On The Course - Round Report

Should have been a 72. My putting has been horrible lately. I'm missing everything. I'm betting it's simply a technique or something obvious.

I got to play Muirfield (the one in Columbus, OH) yesterday as part of an outing to benefit a local hospital. They still had several of the grandstands up plus the big scoreboard on 18. We played it around 6800 yards. The pro tees didn't seem too much further back, but I believe it tips out around 7300. That course is on the verge of becoming too short for the pros because there really wasn't much room to add tees.
We took a couple of their pro caddies, guys who do more than just lug a bag around. It took me about 9 holes to totally discount my caddy after hitting it over several greens and being handed driver and hitting it into trouble that could have been avoided with club selection.
It was a disastrous first 9 holes. I was hitting my tee shots poorly and catching a few bad breaks. I am rarely frustrated on the course, but I was simmering. The deal-breaker came when I was told to play up the left on #17. Bunkered with no stance or shot to the hole. It took me two to just get out sideways. A good friend in my foursome told me my alignment was way right, something I don't try to do. Straightened out my alignment and play 7 great holes in a row. All GIRs and most putts were inside 20 feet and makeable. Bogeyed the last two after hitting in fairway bunkers and carded a pretty big difference in 9's.
46-38. I want another crack at that place badly.

Horseballs wrote:I got to play Muirfield (the one in Columbus, OH) yesterday as part of an outing to benefit a local hospital.  They still had several of the grandstands up plus the big scoreboard on 18.  We played it around 6800 yards.  The pro tees didn't seem too much further back, but I believe it tips out around 7300.  That course is on the verge of becoming too short for the pros because there really wasn't much room to add tees.  
We took a couple of their pro caddies, guys who do more than just lug a bag around.  It took me about 9 holes to totally discount my caddy after hitting it over several greens and being handed driver and hitting it into trouble that could have been avoided with club selection.  
It was a disastrous first 9 holes.  I was hitting my tee shots poorly and catching a few bad breaks.  I am rarely frustrated on the course, but I was simmering.  The deal-breaker came when I was told to play up the left on #17.  Bunkered with no stance or shot to the hole.  It took me two to just get out sideways.  A good friend in my foursome told me my alignment was way right, something I don't try to do.  Straightened out my alignment and play 7 great holes in a row.  All GIRs and most putts were inside 20 feet and makeable.  Bogeyed the last two after hitting in fairway bunkers and carded a pretty big difference in 9's.
46-38.  I want another crack at that place badly.  

Is it a home course of OSU ? designed by Jack N?

FamousDavis wrote:Should have been a 72.  My putting has been horrible lately.  I'm missing everything.  I'm betting it's simply a technique or something obvious.  

I would not cry with a 78   

Pky6471 wrote:

Horseballs wrote:I got to play Muirfield (the one in Columbus, OH) yesterday as part of an outing to benefit a local hospital.  They still had several of the grandstands up plus the big scoreboard on 18.  We played it around 6800 yards.  The pro tees didn't seem too much further back, but I believe it tips out around 7300.  That course is on the verge of becoming too short for the pros because there really wasn't much room to add tees.  
We took a couple of their pro caddies, guys who do more than just lug a bag around.  It took me about 9 holes to totally discount my caddy after hitting it over several greens and being handed driver and hitting it into trouble that could have been avoided with club selection.  
It was a disastrous first 9 holes.  I was hitting my tee shots poorly and catching a few bad breaks.  I am rarely frustrated on the course, but I was simmering.  The deal-breaker came when I was told to play up the left on #17.  Bunkered with no stance or shot to the hole.  It took me two to just get out sideways.  A good friend in my foursome told me my alignment was way right, something I don't try to do.  Straightened out my alignment and play 7 great holes in a row.  All GIRs and most putts were inside 20 feet and makeable.  Bogeyed the last two after hitting in fairway bunkers and carded a pretty big difference in 9's.
46-38.  I want another crack at that place badly.  

Is it a home course of OSU ? designed by Jack N?

Muirfield is probably Nicklaus' most famous course, but it's not the home course of OSU. That's the Scarlet and Gray course.

Apparently, Nicklaus has a deal worked out where he pockets the gate from the Memorial, not the club. He is also given carte blanche to make whatever changes, whenever he wants, for however expensive. The membership picks up the tab. I've been to the Memorial many times and it's a tournament I try to watch a bit of on TV. It was really cool playing a course I was familiar with from TV and watching the tourney. Those of you who know the course will probably remember the 12th. It's the par 3 with a huge lake in front. I can tell you for a fact that you cannot go long on that hole. You're better off dumping your tee shot in the water, because if you go long, odds are you'll hit your second shot in the water.

Horseballs wrote:I got to play Muirfield (the one in Columbus, OH) yesterday as part of an outing to benefit a local hospital.  They still had several of the grandstands up plus the big scoreboard on 18.  We played it around 6800 yards.  The pro tees didn't seem too much further back, but I believe it tips out around 7300.  That course is on the verge of becoming too short for the pros because there really wasn't much room to add tees.  
We took a couple of their pro caddies, guys who do more than just lug a bag around.  It took me about 9 holes to totally discount my caddy after hitting it over several greens and being handed driver and hitting it into trouble that could have been avoided with club selection.  
It was a disastrous first 9 holes.  I was hitting my tee shots poorly and catching a few bad breaks.  I am rarely frustrated on the course, but I was simmering.  The deal-breaker came when I was told to play up the left on #17.  Bunkered with no stance or shot to the hole.  It took me two to just get out sideways.  A good friend in my foursome told me my alignment was way right, something I don't try to do.  Straightened out my alignment and play 7 great holes in a row.  All GIRs and most putts were inside 20 feet and makeable.  Bogeyed the last two after hitting in fairway bunkers and carded a pretty big difference in 9's.
46-38.  I want another crack at that place badly.  

It's always more enjoyable to play better coming in. At least you feel like you're headed in the right direction, persevered, or just overcame a bad thing. Nothing worse than going out with a good score only to rot on the way back in. The beers aren't as good on 19 that way.

The only thing that sucks worse than having a bad caddie, is paying for one. Did you tip him?

Poe4soul wrote:

Horseballs wrote:I got to play Muirfield (the one in Columbus, OH) yesterday as part of an outing to benefit a local hospital.  They still had several of the grandstands up plus the big scoreboard on 18.  We played it around 6800 yards.  The pro tees didn't seem too much further back, but I believe it tips out around 7300.  That course is on the verge of becoming too short for the pros because there really wasn't much room to add tees.  
We took a couple of their pro caddies, guys who do more than just lug a bag around.  It took me about 9 holes to totally discount my caddy after hitting it over several greens and being handed driver and hitting it into trouble that could have been avoided with club selection.  
It was a disastrous first 9 holes.  I was hitting my tee shots poorly and catching a few bad breaks.  I am rarely frustrated on the course, but I was simmering.  The deal-breaker came when I was told to play up the left on #17.  Bunkered with no stance or shot to the hole.  It took me two to just get out sideways.  A good friend in my foursome told me my alignment was way right, something I don't try to do.  Straightened out my alignment and play 7 great holes in a row.  All GIRs and most putts were inside 20 feet and makeable.  Bogeyed the last two after hitting in fairway bunkers and carded a pretty big difference in 9's.
46-38.  I want another crack at that place badly.  

It's always more enjoyable to play better coming in. At least you feel like you're headed in the right direction, persevered, or just overcame a bad thing. Nothing worse than going out with a good score only to rot on the way back in.  The beers aren't as good on 19 that way.

The only thing that sucks worse than having a bad caddie, is paying for one.  Did you tip him?

Everything was taken care of, including caddie fees, though it was suggested to tip the caddy extra if you'd like. So, in not so many words, everyone had to tip their caddies extra. They got $70 per bag (each carried two), I gave $40 extra and my partner tipped $100.
I really could have parred my last two holes and gone even for my second nine. Our last hole of the day #7 (we started on , was a par 5. I don't care how long a par 5 is, they should be easy pars since at worst you are just playing for position of your third shot. I bombed a drive that just caught the end of a bunker. I couldn't hit anything longer than a 52* wedge. For my 3rd, I hit a 5 iron that just rolled off the back and was resting against the rough. 3 putts from there. If I miss the bunker, I've probably got 240 or 250 to get home in two. I don't hit a lot of greens from that distance, but I can always get on in two from there.

So I go out last night to the one "regulation length" muni in Shithole, KY to get in 9 holes. I am an admitted snob, but I really don't think I would play golf if this was my only option, as it is for people living here and probably most of rural America. Even when I first started playing (pretty much just city courses for <$20), there were nice public options that I would play a couple times a year.

In the words of Hogan (or Churchill perhaps), they play a game with which I am not familiar. I was behind a foursome in carts, younger guys but not kids, probably mid-late 20's. Multiple shitty tee balls from the tips, driving all over the place. I asked to go around at the 2nd green and they basically said they had carts and I was walking so forget it. I suck it up and deal with the waiting, since there isn't a great way to get around a group on this course when walking.

I just couldn't help but think that I probably wouldn't like golf much at all if this was my only experience. I've played that muni several times in my tenure in Shithole, so it's nothing new and nothing unexpected.

I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

Lorenzzo wrote:I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

We are all aware that you are living the dream.

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

We are all aware that you are living the dream.  

It's not as rosy as you might think. Everyone expects me to cook for them. Later today after my workout I'm washing my own car.

Lorenzzo wrote:

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

We are all aware that you are living the dream.  

It's not as rosy as you might think.  Everyone expects me to cook for them. Later today after my workout I'm washing my own car.  

Interesting, I wouldn't rule out a nap after the workout.

Poe4soul wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

We are all aware that you are living the dream.  

It's not as rosy as you might think.  Everyone expects me to cook for them. Later today after my workout I'm washing my own car.  

Interesting, I wouldn't rule out a nap after the workout.  

Can't do it… But now guarantees me sluggishness for the rest of the day into bad nights sleep. No… The Kimball Art Festival opens tonight, there's an outdoor movie at the city park and tomorrow is my last day to get things done before I leave for Hawaii on Sunday.

Might even pick up a golf club and play a couple rounds while I'm there. It all depends on the surf.

Lorenzzo wrote:

Poe4soul wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:I do pro bono these days for people who haven't caught much of a break in life and are up against a Goliath.  Makes me feel pretty damn fortunate to have come from where I have.

That doesn't mean I'd play golf with them but I do have empathy.

We are all aware that you are living the dream.  

It's not as rosy as you might think.  Everyone expects me to cook for them. Later today after my workout I'm washing my own car.  

Interesting, I wouldn't rule out a nap after the workout.  

Can't do it… But now guarantees me sluggishness for the rest of the day into bad nights sleep.  No… The Kimball Art Festival opens tonight, there's an outdoor movie at the city park and tomorrow is my last day to get things done before I leave for Hawaii on Sunday.

Might even pick up a golf club and play a couple rounds while I'm there.  It all depends on the surf.

Sitting in my office all afternoon staring into a computer has made me sluggish. I'm sure I"ll recover once I walk out of the office...

I've been hassled by a developer all day. He wants me to remove a "potential encroachment" label off his ALTA survey for his proposed 30 story building loan. He wants me to label it as "a ramp crossing the southerly Parcel 1 boundary line." As if the lenders lawyers won't translate that to encroachment. My last email I as him "if you call a tail a leg, how many legs does a sheep have?"

Couple of things. Zo, why does your avatar look like it was takin with you and the two girls against a picture of a mountain? Photoshopped maybe.

Poe. You probably make a great deal of money in your job, but, if I had to sit in an office all day I'd more than likely have to go postal on somebody.

So the illustrious SPCC member-guest tournament was a couple weekends ago. Wasn't too optimistic going in since I had been just middling and my partner had completed a move to Chicago recently and hadn't played in a couple months.

We ended up winning our flight and making the shootout. Unlike the rest of the tourney, the shootout is a true alternate shot against 11 other teams. I have documented my failings in these types of shootouts several times before. I have been in 3 previous, and my team has never survived past the first hole. I have never played particularly great personally, so I can't even throw my partner under the bus. This shootout had six teams going off the front, six off the back, eliminating 3 teams on the first hole, 2 on the second, with the final two groups meeting on the last hole.

We decide that I am going to tee off on the first hole. I was in the exact same situation in the member-member earlier in the year, and I nearly hooked it OB. This time, I piped a 3 wood. Longest drive out of everyone, leaving my partner with 88 yards to a pretty tough pin. Earlier in the day, I hit the same club well and had closer to 100. People ahead of us are fukcing up left and right on their second shots. Couple in the bunker, couple fatted shots. This is pretty typical in this type of format after a long day of drinking.

My partner says his lob wedge is his 90 yard club. I tell him there is a bit of hurting wind, and he says he's pretty pumped up and the LW is fine. I'm good with it if he's good with it. Makes clean contact right at the flag, but I can tell it's short all day. Almost plugs in a deep bunker. No one is on in regulation, though a couple groups have chipped to stone dead for par.

I'm up. I do the unthinkable. Catch it a bit thin and hit it 15 yards over the green. My partner hits a nice recovery just to get back to the fringe. I miss the 20 footer for bogey. We make double and are eliminated.

I'm such a mental midget in these things. I will go an entire summer without blading a bunker shot that badly. I won't hit every bunker shot perfect for sure, but that was the worst shot possible. If I get it on and we make bogey, chances are, we move on.

Well, not moving on in a handicapped event is a mixed bag. It's nice to win but now your fellow members will hate you less.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over playing poorly in a tournament. Golf and tournament golf are almost different sports and each requires its own preparation.  Yes, you might have to deal with hushed tones as you walk through the men's grill but your average country club has so many douches a well-adjusted person can't spend time worrying about that.

Hopefully your son is not yet old enough to feel disappointment in how you did.

Lorenzzo wrote:Well, not moving on in a handicapped event is a mixed bag. It's nice to win but now your fellow members will hate you less.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over playing poorly in a tournament. Golf and tournament golf are almost different sports and each requires its own preparation.  Yes, you might have to deal with hushed tones as you walk through the men's grill but your average country club has so many douches a well-adjusted person can't spend time worrying about that.

Hopefully your son is not yet old enough to feel disappointment in how you did.

Thanks for the kind words and understanding.

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:Well, not moving on in a handicapped event is a mixed bag. It's nice to win but now your fellow members will hate you less.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over playing poorly in a tournament. Golf and tournament golf are almost different sports and each requires its own preparation.  Yes, you might have to deal with hushed tones as you walk through the men's grill but your average country club has so many douches a well-adjusted person can't spend time worrying about that.

Hopefully your son is not yet old enough to feel disappointment in how you did.

Thanks for the kind words and understanding.

Aw come on...in seriousness, that kind of experience makes a person more likeable in the humility he gains. Pride is the most overrated asset there is.

We all meet failure. The successful of us realize tomorrow is another day.

Better?

I got my ass waxed in a Masters 30 mile bike ride last week. When you cross the finish line and guys are eating your lunch it doesn't feel so good. Believe me… I get it.

Lorenzzo wrote:

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:Well, not moving on in a handicapped event is a mixed bag. It's nice to win but now your fellow members will hate you less.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over playing poorly in a tournament. Golf and tournament golf are almost different sports and each requires its own preparation.  Yes, you might have to deal with hushed tones as you walk through the men's grill but your average country club has so many douches a well-adjusted person can't spend time worrying about that.

Hopefully your son is not yet old enough to feel disappointment in how you did.

Thanks for the kind words and understanding.

Aw come on...in seriousness, that kind of experience makes a person more likeable in the humility he gains. Pride is the most overrated asset there is.

We all meet failure. The successful of us realize tomorrow is another day.

Better?

I got my ass waxed in a Masters 30 mile bike ride last week. When you cross the finish line and guys are eating your lunch it doesn't feel so good. Believe me… I get it.

Better, but different. Imagine if you were a superior rider to the majority of the field, but you came in last because you didn't gear down on the final hill. Getting beaten is nothing to be ashamed in. Getting beaten because you choked is an entirely different situation.

I'm actually not losing sleep over this. We still cashed in and won almost every bet we made. I've just got to figure out how to perform better under the gun. I've done it before, but it never feels natural. Almost like I got out-choked. When I'm playing well, I'm thinking differently. Focused on the right things, aggressive, and fearless. Over that bunker shot, I was thinking negatively. A part of me didn't really care if we got eliminated, as long as I played a good shot and my partner would be responsible. That is tough to admit. Terrible attitude to have.

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:

Horseballs wrote:

Lorenzzo wrote:Well, not moving on in a handicapped event is a mixed bag. It's nice to win but now your fellow members will hate you less.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over playing poorly in a tournament. Golf and tournament golf are almost different sports and each requires its own preparation.  Yes, you might have to deal with hushed tones as you walk through the men's grill but your average country club has so many douches a well-adjusted person can't spend time worrying about that.

Hopefully your son is not yet old enough to feel disappointment in how you did.

Thanks for the kind words and understanding.

Aw come on...in seriousness, that kind of experience makes a person more likeable in the humility he gains. Pride is the most overrated asset there is.

We all meet failure. The successful of us realize tomorrow is another day.

Better?

I got my ass waxed in a Masters 30 mile bike ride last week. When you cross the finish line and guys are eating your lunch it doesn't feel so good. Believe me… I get it.

Better, but different.  Imagine if you were a superior rider to the majority of the field, but you came in last because you didn't gear down on the final hill.  Getting beaten is nothing to be ashamed in.  Getting beaten because you choked is an entirely different situation.  

I'm actually not losing sleep over this.  We still cashed in and won almost every bet we made.  I've just got to figure out how to perform better under the gun.  I've done it before, but it never feels natural.  Almost like I got out-choked.  When I'm playing well, I'm thinking differently.  Focused on the right things, aggressive, and fearless.  Over that bunker shot, I was thinking negatively.  A part of me didn't really care if we got eliminated, as long as I played a good shot and my partner would be responsible.  That is tough to admit.  Terrible attitude to have.  

This summer I took my son fishing on the Weber River. At first I thought it wasn't a good fishing day as I saw no shadows from fish at all. Then my son starts catching good sized Cutthroat.

Turns out some people lose the part of their eyesight that enables them to distinguish darker shapes among bright reflection. So now I don't fly fish any more.

How's that?

Last winter I got some pretty good mental coaching as part of the Masters racing program in which I participate. While ski racing is a reactive sport, if you lose the right mental focus you easily fall out of sequence with the gates and maybe even forget the course layout.

The mental coaching mantra these days is process not result. One of the signs of having this backwards is expectation of how you'll do. I think it's partly to blame for Eldrick becoming so fucked up. That and of course PED-s and p#ssy.

Despite American chest thumping stuff, reality is we can't control result, only process. The other thing is, frankly, one of the corner posts of choking is lack of practice not backbone.

The funniest advice we got as part of the mental coaching was to never think about not doing something.

That's exactly how they put it.

Worst round of the year. Nothing was going right between not hitting the driver, woods, hybrids, irons, putter nothing. So I get to the last hole, par 4, 348 slightly uphill. Hit the driver, topped it went it to the drained water in front of the tee box, through the mud and it goes 100. Didn't make it to the womens box. Took a 4 wood from the rough, it was laying up, popped the sonsabitch up to the left over the trees on to the driving range. Got about 110 over 20 foot evergreens to the flag. Pitching wedge thin, barely got over the trees, hit in front of the green and went 20 feet by. One putt for a par. Ranks up there with the ugliest pars I've ever made.

Horseballs wrote:So the illustrious SPCC member-guest tournament was a couple weekends ago.  Wasn't too optimistic going in since I had been just middling and my partner had completed a move to Chicago recently and hadn't played in a couple months.  

We ended up winning our flight and making the shootout.  Unlike the rest of the tourney, the shootout is a true alternate shot against 11 other teams.  I have documented my failings in these types of shootouts several times before.  I have been in 3 previous, and my team has never survived past the first hole.  I have never played particularly great personally, so I can't even throw my partner under the bus.  This shootout had six teams going off the front, six off the back, eliminating 3 teams on the first hole, 2 on the second, with the final two groups meeting on the last hole.

We decide that I am going to tee off on the first hole.  I was in the exact same situation in the member-member earlier in the year, and I nearly hooked it OB.  This time, I piped a 3 wood.  Longest drive out of everyone, leaving my partner with 88 yards to a pretty tough pin.  Earlier in the day, I hit the same club well and had closer to 100.  People ahead of us are fukcing up left and right on their second shots.  Couple in the bunker, couple fatted shots.  This is pretty typical in this type of format after a long day of drinking.

My partner says his lob wedge is his 90 yard club.  I tell him there is a bit of hurting wind, and he says he's pretty pumped up and the LW is fine.  I'm good with it if he's good with it.  Makes clean contact right at the flag, but I can tell it's short all day.  Almost plugs in a deep bunker.  No one is on in regulation, though a couple groups have chipped to stone dead for par.  

I'm up.  I do the unthinkable.  Catch it a bit thin and hit it 15 yards over the green.  My partner hits a nice recovery just to get back to the fringe.  I miss the 20 footer for bogey.  We make double and are eliminated.    

I'm such a mental midget in these things.  I will go an entire summer without blading a bunker shot that badly.  I won't hit every bunker shot perfect for sure, but that was the worst shot possible.  If I get it on and we make bogey, chances are, we move on.  

I've played in about 6 member/guests where I got into the horse race with something like 12 teams. Those things can be really daunting. However, for whatever reason I've always played pretty well in the horserace. There was one year where our two-man team got to the final hole with just two other teams remaining. One the first hole I hit this amazing sand wedge over an oak tree to about 10 feet. Then on the 3rd hole I hit a 9 iron draw around a tree to about 4 feet.

Your partner shouldn't have hit lob wedge. Why do guys do that? 90 yards against the wind. What's amazing is that you were 88 yards from the green and your team got a double bogey. Looking back that probably seems next to impossible.

The worst thing I've seen in a horse race was when this player from one of the teams (who was the guest) had a 6 inch putt left. He walks up laughing and tries to hit the putt while he's moving. He hit the ball twice. His partner was furious and never invited him back.

Some people say "oh, it's just a game, no need to take it so seriously". Bullshit. These events are fun as hell but they are also competitive and expensive. You can have fun out there but you had better be on time, take it seriously and act like it matters to you.

FamousDavis wrote:

Horseballs wrote:So the illustrious SPCC member-guest tournament was a couple weekends ago.  Wasn't too optimistic going in since I had been just middling and my partner had completed a move to Chicago recently and hadn't played in a couple months.  

We ended up winning our flight and making the shootout.  Unlike the rest of the tourney, the shootout is a true alternate shot against 11 other teams.  I have documented my failings in these types of shootouts several times before.  I have been in 3 previous, and my team has never survived past the first hole.  I have never played particularly great personally, so I can't even throw my partner under the bus.  This shootout had six teams going off the front, six off the back, eliminating 3 teams on the first hole, 2 on the second, with the final two groups meeting on the last hole.

We decide that I am going to tee off on the first hole.  I was in the exact same situation in the member-member earlier in the year, and I nearly hooked it OB.  This time, I piped a 3 wood.  Longest drive out of everyone, leaving my partner with 88 yards to a pretty tough pin.  Earlier in the day, I hit the same club well and had closer to 100.  People ahead of us are fukcing up left and right on their second shots.  Couple in the bunker, couple fatted shots.  This is pretty typical in this type of format after a long day of drinking.

My partner says his lob wedge is his 90 yard club.  I tell him there is a bit of hurting wind, and he says he's pretty pumped up and the LW is fine.  I'm good with it if he's good with it.  Makes clean contact right at the flag, but I can tell it's short all day.  Almost plugs in a deep bunker.  No one is on in regulation, though a couple groups have chipped to stone dead for par.  

I'm up.  I do the unthinkable.  Catch it a bit thin and hit it 15 yards over the green.  My partner hits a nice recovery just to get back to the fringe.  I miss the 20 footer for bogey.  We make double and are eliminated.    

I'm such a mental midget in these things.  I will go an entire summer without blading a bunker shot that badly.  I won't hit every bunker shot perfect for sure, but that was the worst shot possible.  If I get it on and we make bogey, chances are, we move on.  

I've played in about 6 member/guests where I got into the horse race with something like 12 teams.  Those things can be really daunting.  However, for whatever reason I've always played pretty well in the horserace.  There was one year where our two-man team got to the final hole with just two other teams remaining.  One the first hole I hit this amazing sand wedge over an oak tree to about 10 feet.  Then on the 3rd hole I hit a 9 iron draw around a tree to about 4 feet.  

Your partner shouldn't have hit lob wedge.  Why do guys do that?  90 yards against the wind.  What's amazing is that you were 88 yards from the green and your team got a double bogey.  Looking back that probably seems next to impossible.  

The worst thing I've seen in a horse race was when this player from one of the teams (who was the guest) had a 6 inch putt left.  He walks up laughing and tries to hit the putt while he's moving.  He hit the ball twice.  His partner was furious and never invited him back.

Some people say "oh, it's just a game, no need to take it so seriously".  Bullshit.  These events are fun as hell but they are also competitive and expensive.  You can have fun out there but you had better be on time, take it seriously and act like it matters to you.  

Yeah, I should have talked him into something else for sure. The green is pretty shallow and the pin was tucked on the right side. If he aims left and long, we make a guaranteed bogey with a great chance for par.
I should know to never get ahead of myself, especially when partnering with a high handicapper. I should lower my expectations as to what they are going to do so I'm not disappointed in the outcome. In another shoot out, I hit a drive that I would have been happy with. Crushed, but just into the tree line. About 80 yards from the hole with a nice runup available. Just got to keep it down a touch. My partner tries to hit a low shot and fat-hooks it directly behind a tree. I couldn't believe it, and wasn't prepared for that outcome.
The worst thing I saw in an alternate shot shootout... Same tourney about 5 years ago. Guy horseshoes a 2 foot putt then backhands it in the hole. DQ'ed. They would have survived, but it was his partner's shot.