Dimmock Hill -- 5/18

We kicked off our summertime competition at Dimmock Hill, a cozy course tucked up on Airport Road in Binghamton. We were joined by Kyle Kowalski on a cloudy, gross Friday morning, with rain in the forecast (and rain, it would).

My front nine started out miserably. Opening the season-long competition with a 9-8 did not do much for my confidence, but the quality of play quickly picked up.

Approaching the turn, there are some interesting landscape choices, particularly a long par 4, dogleg right, that runs parallel to a set of loud electrical wires.

Everyone seemed to pick up their game on the back nine, particularly as we reached the 14th and 15th, when the light drizzle started to pick up. Gripping the clubs became more difficult, but the softness of the greens helped hold the ball to the greens.

For my money, the most difficult, and most memorable, hole is 17. It's a very lengthy par 3 over a large lake -- an intimidating view, particularly in a steady rain. Alex was first to tee off, destroying a long iron well over the water to the right. I mis-hit a 5-wood short of the water, hit my second shot just left of the green, chipped on and two-putted for a 5. Alex picked up a stroke by chipping on from the woods and two-putting. 17 would turn out to be pivotal as I would go to the final hole up by one shot -- or so we thought.

When we pulled the carts around to the 18th hole, there was a bit of disbelief. To me, it almost felt like the course designers built a 17-hole course and forgot to add an 18th hole.

18 at Dimmock Hill reminded me of the first hole on your typical miniature golf course: perfectly straight and remarkably plain. After the intense pressure on the 17th tee, 18 was almost a letdown -- and I sure played it that way, hitting my ball into the line of trees along the left side.

Alex's tee shot went onto the cart path behind the green -- and my second shot approached the same area, skulling a 56-degree wedge over the green and onto the rocky path. I declined relief and hit my third shot to within 12 feet, followed by a two-putt for an embarrassing 5. Alex chipped on and two-putted for a 4.

It was at this point we realized Alex had added wrong. In fact, we had gone to 18 tied, and my double-bogey cost me a heads-up win. What a sinking feeling. But with 16 courses left to be played, the season was young.