Mid-Handicap Matchplay

[Orikoru]

Round two of the mixed foursomes, which is also the quarter-finals since not many people enter this one clearly. We are giving 7 shots this time to Jon (23 hcap) and Jo (21). My partner Gill is off 17. The weather is utterly miserable from the word go.

1st, par 3: This is the first opponent we've had, last year and this year, that have teed off the other way round to us with the male doing the odd numbers, so Jon goes first and hits a cracker onto the green. Gill finds the bunker, I get us on the green but we only make bogey - they make par to put us 1 down.

2nd hole, par 4: Nothing eventful, both make routine bogeys for half.

3rd hole, par 3: Jon hits it short of the greenside bunkers, Gill hit a cracker to the back of the green, only about 12 feet from the pin. Jo only finds the front of the green, and they're putting uphill through a fair bit of standing water so they only make a 5. I lag it to the hole for a par. All Square.

4th hole, par 4, Shot Hole: I'm so bad at driving when it's windy, it does my head in - I carve this one out of bounds to my eternal shame. Gill has to walk back to the white tee to hit the provisional. To our wonder and amazement, it turns out my ball must have hit a tree and stayed in bounds by about 4 inches. Gill bunts one down the fairway, while Jon surprisingly shanks their ball out of bounds - and no tree to save him. The hole has turned on a sixpence. Ultimately we get on the green for 3 but three-putt due to another bit of standing water. They make a 7 net 6 for the half. We agree to monitor the standing water on the greens situation lest it ruin the match.

5th hole, par 4: Good drive from Gill, Jon hooks it into a bunker that's actually greenside on the previous hole we just played. I fat my approach but we get up-and-down for par which they can't match. 1 up.

6th hole, par 3: I don't know what happened here, I was torn between two clubs as I thought we were into the wind, but I actually went for the lesser club in the end and still pured it through the green. Jo stuffed theirs into the front bunker though. Jon thins the bunker shot through the green as well. We end up making a 4 to their 5 and go 2 up.

7th hole, par 4, SH: Very much like the last round, we end up in the right greenside bunker for 3 shots. But Jon has hit a pearler which leaves them a four-footer for par net birdie. I figure I pretty much have to hole the bunker shot at this point, but I hit it a bit too long so we give them the hole. 1 up.

8th hole, par 5, SH: Jo pulls her tee shot a bit left. Once again the wind is in my head (there's water on the right) so I aim miles left and pull it even more left than that towards the bloody practise area. Thankfully we find the ball and Gill plays a good one from the rough. Both teams kind of take turns duffing it up the soaking wet fairway, until I play a beautiful lofted pitch from 40-ish yards with the 54° which ends up about ten inches from the hole for a gimme bogey. They end up missing a 3 footer for half so we've won their shot hole despite my appalling drive, and we're back to 2 up.

9th hole, par 5: We played this hole brilliantly - Gill hits the fairway off the tee, I hit a peach of a 7 wood up the left hand side, she hits the green with a lovely shot from 100 odd yards, and I sink the 10-footer for birdie! They've taken 4 to reach the green and only make bogey. 3 up!

10th hole, par 3: Yet another crap tee shot from me as I slightly top the 7 wood. Jo tops and pulls her shot as well. Jon hit a very good shot onto the green while Gill missed it left. I have a bit of a bad lie, I duff it a little, it does get over the bunker and just onto the green but a mile short of the flag. Gill lags it up, and our opponents massively let us off the hook by three-putting again, so I knock in the two-footer for half.

11th hole, par 4, SH: We play this tidily and make a satisfactory bogey. They are very much unable to take advantage of their shot, as they slightly duff one in the left rough, and ultimately miss the putt for half again, scoring a 7. That puts us 4 up.

12th hole, par 4, SH: It's another strong left-to-right wind, but I finally hit an acceptable drive - not great but acceptable and in play. Jo hits what looks like a good drive, but length is a factor and it drops straight into the ditch. Surprisingly she says she simply can't compete anymore due to being so cold and wet in the conditions and they concede the match.

You don't want to win a match that way, but I suppose had they lost that match having gone in the ditch we would have been 5 up with 6 to play so as close to a forgone conclusion as you can get. Semi-finals next which is where we got to last year - got to go one step further this time.

 

[Orikoru]

Mixed foursomes semi-final day! Partner Gill (17) and I (14) giving six shots to John (15) and Maggie (27). Greens have been sanded this week so they were slow and a touch bobbly.

1st, par 3: Gill hits it long and left into a GUR zone while Maggie goes in the front left bunker. Our free drop brings a fluffy lie and I whiff the chip on top of the grassy bank instead of over it. Gill knocks it on about 8 feet past the flag, and I atone for my error by hitting it hard and firm straight into the hole. They've crept out of the bunker, left a long putt well short and ultimately three-putted to give us the early lead. 1 up.

2nd, par 4: My first full shot is a drive that you cannot go right on - I can see what kind of day it's going to be straight away as I hit what we'll generously call a massive fade. Thankfully it just claws onto the bank and doesn't drop into the ditch. John is a lefty so he also hits a big fade into the trees on the other side. Maggie has to chip out from there while Gill hits a fantastic hybrid off the bank that finds it's way onto the green! Worldy shot and I'm able to roll the putt across the green into tap-in range for a par and 2 up.

3rd, par 3: Gill's tee shot finds a bunker, Maggie's is short of them. John plays a good chip onto the green while I get us out of the bunker safely but with a long uphill putt. Gill leaves it a good six feet short but I hit another good firm putt to drain it. Maggie misses a tricky breaking three footer so it's a half.

4th, par 4, Shot Hole: Another 'large fade' from me but it's in play in the rough. I make up for it a little with a nice 54° to the back of the green for our third. John's approach had been a little further from the pin than mine and they three-putt while Gill rolls ours up for bogey and a half.

5th, par 4: One of my shots of the day as I hit a 9 iron for our second shot to about 10 feet right of the pin. John misses the green on the right and they don't get up and down while Gill simply lags it up for par. 3 up.

6th, par 3: I tee off for us with AW, and I thought I'd absolutely nailed it. The line is perfect, I'm even thinking hole in one for a second - then it drops out of the sky into the front bunker as there was a bit of wind into that I hadn't felt. Gutted. Gill unfortunately doesn't get out of the bunker, I do and we two-putt for a five. Luckily they were also short of the green, a thinned chip and a three-putt later and they've gifted us a half.

7th, par 4, SH: This is a tough par 4, and long - we play it as well as can be expected and make a bogey (my par putt was on line and only 3 inches shy of dropping though), but they also make bogey for net par and win their first hole. 2 up.

8th, par 5, SH: Gill really had my back on this one. I thought I'd sliced into the pond (horrible flashback to last year's semi-final when I did exactly that), but thankfully it's just long enough to go beyond it this time. Gill hits a cracking hybrid over some small trees to get us back to the fairway. I go for the green from 200 and slice it again like a numpty, ending up on the adjacent 6th green. Gill drops on the fringe and plays another absolute worldy - a little pitch shot that runs to tap-in range for a gimme par. Their faces drop, they still have a very good chance of half but the flat sticks let them down again and they make 7, giving us the win on their shot hole. No thanks to me. 3 up.

9th, par 5: We just don't put a foot wrong here and make a nice regulation par. They can only make bogey so that's us 4 up at half way.

10th, par 3: I hit hybrid and it's probably my best tee shot of the day as it sails beautifully onto the green. John gets his on the green too but Gill sinks a 15 footer like a dagger in their hearts. They don't match the birdie and we're flying right now - but two shot holes for them coming up. 5 up.

11th, par 4, SH: Both ladies make good tee shots. I think I've struck my 7 wood well, but it fades a little too much and finds a bunker. We take a bunker shot and a chip to get onto the green, but they are on for 3 nett 2; Gill is not able to hole our bogey putt so we concede the hole. 4 up.

12th, par 4, SH: John hit an absolute missile drive, his best of the day. This is another can't-go-right hole so I aim miles left, it just about fades back onto the left side of the fairway. Hardest hole so it's a lay-up from both ladies. Both us gents pitch onto the green and both teams make a bogey, giving them the win with their shot. 3 up.

13th, par 4: John puts their second through the green, I have an overhanging branch so I can't hit pitching wedge although I am pitching wedge yardage away. I try something I've not ever really practised - I go up to an 8 iron and try a three-quarter swing. To my surprise it works well and leaves us just a couple of feet short of the green with a front pin. We manage to make par from there and they can only make bogey, so it's a ding-dong match now and we're back to 4 up.

14th, par 3: I generally err on the left side here, so I stick with that but it doesn't fade back. John hits a great shot onto the green. It turns out mine hit a tree and kicked further left - we each make a poor fist of chipping it and give them the hole before they even need to putt. 3 up.

15th, par 3: 200+ yard par 3 here that plays like a par 4 with the ladies teeing off. We're just in the rough with a bit of a fluffy lie, so I catch it high on the face with my pitch shot leaving us still short of the green. John makes a better job of it and their bogey 4 beats our 5. 2 up.

16th, par 4, SH: We are starting to sweat a bit now as they are pegging us back and they get a shot here. In truth it's a poor hole for both sides. My drive goes in the right rough (of course) while theirs is in the left. Gill doesn't get much distance from there and I slice hybrid into the bushes - probably my worst shot of the day. They clip a tree on the way up and eventually get on the green for five shots. We need something so Gill climbs into the bushes and saves my arse yet again - she manages to hack it out, taking tree roots and all sorts with it, and finds the putting surface! From there I roll the putt up hole-side for a 6 and they only make a 7 - we've absolutely stolen a half at a key moment.

17th, par 4: Gill hits one of her less-good tee shots - we must be feeling the pressure here. Luckily it's by a staked tree in the rough so I'm able to take a free drop which sits up nicely. I launch an 8 iron through a gap in the trees and just miss the green on the left. John finds the deep pot bunker just short of the green so it's now looking good for us. Maggie fails to get out with the first attempt, John does better and they're four feet away for four shots. Gill chips onto the green, and I roll the putt down but it stops three feet short on the sandy surface. Maggie doesn't hole their putt so we have two putts for the match - they don't concede but it's a formality, Gill kind of just taps it up to a few inches away and it's game over.


Was a great match, we were on fire for ten holes before very much taking our feet off the gas and letting them back in for a nervy last few holes. All credit to them for a great fight back from 5 down, they weren't far off getting to 1 down with two to play. But delighted we've now got one stage further than last year and I'll be playing my first ever matchplay final. Over 36 holes as well. To hopefully get my name on a board!

 

[BrianM]

Mixed foursomes semi-final day! Partner Gill (17) and I (14) giving six shots to John (15) and Maggie (27). Greens have been sanded this week so they were slow and a touch bobbly.

1st, par 3: Gill hits it long and left into a GUR zone while Maggie goes in the front left bunker. Our free drop brings a fluffy lie and I whiff the chip on top of the grassy bank instead of over it. Gill knocks it on about 8 feet past the flag, and I atone for my error by hitting it hard and firm straight into the hole. They've crept out of the bunker, left a long putt well short and ultimately three-putted to give us the early lead. 1 up.

2nd, par 4: My first full shot is a drive that you cannot go right on - I can see what kind of day it's going to be straight away as I hit what we'll generously call a massive fade. Thankfully it just claws onto the bank and doesn't drop into the ditch. John is a lefty so he also hits a big fade into the trees on the other side. Maggie has to chip out from there while Gill hits a fantastic hybrid off the bank that finds it's way onto the green! Worldy shot and I'm able to roll the putt across the green into tap-in range for a par and 2 up.

3rd, par 3: Gill's tee shot finds a bunker, Maggie's is short of them. John plays a good chip onto the green while I get us out of the bunker safely but with a long uphill putt. Gill leaves it a good six feet short but I hit another good firm putt to drain it. Maggie misses a tricky breaking three footer so it's a half.

4th, par 4, Shot Hole: Another 'large fade' from me but it's in play in the rough. I make up for it a little with a nice 54° to the back of the green for our third. John's approach had been a little further from the pin than mine and they three-putt while Gill rolls ours up for bogey and a half.

5th, par 4: One of my shots of the day as I hit a 9 iron for our second shot to about 10 feet right of the pin. John misses the green on the right and they don't get up and down while Gill simply lags it up for par. 3 up.

6th, par 3: I tee off for us with AW, and I thought I'd absolutely nailed it. The line is perfect, I'm even thinking hole in one for a second - then it drops out of the sky into the front bunker as there was a bit of wind into that I hadn't felt. Gutted. Gill unfortunately doesn't get out of the bunker, I do and we two-putt for a five. Luckily they were also short of the green, a thinned chip and a three-putt later and they've gifted us a half.

7th, par 4, SH: This is a tough par 4, and long - we play it as well as can be expected and make a bogey (my par putt was on line and only 3 inches shy of dropping though), but they also make bogey for net par and win their first hole. 2 up.

8th, par 5, SH: Gill really had my back on this one. I thought I'd sliced into the pond (horrible flashback to last year's semi-final when I did exactly that), but thankfully it's just long enough to go beyond it this time. Gill hits a cracking hybrid over some small trees to get us back to the fairway. I go for the green from 200 and slice it again like a numpty, ending up on the adjacent 6th green. Gill drops on the fringe and plays another absolute worldy - a little pitch shot that runs to tap-in range for a gimme par. Their faces drop, they still have a very good chance of half but the flat sticks let them down again and they make 7, giving us the win on their shot hole. No thanks to me. 3 up.

9th, par 5: We just don't put a foot wrong here and make a nice regulation par. They can only make bogey so that's us 4 up at half way.

10th, par 3: I hit hybrid and it's probably my best tee shot of the day as it sails beautifully onto the green. John gets his on the green too but Gill sinks a 15 footer like a dagger in their hearts. They don't match the birdie and we're flying right now - but two shot holes for them coming up. 5 up.

11th, par 4, SH: Both ladies make good tee shots. I think I've struck my 7 wood well, but it fades a little too much and finds a bunker. We take a bunker shot and a chip to get onto the green, but they are on for 3 nett 2; Gill is not able to hole our bogey putt so we concede the hole. 4 up.

12th, par 4, SH: John hit an absolute missile drive, his best of the day. This is another can't-go-right hole so I aim miles left, it just about fades back onto the left side of the fairway. Hardest hole so it's a lay-up from both ladies. Both us gents pitch onto the green and both teams make a bogey, giving them the win with their shot. 3 up.

13th, par 4: John puts their second through the green, I have an overhanging branch so I can't hit pitching wedge although I am pitching wedge yardage away. I try something I've not ever really practised - I go up to an 8 iron and try a three-quarter swing. To my surprise it works well and leaves us just a couple of feet short of the green with a front pin. We manage to make par from there and they can only make bogey, so it's a ding-dong match now and we're back to 4 up.

14th, par 3: I generally err on the left side here, so I stick with that but it doesn't fade back. John hits a great shot onto the green. It turns out mine hit a tree and kicked further left - we each make a poor fist of chipping it and give them the hole before they even need to putt. 3 up.

15th, par 3: 200+ yard par 3 here that plays like a par 4 with the ladies teeing off. We're just in the rough with a bit of a fluffy lie, so I catch it high on the face with my pitch shot leaving us still short of the green. John makes a better job of it and their bogey 4 beats our 5. 2 up.

16th, par 4, SH: We are starting to sweat a bit now as they are pegging us back and they get a shot here. In truth it's a poor hole for both sides. My drive goes in the right rough (of course) while theirs is in the left. Gill doesn't get much distance from there and I slice hybrid into the bushes - probably my worst shot of the day. They clip a tree on the way up and eventually get on the green for five shots. We need something so Gill climbs into the bushes and saves my arse yet again - she manages to hack it out, taking tree roots and all sorts with it, and finds the putting surface! From there I roll the putt up hole-side for a 6 and they only make a 7 - we've absolutely stolen a half at a key moment.

17th, par 4: Gill hits one of her less-good tee shots - we must be feeling the pressure here. Luckily it's by a staked tree in the rough so I'm able to take a free drop which sits up nicely. I launch an 8 iron through a gap in the trees and just miss the green on the left. John finds the deep pot bunker just short of the green so it's now looking good for us. Maggie fails to get out with the first attempt, John does better and they're four feet away for four shots. Gill chips onto the green, and I roll the putt down but it stops three feet short on the sandy surface. Maggie doesn't hole their putt so we have two putts for the match - they don't concede but it's a formality, Gill kind of just taps it up to a few inches away and it's game over.


Was a great match, we were on fire for ten holes before very much taking our feet off the gas and letting them back in for a nervy last few holes. All credit to them for a great fight back from 5 down, they weren't far off getting to 1 down with two to play. But delighted we've now got one stage further than last year and I'll be playing my first ever matchplay final. Over 36 holes as well. To hopefully get my name on a board!

Good luck in the final.

 

[Orikoru]

Mixed foursomes match play final over 36 holes. My partner Gill (16) and I (14) are giving seven shots per round to husband & wife duo Lee (19) and Julie (24). Those are rough handicaps in brackets by the way, not our ages. Might be harder for me to remember certain parts given that we played each hole twice, but we'll see how I get on.

1st, par 3: The ladies make a great start to the match, both hitting the green - ours is pin high though while theirs rolls to the back. They three-putt while I roll it up for a tap-in par to put us 1 up.

2nd, par 4: Drama here. First drive of the day for me, the tee is as far back as it can go since there is a men's major on today, so my usual aiming point on the left is blocked out by tree; I inevitably slice it into the cabbage on the right. Lee steps up, and hits a low bullet duck hook - straight towards where the ladies are standing and waiting on the left hand side. He only HITS MY PARTNER IN THE LEG! It all happened so quickly, we didn't have time to shout, they were only about 70 yards away. She went down and I was immediately thinking she wouldn't be able to continue. After we run over, we see the ball has hit her square on the back of the calf. She is down for 5 minutes but ultimately it's lucky it hit her there and not in the ankle, knee, or God forbid, even her head or chest as it would have done very serious damage. She's got a massive bruise but she's made of tough stuff as a former hockey player, she says she's used to getting hit! So often in foursomes you see the non-hitting players waiting further up and you wonder if they're at risk of being hit, but you still never expect it to happen. Once the shock has died down, Gill is a little worse for wear but shakes it off to continue the match.

Their ball, via Gill's leg, is in cabbage as well but much further back than ours - Julie takes a hack to get it out and Lee sends it down the fairway. We find our ball but have to take a drop as there's a plant directly behind it. Gills chips it back to the fairway and I hit the green from there. Ultimately we manage to make a 6 to their 7 and that puts us 2 up.

3rd, par 3: Gill hits through the back of the green, Julie finds a bunker on the left. It's a downhill chip for us and the green is rapid so I can't stop it near the flag. Lee's bunker shot is decent. They hole out for a four but Gill leaves me a breaking 3 footer for half which I'm not able to make. 1 up.

4th, par 4, Shot Hole: Lee hits his tee shot right, it just stays in bounds by the skin of its teeth. I hit what looks like a great drive, but it just hugs the left a little in kicks into the trees. Both ladies hit back to the fairway and both fellers hit the green, opponents two-putt for bogey but Gill sinks a wonderful 15-footer for us to save par and a half.

5th, par 4: Relative straightforward hole with no dramas, both sides make a bogey for half.

6th, par 3: Lee hits the green, it runs down the slope away from the hole. I hit slightly too much club but it just clings to the back of the green. Both ladies putt well to make it two pars and another half.

7th, par 4, SH: Both ladies go slightly right off the tee and both fellers just punch one up - not a hole either of us were going to reach in two anyway. I can't quite recall what happened after that, but the scorecard says we both got 6s, I think it was a missed green, chip and two putts for both sides, so they win it with their shot and take it back to All Square.

8th, par 5, SH: Lee hits an ok tee shot, a little right. Tragically it's the low point of the day for me as I get my brain in a muddle and end up topping the drive. Two more hacks to get out of the cabbage on a hole we're giving a shot on and we never had a chance. 1 down.

9th, par 5: Good drive from Gill, good 7 wood from me, puts us in prime position. Julie tugs her approach left and into a bush. Gills actually knifes her approach through a bunker but it's the luckiest shot of all time as it ends up pin high on the green! They take a drop and pitch onto the green, but we have two putts for the win I believe. Typically, I hit a perfect putt and hole it for a birdie we didn't even need. All Square after nine.

10th, par 3: Both gents a little short of the green from the tee, both sides make bogey for half.

11th, par 4, SH: Probably the worst hole of the match, this. Lee shanks their second shot into the jungle so Julie has to play a provisional (which ends up being in play as the first is not found). I'm in the middle of the fairway holding an 8 iron but I pull it into a bunker that's 40 yards shy of the green (it's a steep downhill hole so I was playing for some roll). They're on the green for 5 shots. Gill just about makes it out of said bunker, I make a mess of the chip trying to be too delicate down the hill, and I spray it a bit right out of the toe. Very annoyed with myself. We end up three-putting from there, while they two-putt - they've just won the hole with a bloody 7. How the hell have we let them get away with that?? 1 down.

12th, par 4, SH: Lee goes slightly right and I hit a great drive down the middle. Gill can't reach the green anyway, she lays up into a decent position. Lee misses the green with their third, I played a nice pitch and run with a 9 iron from around 80 yards that leaves us a 12 footer downhill for par - which Gills sinks! They don't manage to get up and down, so we've made up for the disaster on 11 by winning a shot hole off them. All Square.

13th, par 4: Gill's tee shot clips an over-hanging tree which takes yards off it, but it's still on the fairway. I hit a nice 7 iron to the green riding the right-to-left wind, one of my shots of the day. Lee also finds the green though and both sides two-putt for par and a half.

14th, par 3: Followed my 7 iron on the last hole with another peach of a 7 iron here - hitting the green around 10 feet from the pin! Lee's tee shot is in trouble on the right, they take a couple of shots to reach the green and end up conceding the hole without us even needing to putt. 1 up.

15th, long par 3, SH: This is a really tough hole to give a shot on (it's SI 7), as it's 210 yards uphill so in mixed foursomes you're already playing for bogey as it is. They do make bogey which we can only match, so it's back to All Square.

16th, par 4, SH: Lee tugs his left and hits the big tree, sending it further left. I hit my best drive of the day so far, absolutely piped down the middle. Julie makes a good shot back to the correct fairway for them, Gill hits one up the right, leaving me a pitch over a bunker. Lee just went through the back of the green, and I find the green with my pitch but it's a good 10 or 12 feet from the pin. They manage to get up and down while we only two-putt, so it's bogeys all round and they win with their shot - a tough one to take. 1 down.

17th, par 4: Both ladies hit good tee shots and both gents hit the green, but theirs is a little closer and below the hole, while we have a quick downhiller. Gill puts too much on it and runs it 6 feet past. I actually felt good over the putt but bottle it and leave it short, they two-putt to make it three wins in a row. We're 2 down for the first time in the match.

18th, par: Lee pulls his 3 wood low but gets an almighty slice of luck, bouncing off a tree and back to the fairway! I hit 5 wood and hit a high hook, over the tree that he hit - no lucky break for me. They get up on the fringe so even though we only have a tiny gap through the trees, Gill tries to make it - it does not work, we hit a branch and it fires out left onto the 17th fairway. My head's spinning as I think it would be grossly unfair to go in 3 down after such a close first round, for the most part. Luckily I've got a clear line in to the back pin though, it's about 80 yards but the green is elevated a good 8 feet, so I hit a gripped-down 50° - and pull off another worldy shot as it lands on the green, about 8 feet from the pin! With a long downhiller they are only able to three-putt for a bogey, leaving the door ajar - Gill sinks the putt to earn us and unlikely par! We snatch the hole from the jaws of defeat which is a huge psychological boost for us, as we now go in only 1 down and everything to play for.....

 

[Orikoru]

After an hour's rest and a bite to eat, we're back out for round two.

1st, par 3: Muscles a bit tighter, both ladies pull it left of the green this time. Ours gets caught in a bunker, theirs runs longer into a bush. It's a tough downhill lie in the bunker so I go through the green, while Lee played an excellent chip onto the back portion of the green. Gill chips past the pin but I hole a lovely downhill 5 footer for bogey. Lee has a two-and-half-footer for half but to our surprise, he misses which levels up the match. All Square.

2nd, par 4: After a poor drive in the morning, I decide to hit 5 wood this time - it pays off nicely, I hit a straight one into the middle of the fairway. Lee must have been having flashbacks, because he hooks it in exactly the same spot - a fraction higher perhaps, so it's lucky the ladies had the sense not to stand there this time or they'd have got it in the throat! He subsequently slices their third shot which goes towards the ditch but a plant keeps it out. I chip our third nicely to about 6 feet from the pin and they end up conceding the hole after Julie fires their 4th past the hole and into a bunker. 1 up.

3rd, par 3: Role reversal as they are through the green and we are in the bunker this time. I played a good little dink out of the bunker, but it runs down the slope and away from the hole again. They make a very good up-and-down for par and we can only two-putt so they take this hole again. All Square.

4th, par 4, SH: Lee hooks it a bit, I hit a similar drive to the morning one that looks very good but it just takes one kick left into the rough. Gill plays it back to the middle of the fairway, I'm hitting 50° from about 90 yards, but bizarrely I hook it and miss the green about 20 yards left off target. Bafflingly bad. Both teams make a 6 so we lose the hole. 1 down.

5th, par 4: Cracking drives from both ladies, both gents let them down by missing left (two holes running for me, albeit this was pulled rather than hooked). They are able to get down in two though and we are not, so that puts us 2 down.

6th, par 3: One of those moments that made me feel like an idiot. Having gone a bit long with PW this morning I take one club less - and of course I fat it into the bunker short of the green. Thankfully Lee has already missed the green right and just about stayed in bounds. Both sides bogey for the first half of the afternoon.

7th, par 4, SH: Good tee shots from both ladies, but Lee slices their 2nd through the right hand trees. They have fun and games hitting the trees a few times while we get up on the green for three and make a routine bogey. They can't match that even with a shot, so we win one of their shot holes for the second time in the match. 1 down.

8th, par 5, SH: I expunge all memories of the top in the morning by hitting a fantastic drive - with the elevated tee and bone dry fairways, this ran out over 250 yards. This sets us up to make a nice par, they manage a bogey for half though.

9th, par 5: Both teams well positioned after two shots, but Gill hits a great pitch for our third, leaving us only about 4 or 5 feet from the hole, while they go to the very back of the green. They three-putt from there and concede the hole as we have two for the win. Deja-vu as we're once again All Square after the 9th (or 27th).

10th, par 3: I hit it well but once again a fraction short of the putting surface. Lee tops his though and Julie does similar with their second, sending them into the ditch. They take a drop and chip nicely onto the green, but Gill putts well enough from the fringe that they concede the hole as we're likely to make no worse than bogey. 1 up.

11th, par 4, SH: Somehow I hit an almighty hook with 7 iron for our second - I honestly don't know where these hooks have come from today as it's not all that common for me. It's no disaster though as Gill finds the back fringe - I'm not able to make the par putt from there so it's bogey for us. Unfortunately our opponents were able to make bogey too, net par so it's once again back to All Square.

12th, par 4, SH: Lee hits a good one, my drive is a little left but safe. Ultimately you only need to get it in play here as the ladies will be laying up whatever happens. Julie doesn't execute their lay-up very well though so Lee has to chip back to the left as blocked out by trees. I pitch onto the green and we make bogey this time, but they end up lipping out their 2.5 footer for half, so we've won this hole again. Funny how many parallels there were between the two rounds. 1 up.

13th, par 4: As the ladies are teeing off I remark to Lee how close the match has been and we agree that it will likely all just come down to the last couple of holes. Both sides are on the green in two - I was very happy with my approach here, as it was dead on line for the pin and just landed about 12 feet short, but unfortunately there is a ridge on the green and this was between our ball and the hole. Gill hits only her second poor putt of the day and leaves it well short, only just getting up that ridge. I allow too much break and miss it high from 6 feet for a pretty poor bogey. They take the win with a par. All Square again.

14th, par 3: Lee misses right just as he did in the morning round. I don't particularly like this par 3 and my shot this time proves why - I hit it a fraction high on the face, so rather than pitching on the green and stopping like this morning's shot did, it pitches a little short of the green, hits a hard bit of downslope and goes flying through the back of the green. It makes it very hard to club for when a shorter shot/club can end up being much longer. But anyway - we end up making bogey after Gill chips on and I hit a very nice lag putt, and they were in a difficult spot so make double. 1 up.

15th, long par 3, SH: Just like this morning, they make a bogey for net par and it's very difficult for us to beat that (we don't). All Square.

16th, par 4, SH: Lee goes left over the trees. I absolutely nail my drive dead straight - it's just a shame I was aiming left for a fade, so I'm over the trees as well. Julie plays first and hits a decent one back to the correct hole (once again, very similar to this morning on this hole). Gill has two options, there is a safe gap to chip it back to the fairway, but she feels she has a good enough lie to get over some smaller trees in front and get it somewhat near the green. I trust her, but unfortunately she doesn't get the strike and it hits a tree, leaving me with a bare lie, a tree to get over and a limited backswing. Not ideal. I swipe at it with a 9 iron, and it hits a branch but doesn't actually end up too bad, just misses green short and right, but with a bunker to go over. Lee again goes a little long and left. Gill pitches it onto the green and I have to sink a 12 footer to give us any chance, but it misses by millimetres. Julie has played a good shot from just off the green so they have two to win it from about 3 feet so we concede it. 1 down with two to play and all of a sudden, we're up against it.

17th, par 4: Julie pulls her drive while Gill hits a cracker down the middle. Sadly for us Lee isn't as blocked out by trees as we hoped - he doesn't reach the green but misses in a safe spot on the left of it. I hit a lovely pitching wedge that just makes the front of the green leaving us a pretty straightforward two-putt for par. Julie hits a decent chip onto the green, and Lee has a breaking downhiller from around 7 feet for half - he holes it, and it's like a dagger in our hearts.

18th, par 4: Fresh from holing that great putt Lee hits a perfect tee shot with 3 wood here. I was in two minds over what to hit - after seeing that I decide to go with driver, because (a) I've not really been slicing it today, (b) we need to win this hole so it would help Gill if I get us up as close to the green as possible, and (c) I missed this fairway with 5 wood in the morning anyway so it's not exactly a guaranteed fairway hit. So I take driver out and slice it onto the 1st. Plank. Gill has to hit it through trees and hits one of them, sending us further back. I've got enough room to hit over the trees and go for the green, which I must do anyway - but it's a funny wiry rough lie and I duff it instead. It does roll through the trees back to the fairway though, Gill has one more chance to put us close - she half-shanks through the right hand bunker and almost into the car park. It's a sorry end for us, but our opponents have effectively made par (we shake hands before the par putt) so we would have needed to birdie it anyway.

We lose 2 down after an unbelievably close 36 holes. We really couldn't be separated all day, it could have gone either way, and ultimately it came down to their unshakable short games on the last three or four holes that tipped the balance in their favour. Of course I'm gutted, but I'd be more gutted if I'd played badly - bar about three bad holes and a couple of baffling hooks, I think I played well, and so did my partner. I enjoyed the day and we had a good laugh which is the main thing. Sweated off a few calories in the afternoon too as it reached 27°. Sadly I still don't get my name on an honour's board, but having lost the semi-final last year, the final this year, all that's left for us is to go one better and win it next year.

 

[Orikoru]

Men's winter foursomes knockout, 1st round (2nd round really but we got a bye in the 1st as most teams did due to numbers, so first match). Partner Ben is off 11, opponents G and S are off 18 and 20 ish - we give them 7 shots.

1st (P3). Ben tees off for us, misses the green right and we get a big bounce off the path so not ideal. S goes through the back right. I've got a horrendous lie with long grass for my first shot of the day and make a mess of it, toeing it about ten yards to the right somehow. Ben gets it on and I leave a 15-footer to tap-in distance, but it's double bogey and we lose to a bogey. 1 down.

2nd (P4). G hooks a little into the left trees, I hit fairway with 3 wood. Ben hits a great strike with 7 iron to be pin high on the green. After chipping out of trees, pulling it into the bunker and taking two to get out, they give us the hole. All square.

3rd (P3). Both teams hit the green in roughly the same spot and both two putt for par.

4th (P4, shot hole). I hit a good drive, Ben just misses the green with hybrid but I have an awkward chip over a hump. I try and bump it with hybrid but it leaves a six-footer that Ben doesn't make. They are also on for three and two-putt bogey so take it with their shot. My short game hasn't turned up yet. 1 down.

5th (P4). S hits the fairway and Ben hits the right rough. From there I just miss the green right, while they are on in two. I end up with a breaking six-footer for par which I leave two inches short. They have a four-footer uphill for par but let us off the hook by missing it.

6th (P3). G hits it left fringe, I'm just inside that on the green. Normally quick downhillers from there but the greens are a tad slower this morning so Ben and S both leave them short and G and I miss the follow-ups. Halved in bogeys.

7th (P4 SH). S slices his drive a bit, Ben does as well but not as bad. Opponents are wrong side of a tree and duff it trying to chip back. I'm hitting hybrid from the rough, it's come out right and heading straight for a big overhanging tree - somehow, and I still don't know how, it goes straight through the tiniest gap in this tree like magic and ends up going about 140 yards up the right hand side. So lucky. Ben hits a lovely wedge shot onto the green and they have gone in a bunker on the left - from here they knife it across the green and award us the hole. Big moment to win a shot hole from them. All square.

8th (P5 SH). Have been struggling with my driving lately, but I piped a perfect one down the middle here. G skies his a bit so he's 50 odd yards short of mine. Two good fairway woods from the other lads, but G hooks his approach and I hit a lovely wedge ten feet past the pin. Bogey for them and par for us so it's a half.

9th (P5). Ben hits 5 wood to keep it in play, it works out fine as a 7 wood and an 8 iron later we're on the green - but so are they. I have a very long putt, and annoyingly where some drainage work has taken place my putt bobbles and bounces about three times and ends up eight feet short. Thankfully Ben sinks a pearler for par and half.

10th (P3). I hit a big heely cut with 7 wood that ends up ten feet short of the green. G tugs his left, it cannons back off a tree and ends up in the ditch, but playable. They take two further shots to get it on the green, Ben putts ours on but eight foot short. We make bogey to their double and win the hole. 1 up.

11th (P4 SH). Ben always aims left for his 'power fade', this time it lets him down as he smashes it straight left and onto the 2nd fairway. They're in play but rough, and from there they go in a bunker. We're far enough left that I can hit 7 iron over the trees, narrowly miss a bunker and leave it 30 feet short of the green. Ben bumps it on from there but miles past the pin, leaves me a 20-odd footer back up. They get on from the bunker and two putt bogey while I don't sink the mammoth par putt, so back to all square.

12th (P4 SH). I hit a slightly slicey drive but it's in play and fine - G slightly skies his again, but also fine. They lay up and Ben goes for the green with 5 wood - hits it dead straight and ends up 50 yards left of the green. I have a very grassy lie from there but I hit an excellent pitch with 50° and find the green, just around ten foot above the pin. They fat their approach short of the green, and then the putt up the green is 12 feet short as well. Unfortunately for us, G sinks it from there and Ben does not. 1 down.

13th (P4). S misses fairway right and Ben hits a cracker up the middle. They take two shots to be just short of the fringe, and I hit 9 iron onto the back left of the green. Ben hits a superb 20+ footer to gimme distance for a par, and they don't match it. All square.

14th (P3). Tough par 3, six iron for me and I fat it 50 yards short and slightly to the right. G then does more or less the same thing but is slightly nearer the green. Ben hits a beautiful 60° onto the green and it runs to about three feet! S duffs theirs almost into the bunker, and G then chips on. They don't make the bogey putt so we have two for the win and we're told to pick it up. 1 up.

15th (P3 SH). This is the 210-yarder, Ben slices his driver pretty far right which leaves me another 50-ish yard pitch. I actually played it very nicely, but it's just seven feet below the pin and Ben doesn't hole it. Opponents were also on the green for two with an easy two putt for the win so we return the favour and give it to them. All square.

16th (P4 SH). I slightly fat my drive but at least it's straight and on the fairway. Ben tries to rip 5 wood to the green but hits an almighty slice which is on the edge of the bushes. They play up just short of the green so they'll be chipping on for three, while I'm trying to hack it out of a bush. I'm not able to get it on the green, and Ben knifes it through the other side, so we give them it again. 1 down but no more shot holes.

17th (P4). This is a short hole we tend not to hit driver on, S does hit driver and and goes right into the staked trees (so we thought at the time). Ben hits a lovely hybrid that fades onto the left side of fairway. When we get down there we realise S's ball has had a big kick right and is sitting out of bounds! G has to do the long walk back to the tee... then he makes the same mistake and sends his out of bounds as well. I don't even need to hit the approach as we're given the hole and go back to all square.

18th (P4). I'm on the tee first, hitting 3 wood, and I absolutely flush it about four feet right of the fairway bunker I normally try and fade it off of. G hits a hooky one into the left trees so advantage us. S kind of duffs the chip out and then G hits a branch with his approach so they're still well short of the green in the rough. Scenes. Ben hits a lovely straightforward wedge onto the centre of the green. A couple of chips later and they are effectively in for 6. I have a 20+ footer with a big left to right break... and I only bloody hole it for birdie! 1 up on the last, we've won the match in style.

Our opponents played really well until they just capitulated on the last two holes, I did feel bad for them. But we were so solid, we had to be as they gave us a great match. Other than doubling the first and making a mess of the 16th, we had no worse than bogey, and I estimate we were something like 12 or 13 over gross, which is a great knock in foursomes. Back nine was exciting, no halves, they won all four of their shots holes, and we won the other five!

Feels good not to lose in the first round this year. Onwards!

 

[SteveW86]

Winter league match, won 8&6.

Whoop

 

[PNWokingham]

Winter league match, won 8&6.

Whoop

a bit scant on details!

 

[Golfnut1957]

a bit scant on details!

Thank god. Did anyone get past the 1st hole on Orikoru's match report?

 

[SteveW86]

Winter league match, won 8&6.

Whoop

I couldn’t remember every shot, so just put the essentials

 

[Backache]

Thank god. Did anyone get past the 1st hole on Orikoru's match report?

Does no one appreciate Homeric epics these days.

 

[Orikoru]

Thank god. Did anyone get past the 1st hole on Orikoru's match report?

As always, if it's not for you it's not for you. I enjoy writing so no skin off my nose. I have also read some of these back two years later and reminisced about matches I enjoyed.