Columbia League Play Week 1

Another year of league play started.  This year Michael and I have a new team member, our friend Keith.  This was my second time out in Minnesota.  I have played 6 times as much out of state this year as opposed to in the ice box that is our spring.

Feeling not very warmed up, we took on the front 9.  The first thing you can notice this year is that the course has removed a large number of ash trees.  This is especially apparent on the first hole's left side where all of the trees short of 140 yards out have been removed.  This makes the hole seem a lot more open.

A view of the second hole's green seen from the 7th tee.  The course is in fair shape.  You can see some brown spots as in the picture but the fairways are starting off in better shape than some years with very little winter kill.

 This is the approach into the par 5 6th green.  This hole features a pair of twin bunkers up front.  Well not really twins.  The left one is more like the ugly step child.  You can see some of the spottiness of the fairways here too.  The greens are good but running really slow.

 Terrible trouble off the tee still plagues me.  I faired better than Keith but carded a turd-tastic 43.  We managed to split the points at 2.5 thanks to Keith shooting his score, and establishing a nine hole handicap of 14!

I guess it can only go up from here (I hope)!