At my club we have assigned point values to tournaments. When you win, place or show you get points. The top 20 gentlemen and top 8 women are automatically invited to participate in a Ryder Cup format tournament. The weekend consist of Friday night team captains (club pro and asst. pro) announcing pairings and picking teams. The way they were set up this time is the pair sheets was splint into 4 divisions for men and 1 for women. They are head pro and asst pro along with the 2 lowest handicapped golfers in the first flight. Then the next 6 lowest in the second flight and then the next 6 in the final flight. It worked out to 0-4, 5-9 and 15-25 in final flight. We were setup to play 4-ball on Saturday morning, alternate shot Saturday afternoon and individual matches Sunday.
My partner and I are both 14 index golfers versus 2 other 14's so it was an even match up. I shot an 85 (14 strokes of handicap = par 71 course) and we lost on the last hole. Now the 85 was good but doing it after we got close to 2" of rain after midnight and it was still raining for most of the round made it more impressive. I had issues with chipping the ball all weekend as the rough was thick around the greens and the ground was very muddy. Trying to putt the ball early Saturday was like trying to put a cloth covered ball on velcro.... it just wasn't going anywhere. I only hit a couple of bad full shots for Saturdays morning match. After the 18 we were offered lunch at the clubhouse and then switched who were riding with for the afternoon match. I was paired up with the 24 versus a team that included the match play champion for the club in 2 different match play tournaments. We started off with a double on the first hole and were down one. On the second hole I flushed a driver all the way through the dogleg and left my partner a side hill lie. The other team was out of bounds with their drive. We struggled to bogey the hole I hit a 18' slippery putt to save it. Then my partner on the par three third hits into the water. I hit to the green but we were back down one again as they parred the hole. On four I got quick with the driver and went left OB now down two. On hole five my partner hit high right left me 185 to middle of green pin in front. I wanted to make sure I got there and hit my 4 iron to behind the green right and partner chipped on left me 20' we missed our par they made theirs down three. On hole six I pulled my 6 iron straight into the hazard and we never got close down four. ON hole seven it was win or go home and my partner his an ok drive and I again pull my iron shot left he has to chip we then choke trying to take the hole and closed out 4 and 3.
Sunday individual match against a gentleman that has an equal handicap to mine so we are playing scratch. I take an early lead and we bounce between me being 1 up to all square. Hole seven is my only blow up hole of the day. I pull hook my first ball out of bounds and pull hock my approach shot (shot 4) to a tree behind the green which puts me out of position to get to the green. I conceed the hole and then on hole 8 he hits a great drive up the right side between to trees and onto the face of a hill. I push my shot to the right it flies between the trees rolls onto the cart path and down the the 200 yard out marker on the cart path. I hit a 3 hybrid that bounces on the front fringe and rolls all the way to the back left of the green pin high. I have an uphill putt for eagle. He conceeds the hole after I just miss the eagle putt with the kick in birdie.
On hole ten I choke with the putter in my hands and go down one. On hole eleven which is a force carry over two hazards I smoke my 3wood over the green and it stops in the rough on the lip overhanging the bunker. I have no idea how the ball doesn't just fall into the trap so I have really no shot at it so I knock it down into the bunker and play it out from there. My opponent hits his driver to the front of the green chips over to about 8'. I am thinking just keep it together the worse thing that can happen is that I go two down but we have the hardest 3 holes stretch coming up. I get out of the bunker and the ball rolls down to where I am about a foot in front of his ball so he is going to show me the line. He hits his putt and comes up a foot short. I drain mine and we go to twelve with me being down just 1.
I hit my driver like its a sand wedge and actually back the ball up on the fairway with it being down wind. No problem and aim to the left side on my next shot and am in the left rough with 115 to the middle of green. My opponent hits his third shot OB left (I didn't know at the time) and hit a a smooth PW but the wind takes and the ball carries to back left behind the green. Double break down hill coming down I chip to clear the first one come up short which leaves me a over the ridge back down the otherside putt. I hit to 2'. He concedes the hole we are all square again.
On thirteen he pull hooks his driver short left. I was practicing when all of a sudden the wind dies. I quickly jump up to the ball and hit it while the wind is low. I hit it to about 170 on the right side of the fairway with a great look at the green. He hits his approach short and right. I pull out my 4 iron hybrid smooth swing aiming the right of the green as I know the wind is going to move my ball right. It hits the green and rolls past the pin about 8'. This forces him to go at the flag he goes long and concedes the hole after I miss my birdie putt. Onto the next hole with me back up one.
On fourteen yesterday I hit a big draw that ran across the fairway and left me in some nasty rough so I hit a fade to hold the fairway today. Works and I have 165 to the pin. My opponent has 180 or so he hits his shot into the rough on the left side of the green. I hit my 6 iron to the front of the green and it releases and rolls to 18". He tries to hit a miracle chip and concedes the hole but says putt it out for your birdie. I am now up two with four to go.
On fifteen par three I go first. My shot draws the left side of the green pin high. He hits his tee shot straight but short on the front fringe about 10' from the green. I am behind a sprinkler head on the fringe and can't put the line I want to try to make it so I assume he is going to need 2 shots from where he is so I putt it at the hole and leave about three feet for par. He chips and is right behind my marker so again I get the line. He drains his putt I rush and just try to slap it in and miss. I an now up one with three to go.
Hole sixteen par 5 second shot over hazard. My opponent hits a solid drive down the right hand side of fairway. I hit it by him about 20 yards again on the right side of the fairway. He hits a pop up for his second shot short of the hazard and I hit my 3 hybrid to 70 yards out. He hit his third shot left into rough about 50 yards out. I hit my approach shot long over the flag into the rough. He hits his shot short again the rough and the next one gets him on the green. I hit a chip back down the hill long and have to putt up. I take the hole to go up two with two to play.
On seventeen I hit my 4 hybrid to about 175 he again hits a pop up and has a long way in. He plays it safe and hits to fairway over the hazard. I hit my 5 iron to the back left fringe pin high. He chips up past the pin in the fringe above the hole. I putt over and just miss the birdie and ball rolls about 4' by after almost stopping in front of the hole. He misses his from above the hole and conceeds as all I need to do is 2 putt to split the hole and win the match. Fun day. Now will have to go the clubhouse for dinner as the losing team (which we were) buys the winning team a steak dinner.