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Friday, October 12, 2012

Golfing Creeks Bend and the dreaded sh@nk

Friday I got out in the afternoon to play Creeks Bend in New Prague, MN.

The weather was a bit cool but sunny and a light breeze.

I have tried to book tee times at Creeks Bend online a few times this year but they always say they don't have open spots.  The same was the case today but I decided to call the course and see if there wasn't a single spot open sometime.  They said they were booked today but there were some opening in the tee sheet and I could come and join up with someone.  They said there was a 3 some I could join up with in the afternoon so I added my name and left the office for the long drive out to New Prague.   Once I got out there the clubhouse said I could go out with the the threesome, or if I wanted I could just go out on my own.  I went to the first tee and there were several groups waiting.  I waited for my time slot since it looked like they were pretty busy and was still waiting for groups to clear in front of me.  Nobody waiting was my threesome so when it was about time to hit I thought I might be on my own only to have two guys join me at the last minute.  They said the clubhouse told them to join me (even though I was supposed to play in a threesome).  What I joke.  Totally unorganized and apparently your playing partners, tee times, and whatever are pretty arbitrary.  My guess after seeing this is that the course gets a lot of reservations by locals who then don't show.  That has to stink for the course and I know they have lost a couple reservations from me this summer because they always appear "full".

The twosome that joined me were named Justin and Paul.  Last names withheld to protect their privacy.  Both guys were great to play with and could hit the ball a mile and a half.  Justin in particular hit his irons so ridiculously high and long that it was fun to watch.  Justin had quit for the year until Paul convinced him to come out and try playing again.

You see Justin had the sh@nks.  He was a little erratic with long irons but generally good.  His problem came with chipping where he would just hit his ball straight left.  It was painful to watch but he was a good sport about it all.  He did eagle the 380 yard par 4 10th hole when his second shot, a chip from about 50 yards found the cup.

While I seem to have lost some length and my irons are not playing very straight right now I had a good short game today.  I made a lot of chips and one putts to save pars.  I ended up shooting a 39-41 round for 80.

 The tee shot on 1.
 The green on one, looking back down the hole.

 The uphill tee shot on number 2.
 The approach into 2.
 And a shot of the green on 2.

 Coming in on 5.
 The tee shot on 6.

 The tee shot on the par 3 7th.

 Justin hitting on the par 3 13th.

 The tee shot on the par 5 14th.
 Paul and Justin looking for their monster drives on 14.

 Paul teeing it up on 16.

 The stupid blind shot into 17.

 And the finishing hole with the barn clubhouse behind.

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