Have you ever taken the time to ponder about your golf season. As mine has ended, I like to take the time to think of the high points of my season and one great shot (actually several happened, but I had to choose) sticks in my mind. Many people will think of their longest drive or craziest putt as their best shot. Or they think about their luckiest shot as their best, however none of those qualify for my best shot of the year. Mine is rooted in intent and results that impacted on my score.
I shot par a few times this year, but never made it to the promise land of under par. I was playing the back nine at the Mattawa golf course and was sitting one over on the 16th hole. The tee shot is the most difficult of the round on this short par 4 because I have to draw the around a tree with my 3 hybrid. I have hit this shot before and usually end up 110 yards from the green. Being on the left side of the fairway is the best position for the approach shot, but that darn tree prohibits this more often than not.
You can see the 150 yard marker which is 160 yards off the tee. That is always a safe play, but leaves a longer than necessary approach shot. If I hit over the 150 yard marker, I will have a shorter approach shot, but the trees on the left side block half the green. The trick is to draw the ball around the first tree to the red marker. You can see it at the base of the tree. If you want to make a better shot, draw the ball even farther around the tree to the left side of the fairway.
As per normal, I chose my 3 hybrid because I had a great round going and a safe shot was the smart play. I made the best contact of the day and my ball flew 2 yards right of the tree. I was trying to play a small draw because I wanted to be, as a minimum, at the 100 yard marker. As I watched my ball turn a bit more that normal, I was pleased to see it come to rest in line with the second lone tree. I was 75 yards from the green on the left side with a perfect angle for my sand wedge approach shot.
To play this hole out, I hit my sand wedge to 5 feet and one putted for birdie. I was not even par heading to the par 5 17th hole.
I consider my 3 hybrid shot as the best of the year. It flew as expected, rolled a little farther than expected and was in the perfect position for an approach shot. I was impressed with my intended shot and was the closest to the green all year. More importantly, it set up a birdie and I finished with two pars for an even par 74. It as a marvelous shot and I feel it was my best of the year.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
It was hard for me to choose after more than 170 rounds this year and it is much easier to recall more recent shots.
A couple weeks ago, on Hickory Friday, I was having a match with my friend John and we were playing a toonie blind draw team game using Stableford.
John won the 17th hole and going to the 18th tee we were tied. The 18th is a short par four with water all the way up the left side. John hit his drive in the water and I hit a nice baby cut leaving about 80 yards to the pin. John had to drop leaving around 100 yard shot.
Well, John hit one of the best Niblicks you could ever want, nearly holing it leaving a one foot par putt and he was smiling like a Cheshire Cat. If I wanted the win, I was going to have to earn it. I then proceeded to hit my best Niblick of the year to inside a foot resulting in a kick in birdie and the win.
What was amazing was that both John and I hit arguably our best shots of the year when needed less than a minute apart. Of note, the golf gods smiled on us in the blind draw, making us partners and winning the team event.
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Lorne,
I would have loved to see those shots. Congrats on your win.
Cheers Jim
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Its easy to recall the great full swing shots that come off perfectly. My best this year was a a series of great pitches, chips, putts and sand saves that led to a 69 from the white tees and missed beating my age by 1 stroke. 27 consecutive bogey free holes.
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That is a great string of golf holes. I can appreciate why consecutive bogey free holes is to be praised. It is no easy feat to shoot 27 holes of bogey free golf in a row. Congrats!
Cheers Jim
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It’s always hard to choose the best shot of the year. I have two that contend. One was a 2nd tee shot on hole 11 after hitting the first ob. That second tee shot went the 250 yards to the pin and stopped just 3 feet away and saved me a par. The other one came tonight. My 4 wood has been getting me close and the really short par 4’s here. Tonight I hit one to 4 inches left of the hole with it.
Both of those shots are going to be hard to beat. But there is still lots of golf left for us down here this year and if I can beat them, I very much look forward to seeing the shot that does it. lol
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Kevin,
Both shots are highlights for sure. I hope you have many more in the upcoming months.
Cheers Jim
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