Hidden Creek at Navarre Beach

This week I went to Navarre Beach to play The Golf Club at Hidden Creek. I played it once before back in high school when Ridgely Plaines and I were in regionals. I think it was back in the 8th or 9th grade. It ended up raining real hard and we didn't advance past that.

Navarre Beach is on the east side of Pensacola Beach. It took me about 3 1/2 hours to get there. I stayed at the Days Inn next to the bridge. With this new tour, I receive a little discount off of the rooms so they are a little nicer than down south.

I left Wednesday for my practice round. I met up with some of my buddies and we started playing. We had a good round but the course had some water damage from earlier in the year so the greens were pretty rough but the course was beautiful. The course plays long, a little over 7000 yards and tight. The week before last, I had a piece of my driver fall off and USGA Rules say it is now illegal. So, I carried a different driver that I don't hit as good.

My tee time was early, 7:45 A.M. to be precise, so I got in early and hit the sack. I slept well and had a good breakfast at McDonalds. I arrived at the course and begun warming up. I was paired with one of my pals and two other guys. I ended up using my three wood most of the round except on three of the par 5's. I got to the eighth hole at two over par. It played 535 yards, one of the longer Par 5's on the course. I hit a perfect three wood of the tee and was in good position. The eighth has a pond to the left and in front of the green. Most people laid up but I hit my three wood high with a lot of carry. So, I tried for it and came up successful. The ball had flew the pond then landed just short of the green and rolled up the green about a foot and a half from the pin. I had a tap in eagle. So, I was back at even par and stayed there for a few more holes. I ended up shooting 74, 2 over par. The score doesn't show how well I played. I think that having to hit three wood off the tee made my second shots longer. I hit the greens but never really had a close putt for birdie. At the end of the first day, I was in 4th place behind a 73, 72, and 68. I had a few strokes to make up.

After the round I went over to Pensacola to practice at a course called Tiger Point. Its a very nice course that some Tour Pros play. I spent a couple hours over there and then caught some Zaxby's and went home. I got to bed early and got some good sleep. I was in the final group because I shot low so my tee time was later, about 9:00.

I got to the course and begun warming up as usual. I was excited about being paired in the top flight. So, we were off. I was even par after 6 holes with the other guys at one under, even, and 1 over. I hit my three wood in a fairway bunker on the 7th. The ball was way below my feet so I had to reach way down to hit it. I was about 230 yards out so I hit a hard three iron. On the downswing, I hit the sand real hard and had an abrupt stop. It jarred my shoulder real bad and caused my to have to shorten my swing and punch the ball the rest of the round so I could finish. I couldn't hardly swing but I didn't want to quit, so I finished the round by using a half swing and just toughing it out. I finished but way off from placing, so I headed home.

I went to the doctor over at TOSPT in Tallahassee and he said I had strained and possibly had a partial tear in my labrum and micro tears in my rotator cuff. Same exact thing I did to my right shoulder in baseball my Junior and Senior years of high school. However, the doctor said I had taken the right move by coming in and not trying to tough it out. It is not near as bad as my right shoulder and the doctors said with a little TLC and a few weeks off I should be good to go. So, I have to take a few weeks off which is fine with Matt's Graduation coming up and my 22nd birthday today. The Lord works in mysterious ways!

I really appreciate all the support from everyone. Love receiving the emails and letters.

Thanks to my folks once again for the sponsorship!

Benjamin "Glen" Bishop

850-508-4536, 850-997-4931

539 Seven Bridges Road, Monticello FL. 32344

benjaminglenbishop@gmail.com

"No matter what you shoot - the next day you have to go back to the first tee and begin all over again." - Peter Jacobsen