Sure! Here’s your cleaned-up and formatted transcript turned into a casual and engaging blog post:
Operation Breaking Course Records: Episode 4 at TPC Sawgrass
Golf Coach Southampton
Back again! Straight out the gate with Episode Four of Operation Breaking Course Records. This week, we’re tackling none other than TPC Sawgrass—and yes, we’re going big.
The current course record? A cool 10-under-par 62, set by Tom Hoge in 2023. So, our mission is simple (sort of): we need an 11-under. Let’s get into it.
Format Check
For those new to the challenge, this is a two-man scramble featuring myself and Jackie Boy. We’re off the front tees and going as low as we possibly can. No warm-up. No fluff. Just a couple of guys rolling out the car and swinging drivers.
Let’s get into it.
Hole 1: Game On
We’ve got 200 yards to the bunker, which leaves about 82 yards in—or we can be brave and try to bite more off.
“Would you like to go first, sir?”
“Don’t mind, mate. I’ll give you a 190.”
I raw-dog a five wood straight off the jump. Controlled, nothing too spicy. Jackie follows it up with a beauty of his own.
We’re off to a strong start.
Short Game Vibes
Faced with a tricky chip for birdie, we both go for variations on the lob wedge. One’s a little chunk-and-run, the other’s a bit more of a check-and-release.
Jackie sticks it.
I follow up with one that zips just past the flag.
Birdie time. Onwards.
Par 5 Challenge
Next hole: 406 yards from the front. It’s a gettable par 5, and we both let the woods fly. I lean on the five wood again, Jackie rocks a seven wood from the rough. Not perfect, but nothing to panic about.
From about 20 yards out, I clip a tidy one that just stops. Jackie floats one in beautifully—back-to-back birdies looking good.
Another solid hole in the bag.
Scoring Mentality
The discussion kicks in: deep is better than short. So, I take out the 54-degree, Jackie goes with a 50. Mine takes a good line, toe strike, but safe. Jackie goes for the knock-down shot with lower flight. Doesn’t quite cut, but it’s fine.
On the green, the putt just doesn’t fall. Tap-in par.
Strategy Shifts
We face some challenges off the tee—woods going a bit rogue. Jackie’s talking about needing to sort out the open clubface. Despite the mishits, we’re still finding playable lies and making smart decisions.
From 93 yards, we fire a couple of high wedges. Mine comes with a bit of flair, Jackie’s checks up nicely. Clean looks at bird again.
And yeah… we make it.
In the Zone
The vibe’s good. We’re feeling more comfortable with the gear, especially the putter. That new grip adjustment? Paying off. Confidence building. Swings getting smoother. Mindset’s sharp.
Hazards and Headspace
We hit a patch of trouble—a bit blocked out by trees and debating whether to go aggressive. In the end, we make the right call: take the sand shot, play it smart. I fluff one, Jackie nails his.
Birdie again. We’re finding form.
The Hat Chronicles
Minor distraction: backwards hats interfering with the swing. The struggle is real, especially when you’re a full-swing guy. It’s a real-life issue, but we move on.
Keep the Tempo
Some thin wedges sneak in (we’ve all been there), but we’re keeping the damage low. That’s the magic of the scramble: pick the best shot, reset, go again.
On a tricky par 3, I pipe a solid iron. Jackie gets close too. We line up a mid-range putt—and walk off with a solid par.
At the six-hole mark, we’re sitting 4-under, which is a great spot to be in. Course management’s on point. The strategy is working. We’re not perfect, but we’re resilient—and that’s the key.
Absolutely! Here’s your transcript
Let’s just say… things started to get real in this stretch. Welcome back to the grind at TPC Sawgrass—one of the most punishing courses we’ve played to date, and boy, did it remind us.
After a hot start, we were due a reality check. The pace slowed, the putts stopped dropping, and Sawgrass? It started biting back.
Rolling Putts and Missing Birds
We had a chance at a nice bird early on. Lined up right edge, felt good. Then I pulled the granny off of it—just didn’t commit. Still, a par’s a par.
Standing on a par five, we were eyeing up a 267-yard carry over water. I knew I didn’t have that in me today, but Rick did. So we agreed—he’d go for it, and I’d play the safe one.
He absolutely munched it. Perfect low mini driver. Textbook shot.
I fancied another mini driver too, aiming just right of the bunker. Faded a touch more than I wanted, and I ended up stuck behind a tree. But Rick’s was the angle—much better. So we played his.
Getting Dialed with the Wedges
We had 55 to the flag, but coming out the rough. That’s always tricky—adds a bit of unpredictability. I carried it just shy of 50, Rick’s went a touch long and left. Distance control was okay, but still not close enough.
We needed the birdie putt to drop. I lined it up left edge, gave it a touch more… and somehow it stayed dead straight. Couldn’t believe it. One of those putts that should have turned. Frustrating.
Chasing Birdies, Running Out of Holes
Next up, 218 to run out—driver time. Rick stepped up, got a good one away. A little slower swing, but solid. His wrist is on the mend, and it’s clearly helping.
We weren’t firing on all cylinders, but we were steady. Still, we needed seven more birdies to get to our target of -11, and the holes were ticking down.
I hit a wedge from 111—thought I took a lot off it, but it only shaved six yards. It felt alright but still came up short. Rick’s was similar, maybe just a bit worse. Just needed one to drop and swing momentum back.
Finally, a Bird Drops
A 24-footer awaited us on the next hole. Rick went first—nailed it. Straight in the heart. Birdie secured. I gave mine a go, played it a bit softer and wider, and… just short. Still, we’re back in business.
That lifted the mood. We were back on song.
The Driver Dilemma
Next up—driver hole. I wanted to get that feel back. Smooth three-quarters swings, not trying to kill it. Just strike it well.
I went for it… and it went dead straight. Not the shape I was after. Then came the bounce—one of those classic Sawgrass kicks that makes you wonder if the course is actually alive and plotting against you.
Rick looked up and just said, “No way.” We couldn’t believe it.
Stuck in the Straw, Fighting for Par
So we ended up in the pine straw. I had 95 yards, no clean look, and Rick was dropping for three. This was now a scramble for par. And we knew it.
It’s moments like these that define your round—not the easy tap-ins, but how you recover when the course punches back. And Sawgrass? It punches hard.
Reflection
This stretch was a rollercoaster—solid drives, missed greens, putts that defied physics, and that infamous Sawgrass kick. But hey, that’s what makes this place special. It’s brutal, but it makes the grind worth it.
We were slipping off pace a bit, but heads were still high. And the goal? Still in sight… just a bit further out than we hoped.
If you’re enjoying the journey—and feeling our pain a bit too—hit that subscribe, drop a like, and stay tuned for the next episode.
Because trust me: we’re not done yet.
Let me know if you want this exported to a PDF or formatted for a newsletter or YouTube description!