Akarana Golf Course is my home course. I rose early on a Saturday and headed down to the scramble.

I was buoyed from a good range session in the week. There are new range monitors at the Ellerslie golf range. The longest drive game is cool and you can play golf at a selection of golf courses from around the world, including pebble beach. I played a Stockholm course ?? Not sure why but was level par after 14 holes. What could go wrong on the real course?

Akarana Golf Club is in Mt Roskil area only a 10 minute drive from the CBD. Probably the busiest course in Auckland. Akarana is well looked after and well sponsored by local businesses. I do love a named hole here they are named after the sponsors. ” Barfoot and Thompson – the 1st!” Some good commercial decisions have been made here. I’m a member at Akarana they are onto it in the bar. Busy atmosphere with good food. The club hosts corporate golf days all summer long and the membership is high. The place is in good condition commercially and physically.

I joined 3 fellow Saturday scramblers on the first tee – glad to play with someone new. You learn a lot watching other golfers play. I took the confident lead and smashed a drive down the centre of the 1st and made an easy par on the opening par 5. Pro – tip ..”distance and accuracy are key to great drive here.” There is a bunker that gets in your way if you have a good tee shot in you. BUT as a short par 5 you can still get out of the bunker easily and have a short iron in to the green. So give it a go off the tee.

My partners were all in golf carts for the day. I carry my bag… if I can’t do that one day due to age, laziness or injury I’ll move to a cart. But there is no way a grown ass man should be carting around. Golf is fickle enough without the exercise of carrying your bag around. A poor round in a cart seems as pointless as chocolate fireguard.

I had good start to what was the worst round I’ve played in ages. On 12.4 with a course handicap 13 today ended up shooting 17 over ( on the front 9. ) And 10 over on the back – 27 over par 14 over my handicap….. greens in regulation on the front 9 = 1. Frustration levels off the tee 10 out of 10. The following lack of confidence  in the irons 10 of 10 and putter usage frailty score 10 out of 10. This game is ALL in your head. I think the problem is the 2nd hole. The sponsored hole has naming rights by Davis Funerals. This was the first nail in my coffin.