ACC MEDIA CONTEST -- (Editor's note: This is the third in a four-part series on Moody's Quiet Pines Golf Course.)
While tying a golf professional on one hole isn't something to bank a future playing career on, last week's minor miracle increased my confidence as I prepared to tee-off on the next three holes of Quiet Pines Golf Course.
To briefly recap, I recently challenged Dumas "Ben" Bennett, Quiet Pines course director and golf professional, on the nine holes of Moody's course. Last week, we played the first three holes. After falling behind by six strokes after two holes, I somehow tied Bennett on the third.
"During the first couple of holes, people are really anxious to play," Bennett said. "It takes a couple of holes to calm down, concentrate and play good golf."
Preparing to play this week's holes, I was confident about my chances of playing well.
Whatever confidence I brought over to the week, however, soon would be squashed as we approached the fourth hole.
Hole 4 - Par 4, 394 yards
Quiet Pines' fourth hole is fairly straight and short, but provides the course's only major water hazard, a pond which runs along the left side of the fairway.
"People make this hole difficult by trying to drive the ball when it really isn't needed," Bennett said. "The water is intimidating because you don't want to hit your drive left. If that's the last thing you are thinking before you hit the ball, that is exactly what will happen."
The best play is to keep the ball in the fairway due to the water on the left and a fairway bunker on the right, he added. He even recommended hitting a four- or five-iron off the tee to set up a medium-length shot to the center of the green.
The key to the fourth hole's green is to ensure an uphill putt, Bennett said. The green tends to be fast especially in the summer.
Although Bennett recommended not hitting a driver on this hole, I felt confident, based on a few practice swings, I could hit the ball straight. This would be the first of many mistakes I would make on Hole Four.
First, I pushed my drive far right of the fairway.
"At least you took the water out of play on this hole," Bennett joked.
Unfortunately, he didn't realize the skills of a truly inconsistent golfer, because after hitting a tree on my second shot, I hit my third shot dead left and into the pond. When I finally putted the ball in the hole, I set a new "Playing the Pro" record, scoring a nine on the par four.
Bennett, on the other hand, continued to demonstrate why he is an expert on the course.
He hit a perfect drive and matched it with an approach shot within five feet of the hole. He easily putted the ball in for a birdie three and in one hole, doubled his six-stroke lead.
"This is really an easy game," Bennett said. "People make it difficult by swinging too hard. You have to let your club do the work."
At least I had two more holes to work my clubs and try to recover a little of the pride I lost on this hole.
Hole 5- Par 5, 485 yards
Quiet Pines' second par five is the course's second longest hole and features a right dogleg.
While this hole presents an easy opportunity for a birdie or par, Bennett said the goal is to play the ball down the left side of the hole, keeping the fairway open and avoiding a right side full of trees.
"If you drive the ball right and short on this hole, it takes away a lot of your options," he said. "You have to play good shots to get a birdie."
Bennett recommends playing the ball down the left side of the fairway with the first two shots.
To approach the green, he said to play the ball toward the front of the green because the back half slopes away from the fairway.
For the first time in this series, my drive precisely followed Bennett's advice. I hit it long and to the left side of the fairway, but it rolled behind a tree. My next shot, however, stayed low, avoided the tree and was only 50 yards from the green.
I chipped the ball 10 feet from the cup and found myself staring at a solid birdie attempt.
Bennett, on the other hand, struggled for the first time in the competition. After two average shots, however, he hit his ball on the right fringe of the green setting up a long birdie putt.
"These are two really tricky putts," Bennett said of our two birdie opportunities.
By now, I had learned Bennett's assessments were generally right on, so it came as no surprise when both of us three-putted and posted matching bogey sixes.
Although I was disappointed with the bogey, I finally felt I was competing with the pro.
Hole 6- Par 4, 350 yards
The final hole of the day was the short, downhill sixth hole. Only 350 yards long, the hole appears easy.
That assumption, however, is deceiving, said Bennett. The hole tends to be difficult because the fairway slopes to the right, causing many balls to roll into the rough. The fairway is also lined with trees on both sides, ready to catch any errant ball.
The most difficult part of the hole is its green, which is one of the toughest on the course because of its many breaks, he said.
It is also difficult to keep balls from staying on the green when hitting approach shots, or even putts.
"If you putt the ball too hard, you will hit it right off this green," he said.
Bennett said the best play on the hole is to drive the ball down the right side of the fairway and hit a short approach shot which can roll up onto the green.
After hitting a three-iron off the tee, Bennett was left with a "tweener" shot. This shot, which lies between a player's comfortable iron distance, requires a player to adjust his swing to properly place the ball. The difficult shot landed in a bunker left of the green.
"I am still looking at this as a par," he said. "All I have to do is hit my sand shot close and putt for my par."
Unfortunately, his sand game wasn't thinking par and after two attempts he found himself on the fringe of the green. Bennett wound up with a double-bogey six, opening the door for me to possibly win a hole.
Instead, I immediately slammed that door shut by hooking two shots directly left and over the course's fence, causing minor damage to the many trees in my way.
"So what is our policy on mulligans or 'do-overs?'" I asked Bennett.
"We don't call them mulligans," he said. "We call them experimental shots and go on with the hole."
Attempting not to lose a third ball off the tee, I hit the ball far right of the fairway behind several trees. With my experimental shots behind me, however, my second shot defied reality by avoiding every tree limb between me and the green and rolled within 15 feet of the hole. I easily two-putted and scored my "pseudo-par."
Famous radio personality Paul Harvey once said, "Golf is a game in which you yell 'fore,' shoot six, and write down five. "
In honor of Mr. Harvey, I wrote down my four on the scorecard and gained two strokes on Bennett's lead heading into our final three holes next week.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)