Posted on Aug 09, 2007 to Miscellaneous
I’ve played at Sirocco a few times this year, and to date it’s still my favorite course. One of the best parts of the course is the creek which flows through it. This creek makes for some challenging shots, as well as being the force that carved the valley that provides all the nice elevations.
About halfway through playing the first nine holes at Heritage Pointe ("The Pointe" nine, to be exact) I was struck by the similarity of the terrain to Sirocco. Valley… Check. Small creek… Check. Brutal rough… Check.
Well, it turns out that the creeks flowing through Sirocco and Heritage Pointe are actually one and the same. So there you have it.
Posted on Aug 04, 2007 to Lesson Recap
Lesson number two from Troy at Lakeside Greens took place on July 31st. We covered the short game, including chipping and putting.
This lesson immediately payed dividends, as I was starting to have trouble around the greens in my previous few rounds. My putting was still good, but his tips came in pretty handy the next round I played (ended with 35 putts on the crappy greens at Shawnee). The lesson was broken down into 3 parts:
- Chipping on from the fringe
- Short flop shots
- Putting
Chipping
I gained the most from this part of the lesson. Turns out chipping is pretty easy, provided there are no real obstacles between you and the green. A really open stance, with the club face pointed at the target, followed by a short almost putting stroke with no wrist movement whatsoever did the trick. This cause a short, low ball flight with a good bit of roll to it once it hit the green. I picked this up right away.
Flop Shots
I’m having a little trouble with this, but I’m definitely better than I was. If the low chip shot won’t work (ie; there’s a sand trap in your way) we use the flop shot to drop the ball on the green. The ball should follow a very arcing trajectory, with minimal roll after impact with the green. The mechanics are similar to the chip shot, with the exception of the club face being more open (to utilize the "bounce" of the club) and using far more wrist action. A nicely finished follow-through is of utmost importance.
Putting
I picked up a few good tips here as well, including using marks on the ball to aim your shot (which I knew about before, but it actually is a huge help). If you line up your ball well before you putt, all you really have to worry about is making a good stroke and watching the weight. My stroke was pretty good already, but I had the common tendency to decelerate into contact with the ball sometimes. Also, the small tip of putting most of your weight on the back of your front foot is really good for eliminating side to side body movement throughout the stroke.
Posted on Aug 04, 2007 to Lesson Recap
I took my first lesson with Troy at Lakeside Greens golf course in Chestermere, Alberta on July 24th. He replaced our previous instructor which turned out to be a good thing, as he’s a much better instructor. We learned about proper positioning and posture, as well as where to put the ball and individual tips for each of us.
I had (and still have) a tendency to go too far back with my back swing, to the point where my lead arm bends almost 90 degrees. This combined with a flat back swing caused me to hit the ball inconsistently, which accounted for my inaccuracy on the course. I had been struggling to hit targets with my irons, and at least on the mats at the driving range during the lesson this really helped.
I’ve been trying to apply these tips during the rounds I’ve played since this lesson. When I actually make good contact with the ball I’m far more accurate than I once was, however I’m now miss hitting the ball much more frequently. I feel like I’m making progress, though, so I’ll keep with it a while longer.
Posted on Aug 04, 2007 to Course Reviews
Overview
Sirocco is a fantastic course just to the south of Calgary (right by Spruce Meadows). It’s quite a "natural" course (as natural as a man made golf course can be, anyways). Go off the fairway just a little bit and you’re stuck in really long grass or shrubs. Elevation changes are common, as the course winds through a small creek valley. Oh, and watch out for that creek, as it winds throughout the entire course, crossing quite a few fairways at inconvenient places. I’ve now played this course three times, and it’s still my favorite.
Stats
- Course rating/slope from the blues is 72.8/132
- Total distance from the blues is 6701 yards, with the longest hole a monstrous 576 yard par 5 17th
- Par is a 72
Greens
The greens are consistent but not too fast, with lots of different elevations and some difficult (but not ridiculous) hole placements. Two putts can be hard to achieve. Conditions have been great each time I’ve played.
Fairways
Fairways really undulate and roll, with some interesting sloping that can turn good drives into awesome ones. Great conditions, with very few bad spots.
Hazards
Almost every hazard you can think of shows up on this course. Sand is pretty good (not quite as light ‘n’ fluffy as at Heritage Pointe, but still plenty soft). Lot’s of long grass just off the fairways, with plenty of marshy unplayable ground. The creek is in play on most holes, sometimes cutting across the fairways twice in one hole. There’s also a pond or two thrown in for good measure.
Intangibles
Accuracy is rewarded. A long drive just off the fairway can easily turn into a lost ball. Lots of interesting decisions must be made (ie; can I clear the creek?). Bring lots of balls. Best hot dogs by far at any golf course I’ve played at.
Best Holes
Hole 10 really stands out, due to the extreme upwards elevation. Drive across the creek which cuts across the fairway at about 220 yards, only to be faced with a green that lies on a plateu 75 feet above you with 140 yards to go. Hole 11 is the reverse, starting up high on an elevated tee, you have to decide to try to drive over the creek or lay up short. Hole 17 is a looooong one at 576 yards, with the creek in play yet again.
Posted on Aug 04, 2007 to Miscellaneous
Welcome to my golf blog! I’ve been meaning to set this up for a few months now, and finally found the time (between rounds) to get it going. My intent is to post some of my thoughts on the game of golf, as well as review the courses I’ve played at. Reviews of Calgary golf courses appear to be few and far between. Hopefully I can do my part to change that.
I feel like I’m a typical Calgary golfer in that I
- Shoot high… Currently just under 100 consistently
- Don’t know my handicap
- Don’t compete with anyone but myself
- Take the game seriously, but not seriously enough to avoid getting drunk on the course
My current weapons, some by choice, are as follows:
- 2006 Cleveland HiBore driver with Proforce 66 gram shaft
- Tommy Armour irons PW, SW, 5-9iron. Not sure of the model, but they were purchased at the start of 2006 for about $400
- Taylor Made rescue hybrid 4 iron
- Cleveland HiBore 5 wood
- Crappy $29.95 putter (that I was going to replace, but not anymore)
My strengths and weaknesses are constantly changing. At the start of 2007, my driving was consistently in the fairway, but not very long (200-250 yards). I had no slice, but sometimes badly miss hit the ball off the tee. I was quite bad on the greens, consistently making 40-45 puts a round. My irons were inconsistent but I was pretty good with my wedges.
During the course of this year, my irons got better and better, and my putting went from over 40 putts per round to averaging right around 36. I took some lessons, and as a result my play around the green is pretty good, but I’m struggling once again to hit my irons. My driving took a turn for the worse, but came back strong in my most recent outing (as of this post). I’m now getting around 250 yards with most good hits, sometimes up to 270.
That’s about it for the first post. Hopefully I can keep this up.
