2026 Knockout Stories

[Lucifer MorningStar]

We have a similar rule, think it is 8 rounds in total, and must have at least 4 competition cards. GP cards can be from any course. This is only for Board Competitions, which includes the knockouts and is for the 12 months preceding the date of the comp.. The club has plenty of non board competitions and does put a few extra Pro Shop Stablefords on at the beginning of the season to allow those who need them to get an extra card in. With the amount of comps over the year, there really is no excuse for not meeting the criteria.

As I’ve said 8 is a squeeE but absolutely possible but the previous poster said their committee have said it has to be 20 cards in a year including 8 in qualifying comps. That is imo not a reasonable amount especially as a new member , 20 rounds is hard to do for people with families and work commitments. I’d be able to squeeze 8 in time to play the back end of a seasons comps. But if you’re new and joined a club in Jan-March like myself with the weather we have you’re never getting 20 handicap rounds in time to play in comps and just alienate your new members which is absolutely not welcoming at all.

 

[sjw]

Really tough match last night in the first round of the pairs KO, which we won on the first playoff hole.

We went two down in the first two holes but got it back to all square through eight before I made an embarrassing and potentially costly error - picking up my marker when I thought the hole was halved when I actually had a putt for the hole. D'oh! Won't make that mistake again. I could tell my partner was really annoyed, he went very quiet, so I was determined to make that up to him. I played the next couple of holes pretty poorly, but won the 12th for us to go one up.

We were pegged back later on and went one down on the 17th, with a crazy good birdie from one of the other pair (and the only putt from outside 4 feet that was holed all evening!)

But more drama was to come down the 18th....

Stood over my second shot, 260 to the pin down the par 5 with a ditch about 150-160 away, I asked my partner if I should go for it or not. At first he said do what you're comfortable with, then he changed his mind and said, sod it, we have to win the hole, go for it... I put it in the lake

However, just after I did so, birdie boy from the hole prior admitted to playing the wrong ball for his second shot (out of a bush), rendering him out of the hole. We had to look up what the rules were and whether it meant they as a team lost the hole or not, but the other guy was allowed to play on.

I took a drop and put my next shot pin high so I had a putt for a 5 net 4. My partner was on the green looking for a 4. I missed my putt, he missed his. This meant that the remaining player had a putt to halve the hole from about 7 feet - and he missed. Down the first we go!

It's the first playoff hole I've ever had so I was a little nervous over the tee shot, but for a change my driver had been working pretty well, so I had that going for me. My partner hits a hybrid up the right. I SMOKE my tee shot literally straight up the middle. Guy 1 plays a decent shot and guy 2 puts his in the red penalty area, so he's all but out of the hole barring a miracle. My partner and I hit the green, guy 1 is chipping on. Me and guy 1 have a shot on the hole.

Guy 1 hits a good chip to about 8 feet. My partner and I are both about 30 feet out. He putts, leaves his ball on my line, goes to tidy up and lips out. Ok, a two putt from me should be enough. I hit this putt and I immediately think, whoops, that's a touch hard... but it starts tracking straight to the hole. It goes in left centre, and proceeds to circle the cup, loops round with about 70% of the ball below the hole, and just as I think, "phew, that was close," it pops out and sits on the left edge of the hole. Basically a 450 degree lip out after being all but in, I've never seen anything like it! No one can believe what's just happened, that would have been the match. They generously gave me the half-centimetre putt, so they have an 8 footer to halve, which they miss. Game done, and a mightily relieved player right here as my earlier lapse in concentration didn't put us out at the first hurdle.

 

[IanMcC]

As I’ve said 8 is a squeeE but absolutely possible but the previous poster said their committee have said it has to be 20 cards in a year including 8 in qualifying comps. That is imo not a reasonable amount especially as a new member , 20 rounds is hard to do for people with families and work commitments. I’d be able to squeeze 8 in time to play the back end of a seasons comps. But if you’re new and joined a club in Jan-March like myself with the weather we have you’re never getting 20 handicap rounds in time to play in comps and just alienate your new members which is absolutely not welcoming at all.

I think you misunderstood, or maybe I didn't express myself clearly. It is not 20 cards in a year. The club only require a full handicap record of 20 historical cards, which under WHS can go back to 2018. The previous 12 months only require 8 cards, which can be either comp or GP.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yeah I struggle as well, I'm currently on 9 and the oldest one expires soon. It used to be 4 but they put it up to 8 for some reason.

Let me guess. Some low or lowish handicap member with influence or on a committee was beaten by a much higher handicapper who he felt had a 'bandit' handicap., and his handicap record didn't have many comps in his record - so he pushed for an increase in the number of comps required to enter. Just a random guess.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I think you misunderstood, or maybe I didn't express myself clearly. It is not 20 cards in a year. The club only require a full handicap record of 20 historical cards, which under WHS can go back to 2018. The previous 12 months only require 8 cards, which can be either comp or GP.

In that case then it’s very achievable

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We have a similar rule, think it is 8 rounds in total, and must have at least 4 competition cards. GP cards can be from any course. This is only for Board Competitions, which includes the knockouts and is for the 12 months preceding the date of the comp.. The club has plenty of non board competitions and does put a few extra Pro Shop Stablefords on at the beginning of the season to allow those who need them to get an extra card in. With the amount of comps over the year, there really is no excuse for not meeting the criteria.

Our 8 played in the 12 month period up to entry closure date excludes GP Cards played 'away from home'.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Feel like l I’ve been violated this evening ! 2nd round of our 4BBB match play this evening. I was giving the shots and my PP gets 11 and our opponents getting 12(Player A) & 17 shots (Player B) respectively. My PP might as well have stayed at home. Worst I’ve ever seen him play and had to tell him to stop apologising we’re a team and the front 9 of the match was mental.

1st hole, I made a solid par and lost the hole to B’s nett par - 1 down

2nd - I hit a great drive and my 2nd just didn’t hold the green but I chipped in for a birdie to win the hole - A/S

3rd -Made par and lost to B’s nett birdie

4th - 500yd Par 5, Uphill tight tee shot and One of the longest drives I’ve hit in a while, only left me 183yds from the green flushed a 7 iron to 12ft. Took a safe 2 putt birdie- Match back to A/S

5th - Made a solid par and lost to A’s nett birdie - 1dn

6th - Bombed another drive and left 50yds to the pin, knocked it to 10ft and sunk the putt - A/S

7th - the controversial hole! I’m on the green in 2, B is pin high left. A hits his into the crap on the right we spent 3 mins looking for his ball time up it’s lost! Suddenly finds his ball after the allotted time and was about to play it when I pointed out he’s out of the hole regardless of finding it as it’s past the allowed time within the rules. He takes the hump but even though I make par we lose the hole again as B sinks a beast of a putt for another nett birdie - 1dn

8th - again another good drive and approach to middle of the green I win the hole with a solid par -A/S

9th - I’m 12ft away with a birdie attempt, B plays a worldy pitch shot for his 3rd and stiffs to inches from the hole for a nett birdie and I miss the chance for the half -1dn

10th Solid par for me and nett par for A, meaning for the first time in the match we finally halved a hole.

Holes 11-13 I made par on every single one of them and lost all of them to nett birdies.

Halved the 14th thanks to another nett par from them. So we’re now 4 down with 4 to play.

15th - Another good drive, and another good approach I’m 8 feet away for a birdie attempt and maybe a chance to stay in the match. Player A had hit his ball in the crap and B was just short in 2 so I’m thinking we have a chance as I fancy my putt, how wrong I was B goes and chips in for a birdie nett eagle and we lose 5&3!

I picked my marker up and didn’t bother putting out. But walked off -3 gross with a putt to get to -4 and having played the best golf I have all year and got stuffed

The only real bonus was knowing the work I’ve been doing all week on the basics paid off. Now to keep that going.

 

[Depreston]

First round of our doubles comp

Didn’t play in it last year and missed it. It’s deffo the best form of the game imo

we won 2 and 1

I had 2 holes where I picked up the other 16 were me at my best tee to green but shocking on the greens … like really really bad at times pace control rubbish and nervy over the 4 footers I ended up with a 30 footer for par after one birdie putt

My partner is really struggling off the tee it’s the yips at this point. Driving range he’s fine casual round not great but gets it airborne but tonight he was topping or push slicing every driver. Can hit his 4 iron off the tee fine so was in a few holes.

we sealed the win on a shot hole for the opposing team the lad with a shot was on the green in 2 my partner hit his 4 iron and 9 iron just short but closer to the pin, their lad rolled it to gimme and of course my partner canned the putt for a birdie to finish it

 

[Springveldt]

Feel like l I’ve been violated this evening ! 2nd round of our 4BBB match play this evening. I was giving the shots and my PP gets 11 and our opponents getting 12(Player A) & 17 shots (Player B) respectively. My PP might as well have stayed at home. Worst I’ve ever seen him play and had to tell him to stop apologising we’re a team and the front 9 of the match was mental.

1st hole, I made a solid par and lost the hole to B’s nett par - 1 down

2nd - I hit a great drive and my 2nd just didn’t hold the green but I chipped in for a birdie to win the hole - A/S

3rd -Made par and lost to B’s nett birdie

4th - 500yd Par 5, Uphill tight tee shot and One of the longest drives I’ve hit in a while, only left me 183yds from the green flushed a 7 iron to 12ft. Took a safe 2 putt birdie- Match back to A/S

5th - Made a solid par and lost to A’s nett birdie - 1dn

6th - Bombed another drive and left 50yds to the pin, knocked it to 10ft and sunk the putt - A/S

7th - the controversial hole! I’m on the green in 2, B is pin high left. A hits his into the crap on the right we spent 3 mins looking for his ball time up it’s lost! Suddenly finds his ball after the allotted time and was about to play it when I pointed out he’s out of the hole regardless of finding it as it’s past the allowed time within the rules. He takes the hump but even though I make par we lose the hole again as B sinks a beast of a putt for another nett birdie - 1dn

8th - again another good drive and approach to middle of the green I win the hole with a solid par -A/S

9th - I’m 12ft away with a birdie attempt, B plays a worldy pitch shot for his 3rd and stiffs to inches from the hole for a nett birdie and I miss the chance for the half -1dn

10th Solid par for me and nett par for A, meaning for the first time in the match we finally halved a hole.

Holes 11-13 I made par on every single one of them and lost all of them to nett birdies.

Halved the 14th thanks to another nett par from them. So we’re now 4 down with 4 to play.

15th - Another good drive, and another good approach I’m 8 feet away for a birdie attempt and maybe a chance to stay in the match. Player A had hit his ball in the crap and B was just short in 2 so I’m thinking we have a chance as I fancy my putt, how wrong I was B goes and chips in for a birdie nett eagle and we lose 5&3!

I picked my marker up and didn’t bother putting out. But walked off -3 gross with a putt to get to -4 and having played the best golf I have all year and got stuffed

The only real bonus was knowing the work I’ve been doing all week on the basics paid off. Now to keep that going.

So you were 5 or 6 shots better than handicap to that point and got stuffed 5&3, it's games like that that made us stop playing in doubles comps.

 

[Neilds]

So you were 5 or 6 shots better than handicap to that point and got stuffed 5&3, it's games like that that made us stop playing in doubles comps.

2 points:

First, the main issue is the fact that his partner never contributed, not the perceived banditry.. With 11 shots, and only 1 less than 1 of the opponents, he should be expecting to come in on a couple of holes.

Second, no such format as doubles

 

[Springveldt]

2 points:

First, the main issue is the fact that his partner never contributed, not the perceived banditry.. With 11 shots, and only 1 less than 1 of the opponents, he should be expecting to come in on a couple of holes.

Second, no such format as doubles

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

So you were 5 or 6 shots better than handicap to that point and got stuffed 5&3, it's games like that that made us stop playing in doubles comps.

Exactly that mate. I walked off unbelievably happy with how I hit the ball both tee to green and short game including putting. First time in a long while I’ve had it all together. Had I holed that putt I’d have got to 6 shots better than handicap yeah. But I’m happy with how I played just a bit gut wrenching knowing it meant getting hammered as if my partner could have contributed maybe a couple of those pars on his shot holes we could have had a good chance on the back nine

Was a hell of a front 9 tussle though never had a matchplay like that. My takeaway is I played lovely and got beat it happens, and I will go again in the singles.

 

[Orikoru]

So you were 5 or 6 shots better than handicap to that point and got stuffed 5&3, it's games like that that made us stop playing in doubles comps.

People always say the lower handicaps prevail more often, but I think betterball is a really difficult format to be giving shots in. Even me and my partner are often giving shots as there aren't many single digit players at my club - and if the opponents dovetail well then you feel like you have no chance sometimes. A few times we've gone out to a couple of 20 handicappers who make about four pars each but on different holes so that's eight holes they have a good chance of winning straight away. I think sometimes I actually prefer foursomes as you don't have that dovetailing element, both players need to be playing fairly well at the same time.

 

[chellie]

People always say the lower handicaps prevail more often, but I think betterball is a really difficult format to be giving shots in. Even me and my partner are often giving shots as there aren't many single digit players at my club - and if the opponents dovetail well then you feel like you have no chance sometimes. A few times we've gone out to a couple of 20 handicappers who make about four pars each but on different holes so that's eight holes they have a good chance of winning straight away. I think sometimes I actually prefer foursomes as you don't have that dovetailing element, both players need to be playing fairly well at the same time.

This is why I like Foursomes. Have my first proper experience of playing 4BBB matchplay this Sunday. We have no idea of shots of our opponents until the day as it's an interclub event.

 

[Depreston]

People always say the lower handicaps prevail more often, but I think betterball is a really difficult format to be giving shots in. Even me and my partner are often giving shots as there aren't many single digit players at my club - and if the opponents dovetail well then you feel like you have no chance sometimes. A few times we've gone out to a couple of 20 handicappers who make about four pars each but on different holes so that's eight holes they have a good chance of winning straight away. I think sometimes I actually prefer foursomes as you don't have that dovetailing element, both players need to be playing fairly well at the same time.

It’s part of the fun as well imo class when there’s 4 balls on the green and anything can happen can walk off feeling like you’ve got a chance of winning and then lose it or vice versa

 

[Orikoru]

It’s part of the fun as well imo class when there’s 4 balls on the green and anything can happen can walk off feeling like you’ve got a chance of winning and then lose it or vice versa

Oh I love all forms of matchplay. I'm just saying some days when you're giving shots in betterball it feels like it was impossible to win. Lucifer's case in point. As long as the company was good you just hold your hands up.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Not entered club ones, but will be representing club with a partner in the County Seniors Foursomes Knockout.

Today was first round at home to a pair from Charnwood Forest.
We had to give them 9 shots. Playing handicaps were 11 and 20.
They got to use only 7 of those shots, because we beat them 7&5.
Away draw for next round.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Played 2nd round match of club's 4BBB KO Board Comp. Giving 12 to my partner; 14 and 15 to opposition. Could have been tough, but our opponents didn't 't play that well and a 20ft putt by yours truly for a birdie on 14th saw us post a 5/4 win. We played adequately...and pretty steadily. Their issue was that, as a pair, they were very inconsistent off the tee...too often one of them was basically out of the hole after the tee shots - and that made it relatively easy for us - indeed they didn't have the honor on the tee until the 13th.

So from watching the struggle of my 20+ handicap opponents yesterday, my advice to anyone of a higher handicap playing a 4BBB in which at least one opponent has a significantly lower (esp if single figure) handicap opponent is to follow the Tommy Armour rule...off the tee play the shot that you have the best chance of playing well, that will give you the easiest next shot. Because when one of you is out of the hole off the tee your much lower handicap opponent has a very good opportunity to, and more often than not will, capitalize.

 

[Neilds]

Today was first round at home to a pair from Charnwood Forest.
We had to give them 9 shots. Playing handicaps were 11 and 20.
They got to use only 7 of those shots, because we beat them 7&5.
Away draw for next round.

Someone’s handicap is too low

 

[Voyager EMH]

Someone’s handicap is too low

Nah, its my handicap that is too high at the moment. All my good scores from June and July have dropped off.
I'll be lower again by the end of this July.
It is very predictable this seasonal handicapping. Too low in the late autumn/winter and too high in the late spring/summer.