Club Championship- What would you have done?

[3offTheTee]

Club Championship 36 holes yesterday off scratch. Guy was playing of +2 against a 4 handicapper who was lucky to get through the semi as he was due to,play a guy off+1 who could not play.

However after 5 holes of the 2nd 18 the 4 handicapper was 9 down and it was a convenient place to call it a day which he did.

Would you have carried on for say a further 3/4 holes or was his action correct?

 

[MendieGK]

i have no issue with conceding to be honest.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Can't have been a lot of fun for either party.

No one enjoys getting well and truly stuffed but, equally, there is little enjoyment in winning such a one-sided match.

Provided it was done with good Grace I have no issue with someone conceding in those circumstances.

 

[Hobbit]

Don't have a problem conceding. You usually know if your swing is working or not. If my swing was ok, just the other guy was having a field day I'd carry on. I might steal a couple of holes and he might get a bit twitchy under pressure and close to the finish line.

 

[Foxholer]

Good decision as far as I can see! Probably a convenient place to finish as well!

I got stuffed 10 and 8 in a 2 round Final many years ago by someone who was just on fire - while I was a little off form! Somewhat depressing seeing my good Golf 'unrewarded' while any error was severely punished!

 

[Grant85]

I would probably have carried on as it was the club championship, but don't have a problem with conceding.

I was once 6 down at the turn in a tie and was going to call it a day as we were back at the clubhouse but my opponent talked me out of it (obviously wanting to at least play a bit more just for the hell of it).

I won 2 out of the next 3, but still lost soon after.

 

[Parsaregood]

No you don't concede until it's impossible to win, I've won 2 club championships last 2 years in a row and would never concede a match unless I was unable to carry on. More than likely you'd still get beat but you have a chance to make the scoreline more respectable

 

[patricks148]

no issue with this, why carry on to a total hiding.

 

[Capella]

Me personally, I am stubborn. I would not concede unless pain, exhaustion or health problems forced me to do so. But I have no issues with someone who does.

That said, in our club championship yesterday, the "underdog" in the 18 hole final was three down against the defending champion after 15 holes, managed to win the next three holes to keep the match alive and then won in the first play-off hole. It was a fantastic match to watch and Dominik (the eventual winner) holed a few unbelievable putts to make it happen. So I guess the lesson to take away from that is never give up early. Those guys played 4 rounds of golf in two days and in the end it really was a bit of a grind. The more persistent player won.

 

[Parsaregood]

Suppose it's about having a bit of pride and fight, no winner gives up until they are beaten and if it's not impossible for you to win why give up. I suppose it's just the way you're wired

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Club Championship 36 holes yesterday off scratch. Guy was playing of +2 against a 4 handicapper who was lucky to get through the semi as he was due to,play a guy off+1 who could not play.

However after 5 holes of the 2nd 18 the 4 handicapper was 9 down and it was a convenient place to call it a day which he did.

Would you have carried on for say a further 3/4 holes or was his action correct?

9 down with 13 to play is a tall order, whilst I don't like conceding I cant disagree with his decision here.

 

[Slab]

Don't they have something like a 'mercy' result in baseball where the gap is not mathematically impossible to bridge but pretty unlikely

Its fine to concede that early (he's probably lost in his head already so why continue) but if convenient to stop then one more hole was very near a convenient place to stop.... so I'd have played the next one at least to see if I was facing 10 down or maybe just 8

 

[patricks148]

Suppose it's about having a bit of pride and fight, no winner gives up until they are beaten and if it's not impossible for you to win why give up. I suppose it's just the way you're wired

if it was a handicap comp, i'd agree, but Scratch giving away 6 shots is a very tall order indeed

 

[r0wly86]

No you don't concede until it's impossible to win, I've won 2 club championships last 2 years in a row and would never concede a match unless I was unable to carry on. More than likely you'd still get beat but you have a chance to make the scoreline more respectable

That's not conceding that's losing.

Conceding isn't the same as giving up, it means you know you are going to lose so end the match rather than going through the formality of actually losing. It is very common in chess, you can see the good players conceding the game relatively early on because they know they are in a position where they will lose. It's just an accepted part of the game in chess.

If the player thought that he was definitely going to be beaten, either he was having an off day or oppo was having a stormer then there's no harm in a concession

 

[IanM]

I think a polite "well done, you're too good for me today, let me get you a beer!" is never badly received!

36 holes off scratch, it would have taken both players to have "unusual" performance for it to be close...

 

[JPLon]

No issue at all with this, I think i'd have done the exact same. For me time is a premium with a young family so if I felt I was out of it i'd shake hands, go home a few hours early and bank my 'time chips' for another day.

 

[Lump]

if it was a handicap comp, i'd agree, but Scratch giving away 6 shots is a very tall order indeed

I fear this is what people aren’t understanding. Giving 6 shots away to a guy off more handicap than you might be doable. Giving 6 shots away to a guy off +2 is just a one way street.
9 down after 27 holes is not bad going.
A good handshake on the 27th green is fine by me

 

[Wilson]

I've no issue with this, it's not something I'd do, but if they don't feel they can mount a come back, or aren't enjoying it, then concede away. I had a match conceded once when I was dormie 6 up - it was cold, the next walk was up a steep hill and my opponent decided to call it a day.

 

[3offTheTee]

I agree with the majority on here. The +2 guy is 22 years old has been to Final Qualifying for The Open and plays number 2 for The County. The 4 handicapper knew there was realistically no way back!

 

[Grant85]

Don't they have something like a 'mercy' result in baseball where the gap is not mathematically impossible to bridge but pretty unlikely

Its fine to concede that early (he's probably lost in his head already so why continue) but if convenient to stop then one more hole was very near a convenient place to stop.... so I'd have played the next one at least to see if I was facing 10 down or maybe just 8

Baseball has unwritten rule that when a scoreline is one sided you stop trying to gain certain advantages such as trying to steal bases or bunting to get on base.

I guess in golf you may take that as far as giving someone a generous putt for a half if you are miles ahead. Certainly in a friendly game. Although I'm sure many will disagree.