SSODSTYLES

Ext. Siver Fox Course - Trump Doral - 7 a.m. tee time
The Trump Doral practice range lights switched on at 6:30 a.m., I was the only one hitting into the dark sky on a lightless matte - hacking away on ball number 40, finally the lights flare on, and my ball carries onto practice green. 

In the show’s first episode, Lucious says, “ The music has to be perfect, Empire, is about the music. After watching the first season of Empire, it is clear that music is a very powerful tool in the entertainment industry. No longer the days of, "rolling up" all day and spitting metaphorical bars, or passive raps. 

Same goes for Breaking 80, I was in great shape, I had completed almost 20 workouts in the last two months, plus ahead on tasks that might cause for an uncharacteristic bogey. 

The Course Silver Fox at Trump Doral, the objective was to break 80 for the second time at Trump, or perhaps not achieve the milestone score that seems to be gaining popularity. 

The Trump Doral includes range balls before your round, so I arrived prepared to hit 200-300 balls. This practice, I would mainly focus on my iron accuracy over hitting long drives. The Trump Doral includes a fitness center downstairs, because of the accessibility, I was allowed to stretch properly and use light dumbbells before taking on the sensational 18 hole championship course. 

At this point, I was well into my practice, beginning with T200 long irons after starting off with some slower speed swings. 

I want to mention before I start the round that Trump Doral courses have long Par 4’s; compared to some of the other courses around my urban area, which convey holes less than 400 yards, but are still considered to be Par 4's. My 5 and 6 irons were hitting well and found consistency, but this at times brings up a problem with my lower iron numbers. In other words, it's time to get on the course. As for the problem, if your flushing 5 irons for an hour on the range then your short irons will follow. 

The time was 8:30 a.m., it was time to bite the dust, with the golf cart bucket filled with water and the bluetooth music connected, I started heading over to the first tee without a care in the world. I knew the first hole was a Par 4, this hole's second shot would require a long approach shot if my drive landed on the fairway. And after landing safe on the fairway, I  needed a 200+ yard iron shot to land on the green. Now that my view was clear of any obstructions to the hole, I grabbed my 5 iron and fired my first iron shot. The result was a birdie on the first hole on a shot that landed 12 feet from the hole.

Relying on my symmetrical token tip, I hit another stripped drive in the fairway on hole 2 - the drive emerged as I drove on the fairway; this instant chance at another birdie attempt was from another 12 feet, after hitting a 9 iron on the green. 

The courses difficulty level would increase in the upcoming hole. Both holes amounting to, a Par 5 surveying 556 yards and a Par 3 with a total length of 254 yards.  I asked another golfer in between holes if he had any tips, he said, "the key to this hole is your drive off the tee," I optioned for an explosive drive off the tee, which resulted with a ball nuked in the rough. In order to give myself a look at an under score on the hole, a symmetrical 3 wood shot hit solidly, 240 yards, cropped a 65 yard wedge shot, on the next stroke. A 3 wood, model M4, by Taylormade, wrapped with a golf pride grip and a club face head full faced with very little damage, faded around the large tree's, and also avoided the water to left. Since, I mostly used my 3 iron from my older Taylormade iron set, to hit a layup shot, I decided for this hole, and because of the amount of build up to break 80 - leave nothing on the course; just go for it. In it to win it. 

In fact, after recently switching to the T200 Titleist iron set, and despite not having a 3 iron, which does allow me to strategize for my 3 wood more often. Eventually I took a maintained swing at the ball and was now 65 yards from my first eagle. The wedge shot was a perfectly executed target selection shot. Beginning with a take back, hinged by the bottom hand, immediately, followed by a right hand that gracefully dominated on contact - smashing the center focus of the face. The ball hit 5 feet from the hole, taking two bounces near the hole, then spinning another 2 feet which left me a kick in 3 foot birdie putt. I was -2 with 15 holes to play.

Returning to the tee box, Hole 4, was a Par 3 accumulating 255 yards, on a low-wind day and with receptive greens - not soaking wet greens, I clutched my 4 iron and aimed for the front of the green, the hole placement was middle of the green, with a slow run to the hole, the outcome framed a quick breaking twenty foot putt from off the green. I remained -2 after draining the put.

A golfer on a mission, Hole 5 and 6 averaged 421 yards, I currently was hitting all of my fairways, tracker precision on each of the drives, both these holes played identical, so with respect to Trump's difficult holes, if I birdied both these holes, four under would be on the scorecard for SSOD. 

In golf, they like to add trees and sand-traps, just to frustrate you, but today these barriers were dealing with me and my green-side saves, along with my target selections. The holes both began with 260 yard drives, landing on the right side of the fairways - gauging open eye-level T200 shots, so I took my time, shadowing multiple hand traces,then once fueled, I allowed the club to take control after reaching my spot on the back swing. Hole 5, needed an accurate wedge and good speed to save par, but green difficulties caused me to over hit my wedge, plus the birdie putt sloped fast and back-to-back bogey's brought my score down to E.

Moving on to Hole 7, I was about to attempt the island green T200 shot, In order to concur the 153 yards, an 8 iron fired into the air with accurate speed – immediately drenched in allowable spin; aiming at the center pin placement, yet finishing with the shoulder high lined up grip for advanced target selection. In fact, I hit the one of my best shots of the round and set myself up for birdie.

I also watched Joker 2 for the first time, which entertained me with it’s glorious musical performances as a follow up to the enraged under-paid, bullied character in the first film. Joker 2 benefited with the addition of the multi-talented Lady Gaga – singing with passion, her admiration for the cinema came to life in the big apple. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance began slow, and eventually blasted the epic performance with GaGa, his performance was inspirational beyond past Jokers.

Surrounded by the Island Green, so I grabbed my driver. I didn’t have the fairway awareness I had on the first hole, so I hit a fade that started over the left side trees, ending with my ProV1 finding the right side of the fairway. The second shot was a 6 iron from 174 yards, this shot set-up a green-side save, or I could just put the ball in the hole. Unfortunately, I used my sand wedge and made bogey. Through 8 holes, I was +1.

I finished Hole 9 +1.

The back nine of Silver Fox begins with enormous Par 4 and Par 5 holes. My drive on the 10th hole launched like a stealth before landing safe right of the fairway, at first their was a chance I would be encountering slanted palm trees, but my Titleist ball was planted in the first cut off the fairway. In the same way, just because I followed it up with an accurate T200 iron from 170 yards, finishing the hole would be a challenge. As a result, I finished with a par on the scorecard. Though 10, my score was +1.

Now since Hole 11 was a Par 5 I stripped my drive over the water and prepared myself to attack the green with my 3 wood. A blasted 3 wood and green-side Vokey save had facilitated a birdie opportunity after a lofted 60 degree shot, so I made my putt and scored my birdie.