As you’re aware, Langston Golf Course in located on Benning Road in Washington, DC, near the Anacostia River, and is not located in the state of Maryland. I’ve driven past Langston numerous times throughout my career with the US Government but had never played there. Barry proposed we go there and since my purpose in playing golf is to get outdoors and enjoy golf again ( and not just getting to the “Maryland Seniors Golf 100” finish line), I thought “what the heck.” “Let’s make this a bonus round.”
It started out as a very pleasant day, with sun and temperatures in the low 70s. By the afternoon, it hit 95 degrees. There was a pleasant breeze, we rode in a cart and stayed in the shade whenever possible so it wasn’t bad at all. And while I wasn’t completely soaked in the vido, I was a little damp. Playing from the white tees, the course stretched to 6,161 yards, but only a couple of the par 4s were really long. Barry had to scramble more than I’m used to seeing while I seemed to scramble less than average. Barry’s total was 97 while I had an 89. You’ll notice the scorecard indicates it’s an 89 but the front nine was added wrong so I thought I had an 88. After going through the video, I found that I had indicated a bogey when I actually had a double bogey. So the 89 was correct after all.
On the plus side, I was striking the ball really well, hitting the driver longer and straighter than usual and getting my approach shots onto the green. I hit 9 fairways and 12 greens in regulation. No birdies, 6 pars, 9 bogeys, one double and two triples.
On the negative side, there were a lot of first putts that could have been birdies that were nowhere close to going in. Then there are the two triples. One was from a lost ball off the tee on a par 5 and chunking one on an awkward sidehill lie. The other was on a par 4 where it landed in a greenside bunker on my second shot, then hit it thin across the green to a awkward lie… You get it. And then there were the 6 three-putts. Not a record for me but not good.
The video of the round is here as an “18 Holes in Under 15 Minutes” and a “Bonus Round.” Sorry that I didn’t get more shots of Barry in. He’s not seeking fame and fortune since he already has it, unlike me…
And the scorecard.
