Lakewood Country Club Lakewood, California Date  7/13/2003 HOLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 OUT 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IN TOT HCP NET ADJ Back 415 415 162 349 225 443 506 364 497 3376  408 376 216 421 487 343 373 197 542 3363  6739        Kevin 8  8  6  6  5  8  7  5  7  60  6  4  5  4  6  6  5  4  5  45  105      98  Dick 4  4  4  5  4  5  5  4  5  40  4  4  3  5  5  4  5  4  4  38  78      78  Frank 5  7  5  6  6  7  6  6  7  55  6  6  4  6  6  6  6  6  5  51  106      102                                                                                                      PAR 4  4  3  4  3  4  5  4  5  36  4  4  3  4  5  4  4  3  5  36  72        HANDICAP 7  3  15  17  5  1  11  9  13    8  10  4  2  16  18  14  12  6            Fairways hit   x   x   x   x x 5  > x   x < x >   x 4  9  64%     Greens in reg.                   0        x         x 2  2  11%     Putts 3  4  2  2  2  2  2  2  3  22  2  1  2  2  2  1  2  2  2  16  38        Drive club 1w 1w 5i 3w 3w 1w 1w 1w 1w   1w 1w 3w 1w 1w 1w 1w 7w 1w           Sand saves                   0                o   0  0  0%     Penalty strokes       1            1    1      1          2  3        www.IntelliGolf.com Start:  Course Rating 71.5   Slope Rating 110

Everybody has bad starts, but I tried to assess why I started so badly (not just to make excuses, but if there is an avoidable problem, maybe I can fix it sooner next time).
My conclusions;
1.) Stressed/ not relaxed. I was invited to play 18 with two guys that I had recently met at a nine hole course. Since one of the guys (Dick) is a contender for the PGA Champions (Senior) Tour, I really wanted to play well and wanted to be invited to play again. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I had scored a 4 over par at the nine hole (Par 29) course so this would be a first real test with these guys.
2.) I hadn't played a new course in awhile and incorrectly assumed that the course would be an "easy 90 something" compared to Los Verdes.
3). We played from the "back" tees (I usually play from the white). I thought "that will certainly make going sub-100 harder. I'll have to really concentrate".
4). Despite our tee time, our start was delayed about an hour. When we did start, they added two singles to our threesome to slow us down before we even started. Also, due to the delay, there were about 20 people waiting at the #1 tee ground to watch me "top" my tee shot to about 30'.
5.) Despite some range practice, I was trying out a brand new fairway wood and was uncertain as to my ability to use it from the rough, and it's distance When I blew the first two hits with it, I felt embarrassed (since I was still in sight of the #1 tee group). Then I was more indecisive with it until I started hitting it well about five holes later.
6.) I had a form break that I didn't realize until Dick pointed it out (finishing swing with weight on my back foot instead of my front foot). He also reminded me that there won't be any trophies or money given out at the end of the day so just relax and have some fun!