Second doubles game in the League to Dubai. The Neath Pair.

Max and I were both ‘bricking it’ with regards to playing our match today against Richard and Paul from Neath. They both play off handicaps of 2 and I have never played golf with anyone that has as low a handicap before. ¾ handicaps left the Neath blokes with their handicaps untouched while Max and I would be playing off 13 and 11 respectively, effectively receiving 10 shots. I don’t remember ever doing it before, but I managed to par the first three holes to keep up with Richard and Paul who both showed their class with some amazing golf, especially considering they had never played here before. Paul and Richard’s pace with their putters was phenomenal right from the start.

A trend developed for Max and I when I dumped my tee shot into the lake on the 4^th hole and Max managed to chip his second shot to almost gimme range for a par to pick up the slack and keep our par streak going.

Standing on the 5^th tee I was deciding that I would have a go at reaching the green with my drive if Max’s drive put him in a good position. His drive was good and I tee’d up my ball a bit higher so that I could smash my drive on the way up. I changed my mind while I was standing over the ball and aimed for the usual part of the fairway, took my usual swing and skied my drive which caught the wind and parked itself in the tall grass next to the 15^th century wall guarding the out of bounds. Bum. Richards tee shot left him with a difficult, blind approach which he played to the green brilliantly and Paul had a very straightforward shot at the pin which went a little long for his liking. I took a penalty drop for an unplayable lie and squirted my third shot to the gap between the green and the front right bunker while Max felt some additional pressure and duffed his second shot and put his third shot about six feet from the pin. Unfortunately Max missed his putt and after I chipped to about a foot from the hole to tap in we were happy with a 5 on the fifth for 2 points. Richard and Paul both just missed their birdie attempts and had to settle for par again.

I tried to punch a 3wood into the wind on the sixth hole and managed to top it into the rubbish next to the ladies tee. Richard belted his new Ping G20 driver through the fairway into the long, juicy stuff and Paul and Max hit the fairway with Paul being in position A. My provisional shot was chipped reasonably closely, although I shouldn’t have bothered as Max hit a couple of great shots to have us leave the sixth hole with another par.

Max hit the fairway on 7, so I had a lash with the driver to try to clear the stream/ditch at the bottom. I came up short leaving about 100yards uphill to the pin from a juicy, downhill lie. Paul also hit the fairway leaving Richard to have a go with his driver which found the stream/ditch requiring a chip out. Paul and I came up just short with our approaches while Max topped his into the rough and Richard went through with his third. Paul and I chipped through the green with our thirds shots and I managed to putt in from the fringe for a par4 and Paul just missed, taking a 5. That put us 3 shots clear.

None of us hit the 8^th green. I was in the deep bunker at the front, Max was left and on the correct level, Paul was right and also on the correct level and Richard was just off the green and nearest to the pin. With a tentative bunker shot, I just scraped onto the green and drained a pretty big putt for par. Richard just missed his birdie attempt and we walked to the 9^th with pars again.

There were no lay-ups on the 9^th with 4 drives being hit and three balls in play about 50 yards from the pin. Richard and Paul both played great pitches to within 4 feet and I missed the green long (missed my mouth with a spoon) and three-putted for bogey while Paul got their first birdie and three points to have 19 points at the turn compared to our 21.

3 off the tee again for me as I pulled left on ten into the rough to lose my ball. Max was safe and had a great 5 while Richard and Paul both just missed birdie attempts to leave the 10^th with 3 points from par on the hardest hole at Coed-y-Mwstwr. Max hit a really, really nice 6 iron into the teeth of the wind on the par3 11^th hole and was the nearest to the pin with Paul being the only other of us to hit the green and the hole was par’d by them both (or was it Richard with a great sand-save?).

12 was into the stiff breeze as well and I was left with a 4iron from the light rough from 178 yards. It was a shot that I will keep in my memory for a while and felt amazing. It pitched about 3 feet from the pin and rolled out to about 8 feet! I was stoked! I was also the only one to find the green with Paul being the nearest having just gone through the green. Max and Richard went right and had very tricky shots from above the hole which they both played exceptionally well with Richard getting his par, matching mine after two putts from me.

I’m going to have to change the way I hit my driver. I hit the power lines on the 13^th tee shot for the third time in 2 rounds! It was an awesome first drive that might have even matched Max’s monster had it not hit the lines requiring a reload and spraying it into the trees. My chip out didn’t even reach Max’s drive! Max selected his 6 iron and flicked it onto the green! The man’s a brute! Two putts and a 4 on the par5 for 4 points pretty much putting the nail in the game in our favour. We were now 5 points ahead with 4 holes remaining.

I’m going to have to figure something out about my energy levels as I was starting to fade by now. My punch shot was ugly but effective and my approach was wayward on the 14^th leaving a pitch into the bank over a bunker, from under a tree as my only option to a raised green. It actually worked and I just missed the medium putt for par taking a bogey and 2 more points. Both Richard and Paul found the rough with only Paul’s ball being found. His first attempt from the rough got snagged and it looked very painful. Green and two putts from 120ish for bogey for Paul too, but they needed birdies. Max probably won’t want me to tell you about his duffed chip, so I won’t tell you about his duffed chip. He would have had a bogey as well had he putted after a nice chip after the duffed one (whoops, I told you about his duffed chip! Sorry Max).

Max and I both managed to scrape sixes on the par5 15^th while Richard pulled a point back with a great birdie. Max to the rescue on 16 with a fantastic drive and chip to about 10 feet away from the pin and two putts for a par and 2 more points in the kitty. A fantastic par by Paul from the trees on the right had them keeping pace with us.

17 saw 1 point each with bogey 4’s from both teams and the 18^th was all up to Max as I sprayed my drive right to lose yet another ball. A fantastic birdie by Paul piled some pressure on Max and the final score was a WIN to us with 40 points and Richard and Paul with 37 points.

I just wanted to lay down and sleep after that game. I was spent.

A couple of JD and cokes in the clubhouse and a great chat with the lads was a top finish to a great day. Max and I are over the moon to have won. Richard and Paul are fantastic golfers and Max and I just had the rub of the green today with one propping the other at the right times to keep steady progress. Massive thanks to Richard and Paul from Neath! Top blokes and great sports! Huge thanks to the man- monster that is Max! Well played partner!

I’m Knackered and I’m going to bed. Up in 5.5 hours for work.