Lakeview is one of the golf courses closest to me, but the last time I played it was nine years ago! It's a decent track, steeped in history, but it does tend to get busy. I had the opportunity to play there recently and was looking forward to it. I played an afternoon round with three ladies and it ended up being a great day.
It was round #15 of the season and the first time I broke 90. Last year, I broke 90 five times over the first 15 rounds, with scores of 85, 86, 87, 86, and 87. I guess the consolation is that I smashed 90 this time around, with a final score of 83. That ranks very close to my best of all time: BraeBen 78, Deer Creek South 81, Granite Ridge Cobalt 82, Willow Valley 83, and Carlisle North/East 83. Those other scores of 83 get the nod because they were on par 72 courses. Lakeview is a par 71.
That's good enough for a hole by hole breakdown, so here we go:
Hole 1 – Par 4 (326 yards)
A straight hole, with trees on either side. I hit 5-wood just left of the fairway, leaving 100 yards to the green. Overhanging tree branches meant I had to punch one low. I took a half swing with the 5-iron, but smacked the ball 15 yards behind the green into some mounds. I hit a fabulous pitch with the lob wedge, just landing on the green and releasing downhill near the hole. A five foot putt with slight break earned a great par.
Hole 2 – Par 4 (423 yards)
The blue tees on this hole are well back, but I didn't let it faze me, delivering a 250-yard drive to the middle of the fairway. A 6-iron off the carpet was a slight miss hit, flying over a deep valley, but short and right of the green. The ball was unplayable in some weeds, so I took a penalty. A 40-yard pitch found the safety of the green. A lengthy bogey putt was a good try, but I finished with a tap in for double-bogey.
Hole 3 – Par 3 (136 yards)
A lateral water hazard protects the right side of this hole. I hit pitching wedge straight, but caught it thin. The ball rolled through the green and off the back right side, very near the flag. It set up the type of chip shot you envision making and I gave it a really god try, finishing a foot short of the cup. No worries, as I collected the tap-in par.
Hole 4 – Par 4 (366 yards)
There is OB along the right side of this hole, but I was in the zone and didn't think about it. I drove the ball a couple yards off the right edge of the fairway, leaving about 140 yards to the flag. The wind was hurting slightly, so I opted for an 8-iron. The ball finished flag high, albeit quite left of the hole location. I cozied up a nice lag and then drained the short par putt.
Hole 5 – Par 5 (591 yards)
A long par-5 with trees bordering the fairway and a creek that angles close as you approach the green. I made good contact with the driver, but was left of target. Overhanging branches demanded another low punch. The 3-iron never got more than chest high and finished well down the fairway. From 180 yards out, I pull hooked a 5-iron that flew over the creek, settling short of some fescue. The grass interfered with my backswing so I gave my next shot a little extra. Sadly, I failed to hold the green, rolling into a bunker. A terrible fifth shot just managed to get out of the trap. A chip and putt finished things off for double-bogey.
Hole 6 – Par 4 (441 yards)
The #1 handicap hole on the course, owing mostly to its length. I sliced my drive right into fairway #5. From there, I punched a 3-iron beneath the trees back across the correct fairway. I was now on the left side with more overhanging branches. From 90 yards, I punched a soft 5-iron and rolled the ball flag high. A great lag and short putt earned a pretty good bogey. This hole is a beast.
Hole 7 – Par 5 (476 yards)
OB covers the entire right side of this hole and can come into play. I made good contact with the driver, finishing on a mound just left of the fairway. I hit 3-iron off a pretty severe up slope, propelling the ball to within 90 yards of the green. Next, a full lob wedge got me to the front of the green. My birdie putt was too aggressive, rolling well past the hole. I just missed the comebacker, taking my only 3-putt of the day and a somewhat disappointing bogey.
Hole 8 – Par 4 (345 yards)
There's no need for driver on this hole, but I didn't see any down side to using it, either. I hit a straight shot, but caught it a hair fat, scrubbing some speed off before contact and hence, losing distance. I still carried a water hazard crossing the fairway and had just 130 yards to the green. Pitching wedge got me to the back of the green and I needed a delicate lag on the sloped putting surface. I judged the speed perfectly, leaving a short par putt.
Hole 9 – Par 3 (217 yards)
I hit my 3-iron low all the time, but this one was even lower than usual – a bullet that skimmed right over the entire green, finishing just short of some long fescue. The flag was nearby, but the grass was interfering with my backswing and my first priority was to keep the ball on the green. I managed that, but had a long par putt. I actually blew the putt well past the hole and had to make a tricky 6-footer for bogey. Not bad.
Hole 10 – Par 3 (151 yards)
This hole was playing a little shorter, so I went with pitching wedge off the tee. I missed the sweet spot and finished just short of the green. I tried to chip one close, but clipped the top of a mound, which scrubbed some distance. I was left with a long uphill par putt, which I left four feet short. I calmly hit the next one for bogey.
Hole 11 – Par 4 (415 yards)
Like the previous hole, this one plays over the course driveway, which is always a little disconcerting. I focused and nailed the fairway with a 275-yard drive. It was a front flag position and I judged the distance perfectly with pitching wedge. I finished two yards right of the green. My chip came up short and then I missed a makeable par putt, settling for bogey.
Hole 12 – Par 4 (328 yards)
The Bell Hole. No other hole at Lakeview garners as much attention. The hole wraps around the corner of a condominium property, so OB is definitely in play. I hit a perfect 5-wood to the fairway at the bottom of the steep hill. Any further and the ball would have gone into a creek, but instead, I had exactly 100 yards to the severely elevated green on the right side. A lovely sand wedge carried the ball flag high. Nailing this green in regulation is a feat. I made a good uphill attempt at birdie, but finished with a tap-in par.
Hole 13 – Par 4 (413 yards)
The teeing ground on this hole is a little awkward, in relation to the fairway up ahead. I aimed over a tree on the left side and carried it nicely, finishing right beside the 150-yard stick. My 8-iron came up a little short and right of the green. I pitched past the hole to make sure I was on the correct green level. This left a long par putt that didn't drop. Bogey was the result.
Hole 14 – Par 4 (339 yards)
I did not hit a great drive on this hole, but still found the right centre of the fairway, 130 yards from the green. Pitching wedge carried the ball to the front of the green, pretty close to the flag. I had a good look at birdie here and gave it a go. Unfortunately, the ball didn't drop and I settled for an easy par.
Hole 15 – Par 4 (329 yards)
I wasn't really trying to, but I cut the corner on this short, dogleg par-4. I flirted with some tree branches, but my ball got through, settling on the left edge of the fairway, just 40 yards from the green. It's downhill and the green slopes away from you, so I landed a little wedge shot short of the green and let it trickle on. The 13-foot birdie putt was downhill, with not much break. This was all about speed and I judged it perfectly for birdie!
Hole 16 – Par 5 (466 yards)
The shortest par-5 at Lakeview, but maybe the hardest. I pulled my drive slightly, finishing under a spruce tree. I did well to punch a 3-iron through a couple more spruce trees ahead, five yards short of the perfect layup spot. I was in decent position, but in the rough and on a down slope. I hit 6-iron, but came up 15 yards short of the green. Next, I plunked my pitch shot into a bunker. The rough was thick and lush and I just didn't swing hard enough. One shot to get out of the sand trap and two putts earned a double-bogey on this one.
Hole 17 – Par 3 (95 yards)
One of two holes that can be played as #17, this devilish little one is the original. You tee off and shoot over the creek to a postage stamp sized green cut into the side of a hill. It is sloped severely from back to front. I hit sand wedge, launching a ball way in the air. It landed one yard short, bouncing back to the low spot well below the surface of the green. I lobbed one on, then hit a huge breaking putt to within a foot. The final stroke was for bogey.
Hole 18 – Par 4 (440 yards)
I don't think this hole was playing its full length. I got a hold of one with the driver and let out a satisfied “Wooo” in celebration. I was surprised to see later that it caught a mound just left of the fairway. I had a slight up slope and was 140 yards from the green, which is perched atop a steep hill. Not wanting to be short, I opted for 7-iron and it was the perfect choice. It launched high in the air and hit the green, finishing just behind and left of the back pin position. The downhill birdie was makeable, but I just missed, taking an easy par instead.
Woohoo! I love games like these.
Score: 83
Putts: 33
Fairways: 6
Greens: 7
Penalties: 1
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