A female golfer stands at a fork in the path on a golf course, deciding between Hole 10 and the clubhouse. She wears a light gray polo, sage green pants, and white shoes, with a golf club in hand. A wooden signpost points left to “Hole 10” and right to “Clubhouse.” A red flag is visible in the distance.
She wasn’t lost—just lingering dramatically at a metaphor.

What started as a casual front 9 turned into a full 18—complete with bunker drama, a lost wedge, and one very welcome fairway hit.

🎯 Goals for the Round

  1. Warm up properly and play the front 9 with intention
  2. Focus on my pre-shot routine, especially GRACE and alignment
  3. Test out approach shots using only my 54° and 52° wedges (my 60° was already MIA…)
  4. Stay mentally present—even if I decide to continue to the back 9
  5. Track confidence levels per club for post-round review

🗺️ Round Overview

This round was originally just supposed to be nine holes. I wanted a quick tune-up and a chance to reset after a few inconsistent outings. But somewhere around Hole 6, I felt like I was settling in—my body loosened up, the course opened up, and I remembered what it felt like to enjoy golf.

So I kept going.

It wasn’t perfect. I had two bunker shots that flopped right back in, a couple chip shots that died early, and one mysterious moment where I walked away without my 60-degree wedge (RIP, old friend).

But the back nine? Something clicked. I hit my first fairway of the day on Hole 9, and from there, I started playing real golf—not just surviving, but strategizing.

I was tired, I was scrappy, but I wasn’t spiraling. And that’s a win.

Two golfers stand on the 18th green at sunset, silhouetted against a soft golden sky. One holds a putter while the other watches quietly. Their golf bags rest nearby, and a single flagstick stands in the distance. The mood is calm and reflective, rendered in a warm, textured illustration style.
The ball dropped. So did the sun. We called that good enough.
A wedge golf club lies abandoned in the foreground of a softly textured golf course. Two tire tracks curve into the distance where a golf cart drives away, with a man in the driver’s seat and a woman in the passenger seat. The wedge is clearly visible in the grass, left behind. The scene is calm and lightly humorous.
Not lost—just dramatically excluded.
A woman and man stand side-by-side on a tee box, smiling as they watch their drives land in the center of the fairway. The scene is softly lit and hand-drawn, with rolling fairways ahead and trees framing the background. The couple is relaxed and happy, mid-celebration after matching great tee shots.
Every once in a while, the golf gods sync your tee shots—and your moods.

⛳ Hole-by-Hole Summary (Select Notes)

Hole

Result

Notes

1

6 (Double)

Topped drive, rushed tempo. Still settling in.

2

5 (Bogey)

Better rhythm. Hybrid off tee worked well.

3

6 (Double)

Sand trouble—two shots to get out.

4

4 (Par)

First great approach. 52° to pin.

5

5 (Bogey)

Lag putt rolled just past. Stayed calm.

6

7 (Triple)

Shaky focus, but regrouped quickly.

7

5 (Bogey)

Smooth hybrid, clean wedge. Missed short putt.

8

6 (Double)

Wet lie caused chunk. Recovered okay.

9

5 (Bogey)

Hit first fairway—huge confidence bump.

10

6 (Double)

Long fairway shot pulled left. Scrambled to recover.

11

7 (Triple)

Early fatigue creeping in. 3-putt didn’t help.

12

5 (Bogey)

Picked up on approach after duff. Regrouped quickly.

13

6 (Double)

Great green-side pitch, but poor tee shot.

14

5 (Bogey)

Best pitch of the round. 8-footer stopped clean.

15

5 (Bogey)

Solid tee shot, green in reg, just missed the par putt.

16

4 (Par)

Best tempo all day—pure 8 iron, two-putt par.

17

6 (Double)

Great bump and run, but tee shot cost me.

18

5 (Bogey)

Strong finish. Confident swing and calm putting.

🌟 Highlight Hole: Hole 9

I’d been missing every fairway up to this point. On 9, I stepped up with my hybrid, nailed my GRACE routine, and finally trusted my alignment. The ball sailed down the center-left side of the fairway—and just like that, the whole round shifted. It was a turning point I desperately needed.

💀 Worst Hole: Hole 3

Bunker, meet ball. Again. And again. My first shot clipped the lip. The second one? Same story. I finally made it out on the third try, but by then the damage was done. Mental note: practice loft out of sand, especially with my 54°.

🧠 Mental Game Notes

  • Rushing costs more strokes and time than it saves
  • Took a reset on Hole 12—walked it off and came back grounded
  • Focused, but starting to trust myself more instead of overcorrecting
  • Ranger was kind, explained the new bunkers—helped ease tension early on

🪛 Short Game & Sand Report

  • First chip success rate: 3/9
  • Two bunker shots failed due to lack of loft—used 54° without enough wrist hinge
  • Lag putting was tough—greens were damp and slow, leaving long second putts
  • Missing my 60° wedge was noticeable on touch shots
  • Highlight: one confident pitch on 14 stopped 8 feet from the pin

🔢 Club Confidence Ratings

Club

Confidence (1–5)

Notes

Driver

2

Every swing is a gamble. Vegas odds say: slice.

3 Wood

3

The only club that makes you second-guess your driver and your life choices.

Hybrid

3

The most emotionally stable club in my bag. Which isn’t saying much.

5 Iron

2

Says it’s showing up, but doesn’t bring its A game.

6 Iron

2

Basically cosplaying as a 7 iron with commitment issues.

7 Iron

3.5

Even when it misses, it misses kindly.

8 Iron

3.5

Reliable, but insists on a dramatic finish.

9 Iron

4

The overachiever of the group. Likes applause.

PW (48°)

3

Fine, but slightly jealous of the gap wedge.

GW (52°)

4

Queen of controlled chaos—mostly in control.

SW (54°)

2.5

Trying her best since the 60° left us. Occasionally cries in bunkers.

LW (60°)

😢

Vanished between the green and the cart. Possibly working freelance for someone else now.

Putter

3.5

Mostly behaved. Just wants faster greens and emotional validation.

A hand-drawn, top-down illustration shows 13 golf clubs arranged on a sage green towel, with unique facial expressions reflecting their personalities. The clubs vary from anxious to smug, with a chalk outline where the missing 60-degree wedge should be. The grips extend off the edge of the frame, and the putter has a distinctive blade shape. The style is textured and whimsical.
The longer they ride in the bag together, the more it feels like a group project.

🧩 What Worked

  • Trusting the hybrid on tee shots instead of forcing the driver
  • Leaning into my pre-shot routine—especially the “watch it disappear” swing thought
  • Staying in the round mentally, even through messy shots and unexpected detours

🧪 What to Practice

  • High-loft bunker shots with 54° (until my new 60° wedge arrives!)
  • Lag putts from 30–50 feet
  • Getting clean contact on 5 and 6 irons
  • Chip shot commitment—no more decelerating halfway through

💬 Final Thought

“It doesn’t have to be perfect to be progress.”
I didn’t plan to play all 18—but I’m glad I did. Golf has a funny way of meeting you halfway when you decide to show up. Even with a missing wedge.


Tags: Verona Hills, round recap, league golf, golf stats, club confidence, bunker shots, mental game, golf pre-shot routine, golf humor, lost wedge, golf reflection, 18 holes, short game practice

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