Matchplay weekend

This weekend I have played 2 matchplay games, the first in the club challenge and the second for the Ellesmere team in the Archie Preston, an interclub mixed foursomes knockout run by the Manchester and District Golf Alliance. Due to the fact that there was a 2 day men's board competition on at the weekend, both games were played late in the afternoon.

Firstly on Saturday I played my first match in the club challenge, my opponent plays off 21 so I had to give her one shot. I won the first hole with a bogey but then lost the second to a bogey, a bogey won me the 3rd and a par won me the 4th, My opponent then struggled over the next few holes and I won 4 in a row to reach the 9th hole 6 up. My opponents game started to improve and she won the 9th so I was 5 up at the turn, we halved the next 4, including the hole I was giving a shot on, and I won the 14th to win the match 6&4. My opponent in the next round is the most improved player at the club this season, so I think I will need to be at my best especially as I will be giving her a couple of shots.

So onto Sunday and the Archie Preston against Shaw Hill, we were drawn at home and so had to start each match 1 down. My partner, Colin, had played in the 2 day competition so had already played 18 holes in the morning, he had also had a very good round and had received a 2 shot handicap reduction, we were still however receiving to shots from our opponents Brian and Debby.

We won the first hole with a par, so we immediately got back the one hole start, we halved the 2nd and 3rd holes, I found the green with my tee shot on the par 3 4th and a par put us 1up.
 After halving the 5th and 6th we came to the 7th, we were on the fringe of the green in 3, while our opponents were over the back in a deep hazard about 15 feet below the level of the green, also in 3, it was looking like we were going to go 2 up but then Debby hit a fantastic recovery from the hazard to within 15 feet, and Brian holed the putt for a 5. my chip from the fringe was 6 feet short and Colin missed so instead of 2 up we were back to level.

We received our first shot on the 8th, but unfortunately my drive was  in light rough but too close to a tree to give a full swing, Brian chipped out but I didn't hit a great 3rd and we ended up taking 7 losing the hole to a par 5 to go 1 down. The 9th is a par 3, 170yds from the men's tee and a pretty scary tee shot, however both men hit the green, my 20 foot putt just slipped by on the right, but Debby left her 15 footer short so the hole was halved and we turned 1 down.

My drive on the 10th was a bit short and Colin couldn't reach the green, however Brian hit a great shot to within 20 feet of the pin, my chip wasn't near enough and we lost the hole to a par 4, to go 2 down.

So we arrived at the 11th and Colin's drive looked to be heading into trees, however the shot was right into to the sun so we couldn't see very well, when we got down to look for it, there was a ball in the middle of the fairway, the same type and number as Colin's, however as it wasn't where it had been heading, our opponents asked what distinguishing marks Colin had on his ball and he replied that he had not put any on it. They then said that how could he be sure it was his ball, as his shot was clearing heading for the trees. As a result I was made to walk back to the tee as the ball had to be declared lost, and so I was playing 3 of the tee. Needless to say we lost the hole to go 3 down.

So onto the par 3 12th, 191 yards from the ladies tee, Debbie was short and right and I hit a great drive right at the flag, but it  just ran off the back of the green, Brian  put his shot 15 feet away on the fringe and Colin putted to 18 inches, Debby missed and I had a short put to get a hole back but I missed it!

Colin's drive on the 13th when way left and hit a tree, I couldn't hit up the fairway so tried to hit the ball up the adjacent one but I also hit a tree. Colin hit a decent shot which left me 80 yards over a bunker, I hit out 4th shot to the fringe of the green, with our opponents safely on the green in 3, Debby hit a long downhill putt about 4 feet past and the hole was looking lost, until Colin holed from off the green and Brian missed and we scrambled a half.

On the 14th, Debby's tee shot went right into some young trees, while mine found a bunker in front of the green, Brian's recovery hit a tree and bounce back  into the rough and up against a small bush, Debby's attempt just hit it deeper into the rough and they conceded the hole so we were 2 down.

Two good shots by both teams on the 15th left the men with long shots to the green, Colin found the bank in front of the green but Brian was way to the left on the other side of a lateral hazard and when Debbie address the ball it rolled so that was counted as a shot, Brian found the fringe, then I chipped it close for a conceded par and a win to bring it back to 1 down.

I hit a good long straight drive on the 16th, Debby also found the fairway but was shorter and to the right, Brian was left of the green in a row of trees and Colin safely put our ball on the green about 30 feet from the hole, Debby could only knock the ball out and Brian put it onto the green but it meant we had 2 putts to win the hole. I holed the 30 footer for a birdie and we were back to all square.

Colin's drive on the 17th found trees and all I could do was knock it onto the fairway whereas our opponent's had hit 2 decent shots but were down the right. Colin it a nice 3rd which cleared the ditch and finished up on the edge of a fairway bunker, Brian went for the green but just caught the branches of the tree and fell into the water hazard, Debby took a drop then hit the ball into rough to  left of the green. although I had to stand in the bunker I manage to knock our ball 80 yards onto the green and when our opponents ball couldn't be found, the hole was conceded to see us go 1 up with just the 18th left.

My tee shot on the 18th hit the bank in front of the green and rolled right back down to the bottom while Debby hit a lovely shot which found the front of the green, Colin played a lovely chip which just ran off the fringe, then Brian left his putt 5 feet short of the hole, I didn't hit a great chip from the fringe but Colin holed the 10 foot putt, leaving Debby with a 5 foot to win the hole and halve the match and she duly popped it in. We went to shake hands on a half when we were told we had to go to the first as there had to be a winner in each individual match.

Brian's tee hooked his tee shot into the trees and although Colin didn't hit the best of shots, it was straight and ran to the left of the green. As Brian's ball was lost they had to play 3 off the tee, Debby didn't reach the green and after Brian's chip they had taken 4, I hit my chip to a couple of feet and the match was conceded.

I have to say that it was the most draining round of golf I have had both physically and mentally and I was very pleased that we hung in there and fought back to eventually win, although in fairness our opponents did go off a bit when they appeared to nearly have the match won. It just goes to prove that a match isn't over until its definitely been won.

The win proved to be vital as the final match score was 4-3 to Ellesmere. There was a nice dinner after the match and we now look forward to seeing who our opponents will be in the next round.