Looking down from the 17th tee at Oldham
Sunday was another board comp, I played reasonable but unfortunately I had three 9s, which is guarenteed to spoil any card. I didn't actually play that badly and 5 pars, but the nines were annoying, especially as they were all on par 5s where I tend to get most of my pars.
On Monday the shield team headed for Oldham, for the first of two shield matches in 3 days, we were looking for just a half to make sure we won our group. Oldham is an interesting course, set on the side of a hill above the town. It is quite short really and the first 8 holes are very benign and don't prepare you for what is to follow. When you reach the 9th you are faced with a steep uphill hole, you then start traversing the hill, with most of the next 7 holes blind drives, even the par 3s. The greens are also very tricky and often quite small with borrows that you don't see, I managed to three putt 4 or 5 holes on the back nine. You then descend steeply on the 17th before returning to the clubhouse on the fairly flat 18th. Despite the 3 putts, I played very well on the first few holes and managed to keep my lead to win my match 2&1, but sadly we only managed one half in the other 6 matches and so lost by 5½ to 1½..
Wednesday saw me off for a shield match at Saddleworth, this was our final shield match in the group and as Saddleworth were the only club that can beat us in the group, we were keen to get that elusive draw that would be enough. Saddleworth is high in the hills on the edge of the Pennines with what may be the highest tee in England. Despite its height, most holes, like at Oldham traverse the hill. so the only a few holes that really ascend or descend. I started the match really badly and found myself 3 down after only 6 holes, I did fight back but then fell behind again and was dormie 2 down with 2 holes to play. Fortunately I won the last 2 holes to get a half and preserve my unbeaten record in single matches for the club. Sadly, once more, we only had one win and one other half and so lost the match by 5 games to 2. So the result of our group is still in the balance, with Saddleworth needing to win their last 2 matches and win 11 games in the process, a tough ask but not impossible. The sad thing is that if we do end up wining our section, I will miss the quarterfinals due to being away on holiday.
View from Saddleworth
On Thursday, I was on the course early to play in the medal, before heading hot foot down to Chorlton-cum-Hardy to play in the open there in the afternoon. I felt that I played really well in the medal, without getting any breaks I found a lot of bunkers, some of which cost me shots and I finished with a round of 90 for a net score of 75, at least it was within my buffer zone.
After a quick snack I was off to Chorlton and a shotgun start , my driving was a little erratic but when I hit a decent drive, I played the holes very well and unlike the morning, when I didn't hole a putt longer than 3 feet, I holed 4 or 5 putts of over 15 feet. The competition was for teams of 3, with the best 2 scores on each hole to count, the three of us combined very well and we finished with 84 points, wining the competition by 9 points. It was reassuring to know that I didn't struggle to play 36 holes in a day as our 36 hole Championship is coming up in 2 weeks, I fell asleep pretty quickly when I got home though.
My final game of the week, was also in an open at Leigh Golf club, playing with the same 2 girls I played with at Chorlton I really didn't start well for the first several holes and we didn't have a great score on the first 9 holes, where the best 2 scores counted but on the 2nd nine all 3 counted and we played a lot steadier, we finished with 82 points which was less than the day before but with only one group left to finish we were in first place again. The last group pipped us, but we still finished in a creditable 2nd place.
Thursday's medal round.
Hole 1, I hit a nice 6 iron that finished pin high about 20 feet away from the hole, 2 putts gave me a par 3 to start.
Hole 2, A nice drive and then a well hit 3 wood, which finished pin high but in a green side bunker, I got out in one and 2 putted for a bogey 5.
Hole 3, Another nice drive then I laid up short of the ditch, a 120yard 8 iron, again finished pin high but in a bunker, I came out thinned and had to chip on to the green, then 2 putted for a double bogey 7.
Hole 4, a 6 iron off the tee found the greenside bunker, I failed to get out first time, then 2 putted for a double bogey 5.
Hole 5, A reasonable drive, then a 5 wood a bit wide, I chipped on and 2 putts gave me a bogey 5.
Hole 6, A wayward drive, but a good 3 wood left me about 120 from the green, I pulled my 8 iron left, then failed chip on, on for 4 and 2 putts for a bogey 6.
Hole 7, A decent drive then a 3 wood from 160yds found the front of the green, 2 putts for a par 4.
Hole 8, A good drive and decent 3 wood left an 80yd pitch, I found the green and 2 putts gave me a par 5.
Hole 9, A 9 iron found the back of the green and 2 putts gave me my 3rd par in the row, this time a 3.
So 43 shots for the front 9 bang on handicap, 4 pars but a couple of dropped shots with poor bunker shots and a poor chip, but the par, par, par finished set me up well for the back nine.
Hole 10, A good drive, then a 3 wood to the right of the green, a chip on and 2 putts for a bogey 5.
Hole 11, A reasonable drive, then a 7 iron lay up in front of the ditch got a bad bounce and left me 120yds from the green, but in the rough, I came out thin and missed the green on the right, a chip on and 2 putts for a bogey 6.
Hole 12, A bad drive, way left, was followed by a duffed chip, I chipped on for 3 and 2 putted for a double bogey 5.
Hole 13, A short drive then a decent 3 wood left me a chip over a bunker, I thinned it into the bunker, I got out then 2 putted for a double bogey 6.
Hole 14. I just missed the green with my tee shot but chipped to a foot and holed for a par 3.
Hole 15, A decent drive and 3 wood left a 9 iron to the green, I hit the green but the ball rolled off the back, I chipped on but 2 putted again for a bogey 6.
Hole 16, A great 200 yard plus drive left me 80 yds to the green, I duffed the pitch, then chipped on and 2 putted for a bogey 5.
Hole 17, A decent drive into the win, then a 7 iron to lay up, I hit a good 3 wood which just failed to roll down the bank onto the green, I chipped but then hit a poor first putt and missed the 2nd so a double bogey 7.
Hole 18, My tee shot found the fringe of the green, I chipped on and 2 putted for a bogey 4.
So a disappointing 47 on the back nine, for a total of 90 which gave me a net 75, which was at least in my buffer zone. I mostly hit the ball well from tee to around green, but I didn't get close enough with most of my chips and didn't hole a decent putt all morning, although several just slipped by. I am now confident in getting very close to every green in regulation but I need to hit straighter approaches as I often find myself pin high but off the green and need 3 more shots to get down.
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