39 out; 35 in - 74

I don't often toot my own horn on this blog, unless I'm being facetious, but allow me to say "toot-toot". Cog Hill #2 is certainly no Cog Hill #4. It's about 700 yards shorter, and if you look at the course rating, it's about 5 shots easier. However, that doesn't diminish the fact that I shot two over on the front, and even on the back for a two over 74. Probably one of my best rounds in a while (the 81 I shot from the tips at Purdue's Kampen Course is still one of the best ball striking rounds I've ever had, and the 76 at Foxford Hills was mighty fine).

Snaked in a 15 footer for birdie on 2, fell apart on 3 for bogey, three putted 5 for par and 6 for bogey to go one over. Got it together on 7 and 8 for par, and blew a golden oppotunity on 9 after a great drive, and made bogey to go two over.

Drove the tenth green and missed a 12 foot eagle putt to settle for birdie. Bogeyed 12 to drop back to two over, and parred in, with a good birdie opp on 13, routine pars on 14 and 15, hit a tremendous 4-iron punch under the trees onto the green to par 16, got up and down on 17 for par, and snaked in a 8-10 footer on 18 to save a two putt par for the even 35 and 74 overall. 13 greens in regulation, which has got to be somewhere near a career high.

The rough was very playable, which was fortunate, because I didn't exactly light up the fairways (8 of 14). Greens rolled well, and weren't brutally fast. The course played pretty easy, but still, seeing 74 on the card is nice confidence builder. And while the putting wasn't great, it was light years better than it's been. The Scotty Cameron Caliente will be staying in the bag for a while.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that my buddy shot 75, his failure to get up and down on 17 being the difference between our two scores. He shot an 81 or 82 last week on Dubsdread, so he still has bragging rights on the big course. The fact that we really pushed each other to play better made for a great round.

No rounds booked for now, but I imagine I'll try to walk on somewhere next weekend, especially if there's an opportunity to play well again.