I started out on one in two, then three-putted for a bogey. My tee shot on two went in the sand right of the green and I left one shot in the bunker, then two-putted for another five. Took another five on the par four third. Hit an amazing drawn five-wood just right of the backside of the green on four in two, then took three more shots to get that in. It was an interesting front nine, but ended as a 41.

[Side note: After writing this, I looked at the scorecard again and noticed I’d marked a four instead of a five on the fourth hole – oh well!]

I then made the turn and took a six on ten, then missed a four-foot birdie putt on eleven for a routine par. As the round went on, I had some awful drives and great recoveries, always finding myself right next to the green and always getting everything up and down, or just down. When my second shot on eighteen hit the fairway bunker, I was nervous my luck had run out. I barely got out of the sand and hit an okay shot at best to the left-side fringe on the back of the green, cozied up my fifth shot and tapped that in for six.

Prior to tonight I had never shot better than 84 at North Hills Country Club, which is a very tough course to score at. Tonight, though: 82!

41 on the front. 41 on the back. It never felt awesome, just like I could get the ball in the hole from almost anywhere. That’s a great feeling!

I’ve been reading a book called Golf Flow, by Gio Valiante, and I think his teachings about the mental game of golf are very helpful. Let the bad shots go, concentrate on each shot and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do.