball better than I have all year, and battling back for a 94 after I was +8 through three seemed unthinkable.

One of those days where the hit the ball great but just could not score to save my ass.

[DarNoor]

Swerb - Question about the golf outing. I live in Columbus. How long a drive is the course from here? I might be interested in playing. I really enjoy scrambles, and this sound like it's going to be a great time.

[swerb]

Swerb - Question about the golf outing. I live in Columbus. How long a drive is the course from here? I might be interested in playing. I really enjoy scrambles, and this sound like it's going to be a great time.

Prolly about 3 hours.

[mikebrownz26]

There's several risk/reward holes, including two holes with split fairways, divided by water.

You do know there is a rule about Fowler's Mill in that each player is required to throw down an extra ball on the Lake hole and try to drive the green. Did you?

[swerb]

There's several risk/reward holes, including two holes with split fairways, divided by water.

You do know there is a rule about Fowler's Mill in that each player is required to throw down an extra ball on the Lake hole and try to drive the green. Did you?

Damn, didn't know that rule MB. But I'll tell you what, I'm going to do everything in my power to play Fowlers again this year. Love that course.

[swerb]

Best round of the year.

Little Mountain for the STO Golf Outing. Shot 42-47 -- 89. And did not hit a putt longer than 5 feet all day.

Played with Tony Grossi of the PD (91), Pat Kilkenney of STO (100) and Bobby Cart of WKNR (91). Great group of guys.

Little Mountain is superb. Course was in great shape with all the sun and rain we've had of late. Greens were so receptive, and rolling so nice. You're out there, you forget you're in Ohio. Beautiful course, and a friendly staff that Hanlin has absolutely stacked with talent.

My iron play has been very inconsistent this season, but was much better today. I fixed a couple things with how I was addressing my iron shots and was really able to consistently repeat good swings with irons today. I've actually stopped using my hybrid club and have really replaced it with my 3 and 4 iron, two clubs I just haven't used over the last year or two.

One of those days, I was just really dialed in. Any round can always be a handful of strokes lower in hindsight, but today could have very easily been a 84-85 if I just would have made a couple of GD putts.

[swerb]

YTD Scores

Berkshire Hills 52-41--93
Wicked Woods 46-48--94
Sandridge 52-47--99
Blue Heron (Scramble -12)
Manakiki 47 (9 holes)
Sleepy Hollow 48-45--93
Punderson 47-47--94
Fowlers Mill 49-45--94
Little Mountain 42-47--89

[Guest]

After reading your scores, and seeing a foursome with Peeker shooting in the 80s and Allburn being a kid...I'm officially nervous.

Despite the 88 I pulled out of my rectum last year at Boulder, my game is quite mediocre this year...perhaps I never should have replaced the Nike Slingshots that got stolen with the TaylorMades. When I hit it right, the R7s are much better, but they aren't as forgiving as the OS Slingshots.

Shouldn't bitch too much...hit a 3 1/2 star resort course last week that was the alternate site for this year's PGA tourney in Greensboro...Grandover Resort East Course. 46-49=95 target golf on a course where I should have kept the driver in the bag for all but two holes...but of course I didn't.

But I had the best day with my wedges that I've had in months...so we'll see what The Quarry has to offer in two weeks.

[swerb]

Went back to Punderson, just played the back nine.

Shot 44.

Was a crazy nine holes. My driver, which has been consistently good and long this season, was ALL over the place. One good drive about 280 down the right hand side on 12. My other six were all sprayed badly.

Crazy game golf. You can be rolling along so good with a certain aspect of your game and it will just leave you.

I was scrambling like a mother yesterday though. No three putts. Three up and downs thanks to great lob wedge shots I stuck on the pin. Made all my 4-6 foot putts.

Now if I could ever get everything working together at the same time ...

[swerb]

Played Chagrin Valley Country Club on Thursday with a buddy I work with.

Love that course. No houses, quiet, beautiful, old school, perfectly manicured, and challenging yet fair. And some ball busting par 3's.

I played like shit. Worst round of the year.

46-52 -- 98

I hit like 100 balls before the round. First hole, perfect drive, stuck my approcah 20 feet away on the green, two putt par. Second hole, burned the lip of a par putt for a bogey. Walking to three, I felt I could shoot mid 80's. Then the wheels fell off.

Golf is such a tough game. Just when you think you are making headway, the game will cut you down.

Good thing is, I realized what the hell I was doing wrong with my irons and wedges around the green towards the end of the round and corrected it, albeit to late to salvage the horrific score. Driver was inconsistent as well. Rolled the ball actually pretty well. Could. Not. Chip.

[FUDU]

Now if I could ever get everything working together at the same time ...

You wouldn't be here running a message board that is for sure.

[swerb]

Played The Quarry on Saturday with Mitch, Paul, and Nick. More on the experience in The Quarry thread.

Mitch Cyrus 51 - 47 -- 98
Rich Swerbinsky 52 - 47 -- 99
Nick Allburn 54 - 54 -- 108
Paul Cousineau 56 - 53 -- 109

Toughest course I've played, maybe ever. And my most frustrating day on the course all year. Why? I could have posted a helluva score. Hit my driver, hybrid, and irons superb all day.

Duffed SEVEN CHIPS! And did not make a putt longer than four feet all day. One short par four, I drive the ball just off the left side of the green. Easy chip, a lot of green to work with. Make seven.

Short game was an absolute disaster. Even if I duff a couple chips, make just one putt per nine, I shoot high 80s low 90s at a course that tests you to the fullest.

We played the back first, which is very demanding. Parred four of the nine holes. Also had three triples. Course wore us down. We all shot worse on an easier front nine.

Great course though. Amazing.