Royal Benzinger 2007

A perfect golfing day it was yesterday, a challenging course, perfect weather and a fun tournament to be played. As last year, the Royal Benzinger brought together fun and interesting people as my two playing partners.

The organisers had set up everything very nicely, they even placed their own tee markers and flags.

Although I had played the Prenden golf course many times, I forgot how long it was. My short game practice friday was pretty much useless, as there were as much as five holes that I didn’t get to finish. And I started socketeering all over the place. Six times! Only once was I able to recover, as my tee shot off the 10th hole landed on the adjacent 18th fairway, and as the holes run parallel, I played up the 18th fairway and then played my chip shot over to the 10th green. I had my chance at par but three-putted for double-bogey. It was a day of humbleness again! I couldn’t get everything together. The fifth hole, a 48om par five was exemplary for my game. Solid four iron off the tee, landed in the first cut left, the following six iron was a little bit short, for my third shot I had 135 meters left, a blind shot over the hill, the green protected by bunkers. I hit my seven iron well, but pushed it a little and the ball caught the wind and landed pinhigh but four meters right of the green in the nasty and high rough. I had to whack twice with the wedge to bring the ball out of there, then two-putted for double-bogey. Sometimes I was missing the precision, sometimes the length. Only on holes 12, 13, 14 and 16 did I have a chance at par and had to settle for bogey, which was ok, as I was somewhat in control of my game.

Disappointment of myself is what prevails from yesterday. I’d love to have one thing in my game that I can rely on, this year is such a rollercoaster ride that inbetween I totally lost confidence in everything. I feel the need to reboot. But how do you do that? I think I need a plan, work regularly with a pro and give myself another chance next year. There are two more tournaments to be played this year and then I’ll call it a wrap.

But other people played great golf, my friend Henning won his handicap class with 56 net points, I’d recommend some drug testing here. Christiane from my flight won the ladies competition, she really played a nice ball.

The two brothers in the pictures to the left also won, the left brother won the “best-dressed” price and the right brother won the longest drive with a massive 275 meters (they were in the flight in front of us and we saw him hit that thing, split the fairway in half).

As last year, the Royal Benzinger was the nicest tournament of the year. I just hope I can do better in 2008.

Edit: the official pics from the event are out, enjoy them here!