That was a day i needed

Work and family issues have had me a little stressball of joy for a couple weeks. Today some guys I used to work with and I planned a trip to the coast, 9 each at Manzanita Golf Course and Alderbrook with the massively big stakes of ice cream on the line, 2-man best ball.

Third hole my partner butchers his tee shot. Not to be outdone i slice my driver leaving us about 150 uphill to a blind green, but under a tree so had to keep the ball low...which I cannot do. using something I saw on Golfix I think, I choked down to the metal, kept my finish low and hit a low liner that checked up 10' from the cup which i rolled in for a natural bird. I could play that shot 20,000 times and not hit the green but that shot...meanwhile, they bogeyed. We were playing 9 and won by 2...so that hole was the difference.

Got to Alderbrook, the course was quiet, the weather gorgeous...we ramped it up to 18. They got us by 2 on the front so we are tied for the day going into the last nine.

John and I were up 2 when we got to 16, a tee shot from an elevated green to a narrow fairway. Our opponents crushed their drive, the pressure was on. John did less well. I sliced my drive (I am detecting a pattern here) into the trees between our fairway and a couple holes prior. We had tree issues and 230 to the green. My 4h had been great early, awful later. I pulled it anyway. For 39 recorded shots my average is 201. Had they mowed the grass on the fringe it would have been on the green and was in line with the cup, just an absolute smashed thing of beauty, 220ish yards (gps was a bit...not 100% reliable)

Everyone had some great shots and awful shots on the day, some classic friendly banter...and we ended the day 2-up overall after winning the back by 9. Over our last 81 holes there are now 2 shots total separating our team scores...

The birdie hole and that smashed 4h are the things that keep me playing golf...but hanging out with friends are what take it from good to great. And I am ready to face life again...

Its just that, good friends, being out on the course, and pulling some great shots out of nowhere.

Those are the shots I have hit that keep me going too. My favorite few recent shots, 500 yard par 5, just caught my driver pure and right where I intended, not the longest drive I hit, but left me around 230yards to the green. figured I'd hit my 3 wood with just a nice smooth swing and get it close to the green, it landed in front of the green and rolled up for an eagle chance. Missed the eagle, but was able to pull off a birdie. another killer shot on a par 3, 207 yards. I hit my 4 iron 6 feet from the cup. it was a thing of beauty, just connected and watched it flying straight in the direction of the flag, saw it hit the green and just stop dead, got to it and it had curled itself up in the greens surface and had literally dug a hole in the green and stayed there (greens were very soft that day) I had quite a divot to remove my ball from and repair before putting thats for sure, and knocked it in for birdie. On another occasion, 202 yard par three downhill green, hit my 2h first time on the course after buying it with a nice smooth swing not trying to crush the hell out of it, just trying to make good contact and knocked it on the green it was probably as far away from the flag on the green as you could be, and two putted to par out on it. One other recent notable shot I can say was a memorable one, hit a drive on 18 which is 361 yards on my local course which is a dogleg right but you feel like you could drive the green if you just hit the longest best drive of your life, and ended just hitting it way off left on a duffed drive probably 150 yards landed on top of a mound under a tree, but a good view to the green and being 210 out, knowing I hit my hybrids badly lately, pulled out my 3h anyway. I have been for some reason, just pulling the hybrids left like crazy, good contact, but just going way left all the time I figure my issue has been being too far forward and setting up off left heel, so I decided to play it middle of my stance. I aimed it to the sand trap on the right of the green figuring I would pull it to the left still and end up hopefully on the fairway with a good chip up to the green or if really lucky maybe on the green. Of course I nutted it and it went dead straight, over the sand trap landed into the rough on the right side of the green, landed 5 yards right of the green leaving a good long chip. Chipped up with my 50degree on close to the hole for a pure lucky par. Hitting the shot you intended and pulling it off when you never thought you could, or hitting to compensate for a club you have been hitting badly and pulling off a miracle save, thats just what keeps me in the game. I love those kinds of shots. a shot you never thought you would hit or be able to, and pulling off the shot.

I think I get more excited when I hit shots like that. It keeps me wanting more.

Sounds like you and your friends had a blast. For me I would not care if I was 30 over on a day like that, just being on the course and enjoying it, thats good times.