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2025 knock out matches - tales of death or glory

louise_a said:
Semi final of our single knockout this morning, playing a girl who I often play pairs with and who is a very similar standard to me, but who I have to give 4 shots to, Ii was going to be a tough match.

Hole 1. I am on the green with my tee shot, she is short but chips to around 8 feet, I notice the greens have been sprayed so think I need to give my putt a bit more, knock it 4 feet past the hole, she roles hers in I miss. I down

Hole 2 Long par 4 both on green in 3, she putts almost to the hole, I hole a 12 footer A/S

Hole 3 Par 5 shot hole, both just short in 3 she chips 15 feet long but then holes for a par, nett birdie, 1 down

Hole 4 par 3, she is short with her tee shot, mine is a nice one but runs right of the back we both chip on and 2 putt

Hole 5 par 4 shot hole, I find the green in 2 she is short, chips on and 3 putts, I hole my 3 footer for a par to win A/S

Hole 6 par 5 both on in 3 both have downhill she putts first and runs 6 feet past, I am too tentative and 6 feet short, she misses, my put lips out half

Hole 7 par 4 She hits 2 good shots and is on the green in 2, my 2nd finds a bunker I get out and my putt horseshoes, she 2 putts, for par I down

Hole 8 par 5, We both drive well, then she hits a poor shot that looked like it had gone into a PA that crosses the fairway I top my 2nd right into the PA
we both fail to reach the green with our 4 shots, both chip on and 2 putt for a double bogey half.

Hole 9 par 3, both have long birdie putts, both miss, hale halved in 3. So 1 down at the turn.

Hole 10, par 4, I hit an awful tee shot and don't recover from it, she wins the hole with a bogey, 2 down

Hole 11 par 5, after a good drive I hit another awful 2nd shot could not reach the green in 3 then hit a poor 4th, opponent won the hole with a bogey, 3 down

Hole 12 long par 3 both missed the green so on in 2, I holed a 10 footer for par to win the hole, 2 down

Hole 13 par 4 shot hole, both just short in 2 both chip on and 2 putt, lose the hole to a nett par 3 down

Hole 14 par 3, She is through the back with her tee shot, i am on the fringe with mine she chips on and 2 putt, I leave my first putt 4 feet short but hole for a par 2 down.

Hole 15 par 5, we both find ourselves in greenside bunkers in 3 both out and 2 putt half

Hole 16 par 4, 2 good drives, I hit a nice 6 iron pin high, she misses the green and doesn't get up and down, get my par, 1 down

Hole 17 par 5 shot hole, into the wind, longest hole on the course we both hit reasonable drives, I was in a better position in 2 and had half a chance to reach the green, which is in a bowl about 20 feet below the level of the fairway, she was 50 yards short in 3 and played down pin high about 20 feet from the green, i had to try to get close and hit a lob wedge to 8 feet, she was in for a bogey nett par and I had to hole to keep the game alive, in it went for a half, on to the last 1 down.

Hole 18 par 3, into the wind to a back flag, I hit a reasonable tee shot but it was just short of the green, she found a greenside bunker, I play up to about 6 feet, she leaves her ball in the sand and hen hits her next off the green, it looks like we are going to the 19th but then she holes out from 30 feet leaving me needing to hole my 6 footer to square the match, I holed it, on to 19.

Hole 19, a wait on the tee as a group were already playing the hole, then I tee it up and hit it way wide of the green, she is safely on, I needed a good chip over a bunker, I duffed it! then came out to about 12 feet, she putted short, I needed and other good putt, but it just slipped past, leaving her an easy 2 putts from 6 feet to win the match.

I think two things let me down, after coming through the first two shot holes all square I think I relaxed and lost focus for a few holes and similarly after fighting back to square the match I was maybe a bit too relaxed on the 19th.

Still it was a good match and I was pleased that I managed to come back from 3 down even though I failed in the end.
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Unlucky - great to see your putting has improved so much from the woes you were having before. (y)
 
Today I payed the second of the three KO matches I have this week, the club handicap.
Yesterday I played okay and won without doing anything dramatic.

Today I was giving 9 shots.
Same clubs as yesterday except for the addition of a Wilson Sam Snead 2 wood, which I use on the first tee as below.

Hole 1, par 4, no shot - I fat my 2 wood about 125 yards, opponent is even worse. I then fat a 3 wood then a 10 iron then thin a chip over the green from where I three putt for a triple bogey 7. My opponent has made similar awful progress up the hole but only 2 putts to win with a double bogey, what am I doing?

Hole 2, par 3, shot hole - both find the fringe on opposite sides of the green, opponent chips to 10 feet meaning I need to up and down for a hope, rubbish chip and miss the putt, concede, 2 down.

Hole 3, par 5, no shot - opponent hits into bunker, I hit a good drive, opponent out somewhere in the rough, I hit a good long iron about 5 yards short of the green. After a lot of searching, we don't really know how far down my opponent's ball went, I finally find it but he still has about 180 yards to go from the rough. He hits it well and goes just over the green. I then decide to putt on for safety but am well short and take three more putts to get down for a 6 🤬 , opponent chips on and two putts for a half.

Hole 4, par 4, shot hole - I pull drive to left rough and get on the green in three, opponent on in four and we both 2 putt, hole halved

Hole 5, par 4, no shot - opponent hits an okay drive, I hook mine into left rough then chop out with a 5 iron and wedge onto green for three, as is my opponent and we both 2 putt for par.

Hole 6, par 3, shot hole - opponent goes long left, mine goes even longer and further left, I hit a provisional to the green. Can't find my first and it's an easy win for my opponent, 3 down

Hole 7, par 4, shot hole - both push tee shots right behind trees, opponent has a line and finds front bunker, I can only chip out sideways, then hit two awful fat wedge shots and finally get on the green for 5 🤬, opponent splashes out the bunker onto the green and I concede. I can't remember my swing being so alien to me.

Hole 8, par 5, no shot - I hit a great drive and 3 wood but then fat my wedge way short 🤬, on in four as is my opponent and we 2 putt for a half.

Hole 9, par 4, no shot - opponent pulls left into rough and struggles down the hole, I make a bogey which is enough for my first win, 3 down at the turn

Hole 10, par 5, shot hole - both hit decent drives, I pull my second into long rough, chop out with a SW then another massive fat and finally get on the green for five 🤬, opponent is on in three and I concede. 4 down

Hole 11, par 3, no shot - my first (and only) par of the day and I win the hole, 3 down

Hole 12, par 4, shot hole - My tee shot skips over the lake and gets to the other side, manage to make a bogey but opponent makes bogey net par, 4 down

Hole 13, par 4, shot hole - opponent hits a good straight one, I hit a stinker that goes in the ditch at about 125 yards 🤬, penalty drop, 6 iron lay up short of second ditch, 10 iron to green and two putts for a double, I'm sure I don't need to say that this isn't good enough and I lose the hole to be 5 down with 5 to play.

Hole 14, par 4, no shot - I play the hole poorly but my opponent manages to play it even worse and I win, 4 down 4 to play.

Hole 15, par 5, no shot - I slice right towards trees and rough, opponent does the same but we should find both. After what must be quite a bit over three minutes each looking for our own ball I decide enough is enough and walk over to shake hands, no way am I walking back to the tee to continue this torture, so I lose by 4&3

I usually enjoy matchplay and am generally a good opponent, but today I just could not get my swing working and as the round wore on I just became more and more demoralised.

Ho-hum, hope I play better in match 3, 4BBB on Thursday.
 
louise_a said:
Semi final of our single knockout this morning, playing a girl who I often play pairs with and who is a very similar standard to me, but who I have to give 4 shots to, Ii was going to be a tough match.

Hole 1. I am on the green with my tee shot, she is short but chips to around 8 feet, I notice the greens have been sprayed so think I need to give my putt a bit more, knock it 4 feet past the hole, she roles hers in I miss. I down

Hole 2 Long par 4 both on green in 3, she putts almost to the hole, I hole a 12 footer A/S

Hole 3 Par 5 shot hole, both just short in 3 she chips 15 feet long but then holes for a par, nett birdie, 1 down

Hole 4 par 3, she is short with her tee shot, mine is a nice one but runs right of the back we both chip on and 2 putt

Hole 5 par 4 shot hole, I find the green in 2 she is short, chips on and 3 putts, I hole my 3 footer for a par to win A/S

Hole 6 par 5 both on in 3 both have downhill she putts first and runs 6 feet past, I am too tentative and 6 feet short, she misses, my put lips out half

Hole 7 par 4 She hits 2 good shots and is on the green in 2, my 2nd finds a bunker I get out and my putt horseshoes, she 2 putts, for par I down

Hole 8 par 5, We both drive well, then she hits a poor shot that looked like it had gone into a PA that crosses the fairway I top my 2nd right into the PA
we both fail to reach the green with our 4 shots, both chip on and 2 putt for a double bogey half.

Hole 9 par 3, both have long birdie putts, both miss, hale halved in 3. So 1 down at the turn.

Hole 10, par 4, I hit an awful tee shot and don't recover from it, she wins the hole with a bogey, 2 down

Hole 11 par 5, after a good drive I hit another awful 2nd shot could not reach the green in 3 then hit a poor 4th, opponent won the hole with a bogey, 3 down

Hole 12 long par 3 both missed the green so on in 2, I holed a 10 footer for par to win the hole, 2 down

Hole 13 par 4 shot hole, both just short in 2 both chip on and 2 putt, lose the hole to a nett par 3 down

Hole 14 par 3, She is through the back with her tee shot, i am on the fringe with mine she chips on and 2 putt, I leave my first putt 4 feet short but hole for a par 2 down.

Hole 15 par 5, we both find ourselves in greenside bunkers in 3 both out and 2 putt half

Hole 16 par 4, 2 good drives, I hit a nice 6 iron pin high, she misses the green and doesn't get up and down, get my par, 1 down

Hole 17 par 5 shot hole, into the wind, longest hole on the course we both hit reasonable drives, I was in a better position in 2 and had half a chance to reach the green, which is in a bowl about 20 feet below the level of the fairway, unfortunately I didn't quite reach the green and was at the edge of the fairway above the green, she was 50 yards short in 3 and played down pin high about 20 feet from the green, i had to try to get close and hit a lob wedge to 8 feet, she was in for a bogey nett par and I had to hole to keep the game alive, in it went for a half, on to the last 1 down.

Hole 18 par 3, into the wind to a back flag, I hit a reasonable tee shot but it was just short of the green, she found a greenside bunker, I play up to about 6 feet, she leaves her ball in the sand and hen hits her next off the green, it looks like we are going to the 19th but then she holes out from 30 feet leaving me needing to hole my 6 footer to square the match, I holed it, on to 19.

Hole 19, a wait on the tee as a group were already playing the hole, then I tee it up and hit it way wide of the green, she is safely on, I needed a good chip over a bunker, I duffed it! then came out to about 12 feet, she putted short, I needed and other good putt, but it just slipped past, leaving her an easy 2 putts from 6 feet to win the match.

I think two things let me down, after coming through the first two shot holes all square I think I relaxed and lost focus for a few holes and similarly after fighting back to square the match I was maybe a bit too relaxed on the 19th.

Still it was a good match and I was pleased that I managed to come back from 3 down even though I failed in the end.
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Unlucky. Good fight back, sometimes it just isn’t meant to be.
 
Yesterday was the third KO match of the week for me, this time 4BBB, I was low handicap, my partner had 7, shots, oppo 1 had 2 shots and oppo 2 had 17 shots.

Same clubs as Monday.

Hole 1, par 4, SI 12 – All away okay, oppo 1 finds green and two putts for par and the hole, 1 down

Hole 2, par 3, SI 6, - oppo 2 finds green about 12 feet from the hole and makes birdie, net one, 2 down

Hole 3, par 5, SI 18 - I’m on the green in three but a long way from the hole, oppo 1 tries to play a 50 yard pitch for his third but thins it and it bobbles up to 8 feet, I putt to 8 feet and make the par but oppo 1 makes birdie, 3 down!

Hole 4, par 4, SI 2 – My partner and oppo 2 make 5 net 4s for the half

Hole 5, par 4, SI 14 – Me and oppo 1 halve in pars

Hole 6, par 3, SI 4 – Only me and oppo 1 find the green, I’m 5 feet away and make birdie to win a hole back, 2 down

Hole 7, par 4, SI 9 – I’m the only one to find green in reg, oppo 2 tries to play a 35 yard pitch for his third but thins it and it runs to a similar distance to mine. I putt first and miss, oppo 2 putts firmly but it clatters the flag in the middle and drops for par net birdie, 3 down

Hole 8, par 5 SI 16 – Me and oppo 1 halve in bogeys

Hole 9, par 4, SI 10 – After two shots oppo 2 on front fringe, my partner and oppo 1 on front of green to a back flag, I’m in the back bunker. Oppo 2 putts to 20 feet, oppo 1 putts to gimme, par secured, I play a lovely bunker shot to gimme, matching the par. My partner can’t hole for birdie and neither can oppo 2 hole for par net birdie, 3 down at the turn.



Hole 10, par 5, SI 9 – I’m on in reg, both opponents have made a complete hash and concede the hole, 2 down

Hole 11, par 3, SI 15 – We all hit dreadful tee shots and the hole is halved in bogey by my partner and 5 net bogey by oppo 2

Hole 12, par 4, SI 3 – Again we all hit awful tee shots, oppo 1 makes the best recovery and scores a bogey, my partner nearly matched him having gone three off the tee but his put for double just misses. 3 down

Hole 13, par 4, SI 1 – Three of us away okay but oppo 2 goes in water. Oppo 1 and my partner bath make 5 net 4s and hole halved.

Hole 14, par 4 SI 17, - I make par and oppo 2 misses a shortish putt for the half having been deadly with his putter up until now, 2 down.

Hole 15, par 5, SI 13 – I’m on in reg, oppo 2 just short, he plays a great putt to gimme meaning I need to hole the birdie putt, it looks like it’s in but straightens up in the last foot, 3 down, 3 to play

Hole 16, par 4, SI 7 – My partner makes a great up and down for 5 net 4 and the hole, 2 down, 2 to play

Hole 17, par 4, SI 5 – Me and oppo 1 hit good tee shots, my partner goes onto the 16th fairway and can’t get on the green in two. Me and oppo 1 do, he misses his birdie putt to leave a 6 footer for par, mine never threatened the hole and oppo 1 holes his putt for par and the match 2&1



After being blitzed by their par, birdie, birdie start we thought we were going to be on a hiding to nothing but from the fourth hole on it was a tight match, we just couldn’t claw back those three early holes.

So one win from the three Kos I played this week, at least it was the one I most wanted to progress in.
 
As Club Champion it was tradition I went out first in the scratch team.
First few games I held my own against the best player of other clubs.

But one day I faced a guy off plus six.
I was off four.
Lasted until the twelfth hole.
Tottaly different game than I was playing and he just made it look so easy.
Nice guy and we still meet up now and again.
 
Scratch KO match yesterday evening against an 11 handicapper. He’d qualified for the last 16 by having a good knock in the 18 hole qualifying round. I was level par and five up after 10 holes. There were a couple of 4 ball matches holding us up so he decided to concede the match then.
 
Round one of the Moray Open Matchplay today.

Was drawn in the High Handicap section....though "high" really means the worse 16 of the 32 handicap qualifiers. No shots involved in the match as both of us were off 12.

Hole 1...gentle 316yd par 4 into a stiff breeze was halved in par, although I had a short putt from around 6ft to win but just drifted it by the edge. All square

Hole 2 481yd par 5, again played into a breeze, and after he hit a wayward second from my opponent, a regulation par sealed the win. 1up

Hole 3...397yd par 4, into the breeze to an elevated green, oppo hit two great shots to find the front edge of the putting surface, I missed the green with my approach and watched my badly aimed chip shot rolled down the hill, away from the flag, leaving a longer putt than my opponent did. Raced my attempt at a 4 about 4ft past, opponent lagged his next to the hole to secure a par. All Square

Hole 4...193yd par 3, after watching opponent just leave his tee short short of the green in a tricky hollow I nailed a 5 wood, soft fade, good bounce and ran to the back of the green where the flag sat. Rolled in the birdie putt after opponent had failed to get up and down. 1up

Hole 5...413yd par 4 playing into the wind, we both played this as a 3 shotter except he executed his attempt better than me and i was left having to roll in a 10 footer for a bogey five and the half. 1up

Hole 6...146yd par 3 (still into wind!!)...the flag was right where my ball finished in yesterdays qualifying round...so I went with the same club, hit an identical shot and again holed a nice 8 foot putt for birdie. 2up

Hole 7...435yd par 4 (you guessed it...into wind)....took us both 3 shots to get there and two putts each saw the hole halved. 2up

Hole 8...456 yd par 4 (hooray....down bloody wind)...we both found fairway bunkers off the tee....myself on the right, about 210 off the tee, him down the left about 300 off the tee. I managed to splash my way out of the little pot I was in and then hit 3 wood towards the green....unfortunately I hit it a bit left and shortsided myself for the wedged approach to the green over a bunker. His third was out to the right affording him a better angle in. He got up and down for bogey. I didnt. 1up

Hole 9...310yd par 4 (cross wind L-R) he duffs his iron tee shot barely making the fairway, I hit a nice mini driver leaving me a bout 80 yards in. His approach finds a greenside bunker (which would also feature later in the round) whilst I hit a wedge to the heart of the green some 10ft from the pin. His sand escape goes long, follwed by a good putt to concedable distance, but I roll my birdie putt up next to the hole for a nailed on 4 and back to...2up

Hole 10...313yd par 4 and once more back into the wind after a brief respite, this is where I should have spotted the warning signs that my game was beginning to crumble, but given my opponents woes (had to take 3 off the tee after finding deep gorse) I didnt notice the weakness encroaching on my game. A weak tee shot to the right found the rough, hacked out and then hit a good wedge into the green. Opponent found the green off the fairway and two putted for his six leaving me with two putts from reasonably close to win the hole...3up

Hole 11...423yd par 4 (into wind) with a drainage dyke some 60 yards short of the green. We both hit the green safely in three, even after he had to play his second from the very edge of a large gorse bush. His approach was OK...maybe to 20ft my was no more than indifferent, leaving me a putt closer to 27ft. Unfortunately, as my touch slowly started to desert me, I raced my putt maybe 8ft past the hole and after he had cosied his attempt up to the holes edge my attempt to halve the hole just drifted past the right edge...2up

Hole 12...389yd par 4 (down wind) we both hit decent drives, his maybe 20yds further than mine but off in the right light rough. I had about 160 to go and hit a lovely hybrid that pitched left edge of the green but kicked right along the slope of the tier...I thought it had just stopped and held on to the top tier but when I looked up after putting my club away saw to my dismay that the ball was back down the slope at the front edge of the green. Opponent then hits a great iron which just clings on to the top tier. Again, putting like the proverbial, I race my first attempt way past the hole, fearful that I would leave it short and have it roll back down to me. Couldnt hole the snaky 10ft downhiller to save par and the hole...1up

Hole 13...418yd par 4...(down wind) this is where I believe that I ultimately lost the match. Opponent had hit a monstrous drive but way right and ultimately finished in the same greenside bunker that he found himself in on 9. My drive was ok...a little bit right, but safe enough quite a bit behind his. My second shot though was poor, pushed out to the right, should be safe enough, but possibly of being close to gorse. As my opponent diverted off to the 9th to play his ball, I walked forward to where my ball lay concerned about its possible position. I lost sight of my opponent in the bunker by the 9th. I see his ball eventually fly and hit the green...maybe some 15ft from the flag, thinking he is there in three (assuming 1 out of the bunker..he certainly wasn't getting to the green from it) and pretty close, I tried an ambitious chip trying myself to get close to the hole, unfortunately it caught the edge of a bunker, shot off to the left and rolled off the green. My opponent catches up with me and says..."I've played 4...took 2 attempts to get out of the bunker". Annoyed at my own idiocy for not waiting for him to catch up and confirming his score I failed to concentrate on my chip, leaving it some 15ft short. We both 2 putt for a half in double bogey...1up....harsh lesson to learn...matchplay...protect your own interest. Nothing wrong with my opponents actions...he told me about the two shots to escape the bunker as soon as he could.

Hole 14 427yd par 4 (last hole into wind). Opponent hits a great drive whereas mine is non-committal, weak and feeble and is blown into heather. I hack out but still have a good way to go. Opponent then proceeds to push his approach out right looking like it is in trouble, he hits another and puts it in exactly the same place, a 2nd provisional it pulled out to the left. I hit a good approach, finding the green but with a lengthy 25ft putt. We find his original ball safely nestled in a hollow to the right of the green and he chips to around 15ft. I then hit possibly the most lilly livered putt of the week, barely making contact with the ball and maybe leaving 10ft left...no doubt a symptom of previous putts raced by. I three putt, he two putts and all of a sudden we are...all square

Hole 15 180yd par3 (down wind). Yesterday i hit a peach of a shot to the heart of the green and just had to execute the same. Opponent duffs his tee shot into light rough some 40 yards short. I stand up to the tee and tell myself to commit to the swing....and do exactly the opposite, hitting a weak fade that is gobbled up by a little pot bunker by the green. Opponent then hits a decent shot to around 10ft before I take 2 shots to extract my ball from the bunker. I have a go at my putt but miss leaving him the simple task of lagging his putt close to the hole, and for the first time in the match he leads. 1 down

Hole 16 358yd par 4 (down wind)...He is down the right off the tee, in light rough, I'm maybe some 90 yards short in the middle of the fairway. His approach goes long to the back of the green. Again i fail to commit to my approach, the weak shot landing short and taking a slope well away from the hole....a full shot would have avoided the bank and put me much closer to the hole. His putt is excellent, rattling the flag and stopping dead for his par. Once more I get a bit aggressive on a putt, just skirting the holes edge and giving myself too much to do on the way back...the ball just creasing the edge of the hole. Now in deep doodoo's. 2 down

Hole 17...509 yd par 5 (down wind). He blasts his driver right into gorse. I find the middle of the fairway. His first provisional follows the original ball. His second provisional is marginally better. I eventually find his original ball some 6ft into the gorse, there is just enough room for him to get 2 club lengths under penalty to give him half a shot. Eventually he gets the ball out but finds himself in a succession of not great lies as he attempts to advance his ball greenwards. I've hit a decent 2nd, laying up short of any trouble and then my wedge to the green is enough for 2 putts and a safe par...1 down

Hole 18...408yds par 4 (down wind). The 18th is a great finishing hole with trouble all down the right and an elevated green overlooked by the clubhouse. I hit one of my best drives to find the middle of the fairway. Opponent blasts a ball way left, over the first fairway onto some sandy dunes that are normally right of the first fairway. Takes a provisional to be safe and carves it right OOB. Another provisional is more accurately hit down the middle. I see him take his shot but lose the ball in the air and have no clue where it went, opponent gestures that it is over the back of the green. I hit another great shot that pitches near the top of the upslope to the green, pops up nicely and continues rolling towards the pin at the back of the green. When we get there we find that I have about 20ft left and he is back right, just off the green about 35ft away. He suddenly catches a case of what I've got and hits a weak putt....leaving a tricky 8 footer for his par. My putt just drifts past the edge but is close enough to be conceded. Opponent then confidently dispatches his par putt into the heart of the hole.

Match Over
 
nickjdavis said:
Round one of the Moray Open Matchplay today.

Was drawn in the High Handicap section....though "high" really means the worse 16 of the 32 handicap qualifiers. No shots involved in the match as both of us were off 12.

Hole 1...gentle 316yd par 4 into a stiff breeze was halved in par, although I had a short putt from around 6ft to win but just drifted it by the edge. All square

Hole 2 481yd par 5, again played into a breeze, and after he hit a wayward second from my opponent, a regulation par sealed the win. 1up

Hole 3...397yd par 4, into the breeze to an elevated green, oppo hit two great shots to find the front edge of the putting surface, I missed the green with my approach and watched my badly aimed chip shot rolled down the hill, away from the flag, leaving a longer putt than my opponent did. Raced my attempt at a 4 about 4ft past, opponent lagged his next to the hole to secure a par. All Square

Hole 4...193yd par 3, after watching opponent just leave his tee short short of the green in a tricky hollow I nailed a 5 wood, soft fade, good bounce and ran to the back of the green where the flag sat. Rolled in the birdie putt after opponent had failed to get up and down. 1up

Hole 5...413yd par 4 playing into the wind, we both played this as a 3 shotter except he executed his attempt better than me and i was left having to roll in a 10 footer for a bogey five and the half. 1up

Hole 6...146yd par 3 (still into wind!!)...the flag was right where my ball finished in yesterdays qualifying round...so I went with the same club, hit an identical shot and again holed a nice 8 foot putt for birdie. 2up

Hole 7...435yd par 4 (you guessed it...into wind)....took us both 3 shots to get there and two putts each saw the hole halved. 2up

Hole 8...456 yd par 4 (hooray....down bloody wind)...we both found fairway bunkers off the tee....myself on the right, about 210 off the tee, him down the left about 300 off the tee. I managed to splash my way out of the little pot I was in and then hit 3 wood towards the green....unfortunately I hit it a bit left and shortsided myself for the wedged approach to the green over a bunker. His third was out to the right affording him a better angle in. He got up and down for bogey. I didnt. 1up

Hole 9...310yd par 4 (cross wind L-R) he duffs his iron tee shot barely making the fairway, I hit a nice mini driver leaving me a bout 80 yards in. His approach finds a greenside bunker (which would also feature later in the round) whilst I hit a wedge to the heart of the green some 10ft from the pin. His sand escape goes long, follwed by a good putt to concedable distance, but I roll my birdie putt up next to the hole for a nailed on 4 and back to...2up

Hole 10...313yd par 4 and once more back into the wind after a brief respite, this is where I should have spotted the warning signs that my game was beginning to crumble, but given my opponents woes (had to take 3 off the tee after finding deep gorse) I didnt notice the weakness encroaching on my game. A weak tee shot to the right found the rough, hacked out and then hit a good wedge into the green. Opponent found the green off the fairway and two putted for his six leaving me with two putts from reasonably close to win the hole...3up

Hole 11...423yd par 4 (into wind) with a drainage dyke some 60 yards short of the green. We both hit the green safely in three, even after he had to play his second from the very edge of a large gorse bush. His approach was OK...maybe to 20ft my was no more than indifferent, leaving me a putt closer to 27ft. Unfortunately, as my touch slowly started to desert me, I raced my putt maybe 8ft past the hole and after he had cosied his attempt up to the holes edge my attempt to halve the hole just drifted past the right edge...2up

Hole 12...389yd par 4 (down wind) we both hit decent drives, his maybe 20yds further than mine but off in the right light rough. I had about 160 to go and hit a lovely hybrid that pitched left edge of the green but kicked right along the slope of the tier...I thought it had just stopped and held on to the top tier but when I looked up after putting my club away saw to my dismay that the ball was back down the slope at the front edge of the green. Opponent then hits a great iron which just clings on to the top tier. Again, putting like the proverbial, I race my first attempt way past the hole, fearful that I would leave it short and have it roll back down to me. Couldnt hole the snaky 10ft downhiller to save par and the hole...1up

Hole 13...418yd par 4...(down wind) this is where I believe that I ultimately lost the match. Opponent had hit a monstrous drive but way right and ultimately finished in the same greenside bunker that he found himself in on 9. My drive was ok...a little bit right, but safe enough quite a bit behind his. My second shot though was poor, pushed out to the right, should be safe enough, but possibly of being close to gorse. As my opponent diverted off to the 9th to play his ball, I walked forward to where my ball lay concerned about its possible position. I lost sight of my opponent in the bunker by the 9th. I see his ball eventually fly and hit the green...maybe some 15ft from the flag, thinking he is there in three (assuming 1 out of the bunker..he certainly wasn't getting to the green from it) and pretty close, I tried an ambitious chip trying myself to get close to the hole, unfortunately it caught the edge of a bunker, shot off to the left and rolled off the green. My opponent catches up with me and says..."I've played 4...took 2 attempts to get out of the bunker". Annoyed at my own idiocy for not waiting for him to catch up and confirming his score I failed to concentrate on my chip, leaving it some 15ft short. We both 2 putt for a half in double bogey...1up....harsh lesson to learn...matchplay...protect your own interest. Nothing wrong with my opponents actions...he told me about the two shots to escape the bunker as soon as he could.

Hole 14 427yd par 4 (last hole into wind). Opponent hits a great drive whereas mine is non-committal, weak and feeble and is blown into heather. I hack out but still have a good way to go. Opponent then proceeds to push his approach out right looking like it is in trouble, he hits another and puts it in exactly the same place, a 2nd provisional it pulled out to the left. I hit a good approach, finding the green but with a lengthy 25ft putt. We find his original ball safely nestled in a hollow to the right of the green and he chips to around 15ft. I then hit possibly the most lilly livered putt of the week, barely making contact with the ball and maybe leaving 10ft left...no doubt a symptom of previous putts raced by. I three putt, he two putts and all of a sudden we are...all square

Hole 15 180yd par3 (down wind). Yesterday i hit a peach of a shot to the heart of the green and just had to execute the same. Opponent duffs his tee shot into light rough some 40 yards short. I stand up to the tee and tell myself to commit to the swing....and do exactly the opposite, hitting a weak fade that is gobbled up by a little pot bunker by the green. Opponent then hits a decent shot to around 10ft before I take 2 shots to extract my ball from the bunker. I have a go at my putt but miss leaving him the simple task of lagging his putt close to the hole, and for the first time in the match he leads. 1 down

Hole 16 358yd par 4 (down wind)...He is down the right off the tee, in light rough, I'm maybe some 90 yards short in the middle of the fairway. His approach goes long to the back of the green. Again i fail to commit to my approach, the weak shot landing short and taking a slope well away from the hole....a full shot would have avoided the bank and put me much closer to the hole. His putt is excellent, rattling the flag and stopping dead for his par. Once more I get a bit aggressive on a putt, just skirting the holes edge and giving myself too much to do on the way back...the ball just creasing the edge of the hole. Now in deep doodoo's. 2 down

Hole 17...509 yd par 5 (down wind). He blasts his driver right into gorse. I find the middle of the fairway. His first provisional follows the original ball. His second provisional is marginally better. I eventually find his original ball some 6ft into the gorse, there is just enough room for him to get 2 club lengths under penalty to give him half a shot. Eventually he gets the ball out but finds himself in a succession of not great lies as he attempts to advance his ball greenwards. I've hit a decent 2nd, laying up short of any trouble and then my wedge to the green is enough for 2 putts and a safe par...1 down

Hole 18...408yds par 4 (down wind). The 18th is a great finishing hole with trouble all down the right and an elevated green overlooked by the clubhouse. I hit one of my best drives to find the middle of the fairway. Opponent blasts a ball way left, over the first fairway onto some sandy dunes that are normally right of the first fairway. Takes a provisional to be safe and carves it right OOB. Another provisional is more accurately hit down the middle. I see him take his shot but lose the ball in the air and have no clue where it went, opponent gestures that it is over the back of the green. I hit another great shot that pitches near the top of the upslope to the green, pops up nicely and continues rolling towards the pin at the back of the green. When we get there we find that I have about 20ft left and he is back right, just off the green about 35ft away. He suddenly catches a case of what I've got and hits a weak putt....leaving a tricky 8 footer for his par. My putt just drifts past the edge but is close enough to be conceded. Opponent then confidently dispatches his par putt into the heart of the hole.

Match Over
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Such a great front nine. The galleries loved the birdies. Hard luck
 
Yesterday should have been our 4BBB semi final, but the match was conceded as one of our opponents has a back issue and the other didn't fancy taking us on single handed.

I feel sorry for the lady who has the back problem as she has got through some pretty bad illnesses over the last few years and this year also reached the single semi final, which she also had to concede.
 
Scratch knockout match this morning, playing against someone who is actually off scratch and he also won the club champs last week. I’m currently a 14 index, so knew it would be tough.

I birdied the first to go 1 up. Halved the 2nd, then he birdied 3 to go back level.

He won the 4th with a par, but we halved 5 and 6 with pars. I then won 7 to take it back level.

He birdied 8,9,10 to go 3 up. Halved 11 in pars.

I then stuck my tee shot OB on 12 for him to go 4 up. Halved 13 in pars.

He then won 14 to take it 5&4.

It was a closer match than I expected, but his 3 birdies around the turn just killed me off. We finished off the round playing all 18 and I ended up 7 over gross, so I put up a decent effort I think.
 
nickjdavis said:
Round one of the Moray Open Matchplay today.

Was drawn in the High Handicap section....though "high" really means the worse 16 of the 32 handicap qualifiers. No shots involved in the match as both of us were off 12.
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...as an update...my round one opponent had a busy couple of days, as he won his quarter final match against a young lad the same afternoon by 1 hole and then, on the Friday morning, also went all the way to the 18th to win on the last...this time beating the father of the lad he beat in the QF!!

Sadly I was unable to say that I'd been beaten by the eventual winner as his run petered out and, as he explained to me over a beer after the final, he just ran out of steam in the final and eventually went down 5&4.
 
Senior KO quarter final, I was giving 6 shots

P4 1st, no shot - Opponent hit an okay drive, I hit a good one, Opponent slices into rough right, I find green, Opponent bogies and I par to go 1 up.

P3 2nd, short hole - I hit 5 iron to front of green, Opponent short right but chips and two putts for 4 net 3, I'm long with my first putt and miss the return. all square.

P5 3rd, no shot - I'm GIR, Opponent bunkers, my par wins the hole and 1 up

P4 4th, shot hole - Opponent on in three, I'm right of the green and a chip and two putt bogey is beaten by his 5 net 4, all square

P4 5th hole, no shot - Opponent hits a nice one, I pull into left rough and then find a bunker, result is a bogey but Opponent pars, 1 down

P3 6th, shot hole - Opponent on front fringe, I miss the green right but then play a chip that almost goes in, conceded par, Opponent is too firm with his first putt and can only make 4 net 3 for the half, still 1 down.

P4 7th, no shot - Opponent down the right, I hit a very poor fatted tee shot but my 3 wood second is 12 yards short of the green. Opponent makes a few poor shots and I end up with an easy win, all square

P5 8th, no shot - Similar after two shots, my approach misses right, Opponent is on the green and his par to my boghey wins the hole, 1 down.

P4 9th, no shot - Opponent down the right rough, I hit a good one also down the right. Opponent hits a good wood recovery just short of the green, I hit 7 iron but it goes towards the back of the green and the flag is at the front. Opponent putts up to about 4 feet, I putt to similar distance. Opponent holes his, my putt isn't hit with authority and dribbles off to the right! 2 down at the turn, why didn't I think to offer the half?

P5 10th, no shot - Opponent's approach is front right of the green, mine is about 6 yards away. Opponent putts short, my birdie attempt is good, 1 down.

P3 11th, no shot - I hit as good 5 iron just on the right fringe with a right flag. Opponent short side himself behind the right bunker then doesn't quite carry it with his chip and takes two to get out, all square.

P4 12th, shot hole - I pull my tee shot left but its okay, Opponent catches the tree but its only leaves and gets through okay. he goes right about 75 yards short, I'm left about 10 yards short. Opponent thins his pitch but it finds the green. My chip as woeful and only make the fringe, Opponent two putts for 5 net 4, I can only make a 5, 1 down

P4 13th, shot hole - Both drive okay, Opponent pushes his approach short right, I have an 8 iron in and just need to find the green for a likely half but I make one of those swings which are the scourge of my golf at the moment where I don't have the confidence to fully complete the follow through and end up with a weak fade short right. We both chip poorly but his shot is enough for the win, 2 down, 5 to play.

P4 14th, no shot - Opponent hits a tree and drops down well short, I fat a 3 wood but it rolls out to leave a 6 iron. Opponent plays a poor second and third. My 6 iron second is thin but finds the fringe pin high and two putts is enough to secure the hole, 1 down.

P5 15th, no shot - Both in good shape after two, Opponent pushes his approach into right first cut rough, I find the green about 15 feet from the hole. Opponent decides to putt from the rough and doesn't quite make the green, he putts again and misses meaning I have two putts for it, roll a nice on into the hole for birdie, all square.

P4 16th, no shot - Both hit mediocre drives, Opponent can't reach the green and is short left, I hit a good 6 iron to the middle of the green and am feeling good. Opponent chips but is still away, he then holes a long putt for his par! What I thought was going to be two putts for the win now needs to be a 20 footer, never give it enough but make the par for a half, which is only the second halved hole of the match, and the match remains all square.

P4 17, shot hole - I hit another of my weak, uncompleted swings which goes into the rough but bounces out. Opponent is up the middle, but then he makes one of the few bad shots he made all round and hits a bad one into the left rough. I ghit 3 wood but again don't complete the follow through and come up well short in the right rough. I chip out and am on the left fringe in 3. Opponent has continued his struggles and holes out for a 6 net 5 meaning I need a two putt for the half, fits putt is well short but I make the 5 footer for half, we stay all square.

P3 18, no shot - I hate this as a finishing hole in any format but in matchplay it can be brutal, 201 yards over water to a raised green with a bunker front left. The flag is at the back on a raised tier, I hit 3 wood but it goes left and leaves me on a down slope, chipping to a raised green... Opponent is short right and chips on to leave about 30 feet. I opt for sand wedge and consider going for the heart of the green but decide I might as well go at the flag as a duff will be a duff whatever. Actually manage to hit a decent shot to leave 15 feet. Opponent 2 putts for bogey meaning I have a putt to win, I give it full attention to get the line but then leave it short!, halved in bogey and extra holes beckon.

P4, 1st extra hole, no shot - My only thought is to complete my follow through and I do with a decent 2 wood down the left side, Opponent also plays a good won right of centre. He then proceeds to play the exact same shot he played first time right and slices into the right rough. Again my only thought is complete the follow through and I hit a good 9 iron to about 25 feet. We're about to give up the search for his ball when I find it, he plays his third but it's still not on the green and he chips on to about 20 feet for four, meaning I have two putts for the win and very likely three, but again the pressure is off and I hole it for birdie to win on the first extra hole.

A very hard fought match and the handicaps proved to be well matched. Now what you've all been wanting to know, what clubs did I play with? :D

It was a Dunlop Peter Thomson day, mostly 1973.
1, 2, 3 and 5 woods
3 to SW irons
1960'ish putter

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Through to the singles knockout semi-final after beating my partner from the pairs comp 6&5. I played pretty well but he beat himself really - off 4, he holds himself to such high standards (and rightly so because on his day he's a wonderful player, ball striking is a joke) and he went 1-up through the first two holes, but he gifted me 4 and 5 and just got angrier and spiraled from there.

We carried on playing casually afterwards. I totted it up in my head as I was laying in bed last night and I was 6 over stood on the 18th, assuming I would have made the putts he gave me. We then both lost a ball on 18 but didn't care to look for them as we were both starving and the light was dropping and there were too many leaves about. So yeah, thinking about it I actually did play very well - he carded an 84 in the end after blobs and lost balls, so I think I probably would have beaten him gross if playing properly and had I played a little more seriously on the 18th, would have been on for breaking 80 :)

He made me laugh on the 10th. He told me he was annoyed because I was winning without playing particularly well and he was gifting it to me... I was thinking, "hey, for me this is brilliant golf!" :LOL:
 
sjw said:
Through to the singles knockout semi-final after beating my partner from the pairs comp 6&5. I played pretty well but he beat himself really - off 4, he holds himself to such high standards (and rightly so because on his day he's a wonderful player, ball striking is a joke) and he went 1-up through the first two holes, but he gifted me 4 and 5 and just got angrier and spiraled from there.

We carried on playing casually afterwards. I totted it up in my head as I was laying in bed last night and I was 6 over stood on the 18th, assuming I would have made the putts he gave me. We then both lost a ball on 18 but didn't care to look for them as we were both starving and the light was dropping and there were too many leaves about. So yeah, thinking about it I actually did play very well - he carded an 84 in the end after blobs and lost balls, so I think I probably would have beaten him gross if playing properly and had I played a little more seriously on the 18th, would have been on for breaking 80 :)

He made me laugh on the 10th. He told me he was annoyed because I was winning without playing particularly well and he was gifting it to me... I was thinking, "hey, for me this is brilliant golf!" :LOL:
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He sounds a bit self-obsessed. Glad you beat him!
 
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sjw said:
Through to the singles knockout semi-final after beating my partner from the pairs comp 6&5. I played pretty well but he beat himself really - off 4, he holds himself to such high standards (and rightly so because on his day he's a wonderful player, ball striking is a joke) and he went 1-up through the first two holes, but he gifted me 4 and 5 and just got angrier and spiraled from there.

We carried on playing casually afterwards. I totted it up in my head as I was laying in bed last night and I was 6 over stood on the 18th, assuming I would have made the putts he gave me. We then both lost a ball on 18 but didn't care to look for them as we were both starving and the light was dropping and there were too many leaves about. So yeah, thinking about it I actually did play very well - he carded an 84 in the end after blobs and lost balls, so I think I probably would have beaten him gross if playing properly and had I played a little more seriously on the 18th, would have been on for breaking 80 :)

He made me laugh on the 10th. He told me he was annoyed because I was winning without playing particularly well and he was gifting it to me... I was thinking, "hey, for me this is brilliant golf!" :LOL:
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Not a fan of people who say things like this when losing. He might be a nice bloke but smacks of poor attitude that I’m better than you and you have no right to beat me and belittling how you’re playing.

Glad you won mate.
 
Orikoru said:
He sounds a bit self-obsessed. Glad you beat him!
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Lucifer MorningStar said:
Not a fan of people who say things like this when losing. He might be a nice bloke but smacks of poor attitude that I’m better than you and you have no right to beat me and belittling how you’re playing.

Glad you won mate.
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To be fair to him, I don't think he meant it how he said it, he did back down on it a bit when I said something. His point was, if I'd been absolutely playing a blinder and shooting the lights out and he couldn't compete, he wouldn't mind losing, but when he can't compete because of his own mistakes and I'm just playing steady golf, he's angry with himself; he didn't actually mean it as a diss on me, it comes across worse than it was when written down. He can get a poor attitude, no doubt about it, and he'd admit that himself - he said on the very next hole that golf is the only thing that makes him angry and he hates the person it can make him become. I'd been really peed off literally the day before because of how I was playing and I haven't been angry in a while, so I get it... but he made me look calm :LOL: I'm pleased I won, obviously, but I did feel for him because nothing went right. Even if he did hit a good shot he got a bad break or something. If I was at his level, I'd be angry with a round like that
 
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