Another day, but not another golf course. The wind was so bad on October 28th it was blowing bananas off the trees, so we decided to pass on golf and play locally on the 30th. One game in hurricane-type weather was enough for me. Stan and Sharon Weiner came in yesterday (yes, more neighbors). Our street has been a ghost town, so some of the gang left for home today and some will be leaving tomorrow. Someone has to be on neighborhood watch!
It was Stan W., Stan B. Ginny Kurtz and me on the Royal Course. We received two free rounds of golf for listening to the Marriott sales pitch, but Ginny and Stan W. had to pay the Marriott discounted rate, which was still pretty expensive in comparison to what we normally pay in Oxnard (over $179 per round, plus $50 for club rental). We used the club rental at the course since Ginny was unhappy with the guy from whom we rented clubs the last time. (We were supposed to get Callaways and got Prince instead. I thought Prince made tennis racquets!) This time we got Cobras, a brand I wasn't familiar with but Ginny knew of them and said they were good clubs. I was hopeful it would make a difference in my game.
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| The Fearsome Foursome ready to tackle Royal! |
The weather today was much, much better than the last time we played the course. There was no rain and there was very little wind until later afternoon. It bode well for a wonderful day on a beautiful course. Did I mention that it was the day before Halloween? I didn't believe in goblins until today!
The first hole, just like when we played on October 28th, was pretty tough, even with good weather. But we got through it, and we teed off on the 2nd. Ginny, bless her heart, forgot she was on the golf course and thought she was a baton twirler in a Halloween parade. When she made her drive, the club flew out of her hand, flipped through the air and hit our cart. Whoops! The first sign of goblins on the course. I sure wish I had the video camera on for that one!
Stan Weiner is a good golfer. No matter where we play, he hits that ball straight and true, is on the green in two or three and usually two-putts. Why in the world does he like to play golf with us? I guess it could be because he and Stan Block do have a good time together. Stan B. is Stan W.'s driver. SW lights up a cigar, sits back and lets SB do the driving. It's a wonderful relationship, really. SB likes being behind the wheel. SW likes being driven. It works.
Stan and I played what seems to be our usual game. Some good shots, some horrible, and lots of mediocre shots in between. I drove the ball pretty well today, and I even had some very good second shots. I blew it on my short game and putting though, which I felt I was doing pretty well on before we started traveling. I wish I could figure out why I either top or slap-shot the ball. I'm ready to start my GolfTec lessons again when we get back. Joe, our pro, said something about my straightening my legs when I swing down on the ball, and he'll work on it with me. I can only hope that if that corrects, it won't screw something else up.
We started playing around 10:30 this morning, so it was obvious we would play through lunch. At the 10th hole, we were starving and the cart lady came by with her wares (I use the term very, very loosely). SW bought us our lunch: $9.00 (!) turkey or ham sandwiches with drinks. I swear, if we weren't starving, we wouldn't have eaten them (well, all of us but Stan who loved his ham sandwich), but they sustained us and gave us the calories and energy we needed to finish up the rest of our game.
Ginny got in the spirit of Halloween, especially because she was using Cobra clubs and found herself impersonating either a witch or a snake, I'm not sure which (or it is witch?). In any case, the course goblins got to her and you can decide:
There was long grass whenever you weren't on the fairway, and it was pretty tough to dig out the ball, even with the #4 hybrid that was in my bag. I liked that club, and it was a great opportunity to see how I would do with a hybrid. I've been looking for either a long iron (maybe a 3) or a hybrid to supplement. And I also liked the driver; the head seemed twice as big as the one I have now. I'll have to talk to Joe about possibly adding these clubs.
We were able to find out what the 16th, 17th and 18th holes were like this time, and they all were water holes! I lost two balls in the last three holes. Stan called it quits on the 18th - he lost all of his balls (a total of 6) and didn't have any more to play with. I guess he didn't think of asking SW for a ball, I don't think he lost all of his.
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| The happy couple on the 17th hole. See that water? It was trouble. |
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