GRUDGE MATCH, The Sequel--High Handicappers Play a Great Course--Chambers Bay

[Kalen Braley]

While there weren't any physical punches thrown....(Garland and I are both north of 40, so we're getting too old for that kinda stuff), there were plenty of verbal punches thrown though! 

[Kalen Braley]

Ok,

On to the 10th hole.  And let me start by saying, this was IMO the best hole on the course.  I really love how the massive dunes on each side (of which the picture doesn't do justice), gently get closer and closer as they pinch in near the green.  It really created an interesting effect and made for a butt puckering approach.  There is also a bunker on the back left of the green that tucked in nicely and is hidden from view when ur back in the fairway.


I too hit 3w off the tee with a 6 iron approach.  However I lost mine a touch to the right and ended up in that 1st green side bunker.
Long story short, I couldn't get it up and down to save par and match Garlands eventual par.  Given the difficulty of the hole, even a 5 here is good by my standards, so Garlands 4 was pretty damn good.

Garland wins the hole and goes 1 up thru 10!

[Anthony Gray]

  I wish the 10th green had a backstop and more of a punchbowl feel. But its all open back there. Also that left greenside bunker may be the most penel on the course.

  Anthony

[Garland Bayley]

11 425 yds par 4

When you stand on the tee on 11 you see a dinosaur turd in Kalen parlance. You have to decide if you can carry it, or whether you need to go left or right. I concluded I could carry it without knowing the yardages (I play many shots on estimated distances, but will read a sprinkler head if one is nearby). Hit the straightest drive of the day with my driver straight at the and over the center of the mound and fading a little left at the end.



From the fairway with a 4 iron, I drove a stake through Kalen's heart by hitting it to the center of the green from over 180 yards ending my worries about the bunkers on the right.

[Kalen Braley]

Just to explain a little further, when you're standing on 6 tee and you look over at the mound in the middle of 11 fairway, it kinda looks like a T-Rex backed up and let a load go.  However, when you are on 11 tee, its looks "normal".   

I too hit a good drive here and cleared the dino dropping.  It was my fubar 5 wood approach that did me in as I skanked one into that big bunker on the right.  I still had a chance to nail a 20 foot putt from just off the back of the green to put some pressure on Garland, but alas it burned the edge of the cup.

Garland wins the hole with a 5 to my 6.  Garland is now 2 up thru 11!

[Garland Bayley]

12 262 yds par 4

My first two plays of this hole, I laid back on this hole with good results. However, two days before our match I was talking to a friend that encouraged me to go for the green with driver since my natural ball flight is right to left with driver. While knowing that 262 yards uphill is a stretch, I pulled driver, overswung, and heeled it off to the right. My second round, I also lost a ball right with driver, and will go back to laying up in future rounds. I failed to realize I shouldn’t be taking advice from a 2 to 3 handicap on how to play #12 at Chambers Bay. I took 3 more shots hacking back to the fairway and reached the green in 5.

[Kalen Braley]

So I decided to hit 3 wood here and missed out to the right as well.

The difference was, I managed to hit my next shot back to the fairway, with my 3rd shot being well executed for a conceded par at the hole.

I really like this hole as well, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of options for the high capper as the distance to drive the green is just too prohibitive.  No doubt this is a much more interesting hole for the low cappers who have the stuff to drive it 265 up the hill and maybe get an eagle or an easy birdie.  To boot, the green is really super wild, easily the craziest green on the course.  I think RTJ III was channeling a bit of Jim Engh on this one because there are some massive internal slopes on this one.

Kalen wins the hole.  Garland is now back to 1 up thru 12!

[Mark Provenzano]

So I decided to hit 3 wood here and missed out to the right as well.

The difference was, I managed to hit my next shot back to the fairway, with my 3rd shot being well executed for a conceded par at the hole.

I really like this hole as well, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of options for the high capper as the distance to drive the green is just too prohibitive.  No doubt this is a much more interesting hole for the low cappers who have the stuff to drive it 265 up the hill and maybe get an eagle or an easy birdie.  To boot, the green is really super wild, easily the craziest green on the course.  I think RTJ III was channeling a bit of Jim Engh on this one because there are some massive internal slopes on this one.

Kalen wins the hole.  Garland is now back to 1 up thru 12!

When I played there last year there was a tailwind on 12. I hit driver and wound up on the green back left when the pin was front right. Forget the easy birdie, three putts from up top was no picnic.

Next time I'll hit hybrid and lay up. Above the hole is no place to be. It's a fun hole, though. Chambers Bay beat this high handicapper up pretty badly.

[Garland Bayley]

...
The difference was, I managed to hit my next shot back to the fairway, with my 3rd shot being well executed for a conceded par at the hole.
...

Kalen can be forgiven as he never saw his ball on the green. He had 20 feet for par, and went on the scorecard as a bogey, as I conceded the hole and returned his ball to him before he reached the green walking. I conceded without playing out the putts as I was even further away and lying 5 to his 3.

[Anthony Gray]

  This should be made into a movie.

  Anthony

[Garland Bayley]

13 512 yds. par 5

The drive on this hole is blind. As high handicappers playing from tees beyond our typical abilities on a wet day there was little choice to make off the tee. Anything in the fairway would do. Playing the white tees at 486 yards would suggest trying to hit the far right side of the fairway with a chance to go at the green in two. After reaching the left side of the fairway with my typical drive that turns left, I had a longer shot to clear the bunker finger in the way to a lay up area. I flinched and ended up in the bunker. So getting the tee ball closer to the corner has some advantages as you have less to carry to a lay up area.

[JMEvensky]

  This should be made into a movie.

  Anthony

 Entitled "Par Is Just A Number"?

 Sorry,it was a layup and I couldn't resist.

[Garland Bayley]

  This should be made into a movie.

  Anthony

Brent saw the movie live, and said he wanted to see next sequel live also.

[Kalen Braley]

I didn't think the tees were beyond our abilities.  I hit a good drive and only had 250 to the green.  If I had gotten an extra little jalapeno on it I would have had a go at the green.

Instead I hit a perfect layup, was left with a little wedge approach, but laid sod over the ball.  Garland got out of the bunker and hit his 4th over the green.  My 4th was good and on the green about 30 feet away.  With Garland in trouble i knew this was a god opportunity to win another hole...

..but alas I three jacked it when I missed the 5 foot bogey putt...he chipped on and two putted. I was really kicking myself that I was 80 yards away in two and it took me 5 more shots to get it down.  We both carded a pair of 7s to halve the hole.

Garland still 1 up thru 13!

[Garland Bayley]

...
Garland still 1 up thru 13!

And the best hole on the course, #14, sets up real well for a lefty like me.

[Garland Bayley]

14 415 yds. (that's what the card says, but the tees were set way back on Sunday) par 4

I have great success on this hole by aiming at the bunker in the center of the fairway and letting the natural movement of the ball take me to the same place I was all day, the left edge of the fairway, thereby cutting the max possible out of the hole. I schooled Anthony Gray that way, and I set about to do the same thing to Kalen.



Sure enough the ball flight went just as expected, but with the tees being as far back as they were, I still had 192 (I was by a sprinkler head) to the center of the green.

With bunkers guarding the left side, I aimed my three hybrid to the open area right of the green. Unfortunately, I drew the ball a little, and ended up in the rough to the right of the sandpoint that runs in from the right.

[Kalen Braley]

This hole is another outstanding offering at Chambers.  Like Garland said, the tees were pretty far back making it an intimidating carry to the fairway.

As such I aimed right of the trap and my fade left me in the rough.  Garland hit on a much more aggressive line and looked to carry the massive bunker by just a yard or two.  No doubt he was in much better shape than I was after the tee ball.  As I had no chance to get home with my 2nd shot, I punched a 5 iron out of the rough, but mishit it so it only went about 120 yards.  So I was left with another 5 iron approach that came up about 5 yards shorts of the green.

Meanwhile Garland hit a gawd-awful approach shot was way right in the gunch.  I was thinking he'd struggle to get outta there, but not only did he not struggle he hit a pro-like recovery to 6 feet of the hole.  So he put the pressure right back on me.  I chipped my next shot but left it well short and had about a 12 footer to save a bogey.

I stepped up and knew it was do or die, and I drained the 12 footer...hands down my best putt of the day.  Garland now had to make his par putt to win the hole and i'll be danged if the bugger didn't drain that sucker.  A very clutch putt to make par on arguably the most difficult hole on the back 9.

Garland wins the hole with a 4 to my 5.  Being highcappers I never thought I would see the day when a bogey lost ground to Garland on a tough hole like that.

Garland is now 2 up thru 14...not looking so hot for me!

[Garland Bayley]

...
Garland wins the hole with a 4 to my 5.  Being highcappers I never thought I would see the day when a bogey lost ground to Garland on a tough hole like that.
...

If you had asked Anthony about playing me on that hole you would have know better.

I actually hit a good 2nd. It just drew a little away from its intended line. With all that sand to carry, I was not even going for the green. I got all the carry I intended. I took the time to walk around and survey where to land my 3rd, and hit it pretty much like I planned. Sometimes high handicappers do that.

[Kalen Braley]

...
Garland wins the hole with a 4 to my 5.  Being highcappers I never thought I would see the day when a bogey lost ground to Garland on a tough hole like that.
...

If you had asked Anthony about playing me on that hole you would have know better.

I actually hit a good 2nd. It just drew a little away from its intended line. With all that sand to carry, I was not even going for the green. I got all the carry I intended. I took the time to walk around and survey where to land my 3rd, and hit it pretty much like I planned. Sometimes high handicappers do that.

Oh please, u were dead in the mid calf high rough after ur 2nd shot. I could put 100 balls down there and I doubt you get another one of those within 10 feet of the hole.  Hacker!!!   

[Garland Bayley]

15 120 yds. par 3

With no wind, this is a simple wedge shot. I stepped up and put my ball on the back of the green. Pressure is on Kalen now.

[Kalen Braley]

Standing on the tee, I was very much enjoying the view.  It was my favorite par 3 on the course and the tree behind really works for added effect.  I knew I was 2 down with 4 to play so it was time to make something happen.

Got up there and hit a shot that looked perfect...but it just barely cleared the left side bunker, (being a fade) and it stuck just in the fringe.  Garland was away so he putted 1st.  He left his 1st putt 6 feet short so I was feeling good. Being in the fringe, i used putter too and was fooled by the slope of the hole.  Needless to say I got the speed right, but was still 5 feet away after my 1st putt.

Garland burns the lip with his 2nd putt for a conceded bogey.  I'm left with the 5 footer and thinking its now or never.  I'm also thinking no f'ing way I miss another 5 footer.  Well fook me if I didn't miss that 5 footer, yet again.  On a putt I had to have, I yanked it left.  By now I was half thinking I had the yips.

So everyone piled on the abuse, Garland, Brent, his brother...and deservedly so.  It was my 4th missed putt of the round that was right in the 5 foot range.

Going to 16 I was now 2 down with 3 to play.  I needed something good to happen and quick!!!

[Garland Bayley]

...
Going to 16 I was now 2 down with 3 to play.  I needed something good to happen and quick!!!

I hit my worst drive of the round on 16. Was that quick enough for you?

[Garland Bayley]

16 359 yds. par 4

With the big hazard on the right, I hit driver here figuring to keep away from it with my slice. I hit it so far left it is in a bunker that can't even be seen in this picture from the green looking back. Fortunately, when you are that far afield, the ball was in a good lie in the sand. I chose PW to just get myself back in play. I got it back to the fairway 50 yards short of the green.

[Kalen Braley]

Garland is correct I did get another chance at new life.

He went left in the bunker and I hit a 3w safely to the right half of the fairway.  I tried to play a low running 6 iron into the green using the humps and bumps just short of the green to feed it in.  I thought it was good when I hit it, but ultimately it was too much peyote on the ball and it ran across the green and down into the deep bunker right of the green.

Garland pitched safely on to the green from about 80 yards out and I got my ball out of the bunker...but neither one of us could make the par putt.  So we both took a 5.

So Garland goes Dormie at 2 up with 2 to play!!

P.S.  The train tracks being just to the right of the holes on 16 and 17 are a nice added effect.  It really can be distracting when you have to pay attention on two shortish holes that require precision shots to make par.   

[Garland Bayley]

...
Garland pitched safely on to the green from about 80 yards out and I got my ball out of the bunker...but neither one of us could make the par putt.  So we both took a 5.
...

I actually read the ground and bumped a 7 iron into the hill on the left, which turned the ball and let it run to 8 ft. from the hole.
Every one watching thought I made the putt until it rolled to the side at the last moment.