Mid-Handicap Matchplay

[Bdill93]

Turned up for our first pairs match yesterday morning - arranged for 8.16am on the deadline for the game to be played.

Text from opponents to say they both overslept and cant make it for over an hour - fortunately comp sec was on the first in the roll up so a quick chat and he confirmed as we showed up to the arranged fixture it wasnt our fault.

Win claimed

On to the next round!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes, several times. I would say the sweet spot is 9 - 11 h'cap. A near perfect balance between consistency / ability / shots

Seems to be so. Back in April I won our Winter matchplay off CH of 11. I’m playing last 16 match of Summer matchplay on Wednesday with CH of 9. My mid-long iron play is ropey, but my short game is generally good enough to get me out of scrapes and get me halves or win holes, not losing too many. Giving 2 shots on Wed but feeling ok about that.

Out of interest just checked last 16 and highest CH is 17, 6 SF players, and 3 of us in 9-11 range ?

 

[Bdill93]

We are back for 2023!

Round one of the Secretary’s Bowl (individual KO)

I start the season off 11.6 which gives me a CH of 13 at my home club.

Drawn against a higher handicapper with a CH of 20, so I was giving him 7 shots.

Shot holes were 4,6,7,8,12,15,17.

1) a shortish 330 yard par 4. after a lovely drive off the tee I leave myself with only 80 yards to the green. PP hits the left side bunker but proceeds to surprisingly hit the green in 2! I took a nice shoulder to shoulder 56 and dropped it about 2 foot closer but very much on the same line as my opponent. Both looking like pars. He tapped his putt up and left himself about a foot, I rolled mine in BD 1 up!

2) a fatted 3 wood off the tee on a mega short (280) par 4 is never the ideal start. However my pp hits his second into a bunker and I stuck mine on the green. Tidy 2 putt and I walk away 2 up!

3) we both missed the green on the 140 yard par 3 playing into strong wind! After a careful chip on to ensure I was still in play a calm 2 putt was only enough to half the hole. BD 2 up

4) tough cookie hole! Dog leg left -wind with today though! So nice firm driver up the middle opened up the green for the second. Opponent went left and hit rough so never made the corner, despite the shot on the hole he took another 2 to catch up to me and it was over when my second just reached the front of the green. Oooh this is going well! 3 up through 4.

5) love this little par 3, I pulled my tee shot slightly but avoided the bunker to the left and had a nice easy chip at the pin from pin high. Pp also missed left but shorter than myself - deffo further from the hole than me. But he gestured that I go first - I thought this was the first attempt at mind games, he wanted to see what I did so he knew what he had to beat. Well… i took it on, I was confident and in a groove. Come have some. I stuck it to about 2 foot and he thinned his over the green. Lesson learned, don’t try and get in my head. BD 4 up through 5!

6) and so begins a stretch of shot holes! This is the first of only 2 par 5’s and requires a 160 odd yard carry over a stream off the tee but it’s into a strong wind and often plays longer. I easily carry the stream but go left and hit some very thick rough. Pp slices one - doesn’t carry the stream and is forced to drop one before it then play over. I didn’t play the hole great but I did what I had to after his error off the tee to finish up with another hole win. BD 5 up through 6

7) SI 1 and a tough hole. The same stream is now a 200 yard carry which again I normally take on but after being 5 up and knowing I’m playing well I sensibly lay up. Pp has a shot but not playing well and I feel I can beat him shot for shot here. I go straight, leaving myself a long second which is easily done in 3. Pp half shanks his tee shot, plays a decent second and third to be near the green but not as close as me. After a bit of dodgy putting we half the hole (I miss a 3 footer for the win). BD still 5 up through 7.

8) the last of the run of 3 shot holes. I step up and stick one straight down the middle of a long par 4, pp goes a bit left but still okay. He then hits a solid second to around 50 yards, I fat one about 3 yards great…. I follow that up with an almighty effort that drops to around 4 foot and sink that for 2, hole halved!

9) short par 4 dog leg left, I take on the corner and succeed leaving myself with about 30 yards to the flag. PP goes straight down the middle then chips to the middle of the green - sensible! I choose to play the man rather than chase the hole and chipped just closer than him. 2 putts follow and we half in pars. BD 5 up through 9.

10) I hate this hole. I think I’ve written it before but it’s worse now I hook a bad one. It’s a 160 yard par 3 with a huge tree on the left blocking a lot of the green. You go over it or draw it around it. Left is deep deep grass and right is woodland. I unfortunately hooked one into the deep deep and despite my pp hitting the tree his ball was safe. Gutted that I couldn’t find my ball and hole conceded. BD back to 4 up. Surely I can’t cock this up?

11) long and straight par 4 into massive winds. I go right blocked out by some trees a bit, PP goes left which is actually the 12th fairway and nice enough! I have to knock one back into play to attack the green and my pp plays a great shot to around 40 yards. I sling mine up there but also finish short, about 5 yards further out. Chip on to approx 10 feet from there. Advantage PP now - he just needs to chip on and 2 putt for a win and maybe come back in to the game. Well… he didn’t. No clue how but he found the bunker to the left, chipped out well but could only save a 2 putt for 6 and a halved hole. BD 4 up.

12) longest par 4 and a shot hole for the PP. He played one straight down the middle with the wind behind him and I felt nervy. I sliced my tee shot and thought it had made the 13th fairway but when we walked up we spotted a ball on our own fairway - result! I must have hit a tree and bounced back into play well I grabbed hold of that advantage and stuck a solid 6 iron to about 50 yards. Pp did about the same. I know my 50 yard shot, it’s a feely 60 degree shot for me, pop it up and it sits nicely when it lands. 4 foot to go! Need my pp to do worse as he gets his shot. Well, he thinned it through the back didn’t he BD back to 5 up through 12!

13) back into wind I stand on the tee knowing if I win the hole I win the match. I’m the longer player and the better player today. It showed. Beautiful tee shot straight down the middle. PP goes left - then right with his second - then fatted one - then left again I strike a 6 iron to just short of the green. 2 strokes less and closer to the green my pp walks over, shakes my hand and concedes the match.

BD wins 6&5.

Into the next round - and who’s waiting for me? My dad

 

[rulefan]

We are back for 2023!

Round one of the Secretary’s Bowl (individual KO)

I start the season off 11.6 which gives me a CH of 13 at my home club.

Drawn against a higher handicapper with a CH of 20, so I was giving him 7 shots.

Shot holes were 4,6,7,8,12,15,17.

1) a shortish 330 yard par 4. after a lovely drive off the tee I leave myself with only 80 yards to the green. PP hits the left side bunker but proceeds to surprisingly hit the green in 2! I took a nice shoulder to shoulder 56 and dropped it about 2 foot closer but very much on the same line as my opponent. Both looking like pars. He tapped his putt up and left himself about a foot, I rolled mine in BD 1 up!

2) a fatted 3 wood off the tee on a mega short (280) par 4 is never the ideal start. However my pp hits his second into a bunker and I stuck mine on the green. Tidy 2 putt and I walk away 2 up!

3) we both missed the green on the 140 yard par 3 playing into strong wind! After a careful chip on to ensure I was still in play a calm 2 putt was only enough to half the hole. BD 2 up

4) tough cookie hole! Dog leg left -wind with today though! So nice firm driver up the middle opened up the green for the second. Opponent went left and hit rough so never made the corner, despite the shot on the hole he took another 2 to catch up to me and it was over when my second just reached the front of the green. Oooh this is going well! 3 up through 4.

5) love this little par 3, I pulled my tee shot slightly but avoided the bunker to the left and had a nice easy chip at the pin from pin high. Pp also missed left but shorter than myself - deffo further from the hole than me. But he gestured that I go first - I thought this was the first attempt at mind games, he wanted to see what I did so he knew what he had to beat. Well… i took it on, I was confident and in a groove. Come have some. I stuck it to about 2 foot and he thinned his over the green. Lesson learned, don’t try and get in my head. BD 4 up through 5!

6) and so begins a stretch of shot holes! This is the first of only 2 par 5’s and requires a 160 odd yard carry over a stream off the tee but it’s into a strong wind and often plays longer. I easily carry the stream but go left and hit some very thick rough. Pp slices one - doesn’t carry the stream and is forced to drop one before it then play over. I didn’t play the hole great but I did what I had to after his error off the tee to finish up with another hole win. BD 5 up through 6

7) SI 1 and a tough hole. The same stream is now a 200 yard carry which again I normally take on but after being 5 up and knowing I’m playing well I sensibly lay up. Pp has a shot but not playing well and I feel I can beat him shot for shot here. I go straight, leaving myself a long second which is easily done in 3. Pp half shanks his tee shot, plays a decent second and third to be near the green but not as close as me. After a bit of dodgy putting we half the hole (I miss a 3 footer for the win). BD still 5 up through 7.

8) the last of the run of 3 shot holes. I step up and stick one straight down the middle of a long par 4, pp goes a bit left but still okay. He then hits a solid second to around 50 yards, I fat one about 3 yards great…. I follow that up with an almighty effort that drops to around 4 foot and sink that for 2, hole halved!

9) short par 4 dog leg left, I take on the corner and succeed leaving myself with about 30 yards to the flag. PP goes straight down the middle then chips to the middle of the green - sensible! I choose to play the man rather than chase the hole and chipped just closer than him. 2 putts follow and we half in pars. BD 5 up through 9.

10) I hate this hole. I think I’ve written it before but it’s worse now I hook a bad one. It’s a 160 yard par 3 with a huge tree on the left blocking a lot of the green. You go over it or draw it around it. Left is deep deep grass and right is woodland. I unfortunately hooked one into the deep deep and despite my pp hitting the tree his ball was safe. Gutted that I couldn’t find my ball and hole conceded. BD back to 4 up. Surely I can’t cock this up?

11) long and straight par 4 into massive winds. I go right blocked out by some trees a bit, PP goes left which is actually the 12th fairway and nice enough! I have to knock one back into play to attack the green and my pp plays a great shot to around 40 yards. I sling mine up there but also finish short, about 5 yards further out. Chip on to approx 10 feet from there. Advantage PP now - he just needs to chip on and 2 putt for a win and maybe come back in to the game. Well… he didn’t. No clue how but he found the bunker to the left, chipped out well but could only save a 2 putt for 6 and a halved hole. BD 4 up.

12) longest par 4 and a shot hole for the PP. He played one straight down the middle with the wind behind him and I felt nervy. I sliced my tee shot and thought it had made the 13th fairway but when we walked up we spotted a ball on our own fairway - result! I must have hit a tree and bounced back into play well I grabbed hold of that advantage and stuck a solid 6 iron to about 50 yards. Pp did about the same. I know my 50 yard shot, it’s a feely 60 degree shot for me, pop it up and it sits nicely when it lands. 4 foot to go! Need my pp to do worse as he gets his shot. Well, he thinned it through the back didn’t he BD back to 5 up through 12!

13) back into wind I stand on the tee knowing if I win the hole I win the match. I’m the longer player and the better player today. It showed. Beautiful tee shot straight down the middle. PP goes left - then right with his second - then fatted one - then left again I strike a 6 iron to just short of the green. 2 strokes less and closer to the green my pp walks over, shakes my hand and concedes the match.

BD wins 6&5.

Into the next round - and who’s waiting for me? My dad

Enthralling

 

[Bazz]

Played your first game and we haven't even had our draw yet.
Good write up that.

 

[JayB]

We are back for 2023!

Round one of the Secretary’s Bowl (individual KO)

I start the season off 11.6 which gives me a CH of 13 at my home club.

Drawn against a higher handicapper with a CH of 20, so I was giving him 7 shots.

Shot holes were 4,6,7,8,12,15,17.

1) a shortish 330 yard par 4. after a lovely drive off the tee I leave myself with only 80 yards to the green. PP hits the left side bunker but proceeds to surprisingly hit the green in 2! I took a nice shoulder to shoulder 56 and dropped it about 2 foot closer but very much on the same line as my opponent. Both looking like pars. He tapped his putt up and left himself about a foot, I rolled mine in BD 1 up!

2) a fatted 3 wood off the tee on a mega short (280) par 4 is never the ideal start. However my pp hits his second into a bunker and I stuck mine on the green. Tidy 2 putt and I walk away 2 up!

3) we both missed the green on the 140 yard par 3 playing into strong wind! After a careful chip on to ensure I was still in play a calm 2 putt was only enough to half the hole. BD 2 up

4) tough cookie hole! Dog leg left -wind with today though! So nice firm driver up the middle opened up the green for the second. Opponent went left and hit rough so never made the corner, despite the shot on the hole he took another 2 to catch up to me and it was over when my second just reached the front of the green. Oooh this is going well! 3 up through 4.

5) love this little par 3, I pulled my tee shot slightly but avoided the bunker to the left and had a nice easy chip at the pin from pin high. Pp also missed left but shorter than myself - deffo further from the hole than me. But he gestured that I go first - I thought this was the first attempt at mind games, he wanted to see what I did so he knew what he had to beat. Well… i took it on, I was confident and in a groove. Come have some. I stuck it to about 2 foot and he thinned his over the green. Lesson learned, don’t try and get in my head. BD 4 up through 5!

6) and so begins a stretch of shot holes! This is the first of only 2 par 5’s and requires a 160 odd yard carry over a stream off the tee but it’s into a strong wind and often plays longer. I easily carry the stream but go left and hit some very thick rough. Pp slices one - doesn’t carry the stream and is forced to drop one before it then play over. I didn’t play the hole great but I did what I had to after his error off the tee to finish up with another hole win. BD 5 up through 6

7) SI 1 and a tough hole. The same stream is now a 200 yard carry which again I normally take on but after being 5 up and knowing I’m playing well I sensibly lay up. Pp has a shot but not playing well and I feel I can beat him shot for shot here. I go straight, leaving myself a long second which is easily done in 3. Pp half shanks his tee shot, plays a decent second and third to be near the green but not as close as me. After a bit of dodgy putting we half the hole (I miss a 3 footer for the win). BD still 5 up through 7.

8) the last of the run of 3 shot holes. I step up and stick one straight down the middle of a long par 4, pp goes a bit left but still okay. He then hits a solid second to around 50 yards, I fat one about 3 yards great…. I follow that up with an almighty effort that drops to around 4 foot and sink that for 2, hole halved!

9) short par 4 dog leg left, I take on the corner and succeed leaving myself with about 30 yards to the flag. PP goes straight down the middle then chips to the middle of the green - sensible! I choose to play the man rather than chase the hole and chipped just closer than him. 2 putts follow and we half in pars. BD 5 up through 9.

10) I hate this hole. I think I’ve written it before but it’s worse now I hook a bad one. It’s a 160 yard par 3 with a huge tree on the left blocking a lot of the green. You go over it or draw it around it. Left is deep deep grass and right is woodland. I unfortunately hooked one into the deep deep and despite my pp hitting the tree his ball was safe. Gutted that I couldn’t find my ball and hole conceded. BD back to 4 up. Surely I can’t cock this up?

11) long and straight par 4 into massive winds. I go right blocked out by some trees a bit, PP goes left which is actually the 12th fairway and nice enough! I have to knock one back into play to attack the green and my pp plays a great shot to around 40 yards. I sling mine up there but also finish short, about 5 yards further out. Chip on to approx 10 feet from there. Advantage PP now - he just needs to chip on and 2 putt for a win and maybe come back in to the game. Well… he didn’t. No clue how but he found the bunker to the left, chipped out well but could only save a 2 putt for 6 and a halved hole. BD 4 up.

12) longest par 4 and a shot hole for the PP. He played one straight down the middle with the wind behind him and I felt nervy. I sliced my tee shot and thought it had made the 13th fairway but when we walked up we spotted a ball on our own fairway - result! I must have hit a tree and bounced back into play well I grabbed hold of that advantage and stuck a solid 6 iron to about 50 yards. Pp did about the same. I know my 50 yard shot, it’s a feely 60 degree shot for me, pop it up and it sits nicely when it lands. 4 foot to go! Need my pp to do worse as he gets his shot. Well, he thinned it through the back didn’t he BD back to 5 up through 12!

13) back into wind I stand on the tee knowing if I win the hole I win the match. I’m the longer player and the better player today. It showed. Beautiful tee shot straight down the middle. PP goes left - then right with his second - then fatted one - then left again I strike a 6 iron to just short of the green. 2 strokes less and closer to the green my pp walks over, shakes my hand and concedes the match.

BD wins 6&5.

Into the next round - and who’s waiting for me? My dad

Enjoyed reading that, well played.

Good luck against your Dad.

 

[Orikoru]

Making me excited for match play again. Not played one for a while but I'm entered into three knockouts this season, the draws for which will be done at the end of this month. Mixed foursomes, mens four-ball and singles. The men's foursomes comes later in the year too.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I do love a bit of match play.
So, I’ve entered all of the match play comps available to me this year.

Was knocked out of the scratch mp in the first round by a 2hc. I was never down in the match until the 17th. I burned the edges with so many putts. On another day it could have been a comfortable victory.

Through to the second round of both the men’s and mixed mp after fairly comfortable wins against higher handicappers.

We won of Greensomes match on Saturday 2&1 after a very good game considering the format and conditions. It’s a shame the competition isn’t foursomes.

All of the matches so far have been good natured without much in the way of mind games. But, one chap I have in the next round has a reputation for being a bit of a grumpy and not the best of company. So that could be fun.

 

[Bdill93]

Bdill vs Papa Dill tonight...

LETS GOOOOOO

 

[Orikoru]

Bdill vs Papa Dill tonight...

LETS GOOOOOO

This explains why you've been tanking your handicap recently.

 

[3offTheTee]

Bdill vs Papa Dill tonight...

LETS GOOOOOO

You have not given us the shot situation.

Have you started a book on the match?

Also how do you remember every shot on every hole?

Good luck and what time is the next instalment due?

 

[Bdill93]

You have not given us the shot situation.

Have you started a book on the match?

Also how do you remember every shot on every hole?

Good luck and what time is the next instalment due?

Well following my recent poor play - the old man gets one shot!

Urm, not sure how I remember them but I do, just work my way through each hole in my head when writing up the post match report

I shall try and post the write up tomorrow!

 

[Bdill93]

This explains why you've been tanking your handicap recently.

I really wish it was on purpose... Played again last night - some good, some bad, some ugly

 

[Orikoru]

I really wish it was on purpose... Played again last night - some good, some bad, some ugly

Well your dad is going to think it was when you beat him 1 up on the last.

 

[Bdill93]

Well your dad is going to think it was when you beat him 1 up on the last.

His has also only gone up this year, from 13 to 17! (playing)

We're also in a pairs KO this weekend together

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Another round. Another opponent who can only play on 2 or 3 days. This time they are going away for 3 weeks.

Was contacted yesterday and they can only do this Saturday or the last weekend before the deadline in 4 week time. I have plans already for those dates but made slight changes so we can play on the deadline. Then get an off hand response that the time isn’t ideal but he’ll agree to it

So far this season I’ve played 7 knockout matches across various competitions. Half have been with opponents under 50(ish) and have been easy to arrange a mutual time. The others and next two games have been against…….

Anyway. Rant over.

Played last night and won 7&6. Made a silly double on the second, then without striking the ball even remotely well I was level par through to the 11th. And now I wait nearly a month to play the next round.

In the other knockout I have to play a chap who needs watching carefully and could be fun and games.

 

[Bdill93]

Round summary - got the shanks and the match was over after 13. Never felt so bad about my golf game in years.

Till next year

 

[BrianM]

Round summary - got the shanks and the match was over after 13. Never felt so bad about my golf game in years.

Till next year

Do you realise the shame you’ve brought to the forum with that defeat

 

[Orikoru]

Round summary - got the shanks and the match was over after 13. Never felt so bad about my golf game in years.

Till next year

Aww. What an anti-climax.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Aww. What an anti-climax.