Matchplay final.. Bottled it!

JT77

JT77

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I played my matchplay final today, and I was 4 down through 4!

I completely bottled it, I am gutted. I have been telling myself its ok, and I will learn from it, but will I? I think I put too much pressure on myself to win, and just couldnt cut it in the end!

Lost 5 and 3, Like I said I was 4 down through 4, got it steady then, on 5 and 6, half on 7 then won 8 to get to 3 down, but lost 9 stupidily, won 10 great birdie, but then snapped one off the tee on 11, half on 12 with a really good bunker shot to inside 12 inches( par 3 hit sand off tee) won 13 to get back to 3, but then threw 14 away, so dormie, and lost 15 after putting myself to close to the green, hit a lovely drive but left myself 30 yards to pin, and the other chap hit his to 3 feet from 135! He played well, but I never turned up, and so I am having a glass of wine and a few months off!!
Sorry for the moan..

JT
 
You made it to a final! Pat yourself on the back. Matchplay is a fickle game, just when you think you've won a hole the other guy always holes a 40 footer!

I'd make it 3 or 4 glasses of wine and then treat yourself to a good hour (or three) of porn on the PC.
 
I agree to a degree (without the need to revert to porn and alcohol) that take solace from the fact you got there in the first place. What happened in the first four holes. Did you just get too nervous and make a mess of them and gifted them away or did your opponent actually win them.

Keep the faith. You know you've got the game to beat the majority in your club on any given day and so learn from it. Find a different way to approach these big events from the moment you get up until you've hit the first shot and look at how you can control the nerves. Try not to build yourself up and put pressure on and treat it as another round. I'm sure you've played in club matches and so it shouldn't have been any different to playing in one of those.

Chin up and here's to going one better next season
 
JO, thanks, I am on glass 2 as I type this! lol, wife is still up so no porn! :(

homer, thanks, I gifted them away. OB on 1, trees on 2, lost ball on 3, and duffed pitch on 4. nerves got me!
 
As previously said, well done on getting to the final in the first place. You gotta take all the positives from that and also learn from any mistakes you made today.

You say your opponent played well so you were beat by the better man on the day, no disgrace in that. Keep the chin up and look forward to trying to win it next season.

P.S. Hows the weather up your way? Hope its okay for my game at your place tomorrow
 
was ok today mate, bit drizzel, but ok, course is still mainly dry, forecast looking good for tomorrow, so should be a good day out!
Hope you enjoy
 
Happy days on the weather JT, looking forward to it.

Once again, well done on the final appearance and get another glass of wine down your neck, it will help you get over your dissappointment.
 
and a few months off!!


JT
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I don't want to be rude but thats daft!
You reached a final for goodness sake, many others dont ever get to a final or win anything - enjoy the fact that you did really well to get there and accept that, on the day, you got beat - it happens. Getting there should make you want to play more, not less!

Chris
 
Don't let it get you down. You will definitely learn and hopefully be stronger for it.

One year I lost 2 finals in 2 weeks, big ones with nice shiny trophies! One, a 36 holer, after being 3 up after 18.

I learned a lot though. The next year I won 2 honours board comps. Having lost twice I was determined not to let it happen again, so when I got a chance to win I was mentally tougher and closed them out.

All the best for next year.
 
OK so the crux of the matter is it was squeaky bum time as Sir Alex Ferguson would call it. Clearly your swing was well out of sorts early on so you need to find a coping mechanism. Did you follow the same routine you would do for any other comp or did you think becasue it was a final you needed to hit more balls, get there earlier etc.

I've found in the past if I get there too early I start to get to technical on the practice ground instead of just loosening muscles or I hang around on the putting green thinking about everything and getting more and more nervous.

You need to speak to your pro (and other top players at your club) and see what they do. What works for some won't work for others. There is nothing wrong feeling nervous (I use to be a regular in the traps before getting onto the tee) and there would be something wrong if you weren't. What you can't do is let it affect your game. I'd still be feeling pretty pleased as you held in pretty well after that horror start. It was always going to be nigh on impossible to haul back and so be proud you made a game of it and didn't capitulate.
 
Hi chris, the reason I am taking time time out is as I have tennis elbow and a shoulder muscle problem. i wanted to play the fianl earlier, but this was earliest it could get played. I want to get time to heal and then look to next season.
MN, thanks mate, hopefully I can follow you example and win next year.
Please dont get e wrong, I am pleased I got to the final, very, but i am very annoyed and disappointed that I played like a complete muppet early on. the fella I played was good, but I never put him under too much pressure, and therefore never gave myself a real chance, and thats why I am disappointed and feel like I let myself down.

HJS I think I got there too soon, no tech thoughts, just maybe some boredom set in and mind was wondering before start!
 
I did a lot of athletics as a kid and I'd often have a problem at away meets that we'd either get there early or my event would be late on and I'd always end up expending too much energy waiting around (too much warming up, mucking about with my teammates etc) that come race time I'd rarely do myself justice.

Like I said it's important to keep to the same sort of routine you'd have on a normal medal day and do whatever it is you'd do before that round
 
I had originally set up to do that, but got there 30 mins soon, had my warm up, but was always clock watching till tee off. it was also very slow in front, so too many distractions. all good learning though i guess. Who was it that said ' you learn more from losing than winning'?
 
Know how you feel i to got to our Matchplay final and lost 4/3,same story just didnt play well on the day, so i know you must be gutted at the moment as i was, but take the positives out of it at least we got to the finals ;)
 
Another losing finalist here. You both did better than me, I lost 7&6 :eek:

Well done for getting there. The more you put yourself in those positions, the better equipped you'll be to handle it next time.

I'm over it now.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
 
Hi chris, the reason I am taking time time out is as I have tennis elbow and a shoulder muscle problem.
Click to expand...


Sorry James you didn't make that clear in your op.

Hope that a rest clears those up for yu


Chris
 
I played my matchplay final today, and I was 4 down through 4!

I completely bottled it, I am gutted. I have been telling myself its ok, and I will learn from it, but will I? I think I put too much pressure on myself to win, and just couldnt cut it in the end!

Lost 5 and 3, Like I said I was 4 down through 4, got it steady then, on 5 and 6, half on 7 then won 8 to get to 3 down, but lost 9 stupidily, won 10 great birdie, but then snapped one off the tee on 11, half on 12 with a really good bunker shot to inside 12 inches( par 3 hit sand off tee) won 13 to get back to 3, but then threw 14 away, so dormie, and lost 15 after putting myself to close to the green, hit a lovely drive but left myself 30 yards to pin, and the other chap hit his to 3 feet from 135! He played well, but I never turned up, and so I am having a glass of wine and a few months off!!
Sorry for the moan..

JT
Click to expand...

IMO, never mind all that stuff above, you’ll be alright. It took me years before I got to a final. It happens to the best of players and after a few days you’ll be wanting to get out there again. In match play, I don’t know about others, but I just try and play the course unless your opponent screws up and you play safe. Its club golf guys and when you consider the biggest percentage of golfers don’t reach the final then your doing well. The other guy will be glad you played pants for the first few holes, that’s for sure.

Some people over analyse this type of thing, you can turn up early, late, see the pro, do what you like but you can’t beat experience and that comes from this. By the way, I lost in three semi finals in the one week. It happens.
 
Thanks folks, I am looking forward to next season, going to have a bit time out, get healthy, and spend some time with family(keep the wife happy). prob get a range visit in and 9 holes here and there :)

cheers

JT
 
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