Played the China Creek course at the Newcastle Golf Club. The course has spectacular views of downtown Seattle and Bellevue and with a slope rating of 126 it presents a significant challenge to hackers like me. I shot 97 (four better than last year).

The team had a not so good week; we didn’t play well and got pretty much whipped by one of the lower-ranked teams. I managed to win five of nine holes and win by three strokes with a so-so 47.

With one of my Microsoft golf pals it was up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the ferry to Kingston, WA to play White Horse golf course. Designed by the niece of famed architect Pete Dye, White Horse was named one of the ten best new courses of 2007 and has stirred quite a lot of attention in the area. I wasn’t disappointed. The course is almost fiendishly difficult (138 slope rating with 137 bunkers) but scrumptiously beautiful. Covering over 450 acres each hole is a separate little environment and you seldom see or hear other groups. The wildlife is abundant and Bambi and mom greeted us on the 18th tee (see the attached photos). I struggled mightily on the front nine but recovered for a respectable 46 on the back.

Played a tight match this week but with cautious shots off the tee I won 5 holes, lost 2 and split 2 and won on total strokes with a score of 46: a solid contribution to the team. We totaled 90 points and vaulted back into first place.

Played my first match in this year’s Microsoft Golf League. Didn’t play great but well enough to win 19 of 28 points for the team. I did miss an 18-inch birdie putt on the ninth hole, though.

Have rounds planned for Saturday and Sunday then the Golf League again next Wednesday and Saturday. It could be ugly if I don’t play better than I have the past few rounds. At least the weather looks to be improving: it’s supposed to hit 60 degrees today and actually stop raining.