Saturday, July 08, 2006
Ironwood
Par 67, 5442 Yds, Slope 99, by Keith Foster
Golfweb
ArizonaGolf
They Say: "This course can be challenging because water hazards come into play on five holes, and sand bunkers come into play on the rest of the holes. Some of the greens are undulating, but all of the greens are sloped. The course features some really imaginative mounding that can cause uneven lies."
I was excited to play Ironwood, not knowing anything about it, because it was designed by Keith Foster, till I saw the short yardage and low slope . . . Mr. Science said, "So, then you're going to shoot in the 70s?"
"I shoot the same on every course," I replied, "depending on how I'm playing that day, so I prefer hard courses that keep me interested!" -- if you see what I mean. But I started out like a house-afire, with 2 birdies in a row on #2 & #3.
"Have you ever been 2 under in your life?" Mr Science queried?
"Not to my recollection," I said, "I don't ever remember making 2 birdies in a row before!" Of course , 3 birdies in a round is my personal best, and I tho't surely on this easy course with such a start I would finally better that, but except for one other birdie on the back side, no joy. I did break 80: 39-40=79, while Mr Science carded 35-39=74, with one birdie, his norm, these days, more-or-less.
It seems to me that most of the course's defenses are on the greens, which rolled slow, and were very grainy -- similar to Desert Valley in Fountain Hills in effect -- so that balls broke sharply as they slowed down by the hole.
The fairways are so wide open that the water never really comes into play, and the "imaginative mounding" they speak of is all out in the rough, not really in play.
We disagree on whether this is a full sized or executive course, and I'm not sure how to rate it.
