Third Golf Game of 2009

Andy and I joined our friends Rich and Sandy for a round at Deerfield Golf and Tennis Club, in Newark, today. Rich and his family had come down from Connecticut for the weekend; they are old friends of Andy and his family. We decided to meet Rich as his family crossed into Delaware, and take him up to Newark. And, since my friend Sandy lives up that way, we had our foursome.

Deerfield was built in 1955 as Louviers Country Club. It was created by the DuPont Corporation as an amenity for DuPont employees. In 1994, it was purchased by MBNA and renamed Deerfield. In 2005, the state bought Deerfield and added it to White Clay Creek State Park.

The Deerfield course is quite hilly. Almost all of the holes feature elevation changes; down, up, over, around. For a golfer like me -- one who usually plays on the flat courses of coastal Sussex County -- this is a real challenge. Add the fact that this was our first outing on a real, full golf course, and you can imagine how rough things seemed.

As we left Lewes this morning, Andy and I stopped at Surf Bagel. There we ran into Emory Buck, a friend from Epworth United Methodist Church and a fine golfer. When I told him where were headed he said, "Better bring your A-Game." The thing is, I don't really have an A-game.

I did not play particularly well. I'm embarrassed to post the scorecard, but there it is -- a shameful 129.

My front nine was disastrous; a full 72. While I had some good drives (I have found a decent swing with my 3-wood), my iron work is still inconsistent. And I was misjudging my short irons. Ironically, the problem stems from the fact that I now hit my pitching wedge correctly. So I was hitting it too far and had to learn to dial back a bit. And my ability to get out of sand traps, while sufficient to the friendly traps we have around here, was no match for the deep traps I found at Deerfield.

The back nine was a bit better, I managed a 57. Now, if only I could putt.

While I'm not happy with my result, I was pleased with many of my shots today. When you catch the ball right, and watch it fly up and out and down the fairway, it feels great. That's why I plan to get out there again soon.