First Tee/35th Street Loop

I was waiting for the gate to open at First Tee at 7:30 this morning, not that I really needed to beat the heat. Now, at 1:18 p.m. Central, it's 91 with heat index of 96, relatively pleasant for mid-August. I played the long course from the back tees in 47, again with 2 pars, 5 bogeys, and 2 triples. Last Saturday I parred Nos. 2 and 7, and tripled 4 and 5. This morning I parred 5 and 8, and tripled 2 and 6. On No. 2, I was 140 yards away with two three-woods, but behind the tree in the right rough. You know the one; it's about 75 yards short of the hole. I didn't figure my pitching wedge could go 140, but I couldn't hit a nine-iron high enough. I hit my pitching wedge over the tree, 136 yards into the right front sand trap. So I'm there in three. I hit out and way over, flubbed my pitch short, chipped on, and two putted from six feet for a triple. Later, on the driving range (it was pleasant enough to hit balls after I played), I was hitting eight irons 150 yards and leaving PGA-style divots past the ball. This grandfather said, "Look at the way he's hitting down on the ball, Stephanie." That was the most pressure i have ever felt while golfing. I hit about eight feet behind the ball on my next shot, turned and said, "Did you see the way I hit down on that one, Stephanie?" I did, however, after she and her grandfather laughed, knock the dog meat out of the next one, and then started hitting three-woods.

Tonight, starting at about 7:30 Central, I jogged the 35th Street Loop in 43:43, with splits of 11:20, 11:01, 11:15, and 10:07.