Round Two- Robert Trent Jones Trail

Capital Hill- The Senator course – Prattville, Alabama

I don’t mind admitting that I was terrified about this round. From our hotel we look out on 17^th and in our quick trip to pre-view the facilities yesterday I did not see a flat landing zone anywhere. Where Magnolia Grove was open and flat, the Senator is the polar opposite to look at. Further to this we spoke with a couple in the hotel carpark yesterday and when I asked how they had gone ‘she’ responded it’s very hard.

Oh well, I thought, just keep your head down and swing through, how hard could it be?

When we arrived the carpark, attendant told us they would have around 600 rounds 2day over the 3 courses. Because of this they have marshals out monitoring progress and helping with directions if you need them. Nothing to worry about if you keep the group in front in sight.

The practice facilities are great and included in our Robert Trent Jones Trail (RTJT) package. I can highly recommend using them. When we let the pro shop know we were here they said we were playing with another two so my nerves tripled but after warming up on the driving range and putting on the practice green I felt more confident.

The grass on the greens here is like nothing I’ve played on in NZ. I had to ask Scott if it was artificial but he said it was couch/ Bermuda grass. Very nice.

Our playing partners were great, Buck from Georgia (not a member of Augusta) & Kevin from Florida. Away on a mates golfing weekend and both playing off high single figures. Thankfully they had a great sense of humor and were out just to enjoy their golf. Once they started to laugh at my jokes about being terrified, I completely relaxed and actually raised my game. Shameful I know to play to an audience but if that works why not!

So here are the basic things about the day;

Weather

Light fog to begin with and then about the 8^th it cleared to blue skies & a light breeze. 25C to 27C.

The course

Links Course, no trees at all. Lots of pot bunkers, which I managed to find with monotonous regularity. The fairways were narrow with long rough. Don’t miss the fairway. Undulating everywhere, and I mean everywhere.

The greens putted well, not a lot of turn or borrow again but raised and heavily sloped. They are all large with plenty of space to land if needing to hit out of a bunker.

The bunkers were immaculate, soft, fine white sand. Lovely to play out of but pot bunkers so steep. If you haven’t mastered your 56-degree club then start practicing.

I played off the Teal tees again, slope rating of 116. Distance 5,137yards or 4,697metres. Men’s orange tees, slope 126, distance 6,410yards or 5,861metres.

Best holes?

Visually this course is not stunning, it’s inland with no trees so the beauty comes from the sparseness. #10, par 5 was a great view stretching out in front with pot bunkers dotted all the way along on both sides and one smack bang in the middle.

 The 17^th is daunting after watching so many groups from our hotel end up in the gully’s. This is a hole that you need to stand on the tee and assess, then throw all false courage out the window and play sensible golf, with a capital S. I tee’d off aiming right, up the hill to avoid the roll off into the water that is along half the length of the hole on the left, then using my pitching wedge layed up before the gully that runs across the middle and then the rest of the hole length on the right, hit my best 3 wood shot of the day over the gully and into the middle of the remainder of fairway, 8 iron onto the green and two putted.   

I ended the round with a respectable 107 and given the number of bunkers I played out of I’m ok with that.

A great thing to note is that if you are playing another day, as we are, the club stores your cart all set up with your gear overnight. No need to unload just tidy up and leave. Fantastic. Our cart and gear will be out front tomorrow for our 10am tee time.

Another thing to note is Ladies NO wine. Spirits or beer. I asked what the ladies drink when they come in, answer… hardly any women play. No problems I was more than happy with my Gin. Which arrived in a polystyrene cup. This is something we have noted at the two clubs we’ve visited. Magnolia Grove the “glassware” was plastic, here at Capitol Hill it’s foam.

The summary – 44/50