That's that then.....am I bothered?

[RGDave]

Finally, my partner and I got beaten in the club pairs matchplay. It's been a long time, since we won it last year and the year before lost on a coin toss when we couldn't play it time.
Part of me is quite happy, since these games tend to prey on my mind and I'd hate to not take it seriously in the run-up and then play rubbish, so I put in a lot of work, often to the detriment of other things.
I guess, it'd be nice to tell the story of how it all went, but in the end it was a very boring game of golf....except for one person. All (4 players) on h'cap after 9 holes, we were 1 up. Then the grief started, and it was all over on the 17th green, where we shook hands and accepted our long-overdue fate. It just would have been good to lose to two decent players.

....and the culprit? some chap off 27.

a quick check of masterscoreboard shows he has never filled in all 18 holes on a stableford and only played in one medal this year where he hit 103 for a 0.1.
....interesting to note that his 4 pars and 1 birdie today beat his entire history at our club, where he's never made a birdie in a comp and maximum par return ever is 3. He played the back 9 to 5 - what can you do?

Sore to lose? Yes. Bloomin'...

Bothered about being out? No.

I made 9 pars and 9 bogeys. I didn't even get to putt my 3 birdie chances.

Tomorrow? Bobmac's chair drill and a Leadbetter training grip on a Titleist 695CB 6 iron.

 

[Matty]

Has a pretty high handicapper myself I'd have to say it happens. I am off 22 at the moment and have played to 18 and 28 in my last 2 rounds. Inconsistent and massively variable I am. Proud of this fact I am not as I try hard to drive my handicap down.

 

[rosecott]

Ooh, matchplay - don't you just love it.

 

[Region3]

They do say be careful what you wish for

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think what Dave is intimating at is that he rarely plays in competitions and so doesn't get cut and is capable of turning something special on. It could have been coincidence but not sure he really believes that

 

[rosecott]

I agree, but, if the guy has been playing regularly in qualifiers, it's quite possible that in a matchplay situation (where there is much less pressure for high handicappers in many ways), he can play well above himself. If he's only played in a few qualifiers and then turns it on, then the suspicions arise.

 

[rosecott]

They do say be careful what you wish for

Don't say that! I'm playing in our pairs matchplay knockout semi-final at 8.30 tomorrow and I've just progressed from the wine to the brandy.

 

[USER1999]

Brandy is nasty stuff.

 

[RGDave]

They do say be careful what you wish for

I know. I partly wanted out so I didn't have to spend Aug and Sep nursing a bad swing, I'd rather just work on it...and enjoy my family time.

Having said that, I tried 100% all the way round.

 

[RGDave]

It could have been coincidence but not sure he really believes that

No coincidence. I found all his recent cards on masterscoreboard.

Take the 13th hole. par 4 last 7 comps. NR/7/NR/5/5/NR/NR. Today PAR.
Only parred the 3rd hole ONCE this season. Today - up and down out of the bunker. PAR
Never, ever, parred the 8th (par 3). Today - PAR.

Doesn't look too good does it.

 

[palindromicbob]

I refuse to play any proper matches until I have a proven track record in open events for this very reason. I know that in match play situations I could go out and even if I did badly I'd have the odd good hole which could clinch things in a team match. My first ever par was on an index 1 hole.

 

[RGDave]

Track record is kind of interesting as a concept.

I have a track record, not just my scores (total) but individual holes. It must go back years, although I don't know what the computer would keep. It's hard to see how any club can effectively h'cap a player who returns 4 or 5 NRs every week. One stableford he NR'd NINE holes.

Then he come up against us, goes into par mode half way round the course, hits a hybrid to 8 foot over two lakes (185 yds) and bends a ball 40 yards right-left to 8 foot after being behind a tree.

Also suspicious was picking up his ball immediately he knew his partner was "in" on that hole.

 

[BROOKIE]

Dave,did you ever feel like calling him a two faced t**t ?

 

[RGDave]

Dave,did you ever feel like calling him a two faced t**t ?

Not really. I didn't actually think about it too much until I got home. Everyone is entitled to a good round and his birdie at the 16th was a birdie...good for him.

What stirred my thoughts was seeing his track record on masterscoreboard. He was a genuinely rubbish player, so how does a player that has never broken 100 or even finished a stableford card suddenly play 9 holes to 5?

 

[G1BB0]

maybe he has had some lessons and put in lots of practice just so he could beat you Dave

 

[RGDave]

maybe he has had some lessons and put in lots of practice just so he could beat you Dave

Maybe he did. That would've been a wicked plan.