Grand Prix de Villarceaux...so near but yet so far

So...this weekend (June 19/20) saw me make the hour and a half trip from Rouen to Villarceaux, a woodland course with an old chateau for a clubhouse, and pretty much in the middle of nowhere...sadly forgot my camera so haven't got any photos :(

Practice round was interesting, especially on the greens, they were quite a bit faster than I've been used to out here so I tried to get as used to them as much as possible whilst trying to work out which holes I could attack. Very fair course I thought, reward for good shots, but you could run up serious numbers if you hit it in the wrong places, and so it began...

1st Round: 80 (+8)

This might seem like a big number, but sadly it was the last 4 holes that cost me dearly, one piece of bad luck, and one poor shot got me into big trouble. Started off with a steady par at the first, followed by bogeys at 2 and 3, both of which were tough holes, especially the 3rd (200 yard par 3 into the wind) steady pars at 4, 5 and 6 which was slightly disappointing seeing as 4 and 6 are both par 5's and then bogeyed 7 and 8...great 2putt on 9 from miles away, so reach the turn in +4, wasn't too disappointed and thought I could make some birdies on the back 9 to get back into it. The 10th is a longish par 5 with a narrow landing area and 2 big greenside bunkers...Hit a great drive that gave me the chance to attack the green in 2, so out came the 3 wood, and hit a great shot that just didn't cut enough, and ended up in the 2nd bunker, but pin high. All I had to do was get it out and I knew the ball would roll down the slope towards the flag. 60 degree lob wedge, perfect contact and....IN THE HOLE for an eagle 3, so back to +2!!! Bogey at 11, (tough uphill par 3) and then holed a chip and run on the par 5 12th for a birdie. So...feeling content at this stage, and confident I could maintain my form. 2 solid pars at 13 and 14 put me in good shape for the run-in to the clubhouse, and hit my 3iron onto the 15th fairway as I'd planned. The wind was swirling around and I was between clubs, so I chose an 8iron, and decided to play for the left half of the green where there was the most space. Just pulled it a fraction, pitched a yard too far, big kick....out of bounds! :( so made double bogey there, back to +4. Told myself not to worry, try and make 3 pars and 76 wouldn't be too far away. Drive on 16 just a bit too far left...massive bounce left....OB again! Another double...and +6. Again, composed myself and tried to make 2 pars to finish. Missed the green at 17 in completely the wrong place and made bogey, and lipped out for par on the 18th. So final score 80 having dropped 6 shots in the last 4 holes. On the drive home I analysed the round and took a lot of positives, and knew that a good score was possible on Sunday if i kept striking the ball as well as I had been...

2nd Round: 78 (+6)

The 2nd round started in as much the same vein as the first, solid par at 1, followed by par at 2 and bogey at 3. Tried to go for the green in 2 at the 4th, bad choice of shot really, and ended up making bogey there too! Solid par at 5, and made a great up and down on 6 for a birdie 4. The 7th was playing into quite a stiff breeze by now, absolutely caned my drive, but ended up in the fairway bunker. Fortunately it was lying on the upslope so i could get a 6iron on it, and hit it onto the front of the green. Sadly my first putt was woeful, but fortunately was able to hole the 2nd one for a par. Was unlucky on 8 to be behind a tree off the tee, but took my medicine and took double out of the equation by chipping it back onto the fairway and nearly saved par, but made bogey...and turned in +2. A great putt on 10 got me a birdie (not quite as good as yesterday, but still...) and got up and down at 11 for par. The 12th is a tricky par 5, and I wasn't sensible enough with my lay-up and ended up in the bunker short of the green. Didn't connect well with the shot and could only get it on the front of the green, pin on the back. Inevitably, a 3putt followed, so back to +2 for the round, and level for the back 9. Par at 13, and then a great 2nd shot into 14 which would set up a birdie. Par at 15, and split the fairway at 16 with my 3wood off the tee, again the wind was swirling around, and I tried to hit a low 6iron in, but just got it a bit left, and was in the greenside bunker, hit it out a bit too far, misjudged the chip coming back, and missed the putt, so a double bogey 6. Not gonna deny that thoughts of the previous round might have entered my head at this point, but they were quickly banished before arriving on the 17th tee, or so I thought...Missed the green right again, and hit what I thought was a good chip, but just stayed above the hole about 4 feet, leaving me a tricky putt downhill. Hit what I thought was a great putt, but it caught the left lip and went 6feet past and I missed the return, yet another double! And the 18th could only yield another bogey, just left myself too much to do with my chip.

So all in all there were lots of positives, but still I left with the slightly bitter aftertaste of having left 2 good scores out there, finishing 34th wasn't too bad at all, but could've done so much better. Lessons learned and will just try and play better at Foret Verte next weekend, at least it's nearer home!

Ciao for now

Mike x