One of the easiest 73’s I have ever shot..

Golf On Camera
Mar 4, 2019
3 min read

I never underestimate how hard it is to shoot 73, it’s a score that many golfers will never achieve.

On March 2nd I entered the Lamberhurst G.C weekend stableford. I have made a conscious effort in 2019 to play in more competitions than the three I did in 2018, to try and get my competitive edge back. To date I have recorded 78 & 80 in my first two competitions, both resulting in 0.1 increases in my handicap. There hasn’t been too much to shout about, although there have been some positives in both rounds.

Front 9

Lately I have been getting off to very slow starts and picking up through the last third of my round. This day would be different, with two pars and a birdie to start. The 3 wood and 3 iron I hit into the stroke index 1 4th hole, are arguably the best back to back swings I have produced in the past 12 months. A nett birdie on the 4th would confirm a fast start and freedom to take some shots on in the coming holes.

A pulled drive on the 5th would end up Out Of Bounds, but a Birdie with my provisional ball would at least give me a point from the hole. Although hitting driver was an aggressive play, my strategy was proven right with the second ball. More good play on 6,8 & 9 would produce birdie chances that just slid by. Arguably the 5th tee shot and par putt on 7 were the only poor shots of a successful front 9.

Back 9

Pars on 10 & 11 gave me a solid start to the back 9, now to face the 215yd par 3 12th. A solid 5 iron would find the fat part of the green, leaving me around 40 feet to the hole. My positive putt slid 4ft past the hole, the return putt would get a bad kick that resulted in an unfortunate bogey. I felt it was important to take this kick on the chin and not be disgruntled or frustrated, as there were some important holes coming up where I wanted to be in the right mindset.

The 13th would see another good birdie opportunity slide by, frustratingly not capitalising on a perfect drive. Roles would be reversed on 14 as I would hole a good 10ft putt down the hill to record my first birdie of the back 9. I would reduce the 435yd stroke index 2 15th to a driver and a wedge, resulting in another nett birdie. This meant I had nett birdied both my shot holes with ease.

Since it’s been a while closing out a good round, the anxiety started to creep in after 15 holes. I had been telling a junior in my group that “If you continue to do the right things, the results will look after themselves”.

Taking my own advice and believing in my shot selections produced some good swings in the last 3 holes, although I had to hole 3 putts from around 3 or 4ft on each green. As we are aware, the short putts under pressure are the ones most likely to show the nerves.

So why was this one of the easiest 73’s I have ever shot?

Although I Felt the anxiety of finishing off a good round, I produced the shots required with consummate ease. Through out the round, I can count on one hand the shots I was disappointed with. Anytime you hit 15 greens in regulation you give yourself the opportunity to shoot a good round. I have played many rounds where I have hit 14 greens, but my poor distance control that day has meant I am trying not to 3 putt more than make birdie putts. A quick look at my round and I can pick 10 good to average birdie opportunities I created with good distance control. Out of the chances I created, I would‘ve expected to hole around 4 of these on a good putting day.

I will undoubtedly shoot 73 again this year, but the likelihood of producing the numbers and chances I did this day is very unlikely. Shooting 73 is never easy, but It’s made a lot easier if you have good looks at birdies on 10 holes.