Wilmslow clubhouse and 9th and 18th greens
After 11 competitive rounds in 11 days, I had a break at the weekend so on Monday felt well rested for the semi-final of the Hebblethwaite, our four ball better ball knockout. I had the lowest handicap of the four of us and so had to give shots to the other three.
We won the first with a bogey and then one of our opponents parred the next 3 holes, I parred one of them but was giving a shot, so we lost all three to be 2 down after 4 holes. Fortunately we rallied and won the 5th, then after halving the next 3 my partner parred the 8th with a shot to bring us all back to all square and when she also birdied the 9th we turned one up. We halved the 10th then I birdied the 11th to move 2 ahead, We shared the 12th with pars then I won the 13th with another par despite giving shots to the other three. We lost the 14th to a par but then another par, with a shot, by my partner won the 15th to put us dormie 3up. A bogey 5 for me was enough to win the 16th and the match by 4&2. We are now in the final will play the pair that have won the competition the last 2 years.
On Tuesday I went to Wilmslow to play the course in advance of our Bell Cup last 16 match next week, It was a very hot day and I had to use my umbrella to get some shade. Wilmslow is a very nice course, the main features being that it is quite long and has a lot of fairway bunkers, so thought is needed with a lot of tee shots, There are also a few tricky par 3s, where club selection is very important. Other than that the course looked straight forward with no really tricky greens, a feature that I often find the main problem when playing away courses. We saw the Wilmslow team list while we were there and only one of their team does not have a single figure handicap, so we will be playing against very good golfers but will all be receiving shots which ought to help and make it a close match.
Thursday's competition was strokeplay, a qualifier for the Bunty Booth, a Manchester and District competition. I started well, parring 2 of the first 4 holes but an awful drive and then finding a ditch cost me a 9 on the 5th hole. I steadied and had 3 pars in the next 7 holes to get back on track but then 3 double bogeys, mostly due to poor putting, over the last 6 holes meant I finished with 92 shots for a net 77. Fortunately due to stable adjustments I still managed to finish in my buffer zone so escaped a 0.1 increase to my handicap. It was a glorious day and some of the scoring reflected than, with 6 players scoring 70 or better, the winner having a 64, the lowest winning score there has been while I have been a member.
Earlier in the year I entered the Nike matchplay competition, a nationwide tournament where the finals are held in Portugal in the new year. The competition starts of as a regional knockout with up to 16 players in each group, with the winner of the group going through to the regional final. My group had 14 players in it and I was fortunate to get a bye in the first round. On Friday I went to play my 2nd round match against a man from Romiley golf club, the competition is open to both men and women.
My opponent plays of 8 and so I received 7 shots for the difference in handicaps plus another 2 as the men's SSS was 2 less than the ladies. My opponent started badly and I won the first 2 holes, but then he got his game together and he won 3 of the next 6 holes to be one up after 8, poor drives from him on 9 and 10, which I birdied, meant I won both holes and when I parred the 11th I was back to 2 up. I received shots on the 12,13 and 14 but he played them well, including his 2nd birdie of the round so after 14 I was only 1up. The 15th is a par 3 and I found the green while he missed it and a par put me back to 2 up, We both parred 16 to leave me dormie two, but he was on the 17th in 2 while I was50 yards short, I was getting my last shot on this hole though and I hit a lovely wedge shot to 4 feet from the hole, he missed a long birdie putt and the match was over , with me winning 3 & 1.
I enjoyed the course very much and played pretty well, being 2 shots under my handicap when the match finished. I am now in the last 4 of my group and will have a home tie in the next round where my opponent will be a guy off either 3 or 8.
As usual details of Thursday's round.
Hole 1, I found the green with a 6 iron of the tee, but left my first putt woefully short, so 3 putted for a bogey 4.
Hole 2, A decent drive and then a lovely 3 wood which found the green, 2 putts gave me a par 4.
Hole 3, A good drive and a lay up short of the ditch, but a topped 8 iron meant I had to pitch on then 2 putt for a bogey 6.
Hole 4, A little fortunate to get a good bounce from my tee shot to find the green and 2 putts for a par 3.
Hole 5, An awful tee shot high and left found the bushes and I had no shot so took a penalty drop, I still didn't have a great lie and couldn't take a proper back swing, nevertheless I got good contact and was unlucky to find the ditch that crosses the fairway, so another penalty drop, I hit a poor 5th shot then managed to find the edge of the green but then 3 putted again for a quintuple bogey 9.
Hole 6, A decent drive and 3 wood left a pitch to the green and 2 putts gave me a par 5.
Hole 7, A reasonable drive, left me a 5 iron to the green but unfortunately my shot ran through the green and over into a hazard, so another penalty drop, but a chip and a putt gave me a bogey 5.
Hole 8, Another reasonable drive, but my 3 wood was a little right and meant I had to try and get the ball under overhanging tree braches and I failed to get it on the green, a chip and 2 putts gave me a bogey 6.
Hole 9, A reasonable tee shot missed the green but a chip and 2 putts for a bogey 4.
So a front 9 of 46, 8 decent holes, let down by the 9 and also 3 putting the first.
Hole 10, A good drive and then a 3 wood just short of the green, my chip on was rather short but 2 putts for a bogey 5.
Hole 11, I hit a nice drive but had to lay up in front of the ditch, A good wedge found the green from 90 yards and 2 putts gave me a par 5.
Hole 12, My drive was just short of the green, I chipped to 10 feet and holed a nice downhill putt for a par 3.
Hole 13, My drive was a little short and right, I hit a decent recovery but then fluffed a pitch, I chipped on and 2 putts for a double bogey 6.
Hole 14, My tee shot found a bunker in front of the green but I got it out and 2 putted for a bogey 4.
Hole 15, My tee shot was a little high and short but a good 3 wood left me a 9 iron to the green, unfortunately I mishit it and then having found the green with my next, 3 putted for a disappointing double bogey 7
Hole 16, A long drive but also a long way right still gave me an 80 yard pitch to the green, I hit it well but it ran off the green, I chipped to 4 feet but missed the putt so a bogey 5.
Hole 17, A reasonable drive and then a 7 iron short of the ditch, I hit a nice 3 wood which found the green but another 3 putts meant a bogey 6.
Hole 18, A topped tee shot, then a short pitch left a chip on and 2 putts for a poor double bogey 5 to finish.
Another 46 for the second nine, where again I played 8 holes pretty well only to be spoilt by a couple of poor pitches and some more 3 putting. A total of 92 shots which less my 15 handicap gave me a net 77.
Despite the poor score I felt I mainly played well, as usual poor putting cost me, my main problem seems to be being too tentative on long putts, I do need to be more positive. Also the occasional tendency to hit my drive high and left. I don't know why I am doing it, and I only do it once a round as a rule but it always costs me a lot of shots, a trip to the pro could well be needed to try and cure it.
I also do occasionally mishit my 52 and 56 degree wedges, although I am getting a lot more confident using them.
I have a couple of competition free days this coming week and I really must spend time practicing my short game before the club championship next weekend.
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