The day was an unusual day to shoot my personal best but that is exactly how the game of golf works. It was a rainy day with scattered showers here and there, course was soggy and I was lucky enough to get called off work!

In my free time I try to make myself available to help out with the head coach over at Mesa Community College for the men’s golf team (this is where I went to school) and with getting called off work I thought what better way to spend this day by joining the boys at Dobson Ranch.

There’s something about tough and unusual challenges that catches my interest. Whether it’s a rainy day or if it’s blowing 30 mph, I’m wanting to play because “how often do we in Arizona get these opportunities”? That’s exactly what it is an “opportunity”. It’s a chance to test your game in conditions we hardly get so the question becomes, “how good are you”? I couldn’t wait to tee it up, it was another day to play and those days for me a hard to come by.

The round couldn’t have started off any better, rattling off 3 birdies in a row with another 15 footer on the par 3 fourth hole to make it 4 in a row. I just missed the edge but had an odd sensation of feeling the putter was going to be hot today. I had 2-putted for birdie on the par 5 fifth hole and was quickly -4 through 5 holes.

I’ll be honest, it may have been early to call but I had the passing thought of “course record watch?” (the record is 60, -12). That thought came and went as I knew the main goal was to stay in the present. Just play golf and see how the rest of the round goes. With another good putt on the 9th I made the turn at -5, this too was my lowest round for 9 holes.

The front in comparison was relatively a breeze for what came on the back. With back to back pars on 10 and 11, the par made on the 12th hole was definitely earned. I dumped the tee shot into the green-side bunker and did myself no favors leaving myself about 10 feet to save par. I was able to calm the mind, get into my mental loop, do my routine and save par.

This was a huge moment in the round, it kept the momentum alive. An easy 2-putt on the par 5 13th moved me to -6 and feeling good, and the good times continued to roll with a chip in on 14 and a tap in on 15, in a blink of an eye I was -8 with 3 play, how much lower could I go?

The last 3 holes were earned and not given, this is a testament to the ups and downs you can have in a round. I played the 16th hole with relative ease, leaving myself an 18 footer for birdie, I putt I’ve made a few times today, this time however variance swung in the opposite direction. I hammered 4-5 feet by and missed the par save, I was slightly shocked as to how this could’ve happen, what went wrong? It had been a solid round and this will be a blemish on an almost perfect card.

The par 3 17th I was able to lock back in, hitting the middle of the green, 2-putting and moving on to the par 5 18th with a chance to get one back. I locked back in, hit two good shots and was left with about 33 feet for eagle, birdie was almost guaranteed. The idea of making the eagle and jumping to -9 crept in and how did I respond? By leaving it about 4 feet short, a nice little tester to get to -8.

What is so funny with golf is the fact that my mood was going to be determined on whether this 4 foot putt went in or not. Disregarding the fact still, even at -7 this was too my career low. The day was filled with virtually all positives and indications my game is heading in the right direction, but if this 4 foot putt didn’t go in, I’d be beside myself. Luckily it did go in and I posted -8, 32 on the front, 32 on the back for a 64 my new all time low.

I was super pumped, couldn’t believe it, this was uncharted territory for me. It does feel corny posting about it and even writing about it, but for my personal golf journey, wherever it may lead this was huge.

However an important lesson I can take away and anyone who reads this would be; stay in the moment, don’t let past actions upset you and don’t let future scenarios overt excite you. In regards to golf, you need good breaks to have a special day or even a good day on the course. There were a few squirrelly tee shots I hit but was fortunate enough to have clean looks at the green.

My last takeaway from a day like that day was the score I shot is the score I earned/deserved. I can’t say it could’ve or should’ve been lower because you don’t know what’s going to happen. The round has a way of balancing itself out. For every chip in, there’s a silly 3-putt, for every tap in birdie, there’s a green missed with a wedge in hand. Golf balances itself out so the best thing to do is keep your head down, take one shot at a time and do your best to stay present.