So I was playing Enville on the Highgate course for the first time, not in the most ideal conditions with the heavens opening up as I pulled into the car park and it was bitterly, bitterly cold, but, I have to say, for what we've all seen and endured over the past few weeks the course was in remarkably very good condition, the greens were a little bumpy as we were the 2nd but last group out and the fairways had just been tined, but it was more than playable and more importantly, I was out there, swinging my new clubs and the conditions are the same for everyone, so, bring it on...
I've just started not getting my big dog out straight away and favouring my mini-driver for a little more accuracy at the expense of distance whilst I warm into the round, this proved dividends at Enville as I found the fairways straight from the off, it did however see me still have well over 220 yards into the greens off some very long par 4's, especially with little run on the ball in such wet and cold conditions, I just now need to stop myself reaching for the 4 iron too early as it's just not happenin', but when I did hit a couple later in the round in regulation, it's a nice feeling.
I eventually reached for my main driver after a few holes, but only when I thought I had a decent bailout area just in case it didn't perform, because as we all know, our drivers can have a mind of there own at times! But luckily I hit some really nice long drives immediately with my favoured baby draw, the couple I messed up were simply down to overconfidence, normally straight after I'd just hit a great drive on the hole before, I'd then follow that up by trying to take the skin off the ball only to see it take out 150 yards of worm casts, but they were still straight and on the fairway!
Early in the round I found myself in some really unlucky positions just around and off the greens with debri from the overhanging trees leaving twigs and small branches lying against my ball which I couldn't move, I was surprised by some of the overhanging branches in front and over some greens, it made course knowledge very important, if you were approaching from the wrong side of the fairway you had to manufacture some low bump & run shots rather than my preferred lob it in the air style, however, I was genuinely very pleased with a good handful of up & downs with my new wedges.
I thinks it's always nice to finish with the same ball that you've started with, especially on a new course, and although I did test its resolve a few times I always managed to walk straight to it when I blocked a couple of drives, I did however get a couple of friendly rebounds back onto the fairway off the tight treelined fairways.
A very nice Enville draft beer was enjoyed afterwards along with a generous Turkey & Cranberry filling sandwich, the journey home was horrific in the driving rain but I didn't care, I got a round in at last so the twitching has eased somewhat, I just hope its not a few weeks until the next round, after all, I need to keep it going and get these clubs dialed in, because in case you hadn't heard, it's the YOTF.
