Tee Box Decision Making and a Putting Bounce-Back at Fellows Creek

Tee box decision making was the quiet hero of this round. Instead of chasing distance, I made smart, confident choices off the tee — laying up when needed, aiming for safety over ego, and trusting the swing I brought that day. Combined with a much-needed bounce-back in my putting, this round at Fellows Creek felt like a turning point.

Date: July 14, 2025
Course: Fellows Creek Golf Club – North/South
Format: 9-hole Monday Night League
Tees: Red (5030 yards)

📊 Stat Summary

• Fairways Hit: 3/7
• Greens in Regulation (GIR): 2/9
• Putts: 21
• Up and Downs: 3/7
• First Chip Successes: 2
• Greenside Sand Shots: 1
• Penalties: 1 (Hole 6, tee shot into brush)
• Pars or Better: 4 (Holes 2, 3, 7, 9)
• Double+ Bogeys: 2 (Holes 6, 8)
• Longest Playable Drive: 203 yds (Hole 3, Driver)
• Final Score: 48

No Spirals, No 4-Putts, and a Round That Earned Its Pars

Coming off a frustrating round at Fox Creek where my putter let me down hard, I walked onto the tee at Fellows Creek with one simple goal: stability. Not perfection — just progress. I wanted fewer spirals, tighter misses, and ideally no 4-putts. And that’s exactly what I got.

I still had some three-putts, but the feel is coming back. More importantly, my tee shots took center stage this round. From a few perfectly controlled fairway hits to one heartbreak bounce into the water, this round was all about trusting my setup — and owning my decisions off the tee. I’ve been focusing on building a clean, repeatable pre-shot foundation, especially with my full swing, using the G.A.P.S. routine to dial in my grip, alignment, posture, and stance.

🎯 Tee Shot Truths: The Best, the Bounce, and the Breakthroughs

I hit 3 of 7 fairways — a modest stat, but one that undersells the quality of my best swings. What stood out wasn’t just contact — it was confidence, strategy, and the feeling of knowing what I was doing over the ball. Here’s the full picture:

💡 Hole 4 – The Smart Layup

There’s a creek about 200 yards out, and anything right brings thick rough or a pond into play. I pulled 3-wood and intentionally laid up to 175 yards. Nailed it — center fairway, no drama. One of my best strategic choices of the season.

🚀 Hole 2 – Driver, Fairway, GIR, Par

Pure swing, right down the middle. It set up a textbook approach on this par 5 — GIR and a two-putt par. Quiet, effective golf I’m proud of.

💎 Hole 3 – One of the Best of the Night

203 yards, fairway hit, perfect tempo. This is the swing I want to bottle. GIR and a clean two-putt.

💔 Hole 6 – The Bounce That Betrayed Me

Best contact of the night — and punished for it. I aimed left, swung confidently, and the ball took a firm bounce on the dry fairway, rolled right, and disappeared into the brush near the water. Maybe it didn’t actually reach the pond, but I took the penalty and moved on. Still proud of the swing.

🪄 Hole 7 – 5W Magic on a Par 3

A smooth 5-wood off the tee dropped just 7 feet from the pin. That’s a real birdie chance — and I left it short. But I tapped in for par and walked off that green feeling like I’m finally starting to own my long game.

🧠 Iron Lessons & Learning Curves

• Hole 5: I clubbed down to an approach wedge when I should’ve hit pitching wedge. Landed just short of the green, chipped beautifully, and then flubbed the short putt. A bogey I can live with.
• Hole 8: Topped the drive after teeing it too low, but it still traveled 160 yards straight. Not ideal, but not destructive. Recovered with a decent approach.
• Hole 9: Shortened tee box, 202 yards with roll. Straight down the middle. A calm way to close the round.

⛳ Putting Progress

I finished with 21 putts — still a few too many, but no 4-putts. The stroke felt more stable, and I was more decisive with my lines. I left a couple birdie looks short (notably the 7-footer on Hole 7), but I didn’t spiral. That’s the win.

The most helpful change? I stopped chasing “perfect” and focused on “present.” I leaned on my post-shot routine, stayed grounded, and reminded myself that improvement is happening — even if the stats aren’t perfect yet.

📉 What Could’ve Been

If I had two-putted every hole, I would’ve shot a 45 — the equivalent of breaking 90 over 18. Add in one made birdie look, one short missed putt cleaned up, and one sharper chip, and I’m sitting at a 42. That’s not hypothetical golf. That’s one round of better execution — not better swing mechanics. And that’s what makes it exciting.

🧭 Looking Ahead

My full swing setup is locking in. Standing tall with flexed knees, hinging at the hips, aligning my shoulders and spine angle — all of it’s starting to come together off the tee. I’m trusting my long clubs more and feeling confident in my course management. That said, my iron shots are starting to push right, and I think ball position is the culprit. I’m planning to adjust that on the range and check in with Jimmy Delnick at tomorrow’s group lesson at Carl’s.

This wasn’t a flashy round, but it was a foundational one. The kind that quietly builds belief.