Grandview Farms - 6/2

I was due for a bounceback round after nosediving to a 121 at Willowbrook, and Wednesday at Grandview Farms, I delivered.

We were again up against the possibility of darkness, as we didn't even get out to (lovely) East Berkshire until a few minutes after 6. And let me tell you: I had thought Willowbrook, in Cortland, was seven turns past the middle of nowhere ... Grandview Farms makes Willowbrook look like it's in Manhattan. The stench of cow manure along Berkshire's main thoroughfare, much of which is not even painted, really gets you stoked for some country-style golf.

While I loved this course, the highlight of the day was the scorecard; each hole has a nickname, names that appear to get more intimidating as you progress through the course. You open with the benign Valley View, High Road and Easy Street -- and close at Intimidator, Challenger and finally, Terminator.

As well as I played on the front 9, finishing Devastator with a double-bogey 7 to go out in 52, Alex played just as poorly. He was cursing, throwing clubs, and pounding the ground. I think he might've ruined his pitching wedge after crushing it across his leg. I don't think I've ever seen him so frustrated on the course.

I made pars on Whispering Pines (par-3 No. 7) and Shady Glen (par-3 No. 12), but I think my best hole might've been Corner-Stone, a hugely uphill, hard dogleg right par-5. On the cart drive from No. 12, I caught a medium-size bug in my right eye and had to bail out of the cart twice. I went to the 13th tee and completely missed the ball with my driver, leaving me in great position to start to card a snowman or worse on what is the hardest hole on the course.

Instead, I drilled a four-iron to a great spot, reached the fringe on my fourth shot and left a 20-foot par putt on the lip for an unlikely tap-in bogey, picking up two more shots and essentially guaranteed that I'd gain back some of the 11 shots I'd given back at Willowbrook.

No. 14, Indomitable, was another highlight: on the long par-4 with water in play, I went driver-8-iron to about 6 feet, giving myself an excellent chance for birdie. Maybe I was psyched out by the turtle on the cart path -- I short-armed the putt and tapped in for par.

I limped in with 5-5-8, with 18 being, for my money, the toughest hole of the day, especially considering the darkness.

I let him back in a little on the back, carding a 10 on Tormentor, the 458-yard Par-5 15th, but 52-53-105 becomes the best round of my life, and gives me plenty to build on going forward. The gap is closed to 3, with Ford Hill in Whitney Point appearing to be the next challenge.

I also added a hybrid club to my bag yesterday, a sleek-looking TaylorMade 3 that feels like it hits like a driver. I'll drop the 3-iron, a club I may have hit once this season. (Note: I think Alex is the last guy under age 60 to carry a 1-iron.)

Stay tuned.