2025 knock out matches - tales of death or glory

How’s about…since 7th April I’ve played a match in each of 8 KO comps and I’ve lost 6 of them…and I (used to) consider myself good at matchplay golf. Well I am but that doesn’t help much if my golf is rubbish - as it has been for the last few months.

Plus the balance of luck hasn’t been on my side this year…no excuses…just how it’s been, and as I’ve usually been given one or two handfuls of shots to opponents I rather need even ‘rub of the green’ from time to time.
 
I suspect that if anyone is prepared to write up a detailed account of a great match they played in, it will be done by someone from the winning side.

I don't think if anyone loses such a match, they'd have the heart to go explain it to the world, and have to go through the agony again.
 
First round of the County Seniors Scratch Knockout this morning.

I was lucky to get the home draw, but opponent is 2.9 and I'm 4.1.
I was hoping the home advantage might give me some of that back.

I was 1-down after 4, but did the next 5 holes in 1-under to be 2-up at the turn.
Lost 10th to birdie. Got that back at 13th when matey 3-putted and I chipped from off the back to 2-feet. This was crucial to get back to 2-up.

Both missed the green at 202-yard 16th. I chipped to 4-feet, but opponent let his go 12 feet past. Par gave me the win 3&2.

26 putts for 16 holes was good.

Next round I'm up against a +2 or +3 chap at his course. Former county champion 1996 & 1997, then turned pro for some years.
I would really like to get to the 14th green, as that is the furthest point from the clubhouse on the back nine. One needs to set realistic goals. 6&4 loss would be OK.
Its only a game.
 
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Voyager EMH said:
First round of the County Seniors Scratch Knockout this morning.

I was lucky to get the home draw, but opponent is 2.9 and I'm 4.1.
I was hoping the home advantage might give me some of that back.

I was 1-down after 4, but did the next 5 holes in 1-under to be 2-up at the turn.
Lost 10th to birdie. Got that back at 13th when matey 3-putted and I chipped from off the back to 2-feet. This was crucial to get back to 2-up.

Both missed the green at 202-yard 16th. I chipped to 4-feet, but opponent let his go 12 feet past. Par gave me the win 3&2.

26 putts for 16 holes was good.

Next round I'm up against a +2 or +3 chap at his course. Former county champion 1996 & 1997, then turned pro for some years.
I would really like to get to the 14th green, as that is the furthest point from the clubhouse on the back nine. One needs to set realistic goals. 6&4 loss would be OK.
Its only a game.
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Considering even top tour pros can shoot 10 shots better or worse from one day to the next, you've always got a chance if the h/c gap is less than 10 shots. Good day from you, bad day from him. Good luck!
 
sunshine said:
Considering even top tour pros can shoot 10 shots better or worse from one day to the next, you've always got a chance if the h/c gap is less than 10 shots. Good day from you, bad day from him. Good luck!
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Rules state the course must be played from the back most tees.

At his course this means 6624 yards, par 71, CR 72.9, SR 132.

1.9 over par for the Course Rating !!! A round of 7-over par would give me a handicap cut, if it were strokeplay.

It will be some weeks away. But it is good to watch a really good player playing with you.
I shall enjoy that and not think too much about the score.
 
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Got a scratch match coming up against a 2 hcapper…I’m currently 9…prob won’t be giving a detailed rundown of the match. That said…he can score much worse than his HC, and I can score much better than mine.
 
Doubles ko earlier this week. Our opponents are both lower than us, one is the low man, his mate gets 4 shots in the match, we both get 7.

I like to be sociable and have a chat on the way round, but they aren’t having any of that.

We are one down playing the 14th (SI 6). We get a 6, the guy who is getting 4 gets a 5. I say “that’s a half”, he says “no, I won that hole”. We end up arguing about it for what must have been 10 minutes. He is adamant that he gets his 4 shots on 4-7, I keep telling him that he gets them on 1-4. He just won’t accept this. This drags on and on, and is getting a bit tetchy. He is so insistent that we are at a total impasse. I’m so pissed off, in order to move on, I eventually say, ok have it your way.

Our heads were gone by this stage, we end up losing the match in rapid order.

It all left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth, don’t think I’ll bother entering next year.
 
rudebhoy said:
Doubles ko earlier this week. Our opponents are both lower than us, one is the low man, his mate gets 4 shots in the match, we both get 7.

I like to be sociable and have a chat on the way round, but they aren’t having any of that.

We are one down playing the 14th (SI 6). We get a 6, the guy who is getting 4 gets a 5. I say “that’s a half”, he says “no, I won that hole”. We end up arguing about it for what must have been 10 minutes. He is adamant that he gets his 4 shots on 4-7, I keep telling him that he gets them on 1-4. He just won’t accept this. This drags on and on, and is getting a bit tetchy. He is so insistent that we are at a total impasse. I’m so pissed off, in order to move on, I eventually say, ok have it your way.

Our heads were gone by this stage, we end up losing the match in rapid order.

It all left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth, don’t think I’ll bother entering next year.
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Jesus, let's hope he never plays high handicappers that are getting over 18 shots cos he'll be getting his shots on holes that don't exist.
 
rudebhoy said:
Doubles ko earlier this week. Our opponents are both lower than us, one is the low man, his mate gets 4 shots in the match, we both get 7.

I like to be sociable and have a chat on the way round, but they aren’t having any of that.

We are one down playing the 14th (SI 6). We get a 6, the guy who is getting 4 gets a 5. I say “that’s a half”, he says “no, I won that hole”. We end up arguing about it for what must have been 10 minutes. He is adamant that he gets his 4 shots on 4-7, I keep telling him that he gets them on 1-4. He just won’t accept this. This drags on and on, and is getting a bit tetchy. He is so insistent that we are at a total impasse. I’m so pissed off, in order to move on, I eventually say, ok have it your way.

Our heads were gone by this stage, we end up losing the match in rapid order.

It all left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth, don’t think I’ll bother entering next year.
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Firstly, if he got a 5 and you got a 6, surely he wins the hole regardless of him getting a shot? Or was that a typo?

Secondly, had you not already played at least one of the holes from SI 1-3 by this point. If so, did they not get, and accept, their shot then?

Thirdly, there was probably no need to get angry. If there was no agreement, I'd just say OK, we'll track the score both ways and get Committee to decide after. You obviously know you are correct, but you can humour them nonetheless until Committee inform them they are wrong
 
Swango1980 said:
Firstly, if he got a 5 and you got a 6, surely he wins the hole regardless of him getting a shot? Or was that a typo?

Secondly, had you not already played at least one of the holes from SI 1-3 by this point. If so, did they not get, and accept, their shot then?

Thirdly, there was probably no need to get angry. If there was no agreement, I'd just say OK, we'll track the score both ways and get Committee to decide after. You obviously know you are correct, but you can humour them nonetheless until Committee inform them they are wrong
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My understanding is he gets a shot on SI 1-4 while my partner and I get shots on 1-7. Therefore our 6 on SI 6 is a net 5 and ties his 5.

I did realise after the event that on SI 1, he and I both had a 4, and we agreed that was a half, so he was getting it both ways😒
 
rudebhoy said:
My understanding is he gets a shot on SI 1-4 while my partner and I get shots on 1-7. Therefore our 6 on SI 6 is a net 5 and ties his 5.

I did realise after the event that on SI 1, he and I both had a 4, and we agreed that was a half, so he was getting it both ways😒
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Apologies, I obviously missed the point you made about you guys getting 7, so that clears that bit up.

Yeah, possibly shows what type of person your opponents is. Not quick to argue about getting their shot on SI 1, but suddenly complaining when not getting one on SI 6. Had you remembered about SI 1 at time, would be interesting to hear their response when you brought it up
 
rudebhoy said:
Doubles ko earlier this week. Our opponents are both lower than us, one is the low man, his mate gets 4 shots in the match, we both get 7.

I like to be sociable and have a chat on the way round, but they aren’t having any of that.

We are one down playing the 14th (SI 6). We get a 6, the guy who is getting 4 gets a 5. I say “that’s a half”, he says “no, I won that hole”. We end up arguing about it for what must have been 10 minutes. He is adamant that he gets his 4 shots on 4-7, I keep telling him that he gets them on 1-4. He just won’t accept this. This drags on and on, and is getting a bit tetchy. He is so insistent that we are at a total impasse. I’m so pissed off, in order to move on, I eventually say, ok have it your way.

Our heads were gone by this stage, we end up losing the match in rapid order.

It all left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth, don’t think I’ll bother entering next year.
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Maybe a generation thing but I'd have been Googling that on my phone and showing him the proof of where you get shots - or showing him in the R&A rules app. Yet another reason phones shouldn't be banned on the course! (Sorry, reference to a discussion we had on a different thread there.)
 
rosecott said:
Today, 2 days after my 87th birthday, playing a youth of 61 in the Seniors Singles KO, 1 down after 12, won the next 4 holes to win 3 & 2.
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I regularly play with an 87 year old from our group and while he may not be the biggest hitter he is steady as a rock and probably fitter than me! Well played to you.
 
sunshine said:
I'm going to do this properly: foursomes knock out at my home club, my partner and I are both off 11, our opponents were off 9 and 12 so we received 1 shot.

1. 490 yard par 5:
My partner starts with a solid drive on this downhill short par 5, pushed a little into the right rough. Opponents find the middle of the fairway then flush a fairway wood on to the front of the green. I have 190 to the front of a green which slopes heavily from front to back. I hit 5 iron, hoping to fly it 180 and chase it on to the green. I strike it well but the ball holds up into the wind and finishes 5 yards short of the green. My partner plays a heavy handed chip that rolls 40 feet past the hole, my putt never gets close to the hole but it doesn’t matter because our opponents 2 putt for birdie to win the hole.

2. 400 yard par 4:
Opponent finds the fairway bunker up the right at 250. I aim more left and pull it slightly into the light rough. My partner hits a 7 iron on to the front of the green and our opponents respond with a superb fairway bunker shot on to the green just past our ball. The pin is right up the back though and this is a treacherous green, so we both 3 putt for the half. All four of us walk off the green thinking that was a missed opportunity.

3. 200 yard par 3:
Opponents leak it right into the bunker, pin high but above the hole. My partner misses the green left but below the hole. Opponent then plays a worldy, delicate flop out of the sand that lands as softly as a butterfly with sore feet and trickles to finish 3 feet from the hole. I want to keep my chip below the hole, I play the shot I wanted but it doesn’t release like I expected. I’ve left my partner a 6 footer for par, he misses, they hole it and we are already 2 down.

4. 340 yard par 4:
Opponent plays a fairway wood into the right rough, I respond with a solid 4 iron up the middle to the corner of the dogleg. My partner safely plays a 9 iron on to the green. Our opponents have missed the green and chipped to 20 feet. I have a 40 foot uphill putt, looks good but rolls 4 feet past. Our opponent then goes and rolls in the 20 footer for par, suddenly my partner has a nervy putt for the half, but he strokes it in and we remain 2 down.

5. 450 yard par 4:
Stroke index 1 – our only shot hole. Our opponent hooks it into the trees in the left rough, and my partner hits a solid shot, just a little pull into the left rough. Our opponent then hits a brilliant fairway wood from the rough, leaving a wedge to the green. I have 200 yards to go to an elevated green ringed by bunkers, I hit a solid 6 iron that takes the bunkers out of play and finishes 20 yards short of the green. My partner doesn’t make it easy with another heavy handed chip that scuttles 20 feet past the flag, but I roll a nice putt to 3 feet, we make a 5 and they can’t match it so we’re back to 1 down.

6. 390 yard par 4:
I flush driver down the middle, opponent follows me. When I get to the ball it’s probably 20 yards shorter than I expected due to the swirling wind, and the wind catches out my partner too as his 9 iron comes up a few yards short. They miss right, above the hole and then chip it down to the bottom of the green, but I don’t hit my putt anywhere near hard enough and we halve the hole. 1 down.

7. 140 yard par 3:
Downhill and downwind, I want my partner to hit PW to the back of the green to take the bunkers out of play, but the green slopes front to back and he wants to play a gap wedge… and finds a bunker. When we get to the ball it’s actually on a narrow tongue of grass protruding into the bunker, it’s nestled down and my chip has no chance of stopping near the flag. My partner putts it to a couple of feet, but our opponents were safely on the green and 2 putt for a par and a win. 2 down again.

8. 520 yard par 5:
Opponent smashes one up the middle, I send it into the right hand rough. We both lay up, I’m left with 155 to the pin, I flush a 7 iron but it holds up into the breeze, lands on the top tier but spins back down to the front of the green. Our opponents find the same part of the green, and we both do well to 2 putt from there for a half.

9. 340 yard par 4:
Our opponent hits a decent drive but it doesn’t have the legs to clear the fairway bunker on the left. My partner then hooks it into the trees, luckily it bounces out into the rough. I have 200 yards to go to an elevated green ringed by bunkers, I’ve already faced this shot on the 5th, so again I hit a solid 6 iron that takes the bunkers out of play and finishes 20 yards short. Except this time it’s a flier and rolls out 195 yards into the front bunker. Our opponents pitch out of the bunker and wedge it on to the middle of the green. My partner is again heavy handed with his chip out of the bunker and it rolls through the green and into the rough. Luckily the lie is good, and I’m able to chip it to 3 feet. They 2 putt and my partner taps in for a half and we remain 2 down at the half way stage.

To be continued...
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Felt like I was there
 
rudebhoy said:
Doubles ko earlier this week. Our opponents are both lower than us, one is the low man, his mate gets 4 shots in the match, we both get 7.

I like to be sociable and have a chat on the way round, but they aren’t having any of that.

We are one down playing the 14th (SI 6). We get a 6, the guy who is getting 4 gets a 5. I say “that’s a half”, he says “no, I won that hole”. We end up arguing about it for what must have been 10 minutes. He is adamant that he gets his 4 shots on 4-7, I keep telling him that he gets them on 1-4. He just won’t accept this. This drags on and on, and is getting a bit tetchy. He is so insistent that we are at a total impasse. I’m so pissed off, in order to move on, I eventually say, ok have it your way.

Our heads were gone by this stage, we end up losing the match in rapid order.

It all left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth, don’t think I’ll bother entering next year.
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How the heck did he work that out? Has he never played handicap match play before? What a knob.
 
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