They did a nice job and one thing to remember is don’t roll a ball near a sand trap as they have grown the rough quite long and it is pretty gnarly if your ball lands there. The greens were in great shape and the fairways were decent as well.

The course is not that long and not that difficult. It’s a fun course to play and I always enjoy playing there. The last two times I have played there in tournaments we have finished 2nd this year and 1st a few years ago. It’s always a great feeling to win.

But, remember it’s not all about winning it’ sjust a lot of fun to just be out there playing.

We started off on Hole 16 and Pete led off followed by Steve then me and then our anchor Peter Currier. Currier and I had great drives with our 3 woods. We didn’t use driver because of the water hazard in Driver range. I hit a five iron on the green pin high to the left. We had four shots at birdie but we let it slip by the hole and settled for par.

On 17 Currier and I hit 3 wood again and we were in great position to attack the pin. We screwed up and had to take a mulligan, which we bought 4 of them, I took the approach shot and then landed about 15 feet left of the flag. Currier sank the last of our putting attempts as the ball just trickled in the hole.

Well this started us on a tear of 6 more consecutive birdies. The key to this was we hit all the fairways and greens in regulation until we hit the par 3 6th hole and we missed the birdie putt. We got the birdie train back on course at the 7th. On eight my drive was straight up the middle and 160 yards out, Currier’s 6 iron approach shot landed a foot from the hole and it was an easy tap in for birdie.

We had par’s on 9,10 and 11.

As we reached the par 5 twelfth hole which is a very easy birdie hole we talked about previous years as how some groups had eagled this hole and how this would be a good goal for us. I hit driver and we ended up using my drive and then Currier was lat to hit and hit his utility club through the green and on the back fringe of the green. Luckily the pin was back and we were only about 15 feet away. We figured the putt would break left to right. Pete led us off with his putt which went left to right and then back to the left and dropped in the center of the cup for our first eagle. At this point we felt we were in good position for first.

On thirteen the course has the markers way up for this easy par 4. I hit 5 wood to about 7 feet from the hole and Pete and Steve both missed but gave me a perfect read and I sunk the eagle putt to take us to 13 under par. What a feeling I had never had back to back eagles before. Even tho the second Eagle was a short one it still was a two on the card.

We parred 14 and then finished the round with a birdie on 15 and ended with a 14 under par 58 to take first place by 2 stokes.

All in all it was a great sunny warm day and we also won a few raffle prizes to top off the day.

We’ll see how we play today and hopefully we will do real well. We are playing at Windham Country Club in Windham, NH

Today I’ll tell you about hole # 1

It is very short and a lower handicap player should use no more than a 3 wood off the back tees. I see so many players hit driver and get themselves in a lot of trouble.

So if you set up your shot right you’ll be able to to come into this green with a short iron.

From the back tees it plays about 350 yards and trees abound the right side and the left has a line of trees and a road that is O.B. which leads to the clubhouse.

A long sand trap hugs the left side of the fairway at about 150 yards out and many a tee ball finds it way in the sand. The right front of the green is also guarded by a large bunker and the green is firm and slopes front to back. So, a nice lofted approach shot is necessary.

The course is 6500 yards from the back tees.

Next I’ll break down the next few holes for you.

Golf Season is here and the Atkinson Resort and Country Club is a great place to spend a few relaxing hours golfing.

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I have actually done a couple of these things, can you guess which ones I have done?

We decided to tee it up from the blue tees with a course rating of 72.8 and a slope of 136 playing at 6580 yards. I haven’t swung a club in a month and I was eager to get out there and play. I warmed up by hitting a couple dozen balls at the driving range and felt my swing wasn’t half bad. I seemed to be able to keep my head down and I was striking the ball pretty well. Pete showed up about ten minutes before tee time and he felt a little rushed but he was able to hit a bunch of balls and looked like he was all set when they called us to the first tee. We were scheduled to play with another couple of guys but they never showed up. It was just the two of us. Just the way we wanted it. 18 holes head to head.

It was fairly mild at tee time with partly sunny skies and a slight breeze facing us as we headed down the first hole. The first hole is a short par 4 at 350 yards and Pete hit 3 wood and was about 140 yards out and he ended up short on his approach shot as it trickled in the sand trap. Pete bogeyed. I hooked a 5 wood into the tree line and chipped out and then hit a gap wedge just short and chipped on and missed the putt as I double bogeyed. Not the way we wanted to start.

As we went to the second tee we could see a foursome approaching the green and we knew we would catch them in no time and we were hoping we would be able to go thru them and play at our own pace. We both parred two, three and four. As we came to the 5th tee box we were waved ahead by the group in front. We usually have a tendency to rush when players wave us through, I guess we rush just so we don’t hold them up. Well we rushed this time and I double bogied and Pete parred. The 6th is a par 5 and I bogeyed it and double bogeyed the toughest hole on the course the par 4 7th. Short game messed me up here. I parred 8 and 9 and finished with a respectable 43 while Pete shot 40.

We made the turn and you can see Pete’s swing here on number ten. It is not his normal swing as his tee shot was skyed and pushed to the right deep into the woods. We both messed this hole up pretty good as it is only a 365 yard par 4 and a little tight as it funnels downhill towards the hole. No driver is needed.

The 11th is a great little par 3 and from the blues it plays 183 yards from an elevated tee box and you have to carry a nice little swampy area with a tricky green.

We both parred this tricky par three and off to the twelth hole we go.

The twelth is a par 5 straight out with a few large bunkers running down the left side of the fairway and trees to the right, you need to be accurate to make 4 or 5. I missed a 6 footer for birdie as I just didn’t read the green correctly.

The thirteenth was a par for me as Pete’s drive went left and it took us the maximum 5 minutes to find his ball as it ended up about 50 yards further than either of us ever thought it would be. His ball was in a clump of loose grass and he came up short and then chipped on the green short and ended up with a bogey. Could have been a lot worse.

The 15th has been redone as the approach shot used to be a blind shot to the green and now they have pushed the green back by about 30-40 yards and is elevated so you can now see the green from the fairway. My drive was about 155 yards out and my 7 iron hit the green and rolled up to within feet a nice little left to right putt made for our first birdie of the round. The birdie brought me to two over par on the back side.

The 16th was redesigned as well as your tee shot needs to fade to the right and that will leave you a much straighter second shot to the green. This par 5 is reachable in two as Pete showed me how it was done. I parred and Pete’s eagle putt just missed the mark as he birdied. We both parred 17 and headed to 18.

On 18 the tee markers were about 2 feet from the back of the tee box I ended up about a 135 yards out and went in with a nine iron and I made my one major mistake as I lifted my head on my approach shot and went deep into the back of the green I ended up bogeying 18 and finished with a nice 82. I was real happy considering I hadn’t played in a month. Pete shot 83. First time I have beaten him in a while. I told you Pete is recovering from 3 broken ribs and wrist surgery but I didn’t tell you he is also blind in on eye. Pete is an exceptional athlete and is very competetive. A real man’s man.

If you get a chance and you want a challenge play Atkinson Resort and Country Club.

My league average this year with little to no practice and only playing 9 holes a week with only playing 4 rounds of 18 holes is 42 on the front and 41 on the back. That is awful, for me anyway.

Interestingly enough last year with a ton of practice and a lot of golfing I averaged 41.83 for the front and 41.33 on the back. That is weird…. I guess I am very consistent.

2005 I was 41 on the front and 39.11 on the back.

2004 I was 41.25 on the front and 40.22 on the back.

2003 I was 40.22 on the front and 40.89 on the back. Looks like I had some trouble on the back nine.

This year has been my worst year scoring in the last 4 years.

We both had decent tee shots on 2 and I crushed a 5 wood from 251 out and landed about 10 yards short of the green. Number two is a short par 5 reachable in two. Stevie’s approach was excellent as he was a few yards behind me. He chippped up to about 10 feet from the hole and I chipped to within gimmie range. Stevie drained his putt and we both walked away with a birdie.

The third hole is not my favorite here on the front nine. It is a downhill shot with the wind blowing left to right and the yardage is 185 yards  with trouble way right and just off the green on the left. I played a 6 iron and came up short and putted from just off the green and another gimmie from Steve. Steve struggled on this hole as he went long left and dubbed his chip shot. He ended up with a double bogey.

We both bogeyed the fourth and fifth hole. I had a chance to win 5 but I choked on my third shot as I came up way short and Steve had gone over the green on his third shot. I left my fourth shot above the hole and I let it slide by and missed my par putt.

On 6 Steve handcuffed himself and I left myself with 175 yds. and my approach was just short and I chipped to within 5 feet. I ended up with par and Steve bogeyed. We both parred the par three 7th as we went to 8, I was one over and my beer bet with Bob Trottier found me one down as he was heading to the 6th tee box.

The eighth hole I pushed my drive to the right of the green and short sided myself and Steve’s drive landed in the bunker short of the green. Steve buried his sand shot and then made it out and made a good putt and he tapped in for 5. My drive landed in a divot and I had a sand trap in front of me so I knew I had a delicate shot. I used my sand wedge and the ball went clear across the other side of the green. I choked by three putting.

As we went to nine I won holes 3 and 2 and I was up by 4 strokes. I had a real good drive and I was about 130 out and played a nine iron and I put it about 12 feet below the hole. Steve had a nice drive and came up short and he had a nice chip shot and he made par. We kidded about giving each other par putts but I did make mine and we finished on a good note.

I shot a 2 over par 38 and Steve ended up with a 42.

The next week we cancelled due to rain and cold. Of course, the 4th week was raining and we ended up playing anyways. This week we will see how the weather fares. Let’s hope it is decent, forecast is for rain in the morning and clearing up late afternoon. We usually tee off around 4:30 pm and we will be playing the backnine this week.