Pinehurst No.1 practice round with a friend. Notes for the tournament.
Hole 1. Good drive. 130 yards in, 6 iron into bunker. Correct club. Green slower than practice range.
Hole 2 par 5. Good drive. 3 wood. 130 yards in 6 iron. Correct club. SW. Greens slow.
Hole 3. Dog leg right. Teed up quite far right. Perfect drive. 115 yards in. 8 iron. Club face pointed right, did not say anything, went there. Chip on. Watch green slope. And club face.
Hole 4. Drive shaky. Good 3 wood. 110 yards in. 9 iron. Short. 8 iron better. SW to green. Best to approach from downhill. Green consistent with previous, watch slope.
Hole 5, par 3 120 yards. 7 iron all the way. Green slightly quicker.
Hole 6. Dog leg left. Aim right edge bunker. 140 yards in. Hybrid. Watch club face and alignment.
Our playing partner, the Preacher’s Son says to Rob : Head down. Swing all the way through. You can do it!
Rob sends a magical wedge right up on the pin. I tell Rob I’m going to say exactly the same thing to him every time !
Hole 7, par 3. 103 yards. 9 iron. Green slightly faster.
Hole 8. Good drive. 65 yards in. SW correct club. Green slow, holding up towards the pin.
Hole 9, par 3. 100 yards. Uphill. 9 iron correct club. Watch club face.
Hole 10. Good drive. 62 yards in. SW. Nothing different on the green.
Hole 11. Good drive. 90 in. Gap is correct club.
Hole 12, par 3. 140 yards. 5 iron. Hybrid if pin is middle to back.
Hole 13, par 5. Good drive. Good 3 wood. Keep left for fairway roll and approach.
Rob took his hat off (so hot) before his most magnificent 3 wood ever and said: That just proves I should take my hat off to hit a good shot.
No it doesn’t.
Yes it does. Because I’m Batman !
58 yards in. Lob within Birdie putt distance.
Now can you argue about my hat?
Check slope of green. Best to approach from below pin.
Hole 14. Drive towards 150 yard mark. Good 3 wood. Lob not hit well. SW on to green leaving long putt. Green slow, no real roll.
Hole 15. Good drive. 3 wood hit well. SW on to green.
Hole 16. Good drive. 130 yards in. 6 iron. SW.
Hole 17. Good drive. 100 yards in. 9 iron. SW. Remember, greens do not roll.
Hole 18, par 5. Keep Drive straight. 3 wood. 3 wood. SW.
We finish the round about 12 hours after arriving in Pinehurst (arrived after 6+ hour drive 12:30 am). Rob and my first time here. Hot and happy in the home of American golf.