2025 knock out matches - tales of death or glory

sunshine said:
What happens in mixed golf when the stroke index / par is different for men and women? My course has 2 long par 4s which are par 5s on the women's card and a different stroke index.
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Not a question we have to deal with any more, as our Ladies and Gents SIs were aligned in a re-indexing that we did for when the new course ratings came into play end-March.
 
Scratch KO match yesterday against a 1.0 index player (so no shots from my CH of 10 vs his 2).

Was 5 down at the turn (missed three <3ft), but kept the match going until 14th when we shook 6/4. I was disappointed that I didn’t give him a better match but I just missed too many short or holeable putts and chucked in a couple of really poor shots when I had a chance. He just played steady, made a couple of mistakes but was only 2 over when we finished.

I will take from it that I played some really good stuff (for me)…and that’s encouraging - plus he’s a nice guy never spoken with before, relatively new member from late last year, and we had a nice chat about life.
 
Singles KO on Sunday, giving my opponent 7 shots (12 vs 19). Dry but breezy day, some strong gusts at the wrong time really impacted the ball flight.

1. 490 yard par 5: I pushed my tee shot into a fairway bunker, but follow it with a solid 8 iron recovery then wedge to the green. My opponent misses the green and can't get up and down, so 2 putts from me for a regulation par and I'm 1 up.

2. 400 yard par 4 (shot hole): I'm on the green in regulation after 2 good shots, but my opponent chips it to a couple of feet and I can't roll in my birdie putt, so back to all square.

3. 200 yard par 3: We both miss the green, chip on and 2 putt. All square.

4. 340 yard par 4: We both leak our tee shots out into the right hand rough. I play a lovely 5 iron 180 yards uphill to the heart of the green, he finds a green-side bunker and does well to make 5. I have a tough curling birdie putt but leave it dead. 1 up.

5. 450 yard par 4 (shot hole): Two good drives but my opponent pulls his 2nd into deep rough and takes 2 to hack it out into a greenside bunker. Meanwhile I've come up short with my second shot then chipped it to 4 feet. He takes 2 to get out of the deep bunker and concedes. 2 up.

6. 390 yard par 4 (shot hole): I push my drive into the right hand rough but my opponent sends his drive way right into the trees. He hits a good provisional and actually plays the hole well with his second ball for a 6, but I make par and go 3 up.

7. 140 yard par 3: We both misjudge the headwind and come up short. I chip it to 3 feet and roll in the putt for another win. 4 up.

8. 520 yard par 5 (shot hole): I drill a lovely drive straight into the wind and my opponent slices his off to the right. By the time we get to the green I'm tapping in for par and he can only make double bogey. I've now won 5 holes on the trot with 5 pars.

9. 340 yard par 4: I pull my tee shot into a fairway bunker and we half in bogeys. 5 up.

10. 190 yard par 3: My opponent is short off the tee but chips it close for par. I'm pin high but above the hole and can't save par. Is the come back on? 4 up.

11. 400 yard par 4: Uphill and into the wind, my opponent gets to the green in 3 and then 3 putts from distance. I play very conservatively for a safe bogey and get back to 5 up.

12. 430 yard par 4 (shot hole): A stream runs in front of the green on this hole, so after a pushed drive I elect to lay up and pitch it on to the correct tier of the green. My opponent misses the green with his approach, chips on and two putts, so I have a 10 footer for the win. I gently roll it down to the hole and take the half. 5 up.

13. 500 yard par 5: We are side by side all the way up this hole. After he makes bogey, I have a 6 foot uphill putt for par and the win. Normally I would firmly rattle this in, but over the ball I doubt myself and hit it a little softer. It reaches the hole but takes the break and rolls a few inches past. 5 up with 5 to play.

14. 500 yard par 5 (shot hole): My opponent's drive finishes behind a tree trunk and he has to chip out sideways. That's his shot gone and he's still got over 300 yards to go. By the time we get to the green, I've got a flat 4 foot putt for par and the best he can make is a double bogey, so he comes over and shakes my hand. Comfortable 6&4 win for me.

We played on and I finished with 2 pars and 2 bogeys to end up 8 over. If I was submitting a card it would have been a score differential of 6 against my course handicap of 12. I normally only play once a week, but this was my third round in a week and it showed.
 
Mixed greensome knockout, we were giving 6 shots to a pair who are probably better than their handicaps, we lost the 2nd and then went 2 down when he chipped in for a birdie on 3. From then on the match fluctuated between one and two down until we succumbed on the 17th.
 
I have a terrible record in matchplay, to the point I’ve never won a single competitive match. Always found that I get caught up in playing the man instead of the course, attempting daft shots to try and win a hole, rather than staying in it, being patient, playing my normal game etc.

So today I played a chap and had to give him 16 shots! I’m off 13 so I’m not a great player myself but knew I’d need to play well and hope he had an average day. Plan was as above, play my own game and just wait for him to make mistakes.

Well I played very well, in fact I was 1 over after 7 holes. Yet I found myself 2 down! This lad played out of his skin. I pretty much knew I was screwed on the first hole, he out drove my decent drive by 20 yards with a 3 wood, and then hit the edge of the green with his second, on a par 5.

He continued to stripe the ball for the rest of the round, rarely missing a green or making a mistake. Lagged long putts to gimme range, chipped close every time. Our gross scores were pretty similar but I couldn’t compete with his shots.

Anyway, 3 down at the turn, our 10th is a long par 4 and I hit a really good drive and nailed a 5i, finishing 12ft from the flag, 2 putted for a par. In contrast he sliced his drive, fatted his next, hit a wedge to 20ft and 2 putted for a half. Pretty much knew the game was up then.

I did manage to keep my chin up for a few more holes. On the 13th, he blocked his drive into the trees on the right, definitely dead. Hooked his provisional so far left it was nearly OOB on the next hole. I hit mine down the middle, nice a safe. Walking along looking for his first in my head I’m thinking I’m back in this now… nope, his first had somehow kicked out onto the fairway. My head had gone and that was pretty much that. What did he need to do to lose a hole!?

Managed to par the next but he also scored a par with a shot, won the hole and the match.

Very frustrating because I feel like I played really well, if it was a normal round I’d be expecting a cut tomorrow. Might be a knee jerk reaction but I don’t think I’ll enter next year, clearly not my strength!
 
First round of the major four-ball Betterball knockout. We found ourselves in the slightly daft situation of playing a 2 v 1 handicap match, as one of our opponents had cried off injured and this was the last day before the deadline. So it's me, getting 4 shots off my partner Ben (11 index), and we're up against 19 handicap 'LL' who's getting 7.

1st, par 3: We had a long wait on the tee box since there were loads of groups out before us, and it showed, as we all miss the green. LL and I both miss in the same spot on the right, both chip to the back of the green and both two putt for the half.

2nd, par 4: We both hit fairway, LL hits an iron off the tee but pushes it right and down into the ditch. Ben hits the green, I'm just short, LL takes a drop and then hits it over the green into the bunker. Ben makes par and it puts us 1 up.

3rd, par 3: My shot finds the bunker just short of the green, Ben finds the green and LL is long and left of it. I fire my bunker shot miles over the green so I just give up on this one. Ben three-putts for bogey, but LL chips on and then three-putts for double. 2 up.

4th, par 4: I aim up the left side and pipe one straight left. Ben does similar but skies his up in the air as well - and we're both getting shots on him here. LL absolutely stripes his drive with a touch of draw and goes bounding down there - one of those drives that made us stop and think "oh, hang on.." But thankfully his approach was woefully duffed out to the right. I ended up in the same spot after flying my 9 iron back over the left trees. We both get on the green and two-putt for half.

5th, par 4: Better drive for me, textbook fade onto the fairway. Ben slices his Oscar Bravo. LL over-draws it this time and is in the left trees. I play a lovely pitch onto the green and a tidy two-putt for par. LL made 5 or 6, I can't recall but we're 3 up. All going to plan so far....

6th, par 3: I miss the green just left which leaves me a really steep downhill shot to the pin. Ben is miles short of the greenside bunker, let alone the green. LL hit a beauty, only about ten feet short of the pin. Normally I'm poor at putting from off the green, but it's my only chance of getting it anywhere near, so I go for it - and judge it right this time! It runs down the hill but comes to a halt at the right time and leaves me a two-footer for par. LL just misses his birdie putt, I sink my two-footer and it's a half.

7th, par 4: Me and LL getting shots. I hit another one like the 4th where I start it left and it stays there - the other two hit good drives down the right hand side of fairway. Nobody is quite on the green with their second shots, but we're all up in three. Ben sinks a fantastic 20-foot par putt which none of us expected - LL and I both two-putt for bogey so it's halved.

8th, par 5: Once again I hit one straight off the left, which is getting old quick. Ben hit a bit of a hook onto the practice ground. I was surprised to see LL with an iron in his hands - and no tee either he just chucks it on the ground. The actions of an elite ball-striker you may think? Wrong - he duffs it 100 yards into long grass. This was his first shot hole on both of us as well, so must have been kicking himself. In the end Ben managed a bogey and LL only salvages a double so it's another half.

9th, par 5: I hit what was technically a worse drive, striking low heel, but thanks to the wonderful technology of Ping it results in a big fade that ends up on the fairway. Ben hits an awful swing and sends it right over the trees. LL has the iron out again but only finds the right hand rough. His second finds a fairway bunker, but he played a great shot onto the green from there, while my approach was a little long. I'm putting from just off the green but it races down the hill and a good 8 feet past. I miss the one back up, but LL has three-putted as well so it's halved in bogeys.

After a decent start for us, LL has very much picked up the baton and is matching us for the time being. And he was about to go up another gear..

10th, par 3: Frankly rubbish tee shots from both Ben and I, while LL finds the very back of the green. I played a nice chip on to about 4 foot, but I pull my putt. A nice lag and a gimme gets LL his first hole of the day. 2 up.

11th, par 4: LL the only one getting a shot here, and his drive is just in the right rough. I hit maybe my best drive of the day, absolutely pipe it down the middle and it rolls out to about 260+ yards. Ben hits another awful slice. LL fires his approach through the back of this away-sloping green. I try and hit a 50° that should release down the hill, but it catches the left rough and stays short. I have to putt down the hill and somehow that stays about 6 feet short as well. Very annoying. LL chips on from behind the green, and sinks a lovely 8-footer for par! He couldn't, could he..? 1 up.

12th, par 4: Two of us getting a shot on Ben here. LL hits a decent one up the middle, I hit mine left again, Ben pushes his right into a bush. I'm blocked out by trees, but I punch a low 6 iron out which jumps the first ditch nicely and stops just before the second one - exactly as I wanted. LL misses the green right, it's heading into bushes, but the bushes are kind and spit his ball out greenside. I pitch on fairly nicely and two-putt for bogey - LL chips across the green and also two-putts for bogey.

13th, par 4: LL tops his drive into the hedge. I decide to stop aiming so far left - and slice it right obviously. Getting slightly peeved it's fair to say. Ben gets one in play at long last. LL's ball made it's way through said bush, so he sends one forward and gets on the green in three. I have to take a drop, punch one back to the fairway - and then pitch it to about two feet from the hole. Ben slightly duffs his approach short, and then putts up to about seven feet. He lags that up for a five, while LL leaves his first attempt well short, meaning he three-putts for a 6. Comeback halted for now. 2 up.

14th, par 3: I send mine left of the green. Ben is just short right, LL left fringe. I had a crap lie but managed a good chip just past the hole. The other two both lag theirs up. I sink a three-footer so everyone makes par.

15th, long par 3: LL receiving a shot here. I hit a great drive just off the right fringe. The other two both slice it way right and have to pitch on. I dribble my putt down the steep hill to the hole, but somehow it stops about four feet short, and I miss the next one by a centimetre, so bogey for me. Ben made bogey as well - LL has a three-foot bogey putt for the win, but he doesn't hole it.

16th, par 4: Me and LL getting shots here. I stripe a great one down the middle. Ben hits a bit of a high spinny one but up the middle as well. LL absolutely nails his drive, about 30 yards past mine. I go for the green with hybrid and hit a crap heely cut that ends up short of the right bunker. Ben hooks his. LL hits a good shot just shy of the fringe. Ben's third finds bunker. I realise I need to go close as I'm certain LL will two-putt - the only way to get close is to do something I never usually do, and chip it over the bunker with 60°. So I duff it into the bunker with 60°. I get out of the bunker reasonably well but the damage is already done, LL makes his par and gets it back to 1 up.

17th, par 4: LL finds fairway with an iron, I find fairway with 3 wood, and Ben finds the adjacent 18th fairway with a hybrid. But it's finally his time to shine - god knows how but he launched an unbelievable iron over all the trees, onto the green and it rolls up to about two feet from the flag. LL hooks his well left of the green, and I find the left side of the green with wedge. He chips on but it's too quick and runs across the other side. I two-putt mine for par and Ben doesn't even need to hit his birdie putt. 2 & 1 victory.


I had a feeling that with the pressure well and truly on us, our opponent would be fairly relaxed and play well, and so it proved. I think he was about 18 over in the end, pretty decent off his 19 index, and about the same as what my gross score was. I felt we started well but just started to unravel a little bit for a few holes. Thankfully we got it done in the end and don't have to leave town and never show our faces again. Will need to play a bit better in the next round though, up against 20 & 26 handicappers.
 
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2nd round of the singles today....i get 5 shots (CH 6 v my CH 11).

Lost to the same guy in the 2nd round last year 3&2. Spent a week in Turkey in mid May listening to him snore. One of our "group" and a decent guy.

1st: Par 5. Regulation fairways and greens and 2 putts each see's us share the hole
2nd: Long Par 3. I find a greenside bunker and am unable to get up and down. 1 down
3rd: Par 4. I find a fairway bunker off the tee, right up against the face and have to play my escape with my knee and knackers touching the ground outside the bunker. Find the green with my third shot but unable to hole the par putt. 2 down
4th: Par 3. We both find the green and 2 putt, but as its a shot hole for me I grab a hole back. 1 down
5th Par 4. I push my tee shot right into water, he hits the middle of the fairway. I drop and proceed to shank my third into another pond....but it hits a tree keeping it on dry land. It's still my shot so I proceed to hit another tree and the ball lands in the second pond. He plays his second, catches it thin and low and fails to carry the 2nd pond. He drops and plays his 4th to the green. I drop...right into an old divot and play what is my 6th to the back of the green. I lip out the resulting 40 foot putt and end up with an 8 nett 7. He cosies his ball to the hole for his 5th and i pick it up and throw it back to him. 2 down again
6th Par 4. He hits trees down the left which flick his ball back on to the fairway but due to the dogleg has not shot to the green. I nail a 3-wood right to the dogleg corner. He lays up to the corner of his 2nd shot. My approach to the uphill green is an airy-fairy affair which drops 20 yards short. He plays his third to around 8ft. I stab and angry chip that runs maybe 20ft past the flag, before running my putt up to the edge of the hole for a 5. He misses his 8 footer for the win and sends it about 4ft past the hole....and misses that one to gift me the hole. back to 1 down.
7th Par 5. We get back to playing proper golf and halve the hole in regulation pars. 1 down
8th Par 4. Both hit great drives down the left opening up a better approach to the flag, which is tucked close to the front of the green with water immediately in front. A shot hole for me so I play conservatively, taking the lake out of play and nail a shot long and left up a bare bank. He also hits long and finds the back edge of the green. My chip shot is miraculous (considering the awful dusty lie) and it runs out beautifully, stopping just 4 inches short of the hole. His putt from the back rolls to about 4ft but he cant match my nett 3. All Square
9th Par 4. Hit two good shots to the back of the green, Opponent shanks one out of the right side fairway bunker all the way down the hill to the edge of the 6th green, leaving maybe a 100yrd pitch up hill to a flag tucked in a tight corner. He hits a stunning shot to 6ft. I roll my putt to a concedable range but he misses his par putt. 1 up
10th Par 3. We both hit the green and walk away with pars. 1up
11th Par 4. I push my tee shot right into trees and have to chip out sideways. My approach is to about 10ft but i fail to hole the par putt and lose to a regulation par. All Square
12th Par 3. Opponent pushes his tee shot right, I find the short stuff. He chips to about 8ft past the cup. I manage to control my downhill cross green putt so that it stops six inches from the hole. His 8 foot putt is a tad to pacy and lips out. 1 up
13th Par 4. Its a long hole and we both take 5 without doing anything particularly wrong...but its the 4th of my shot holes so I put some daylight between us. 2 up
14th Par 4. I play it in regulation but he goes long with his approach but manages to hit a great chip to around 6ft and holed the putt for a half. 2 up
15th Par 4. The last of my shot holes. Not a terribly long hole but quite tight. I take 3 wood off the tee and nail it down the middle. He also nuts a good drive. My approach though is overcooked and I run through the green up a slope. He hits a stunner to around 4ft. I hit my chip exactly where I wanted to but it ran out a little bit further than envisaged leaving me 8 foot for my par. Sadly the putt horseshoe'd out and my opponent dropped his to win the hole. 1 up
16th Par 3. He hits 20ft past the hole, I'm 25ft right. I underhit my putt leaving a nasty 6 footer whilst his attempt cosied up to the hole. I get the half when my putt just catches the edge and drops. 1 up
17th Par 5. Opponent hits a good drive but I pull mine slightly and catch the edge of a tree 100 yds off the tee. Ball is on a bare lie and I have around 200yds to get to the corner of the dogleg which would leave another 180yds in to the hole. I hit an awful shot that scoots out low and is going out of bounds right before it hits several trees and comes back into the semi rough. Still my shot and I cut the dogleg with a 7iron but pull it slightly left so it runs through the fairway into light rough but snookered behind a tree. Opponent hits over the dogleg but catches a tree at the far edge dropping in to a position where he can only bunt it down the fairway to leave around 100 yards to go. I'm some 140 yards out, ball in light rough about knee height with overhanging tree branches preventing any shot with height. Gripping down on a hybrid and closing the face I punch the ball out and catch it sooooo sweetly and its off like an exocet straight at the flag....lands maybe 70 yards short of the green and just rooollllls so far, through the green and up the slope at the back. Opponent then hits his approach pin high bu 15 ft left of the flag. My chip from the back lands half way down the bank but snags up in clover, robbing it of energy and it dribbles to the edge of the green. Opponent lags his put up and I concede his six before failing to hole from around 10ft for the half. All Square.
18th Par 4. We both hit great shots straight down the middle. We both find the green. I miss my birdie putt. He doesnt. Lost 1 down.
 
nickjdavis said:
2nd round of the singles today....i get 5 shots (CH 6 v my CH 11).

Lost to the same guy in the 2nd round last year 3&2. Spent a week in Turkey in mid May listening to him snore. One of our "group" and a decent guy.

1st: Par 5. Regulation fairways and greens and 2 putts each see's us share the hole
2nd: Long Par 3. I find a greenside bunker and am unable to get up and down. 1 down
3rd: Par 4. I find a fairway bunker off the tee, right up against the face and have to play my escape with my knee and knackers touching the ground outside the bunker. Find the green with my third shot but unable to hole the par putt. 2 down
4th: Par 3. We both find the green and 2 putt, but as its a shot hole for me I grab a hole back. 1 down
5th Par 4. I push my tee shot right into water, he hits the middle of the fairway. I drop and proceed to shank my third into another pond....but it hits a tree keeping it on dry land. It's still my shot so I proceed to hit another tree and the ball lands in the second pond. He plays his second, catches it thin and low and fails to carry the 2nd pond. He drops and plays his 4th to the green. I drop...right into an old divot and play what is my 6th to the back of the green. I lip out the resulting 40 foot putt and end up with an 8 nett 7. He cosies his ball to the hole for his 5th and i pick it up and throw it back to him. 2 down again
6th Par 4. He hits trees down the left which flick his ball back on to the fairway but due to the dogleg has not shot to the green. I nail a 3-wood right to the dogleg corner. He lays up to the corner of his 2nd shot. My approach to the uphill green is an airy-fairy affair which drops 20 yards short. He plays his third to around 8ft. I stab and angry chip that runs maybe 20ft past the flag, before running my putt up to the edge of the hole for a 5. He misses his 8 footer for the win and sends it about 4ft past the hole....and misses that one to gift me the hole. back to 1 down.
7th Par 5. We get back to playing proper golf and halve the hole in regulation pars. 1 down
8th Par 4. Both hit great drives down the left opening up a better approach to the flag, which is tucked close to the front of the green with water immediately in front. A shot hole for me so I play conservatively, taking the lake out of play and nail a shot long and left up a bare bank. He also hits long and finds the back edge of the green. My chip shot is miraculous (considering the awful dusty lie) and it runs out beautifully, stopping just 4 inches short of the hole. His putt from the back rolls to about 4ft but he cant match my nett 3. All Square
9th Par 4. Hit two good shots to the back of the green, Opponent shanks one out of the right side fairway bunker all the way down the hill to the edge of the 6th green, leaving maybe a 100yrd pitch up hill to a flag tucked in a tight corner. He hits a stunning shot to 6ft. I roll my putt to a concedable range but he misses his par putt. 1 up
10th Par 3. We both hit the green and walk away with pars. 1up
11th Par 4. I push my tee shot right into trees and have to chip out sideways. My approach is to about 10ft but i fail to hole the par putt and lose to a regulation par. All Square
12th Par 3. Opponent pushes his tee shot right, I find the short stuff. He chips to about 8ft past the cup. I manage to control my downhill cross green putt so that it stops six inches from the hole. His 8 foot putt is a tad to pacy and lips out. 1 up
13th Par 4. Its a long hole and we both take 5 without doing anything particularly wrong...but its the 4th of my shot holes so I put some daylight between us. 2 up
14th Par 4. I play it in regulation but he goes long with his approach but manages to hit a great chip to around 6ft and holed the putt for a half. 2 up
15th Par 4. The last of my shot holes. Not a terribly long hole but quite tight. I take 3 wood off the tee and nail it down the middle. He also nuts a good drive. My approach though is overcooked and I run through the green up a slope. He hits a stunner to around 4ft. I hit my chip exactly where I wanted to but it ran out a little bit further than envisaged leaving me 8 foot for my par. Sadly the putt horseshoe'd out and my opponent dropped his to win the hole. 1 up
16th Par 3. He hits 20ft past the hole, I'm 25ft right. I underhit my putt leaving a nasty 6 footer whilst his attempt cosied up to the hole. I get the half when my putt just catches the edge and drops. 1 up
17th Par 5. Opponent hits a good drive but I pull mine slightly and catch the edge of a tree 100 yds off the tee. Ball is on a bare lie and I have around 200yds to get to the corner of the dogleg which would leave another 180yds in to the hole. I hit an awful shot that scoots out low and is going out of bounds right before it hits several trees and comes back into the semi rough. Still my shot and I cut the dogleg with a 7iron but pull it slightly left so it runs through the fairway into light rough but snookered behind a tree. Opponent hits over the dogleg but catches a tree at the far edge dropping in to a position where he can only bunt it down the fairway to leave around 100 yards to go. I'm some 140 yards out, ball in light rough about knee height with overhanging tree branches preventing any shot with height. Gripping down on a hybrid and closing the face I punch the ball out and catch it sooooo sweetly and its off like an exocet straight at the flag....lands maybe 70 yards short of the green and just rooollllls so far, through the green and up the slope at the back. Opponent then hits his approach pin high bu 15 ft left of the flag. My chip from the back lands half way down the bank but snags up in clover, robbing it of energy and it dribbles to the edge of the green. Opponent lags his put up and I concede his six before failing to hole from around 10ft for the half. All Square.
18th Par 4. We both hit great shots straight down the middle. We both find the green. I miss my birdie putt. He doesnt. Lost 1 down.
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Hard luck, sounds like it was a great match
 
'Challenge Cup' match today (singles knock-out for all handicaps) against a 10-ish handicapper, so receiving 5 shots. Not feeling confident as I've been ill all week and could hardly sleep last night for my cough waking me up.

1st, par 3: He hits the green, my 7 wood is going straight for it but I've caught it slightly fat so it ends up in the bunker, short. I get out of it well but make bogey to his par. 1 down.

2nd, par 4: He hits middle of fairway, I pull my 3 wood a fraction and end up in the left trees and having to chip out. From there I flush a wedge nicely onto the green, but can only make bogey and he pars again. 2 down.

3rd, par 3: He's on the green, and I actually hit a rare perfectly flushed 7 iron onto the green for once. Both two-putt and it's a half.

4th, par 4, shot: Both slightly left with the drives, but my approach is rubbish, it goes well right and miles short of wear I was aiming. His goes long through the back. I play a nice half-swing pitch with 9 iron, but it catches a slope and just rolls through the other side. He has a bad lie for his chip and knifes it, having to chip again from the other side. I chip on and have a three-footer for bogey, but he holes out for 6 and concedes. 1 down.

5th, par 4: I hit fairway and green like a proper golfer, but I have a long downhill putt. He misses the green left and has to chip on. I judge my putt perfectly and it only leaves me two-foot for par, which I make - beating his bogey. All square.

6th, par 3: I slightly duff my wedge, but it takes a nice hop forward and ends up on the green. He hits it much nicer but for a similar result. Both make tricky two-putts for pars and a half.

7th, par 4, shot: Both hit good drives. Both miss the green left, although mine is a little shorter so he has to go over a bunker and I don't. Both chip on and two-putt so my shot gives me the win. 1 up.

8th, par 5: Both drive to the left edge of fairway, but I duff my second shot a bit, whereas he stripes his. I've got just under 150 to the green, I hit 8 iron but it misses pin-high right. He's just playing a pitch from much closer so gets on the green easily. I chip across but narrowly miss my par putt, while he two-putts for a par. All square.

9th, par 5: His drive is solid, on the fairway. I shut the face of my driver before I even take the club away, but I lack the ability to abort a shot, so I just pipe it straight left about 80 yards left of the fairway. It runs into the tree-lined ditch that runs across the rough on that side, but it's so far left that my best course of action after taking a drop is to fire hybrid up the 8th hole, and then try and hit a long-ish iron shot over the practice ground that's in-between them, and back onto the correct hole. Surprisingly, I hit this shot very nicely with 7 iron, so I'm just short of the fringe in 4, somehow. Unfortunately my opponent is in the same spot for 3 - we both chip on and two-putt so he takes it with a bogey. But ordinarily that was a worldy double bogey from me. 😂 1 down.

10th, par 3: He hits green, and so do I, with hybrid - don't often hit this green so I was pleased with that. Both two-putt for half.

11th, par 4, shot: The wind got up for his drive and blows him right of the fairway. I aim left for this wind, and it stops abruptly so I miss left of fairway. He has a better angle to hit one down the hill, whereas I'm punching through a bit of a gap, and it doesn't run as far as I'd like. I then miss the green right with wedge, he chips onto the back of it for 3. I manage to chip on ok and two-putt for double, he thankfully doesn't make his par, so it's a half.

12th, par 4, shot: He hits a scruffy drive low and left, and I hit a lovely one into position A. He feels like he has to go for the green from a poor position, just missing right and just staying out of the bushes. I have around 180-ish to the pin, and I hit a beauty of a 7 wood which finds the heart of the green. His chip doesn't get him close enough, whereas I cosy my putt up nicely for a very well-played par. All square.

13th, par 4: My drive just sneaks a bit far right for my liking on the wind, while he hits a great one up the centre. I'm a bit worried about the overhanging tree from the right, but I decide to ignore it and just hit 9 iron straight through it and hope for the best - remarkably, this actually works and I hit one of my shots of the day, to about 8 feet from the hole! Opponent then knifes his approach through the back of the green. He's not able to get up-and-down from back there, and it doesn't matter either way, because I actually sink my birdie putt to regain the lead. 1 up.

14th, par 3: I hit a lovely strike with 7 iron, or so I thought but it only just makes the front of the green when I thought it was going to be better than that. He misses long and left, but plays a very nice chip from a difficult lie, to about 4 feet. This green is a new-ish one and very hard to read though - I make three-putt from a long way back, he misses the four-footer, so it's halved.

15th, long par 3: I make a horrific mess of this drive with a smothered pull straight left into trees. He hits a superb 3 wood onto the green that looks pretty close. I decide to try and hit a draw with my A-wedge, but, realising that I do not possess the ability to do that, I end up cutting it about 20 yards right of the green instead. It leaves me a steep downhill chip, but I actually clip a 50 perfectly and it runs to about two feet from the hole! His ball wasn't quite as near to the hole as it looked, and he races his ten-footer past the hole - then misses the one back! He's let me off the hook and I drain my two-footer for a very welcome and unexpected half in bogeys.

16th, par 4, shot: I hit another straight pull left. So annoying. He also goes left though, and only just stops short of the red penalty area that's over there (it's actually in front of the 13th tee). I have a crappy lie, but weirdly I don't realise this until I'm about to pull the trigger with the 8 iron - I duff the hell out of it and goes in said red penalty area. Fuming. I take my drop and it hops 6 inches backwards into a weed - can't even do that right. I hit a crappy heely shot back over the trees but at least I'm now on the right hole. He hits a wonder strike onto the green. My chip doesn't even quite make the green for 5 bloody shots. I've literally done everything wrong - couldn't even make a good drop let alone a golf shot. He actually pars it and I make triple bogey, making my shot on this hole very much redundant. All square.

17th, par 4: He hits fairway with an iron, I hit 3 wood and it doesn't cut as much as I expect so I'm just off the left side of the fairway. His approach ends up a little bit short as the wind was blowing and I could see he was having a hard time with club selection. A bit like the 13th earlier, I decide to just pray I go straight through the overhanging branches - I hit a poor strike this time, but it does at least get over these trees still, and somehow dribbles onto the left side of the green. His chip from the below the green checks up and leaves him a long-ish putt. I have a quick putt downhill which ends up two feet past. He misses his par putt and I drain mine to put myself back in the driving seat. 1 up.

18th, par 4: I duff my tee shot but my 7 wood is my best friend, the Cobra rails do their job and this ends up pretty ok just off the right of the fairway. He hits a pretty identical shot. Me to play first and I just about find the green into the wind, but I'm right on the front edge and the pin is right at the back. He misses a little bit short and right, so he has to chip up a large bank, but he does a great job of that, leaving himself about 5 feet. I only need a two-putt to win the match. It's normally quick going this way, so I try and gently run it down - it stops about 8 feet short. Then I try and cosy it up again and it takes the slope this time, running about 5 feet past. What the hell am I doing?? It's still me to play by an inch or two, and I miss again, so it's a four-putt double bogey. I could've cried at this point. It's the most pathetic bottlejob you've ever seen in your life. With two putts for the win, he actually rolls it straight in for par but that doesn't make me feel any better. All square.

Play-off: 1st, par 3: We're back on the 1st. He just about finds the front of the green. My 7 wood is a bit slicey and misses green right. I have the worst lie you've ever seen - even Seve himself would have struggled with this. On a patch of mud, below my feet, and have to get it up over the path to find the green - absolutely no chance, I just duff it with 54. The second attempt sees me with a better lie, bit of grass and level this time, so I actually clip it nicely and leave myself a four-foot uphill putt. Opponent leaves his about three feet away from the pin, so I still have a chance if I can bang this in - which I do. He then misses his par putt so it's a half. Neither of us wants to win this apparently?

Play-off: 2nd, par 4: He slices his drive a bit, and I'm praying it's going to kick down the hill into the ditch, but it stays on top. I hit one of those low-on-the-face 3 wood strikes which comes off as a bit of a straight missile and looks great - dead middle of fairway. I have about 90 yards in but my approach is a little bit fat and a little bit left and finds the bunker. He manages to pitch onto the green. I get out of the bunker nicely, but miles beyond the front pin. I putt downhill knowing that I need to hole it really, and I don't. With two putts for the win, he actually drains it straight in for birdie. Game over.


Gutted doesn't cover it really. I played well, even with the cock-up on the 16th my gross score was around 83/84 (dependent on the one three-footer he didn't make me hole), so 34 or 33 points. I'm just so upset with myself, that every time I put myself in position to win the match, I spectacularly bottled it. Who the hell four-putts when they've been putting pretty well all day!?? Absolutely pathetic stuff from me. Whenever the chips were down, I scrambled brilliantly, on the 15th, and 1st play-off hole for example. But as soon as I have the lead I fold like a house of cards. Pathetic. He actually admitted he has the same problem and he plays better when he's behind than when he's leading, which is obviously why we had such a good ding-dong battle. But yeah - not happy at the moment. I've wolfed down a whole bag of Wispa Bites and that hasn't cheered me up very much.
 
4BBB, First round, I'm low h'cap, partner receives 7, oppos 8 and 10.

1st P4, my par wins it

2nd P3, shots for all three, my partner pars for net birdie, 2 up

3rd P5, halved in par

4th P4, shots for all three, halved in net par

5th P4, halved in bogey

6th P3, shots for all three, we both find the green, they miss wide right with one and bunker with the other. The guy in the bunker hits a great shot to about 4 feet but my partner holes from 20 feet for birdie, 3 up

7th P4, shots for both oppos. They ask to confirm shots received on the tee which we do. They make a few errors and are on the green in four, we're on in three, all similar distances, 10 to 15 feet. I'm away and before I put I say out loud "we're as we lie so if one of us makes this putt it could be the hole!". I then make my putt and retrieve my ball, as I'm standing up I can see one of the oppos going to pick his marker up and call out to tell him he has a shot but too late, he's already picked it up. I look round expecting to see his partner about to say a few choice words, but he's picked his marker up too! Unbelievable, but 4 up.

8th P5, my partner wins with another birdie, 5 up

9th P4, halved and we're 5 up at the turn.

10th P5, shot for one oppo, and he makes net par for the win, 4 up

11th P3, halved in par

12th P4, shots for all three, my par is enough for a half

13th and 14th halved

15th P5, and we're 4 up with 4 to play. I hit into jungle and am 3 off the tee, my partner goes in the water and has to take a penalty drop. I end up about 110 yards away after four but play a great wedge to 6 inches which is conceded for a 6. Only one oppo still in the hole and he has a 20 footer for par to keep the match alive, which he holes!

16th P4, shots for all three and my partner makes net par to close out the match 3 & 2
 
Orikoru said:
'Challenge Cup' match today (singles knock-out for all handicaps) against a 10-ish handicapper, so receiving 5 shots. Not feeling confident as I've been ill all week and could hardly sleep last night for my cough waking me up.

1st, par 3: He hits the green, my 7 wood is going straight for it but I've caught it slightly fat so it ends up in the bunker, short. I get out of it well but make bogey to his par. 1 down.

2nd, par 4: He hits middle of fairway, I pull my 3 wood a fraction and end up in the left trees and having to chip out. From there I flush a wedge nicely onto the green, but can only make bogey and he pars again. 2 down.

3rd, par 3: He's on the green, and I actually hit a rare perfectly flushed 7 iron onto the green for once. Both two-putt and it's a half.

4th, par 4, shot: Both slightly left with the drives, but my approach is rubbish, it goes well right and miles short of wear I was aiming. His goes long through the back. I play a nice half-swing pitch with 9 iron, but it catches a slope and just rolls through the other side. He has a bad lie for his chip and knifes it, having to chip again from the other side. I chip on and have a three-footer for bogey, but he holes out for 6 and concedes. 1 down.

5th, par 4: I hit fairway and green like a proper golfer, but I have a long downhill putt. He misses the green left and has to chip on. I judge my putt perfectly and it only leaves me two-foot for par, which I make - beating his bogey. All square.

6th, par 3: I slightly duff my wedge, but it takes a nice hop forward and ends up on the green. He hits it much nicer but for a similar result. Both make tricky two-putts for pars and a half.

7th, par 4, shot: Both hit good drives. Both miss the green left, although mine is a little shorter so he has to go over a bunker and I don't. Both chip on and two-putt so my shot gives me the win. 1 up.

8th, par 5: Both drive to the left edge of fairway, but I duff my second shot a bit, whereas he stripes his. I've got just under 150 to the green, I hit 8 iron but it misses pin-high right. He's just playing a pitch from much closer so gets on the green easily. I chip across but narrowly miss my par putt, while he two-putts for a par. All square.

9th, par 5: His drive is solid, on the fairway. I shut the face of my driver before I even take the club away, but I lack the ability to abort a shot, so I just pipe it straight left about 80 yards left of the fairway. It runs into the tree-lined ditch that runs across the rough on that side, but it's so far left that my best course of action after taking a drop is to fire hybrid up the 8th hole, and then try and hit a long-ish iron shot over the practice ground that's in-between them, and back onto the correct hole. Surprisingly, I hit this shot very nicely with 7 iron, so I'm just short of the fringe in 4, somehow. Unfortunately my opponent is in the same spot for 3 - we both chip on and two-putt so he takes it with a bogey. But ordinarily that was a worldy double bogey from me. 😂 1 down.

10th, par 3: He hits green, and so do I, with hybrid - don't often hit this green so I was pleased with that. Both two-putt for half.

11th, par 4, shot: The wind got up for his drive and blows him right of the fairway. I aim left for this wind, and it stops abruptly so I miss left of fairway. He has a better angle to hit one down the hill, whereas I'm punching through a bit of a gap, and it doesn't run as far as I'd like. I then miss the green right with wedge, he chips onto the back of it for 3. I manage to chip on ok and two-putt for double, he thankfully doesn't make his par, so it's a half.

12th, par 4, shot: He hits a scruffy drive low and left, and I hit a lovely one into position A. He feels like he has to go for the green from a poor position, just missing right and just staying out of the bushes. I have around 180-ish to the pin, and I hit a beauty of a 7 wood which finds the heart of the green. His chip doesn't get him close enough, whereas I cosy my putt up nicely for a very well-played par. All square.

13th, par 4: My drive just sneaks a bit far right for my liking on the wind, while he hits a great one up the centre. I'm a bit worried about the overhanging tree from the right, but I decide to ignore it and just hit 9 iron straight through it and hope for the best - remarkably, this actually works and I hit one of my shots of the day, to about 8 feet from the hole! Opponent then knifes his approach through the back of the green. He's not able to get up-and-down from back there, and it doesn't matter either way, because I actually sink my birdie putt to regain the lead. 1 up.

14th, par 3: I hit a lovely strike with 7 iron, or so I thought but it only just makes the front of the green when I thought it was going to be better than that. He misses long and left, but plays a very nice chip from a difficult lie, to about 4 feet. This green is a new-ish one and very hard to read though - I make three-putt from a long way back, he misses the four-footer, so it's halved.

15th, long par 3: I make a horrific mess of this drive with a smothered pull straight left into trees. He hits a superb 3 wood onto the green that looks pretty close. I decide to try and hit a draw with my A-wedge, but, realising that I do not possess the ability to do that, I end up cutting it about 20 yards right of the green instead. It leaves me a steep downhill chip, but I actually clip a 50 perfectly and it runs to about two feet from the hole! His ball wasn't quite as near to the hole as it looked, and he races his ten-footer past the hole - then misses the one back! He's let me off the hook and I drain my two-footer for a very welcome and unexpected half in bogeys.

16th, par 4, shot: I hit another straight pull left. So annoying. He also goes left though, and only just stops short of the red penalty area that's over there (it's actually in front of the 13th tee). I have a crappy lie, but weirdly I don't realise this until I'm about to pull the trigger with the 8 iron - I duff the hell out of it and goes in said red penalty area. Fuming. I take my drop and it hops 6 inches backwards into a weed - can't even do that right. I hit a crappy heely shot back over the trees but at least I'm now on the right hole. He hits a wonder strike onto the green. My chip doesn't even quite make the green for 5 bloody shots. I've literally done everything wrong - couldn't even make a good drop let alone a golf shot. He actually pars it and I make triple bogey, making my shot on this hole very much redundant. All square.

17th, par 4: He hits fairway with an iron, I hit 3 wood and it doesn't cut as much as I expect so I'm just off the left side of the fairway. His approach ends up a little bit short as the wind was blowing and I could see he was having a hard time with club selection. A bit like the 13th earlier, I decide to just pray I go straight through the overhanging branches - I hit a poor strike this time, but it does at least get over these trees still, and somehow dribbles onto the left side of the green. His chip from the below the green checks up and leaves him a long-ish putt. I have a quick putt downhill which ends up two feet past. He misses his par putt and I drain mine to put myself back in the driving seat. 1 up.

18th, par 4: I duff my tee shot but my 7 wood is my best friend, the Cobra rails do their job and this ends up pretty ok just off the right of the fairway. He hits a pretty identical shot. Me to play first and I just about find the green into the wind, but I'm right on the front edge and the pin is right at the back. He misses a little bit short and right, so he has to chip up a large bank, but he does a great job of that, leaving himself about 5 feet. I only need a two-putt to win the match. It's normally quick going this way, so I try and gently run it down - it stops about 8 feet short. Then I try and cosy it up again and it takes the slope this time, running about 5 feet past. What the hell am I doing?? It's still me to play by an inch or two, and I miss again, so it's a four-putt double bogey. I could've cried at this point. It's the most pathetic bottlejob you've ever seen in your life. With two putts for the win, he actually rolls it straight in for par but that doesn't make me feel any better. All square.

Play-off: 1st, par 3: We're back on the 1st. He just about finds the front of the green. My 7 wood is a bit slicey and misses green right. I have the worst lie you've ever seen - even Seve himself would have struggled with this. On a patch of mud, below my feet, and have to get it up over the path to find the green - absolutely no chance, I just duff it with 54. The second attempt sees me with a better lie, bit of grass and level this time, so I actually clip it nicely and leave myself a four-foot uphill putt. Opponent leaves his about three feet away from the pin, so I still have a chance if I can bang this in - which I do. He then misses his par putt so it's a half. Neither of us wants to win this apparently?

Play-off: 2nd, par 4: He slices his drive a bit, and I'm praying it's going to kick down the hill into the ditch, but it stays on top. I hit one of those low-on-the-face 3 wood strikes which comes off as a bit of a straight missile and looks great - dead middle of fairway. I have about 90 yards in but my approach is a little bit fat and a little bit left and finds the bunker. He manages to pitch onto the green. I get out of the bunker nicely, but miles beyond the front pin. I putt downhill knowing that I need to hole it really, and I don't. With two putts for the win, he actually drains it straight in for birdie. Game over.


Gutted doesn't cover it really. I played well, even with the cock-up on the 16th my gross score was around 83/84 (dependent on the one three-footer he didn't make me hole), so 34 or 33 points. I'm just so upset with myself, that every time I put myself in position to win the match, I spectacularly bottled it. Who the hell four-putts when they've been putting pretty well all day!?? Absolutely pathetic stuff from me. Whenever the chips were down, I scrambled brilliantly, on the 15th, and 1st play-off hole for example. But as soon as I have the lead I fold like a house of cards. Pathetic. He actually admitted he has the same problem and he plays better when he's behind than when he's leading, which is obviously why we had such a good ding-dong battle. But yeah - not happy at the moment. I've wolfed down a whole bag of Wispa Bites and that hasn't cheered me up very much.
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Can we call you Rory now?
 
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