West Seattle Golf Course - muni's rule part 1

West Seattle is one of the three amigo's OR Seattle muni golf courses - comprised of West Seattle, Jefferson Park and Jackson Park. Interestingly, each has it's own 'pro' story - Jefferson has Freddy Couples. Jackson has - I forgot (do you know?) and West Seattle has Rich Beam.

The Front Side: Wow, looking out from the first tee box you instantly see the "white sand" in the fairway bunkers. It looks very pleasing to the eye. And, I didn't hit into the trap, so that's cool. In the past two years I've purposely NOT played West Seattle because I "thought" it was a goat track. I couldn't of been more wrong. Even with the weather we've had (Snow, rain and more rain) the course was in great shape. I butchered the front side... Like Fonzie, I can't say it... you'll have to look at the score card.

West Seattle has an old style course feel to it. Which to me means it has contoured tree lined fairways, big rough, fairway bunkers (sand traps) and bunkers lining small poster stamp greens. Just enough and equal dogleg right and left to force the player to use course management and hit shaped "shots" to score. It just has that "old style" feeling. Examples of old style which I've played are Pinehurst #2, Pine Needles, Firestone Country Club - South and North, Longview WA Country Club.

The Back Side: Time to hunker down. Dam, the views of Seattle are nice from the backside. I didn't get a picture because I left my camera in the car. It was raining - we we're walking, that's my excuse. I'll have to get back here soon and take pictures and redeem myself on the front side.

My Playing Partner: Jefferson Fletcher, we've been playing golf together since the late 90's. Jefferson got game. He's gone from a hack (I used to call him the fletch'a-magic-5000 - slice and dice baby) to a low digit handicapper - He is consistent and has a great short game... and that's what I hate about him. My short game comes and goes and mostly doesn't show up at all.

New equipment: Speaking of buying a short game - I purchased a belly putter at my favorite golf store - Puetz Golf in Bellevue, WA. I talked about purchasing a belly putter in my last post. I did it. I found the "Hog" model number 1003B. The "Hog" trade-in-value isn't all that compared to a few big name brand putters I have hanging around the house.

Overall thoughts on the course: It's a must play and you can walk it. Great value. Bring your camera.
Overall thoughts on my play:
How to fu_k up a long drive: It didn't materialize this time out - most of my mistakes we're on my approach shots and around the green. I had difficulties on the front side (I changed putters at the turn) and turned it around on the backside. I rolled the "Hog" - new belly putter pretty well for it's first time out. It instantly helped me feel confident in my putting stroke and release to the hole. I felt I sank a few putts where I won't have - I shot 83 = (47/36). We played the black tees at 6725 yards.