Round #14: Colonial Country Club

The Golf:
The seven hour trip from Jackson, Mississippi to Fort Worth, Texas was well worth it for the opportunity to play another PGA Tour event course. I arrived at J.R.'s house just before eleven, leaving time to catch up on Chevy Chase Club gossip before retiring to bed in prepartion for the next day's round. J.R., a former colleague at Chevy Chase Club, is now a golf professional at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. The club hosts the annual Colonial Invitational golf tournament in April. Ben Hogan called Colonial his home club, and his legacy evident by the way he has been immortalized on the grounds. A large statue of the famous golfer keeps watch over the eighteenth green, in search of an adequate successor to his 5-time Colonial Championship record. The proshop contains an exact replica of the office he kept at the equipment company he founded and branded after himself. A trophy room contains every accolade, trophy, and award he acquired during his lengthy career.

The club itself is antiquated. Certainly it was extrvagant at one time, but has not undergone any modern renovation in quite some time. The course is different. The course givest hte club a purpose and reason for being. It is long and difficult, playing to over 7,000 yards from the Championship tees - today's tee of choice. What Colonial lacks in hilly terrain, it makes up for in bunkering, well positioned trees, tiered greens, and dogleg fairways.

I've come to realize today that I have become more spoiled than Paris Hiton's dog, as I was forced to carry my bag for the first instance on the trip. This was of little concern, as I needed the exercise. Holes 4 through 7 comprise the famous "horrible horseshoe." A par 4 dogleg left, long par 3, and narrow par 4 shape their way into the form of a horseshoe around the driving range. All holes are long and narrow and escaping with par should be considered an accomplishment. The most successful endeavor for me on the Horseshoe was finding 3 abandoned Pro V1 balls. These new additions would prove to be necessary, as I would return them back to the course from which they had came before the end of my round. The overcast, windy, and cold Texas day made golf difficult and staying warm of paramount importance. Pars and birdies, for myself and not J.R., were rare. But the poor play today was overshadowed by tackling a tour calibre course in the midst of exceptional company.

After the round it was back to J.R.'s apartment to finish up a load of laundry and pack more thoroughly for the journey to Santa Fe in the morning where I will meet Tracy for an extended weekend stay. I was able to briefly experience the city layout and subdued nightlife of Fort Worth as J.R. and I ate sushi at a local Japanese restaurant. After Santa Fe, the Odyssey takes me to Tucson to play 2 stellar courses in the Arizona desert.

Today's Course: Colonial Country Club
Score: 94
Handicap: 10.6
Tonight's Overnight Location: Fort Worth, TX
Tomorrow's Course: None
Tomorrow's Overnight Location: Santa Fe, NM