The fist day of golf on vacation was an exciting one. I went all out like a starving man at a dinner table for the first time in ages, which explains why there was little energy remaining to make a journal entry. Here is what I managed to type out:

End of Day 1

Fatigue is a big word for the day. After a two-hour practice session and 18 holes in unseasonably hot weather, I’m pretty beat.

I’m sure I’ll recover in time to play 36 holes tomorrow. I almost wonder if it will be easier on me in some ways. Practicing for two hours may be harder than playing 18 holes. We shall see.

Another point of note is that Bend, Oregon is elevated more than 3,000 feet above sea level. That means the ball flies farther. Throw in 80-degree weather and you get some approach shots flying over greens.

Playing a Tom Fazio course for the second time was a treat. I made a a point to stand on the green and look at most holes backwards to see if I noticed anything interesting about the design of the hole. I noticed all his holes are fair, meaning they don’t really favor any style of player. If a hole played long, it didn’t have any noticeable hazards. The length was it’s only challenge. He included some cool short par-4s that did include nasty bunkers and small greens. Basically, hitting it long only paid off if it was also accurate. I worked on my lay-up shot all day.

I played very well, all things considered. It was a great warm-up round.

The warm weather, however, was almost too warm at times. It makes me long for the cooler weather on the coast.