Day 80: Balboa (Sunday at my Major)

Today is my last day in my quest to break 80 in 80 days.

I did not start off the day on what one would think is a good start. I only got about 3.5 hours of sleep. When I woke up at 6:30, I knew one thing: today I was getting a golf cart. There would be no walking for me.

I got to the course just in time which meant no warm up balls, no chipping, no bunker practice, no putting. I barely had enough time to stretch out. Needless to say, I pushed my drive on the opening hole to the right rough. I was buried in some deep, wet, heavy rough about 150 yards away from the hole. I hammered my 7-iron out of the rough and the ball went about 110 yards - I caught that junk too heavy and the ball floated out of the rough well short of the green. I chipped on and 2-putted for a bogey.

On Hole 2, I was none the better as I pulled my next drive left in to the same type of rough as the first hole. Took 2 extra clubs this time and still caught it heavy. Not only did I catch it heavy, I did not get it into the fairway, so now I am near the green in the same thick, nasty rough. I thought that if I gave a good swing on my 60-degree wedge I could pop it up and land it softly. I caught that heavy, too. I put the 60-degree away and grabbed my 57-degree sand wedge and it ran up and past the hole. I then 2-putted down hill for a double bogey. I am now 3 over after 2 holes - not a good start on my last day to break 80.

I stepped up to the 3rd hole (Par 5) and tattooed my drive down the middle of the fairway. I was sitting 233 yards out with a good look at a back pin. I hit a 3-wood straight as an arrow that rolled up and to the back of the green. I was looking at a 12-foot side hill eagle putt. Nice. I missed the putt passed the cup on the high side, but tapped in for a birdie 4.

I gave one back on the fourth hole (Par 3) that was playing about 210. I hit the distance but pulled the shot left. I had to chip up and ended up 2-putting.

There is not much more exciting to tell you that lead up to me shooting a 9-over after 9 holes - other than the fact that I was hitting my irons fairly consistently. I just wanted to hit them from the fairway instead of the rough. One item of shame - I had 3 double bogeys on the front.

When I made the turn, I told myself that it was now or never. I had to shoot a 2-under over the next 9 holes in order to break 80. My previous best was 5-over on the back 9, so I would have to shoot 7 shots better. With this in mind, I missed a 15-foot birdie putt on Hole 10 and tapped in for Par.

I birdied Hole 11 by hitting a hybrid that rolled to 80 yards on the short Par 4 (playing about 320 yards). I hit a full sand wedge to about 5 feet and rolled in the putt.

I made a second consecutive birdie (a first for me) on the next hole which is a Par 5 by sticking my 30-yard chip to about 3 feet and rolled in the putt. Now, I am 2 under with 6 to play - I am loving it, but staying cool.

I give a shot back by hitting my 8-iron fat on the next tee box which is a Par 3. I chipped on and missed the one putt having to tap in for bogey - bringing me back to 1-under.

I made a tap-in par on Hole 14 after hitting the stick from a 30-yard chip - bounce, bounce, hit flag, drop to 6 inches on the left side of the hole - I thought it was going to drop.
I also made par on Hole 15, after just missing the fairway, but getting my approach on the green and two-putted.

I now have to play the final three holes at 1 under in order to break 80.

On Hole 16, I hit the fairway - all is good. I yanked my approach, had to chip and ended up 2-putting to give another shot back. I move to even par on the back and now have to go birdie, birdie to finish - this is a tall order, but I am not out.

The 1 big problem facing me next is the tee shot at Hole 17 which is playing 218 yards with the pin in the back. I have only made par on this hole a couple of times and all have come from chipping and 1-putting. However, today I hit by hybrid on a rope. that landed on the back left edge and rolled about a foot. I had a 20-foot putt for birdie. I thought, 'it's now or never' - I had to make it. I got my line (3 balls outside the left edge) and put a good stroke on it...burning the edge...tapping in for par.

So going into the 18th hole which is a par 4, I had a score of 77. I hit a beauty off the tee box which gave me 125 yards in from the middle of the fairway. If I holed out on my second shot, I could break 80 - however, I was just aiming for the stick. The pin was back and I figured that if I put a good swing on a pitching wedge, I could go for the stick. If I could do that and make a birdie, I would shoot and 80 which would be pretty incredible for me all things considered. I took a good practice cut, but I will say that I had a few things too many going on in my head. I ended up hitting my worst shot of the day - go figure - dead right. I had to chip up and was left with a long putt for par. I ran past the cup and tapped in for a bogey 5.

I ended up shooting an 82 from the blue tees. I started the round poorly on the front side (46 - 9-over), but finished it like a champ (36 - 1-over). I have a lot of woulda, coulda, shouldas on that front side, but at the end of the day, I shot an 82 and that is not a score to be ashamed of.

My 80 days have come to a close. I came short of my goal of breaking 80 in 80 days. I am a bit disappointed that I was not able to achieve my goal. I thought it was going to be much easier than it was. It wasn't. Golf is a difficult game. All that being said, I am left a better golfer than I was when I started my journey. Today, I shot an 82. That is dramatic improvement from when I was shooting in the high-90's and low-100's. I now have a good foundation in which to build a good game on. I have full faith in my ability to break 80 by next summer. I will continue to take some cuts this off-season and I am actually going to take a group of 6 lessons to see if I can't groove in a swing that will take me closer to shooting even par. If I can shave 15 strokes in 80 days, I should be able to shave another 10 by next summer.

I would like to thank everyone who was supportive on my quest. It really meant a lot to me. I appreciate all the kindness, patience, listening to my endless stories, comments, concern, tips, pointes and everything else that anyone put up with over these past 80 days. I had a really good time - it was joyful, awful, frustrating, exciting, times of total confidence and other times with some doubt. I was not able to break 80, but my new low score on the golf course is an 82 - and I look forward to beating that!

Only the very best,
Ryan

My final round stats:
Score: 82 (+10 - Par 72) - 46-36
Birdies: 3
Pars: 5
Bogeys: 7
Double Bogeys: 3
Fairways Hit: 6 out of 15
G.I.R.: 6 out of 18
Putts: 30 total (six 1-putts, twelve 2-putts, zero 3-putts)