A humbling experience at Harbour Town Golf Links |
|
|
|
Now that a week has passed, I think I can talk about what happend last Monday and it wasn't pretty. A general rule of thumb I will be adopting, y’all should as well, is that the act of complaining about anything that occurs while playing free golf is forbidden.
This rule goes into effect at the conclusion of this writing. Weather is a rather obvious factor that can greatly affect a round of golf. On Verizon Heritage Media Day at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, you couldn’t have scripted a more perfect day. It was about 70 degrees and sunny; a little bit of San Diego’s climate in the Southeast. Pre-game meal was delicious. Pancakes, hash browns, even some fresh strawberries to start the day. Defending Verizon Heritage champion Boo Weekely hit the stage for a Q & A session that was one of the more honest and entertaining interviews you’ll ever experience given by a member of the PGA TOUR. Boo even dropped one of his trademark camouflage Cleveland golf hats in everyone’s cart; not personally I’m sure. That brings my camouflage hat count to three; I also own a sweet University of Tennessee cap and an old school UNC camo hat.
Also on hand was the same exact FedEx Cup Tiger Woods hoisted after he captured the PGA’s season-ending playoff competition in Atlanta last year which was an unexpected but welcome surprise. After the completion of an enjoyable presentation by the Heritage tournament committee it was time to head out and warm up on the range, which was productive. I even smacked a few balls midway up the retaining net which was put in place to keep the professionals from hitting their practice balls onto the actual course. One more note about the tournament committee on hand for media day; they were unbelievably gracious hosts. Truly class individuals that couldn't have been any more accommodating. Although the first staff member at Harbour Town I spoke to just so happend to be from Munhall, Pennsylvania which is just outside of Pittsburgh. It just so happens I have an ex-girlfiend from Munhall. Maybe I should have heeded this unfavorable omen and left the clubs in the car. As we all know, one of the more frustrating experiences a golfer can have is lacking the ability to carry over a positive session on the range to the actual course. I excelled on leaving every positive swing at the range on this day. I’d imagine the total lack of pressure while practicing has a lot to do with it but you never really want to look bad, even when getting loose so who knows. Our group began on the par-5 5th hole measuring 530 yards for tournament play but less for the amateur. I had the unfortunate pleasure of being last off the tee. As my playing partners would soon discover, they should’ve let me tee off in second at the least because I would be hitting fourth the majority of the afternoon. My initial tee shot was quite a squeamish effort. I lifted my head and it ruined my confidence for the better part of nine holes. I was a bit intimidated by the venue and a bad beginning didn’t exactly inspire greatness. The day wasn’t a complete disaster. I regrouped and actually struck the ball reasonably well over the final nine holes. I hit solid shots back to back on the beautiful finishing hole bordering Calibogue Sound and just missed hitting the green in regulation. That was a pleasant surprise and I was satisfied that I was able to bear down and focus on the one hole I had looked forward to all week. The course is excellent. It hasn’t been lengthened to the extremes that other PGA TOUR venues have and is an enjoyable experience for the amateur golfer. For the professionals it’s all about shot making and imagination out there. I’m hoping the drama at Harbour Town during Sunday’s final round is enhanced by the risk-reward nature of the course. Accuracy off the tee box is crucial on this course. The club professional playing with my group even had trouble keeping his tee shot from striking the trees lining the fairway on a number of drives. Experts like to use narrow to describe the layout and they aren’t lying. Bring your short game because Harbour Town will test it. The greens were fast but fair. Overall the trouble inaccuracies off the tee create is the most challenging part of this course. I would also warn against one of the most unique bunkers I’ve ever encountered, which hides to the right of the green on the par-3 17th. It’s quite narrow and very deep, making for an almost unplayable second shot if you find it off the tee.
Aesthetically, the scenery was great. The old oaks, towering over the course, give Harbour Town a classic Lowcountry feel. The finishing hole, with the sound to the left and the candy-striped Harbour Town lighthouse as a backdrop, is breathtaking and worth the price of admission. Well almost. One of the unwelcomed features of the course and other courses here in Hilton Head: Alligators. Is it too much to ask to complete a round without encountering a gator? It was an embarrassing and quite humbling experience as golf often is. But I look forward to getting back out there next year after making considerable improvements in my game. Which brings me to my goal for this spring/summer: bringing my game to the level of respectable. I’d define respectable as not visiting every wooded area imaginable on every golf course I play. Overall, Harbour Town is a course everyone should experience once if just to play one of the prettiest finishing holes in all of golf. For more information about the Verizon Heritage Tournament, which takes place the week after the Masters (4/14 - 4/20) and Harbour Town Golf Links visit www.verizonheritage.com or www.seapines.com |
