Hitting for the Cycle in Golf: an Eagle, a Birdie, and a Par
brinkley | July 8, 2010In baseball if a hitter hits a single, double, triple, and a home run in a single game it’s called hitting for the cycle. It’s a very unique event because it requires a combination of strength and speed. Something that is pretty rare.
Golf doesn’t have the same designation but I would suggest that scoring an eagle, birdie, and a par is about the equivalent. Some might think that the list include a double eagle. I wouldn’t as a you’d be lucky to get a double eagle in lifetime, but a good golfer should be able to card an eagle at least once or more a year. So my definition of hitting for the cycle in golf is an eagle, birdie, and a par.
Of course getting an eagle, birdie, or par requires a certain amount of skill as well as luck. I’ve always said that in order to card an eagle (on a par 5) you have to hit three superb shots in a row; a birdie requires two really good shots amongst the three (though generally that is the last two); and par at least one superb shot (either the last or the next to last) if any of the other three were less than expected.
A couple of Saturdays ago I hit for the cycle in golf carding an eagle on a par 5 with three perfect shots; a birdie on a par 4 with two really good shots and sweet par saved from a bunker (the one special shot) on a par 4.
The Eagle
We were playing a team event on Saturday and when we approached the par 5 3rd hole our team was already 4 under par and every player was really encouraging everyone else. Bob, a middle aged sports writer with a baseball history, stepped up and hit a high drive that landed near the end of the fairway at 275 yards out. I was next and hit a picture perfect drive on the screws (literally) but at a significantly lower trajectory than Bob’s (which would be typical for hickory shafted driver).
As we approached our balls there was one that was just off the edge of fairway and one another 10 yards further in the fairway. I was a little miffed thinking my ball was the one in the rough but even more delighted when we determined my ball was the long ball. Bob shook his head, “So much for technology.” (I have to admit this is the best part of playing hickories)
Now normally I wouldn’t even consider going for the green in 2 even under the best of conditions. I was 254 yards to the pin on the mid front of the green. Even with modern clubs I would approach this shot cautiously. The fairway is fairly level for 150 yards and then it drops down about 50 feet before sloping back up 15 feet to the green. Complicating this is a sloping fairway to a nasty bush lined lateral water hazard on the right that is exaggerated the closer you get to the hole. Even a good shot can end up in penalty ville.
After analyzing the shot I ask Bob if I should go for it. At that point we had three shots that are going to make par easily so he really encouraging me to go for it. I pulled out my Jack White Spoon (13 degree loft) and hit a perfect shot that was tracking for the hole. About half way there I told the group, “That’s about as perfect as I can hit it.” More prophetic words were never said. The shot hit short of the green about 20 yards in the perfect spot and rolled up over the left edge of the hole and settled 5 feed from the hole. One of course maintenance crew was watching the shot and said if it had been just a bit slower it would have dropped right in.
The 5 foot putt was a simple straight in putt, but honestly there isn’t an eagle putt that is simple. I just focused on making a good stroke and not watching the results. I didn’t even look up until the ball was dead center 3 inches from the hole. PLOP, eagle 3 net 2 and the team came through with two more net birdies and we were 9 under after three.
The Birdie
We kinda sailed through the next four holes, never loosing a stroke to par when we arrived at the par 4 8th. The 8th is a uphill dog leg to the left. There is plenty of landing area to the right of the fairway. Two bunkers protect the left corner and another bunker on the right side of the corner catches the long ball hitters.
The perfect shot is to hit a slight draw on the left side of the fairway that will catch the hill right on the corner of the dog leg and settle in the narrow fairway about 120 yards away from the hole. Isn’t it nice when you do exactly what you plan? Using my Jack White Spoon (should we say blessed spoon after the eagle?) the shot started about 10 yards inside the left fairway line and drifted left landing right on the knob, kicking down into the narrow part of the fairway.
The pin was tucked on right side of the green slightly protected by a bunker. This is such an odd hole for me. I don’t know why but if I have 120 yards to pin my shots here tend to go 130 yards. My only guess is that the green is elevated about 50 feet or more and because hickories hit a lower trajectory the ball must come at an angle that actually produces a longer shot. Yeah I know, shouldn’t happen, but it does. I pulled out my 44 degree mashie niblick and hit one of my best shots dead straight at the pin. When I got up to the hole I had less than 3 feet to the pin, almost a tap in. Another birdie, net eagle for the team and I think at this point we were 15 under.
The Par
There are two types of par in my book: the easy par and the grinder. On the par 4 16th I had the latter. I normally hit a driving iron here because you don’t want to go much past the 150 yard marker as everything slopes down to a dry gulch and a tree that is right in line with green. At the 150 your fine. The problem was I didn’t even get to the 150. I hit on the toe of the driving iron and the ball sputtered out leaving me about 190 yards to the pin. The next shot was pulled into the pot bunker on the left of the green.
Now I’m a pretty good bunker player, getting up and down about a third or half the time. My MO is Dave Pelz method of using different wedges for the distance required. When I got to the bunker I realized the shot was more than my 56 degree wedge would go. In fact I even said out loud, “I’ve got the wrong club.” Instead of going back to my bag and getting the right club I hopped into the bunker instead. I decided that instead of opening the face like normal I would I just squared the face and then hit my normal sand shot.
The shot was picture perfect. Initially, I thought I had hit off the green as I watched the ball come out high, but he ball hit about 3 feet past the pin, took one hop, and then spun back to within six inches of hole narrowly missing a birdie. The tap in par and another team members net birdie put us as 24 under. Later, one my team mates said to me, “I thought we were doomed when you said you had the wrong club.”
Hitting for the cycle is a thrill. I do it once every few years. I have never done with hickory sticks before though and I got to the tell you, it’s just a little more rewarding than it is with modern clubs. Oh yeah, the team finished in first at 25 under and I got $60 in skins.