I got in just four rounds this week, all at Mt. Si, with scores of 84, 87, 81, and 86 for an average of 84.5.

This morning’s round at Mt. Si started out great with a birdie on the first hole. The rest of the front nine though was inconsistent with four pars and four double bogeys to end up at 43. The back nine was special. I rolled in a 29-foot par to birdie number 10 and a two footer to birdie number 11. Then there as a super seven iron to save par at hole 12 and an easy two-putt par on number 13. Then after a thrilling wedge to the green from the rough on number 14 I drained another 29 foot double-breaking putt for my third birdie in five holes. After a poor drive on hole 15 I sank a 21-foot putt to save bogey. On number 16, I dropped a lob wedge to nine feet and rimmed out what would have been a fourth back-nine birdie. So I was just +5 going to the 17th hole. Unbelievably, I bogeyed 17 and then four-putt for a triple bogey on 18 to settle for an 81.

After taking Monday off for a dental appointment, I played two rounds on Tuesday (8/17) at Mt. Si. The morning round produced a shaky 89 with just one par over the last thirteen holes. I put in an hour of practice, had lunch and headed out again a little after noon. The afternoon round yielded a very solid 80 (40+40) with eight pars and back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14.

On Wednesday I decided to try Carnation again and shot a one-over-par 37 on the front nine. I also birdied hole number 10 and was two over par heading to the fourteenth hole. Unfortunately, things fell apart after that with a triple bogey on 14, a double bogey on 16, and a big 9 on number 18 to finish with 83.

On Thursday I played Twin Rivers and although I had nine pars I also recorded a 6 a 7 and an 8 to end up at 84. Friday, it was back to Mt. Si where I had a very poor front nine three 6s, a 7, and a birdie over the first six holes. Over the final twelve holes I was five over par to finish at 87.

For the week my average score was 84.6 and I recorded 7 birdies.

I made it! My goal this summer was to get my handicap index “out of the teens.” My previous best was 14.1. With this week’s update I’m at 12.0!

I love morning golf and today was a great example why. The dawn mist was just lifting and wispy clouds still skirted Mt. Si behind the 6th hole. These kinds of vistas put my mind as ease no matter what happens with golf.

Wow! What a morning of golf. The front nine seemed pretty mundane; a steady 40 but not special with four bogeys. After a par on hole 9 I pared the next six holes to head to the 16th tee still just four over. I hit a solid three wood about 218 yards down the middle of the fairway then pulled a second shot to the left side of the fairway about 70 yards from the hole. I then hit a three-quarter sand wedge and the ball rolled right into the hole for an eagle: my first ever after 769 rounds. I then bogeyed number 17 and 18 to finish even on the back nine and 4-over 76 for the round.

I played every week day this week and posted an average score of 84.4. The rounds included my lowest scores ever* on three courses:

• Monday – 90 – *Washington National
• Tuesday – 78 – *Mt. Si
• Wednesday – 81 – Mt. Si
• Thursday – 88 – Mt. Si
• Friday – 85 – *Carnation

During the Tuesday 78 round, I played the last twelve holes in just 1 over par.

I shot 78 at Mt. Si this morning from the blue tees. Ties my lowest score ever but the previous 78 was from the white tees.

Those good scores over the past few weeks have sent my golf handicap down to 14.1, my best ever. I still have the (really) stretch goal of getting out of the teens. I don’t know if 12.9 is realistic for me but this is my best chance since I recorded my first official score on August 5, 2002 (a 114 at Mt. Si).