Originally Published on July 27, 2017 by ranchomurieta.com

Diaries written by: Don Thames

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Don Thames, Rancho Murieta Country Club's golf pro, writes about the experience of qualifying for the British Senior Open, as he did Monday. He will post occasional stories this week. Photos are by Carole Thames.

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DAY #3:

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Bridgend, Wales – Today’s round at Royal Porthcawl was definitely near the top of the list of the most difficult scoring conditions I have ever faced. Unfortunately, my time of 11:10 was played with eight holes of rain. The later pairings did not get a break from the high winds, as the breeze of 30 mph was constant all day long. I played eight to ten two-iron shots and many of them were approaches to four pars. On some of the crosswind holes, I had to start the ball 75 yards left of the center of the fairway. This is a fearful complication when the sea is on the left marked by an out of bounds fence. It was an extreme example of trust if a player endeavored to hit the fairway. The approach shots were no different. The short side of the green is always guarded by pot bunkers that any faint shot is funneled into. I played a six iron 50 yards left of the flag on one par three. I found playing directly into the wind preferable to playing the treacherous cross breeze.

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The first hole plays directly into the wind at 425 yards downhill. I hit a solid tee shot and a two iron onto the front of the green some 70 feet from the cup. One of my playing companions (a bloke from St. Andrews) could not reach the green and left his second some 60 yards short. He proceeded to putt the ball to within a foot of the cup. They know that shot! Yes, it was downhill, the turf was shaved, but the green itself looked like a lunar surface with its magnificent rolls, bumps and undulations. I lagged it down there nicely (for me) missed the second and started with a bogey. Then the rain began.
 

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