Hole in One!

Today, I got a hole in one, my first one ever!  Quick internet research tells me odds of this is about 1 in 5,000 (odds of a low handicapper hole in one).

I started my round well with birdies on 1 and 2, but bogied 3 and 4 with a missed green and a three putt.  On 6, I got back on track another birdie after a great approach to inside two feet.  I parred 7 and 8 and got to the 9th tee box at -1.

At Metropolis, 9 is a straightforward par 3, playing anywhere from 135 to 160 depending on pin placement.  Three bunkers guard the green, left, short right and back left and shots that don't make the green or these obstacles are in big trouble.  The green slopes sharply back to front and is narrower in the first third of the green, and widens in the back third and is flattish, but breaks slightly left to right and more so on the right edge of the green.  The last wrinkle on the green is another uphill slope (back to front) on the back right portion of the green, providing for the toughest pin placements.

The pin was back right this morning, about 4 paces from the back right corner.  Any shots that miss the green right past the bunker hit a slope and can easily bring high numbers into play - and this pin placement brings this possibility into play.  The pin was struck at 160 exactly and there was a clear downwind, slightly from the left.

I selected the 6 iron, which is a non-standard choice because the 6 can go 190 with no wind.  Today, inclusive of the wind the shot was about 150-155, so the ideal 6 iron is a "chip," a shorter swing that produces a lower ball flight with less spin, and should be less affected by wind.  I always feel like I have more control taking an extra club and shortening the swing, so that the shot I selected.

I set up to the shot and struck it nicely and my first thought after I saw the ball's trajectory was that the shot was too far right.  This, because I wasn't sure yet if the ball would decide to fade.  My next thought was oh good it's not fading.  Then I watched the ball track towards the target, landing just at the top of the ridge and bouncing straight forward.  The ball bounced once or twice and then started rolling like a putt.  From there, it tracked straight ahead and then up the slope at the back right of the green and I lost sight of it a moment before it went in because I refocused to the back of the green to see where the ball would stop.  Then, my caddie Lyndon yelled it went in and I also noticed that I didn't see anything nestle at the back of the green.  It must have gone in!  10 second and lots of commotion later, the starter and caddiemaster shimmied over towards the green and gave the universal "it went in" sign.  Sadly, my close friend and playing partner Dan was busy ordering a breakfast sandwich and missed the shot entirely.

So that left me with a 32 on the front nine, an excellent score, especially with two bogies on the card.  That's good golf!  The good golf escaped me a bit on the back nine as I bogied three of the next four (three putt on 10, unable to get up and down on 12 (bad chip) and 13 (bad putt) before parring in for an even par 71.  I also missed a four footer for birdie on 15 and missed a very makable up and down on 16 for birdie.

Overall, a fantastic day!