League to Dubai 2013. Final Doubles match. Burghill Valley.

An extension was granted of one week to get our final game played in our League and any one of three pairs could have made it through to the Regional final. The maths were fairly simple for Max (17) and I (15): we had to win or draw. Chris (14) and Greig (19) were our opponents at Burghill Valley and they needed to win with a whopping score of 47 points from ¾ handicap to progress and our first opponents from the Glamorganshire needed neither of us to achieve our aims to get to the regionals.

It was all to play for!

Burghill Valley is a stunning golf course set in amongst orchards in the Herefordshire countryside with length off the tee not a great advantage and a premium on accuracy as the penalties for wandering off line were pretty severe in some places. I had some Army flashbacks while we were walking around as we could hear the dulcet tones of a small arms firing range, helicopters and fighters in the near distance and I took an artillery barrage from an apple tree after a wedge shot too!

I’ve misplaced the card we used to record our scores, so I’ll do my best to remember most of our round without it. I don’t think I’ll forget the first tee shot in a hurry! I was within a gnat’s whisker of missing the ball and it hobbled off the tee and went about an inch forward. Pissa! Hopefully not a sign of things to come! Max smashed his 5wood to just short of the green on the blind, downhill par4 1^st hole while Greig and Chris went right and left respectively. My second attempt at teeing off left me about 80 yards in and I popped it on the green. Max’s chip was a touch too long and landed on the downslope to scoot through the green. We ended up with a 5 compared to their 4 and were one point behind after the 1^st hole. Not to worry, long way to go.

The second was another reachable par4 and another tee shot not requiring driver for me with a safe hybrid to about 100 yards from the pin my chosen play. Max went for the green and nearly made it, as did both Greig and Chris. Up and down for pars for everyone on the second and on to the treacherous par3 3^rd hole. It was only short at 120-odd yards, but you could tell that it was going to cost you to miss it. I found the green and missed my 12 foot birdie attempt, Max went through the green and played a fantastic chip to have a 10 foot putt at par and Greig also found the green but had a long two-putt for par which he duly knocked in the hole to extend to 2 the advantage going to the 4^th hole.

Long dogleg par5 up next. Had to start out to the left to have access to the green for second or third shots. It was a tiny bit narrow to get out from the tee box, but a massive landing area was waiting. Chris went too far left, Greig went right, Max was safely down the right and my drive went straight into the tree to my front left, ricocheted back through some more trees into the rough about 15 yards behind me! “Oh My Golly-Gosh” were not the words that went through my head and may have even escaped my antipodean potty-mouth. I had to hit a really nice chip just to get back onto the tee box and then decided that my Hybrid was going to see a LOT of action today and the driver was retired (mostly). I must have scored some extra run because my Hybrid and 7iron had me just short of the green in 4 while Max saved the day and recorded a par5 for 3 points and reduced the gap back to 1 after Greig was in the hole for 6 shots.

I really am getting sick of shanking short shots but that is exactly what I did after two reasonable shots had me in the rough to the right of the 5^th green which left me in the rough through the back of the 5^th green! Max was in a similar position for his second and our short game display on this hole can only have inspired confidence in our opponents as Max’s dreaded double-hit chip came back after chipping through the green. My 4^th shot was a good one and I managed to get up and down for a bogey and 2 points. Chris played the hole as it was designed to be played and came away with 3 points from his great par4. After all this turmoil, my putter was still feeling really good and the greens were a pleasure to putt on!

Dangerous par5 6^th was up next and the hybrid from the tee was the play for me to get a regulation par, avoiding the rough, out of bounds and multiple water hazards. I even had to keep the local ducks at bay while Max hit an approach shot. Cheeky blighters wouldn’t be deterred! I think they get fed by some golfers or staff. My par was matched by the home team and the points gap remained the same. We left the golf course and went into the orchard for the 7^th hole and it looked like a safe hole for me to see if my driver was behaving itself yet especially after Max was safe on the right edge of the fairway. It wasn’t too bad a strike but it went into the apple trees 90 yards short of the green. I was left with a very steep escape route under one branch and over the next tree which needed my 60 degree wedge’s loft and the distance of my 52 degree. The loft won the brain battle and I ended up in the bunker short. I had a volley of apples unloaded onto me by the retaliatory tree after I knocked it on my follow-through which gave the boys a good laugh and was a bit of a surprise for me! I can’t remember who got the 5’s, but both teams did and we went to the par3 8^th still 2 points down.

Nice easy par3, 165 yards to the pin with a water hazard al the way down the left (didn’t see that until later!) Greig was on the green, Max and I were short with Max and Greig both having the best chances for par while I was in the bunker and Chris was long and left. We went a further point behind after Greig got the par3 and Max got the bogey.

The 9^th tee was a bit of a calamity with Greig being the only one of us to get passed the front of the water hazard although he did go through the fairway and only have a chip out option available. Max and Chris both hit the trees to our left and got absolutely beautiful bounces leaving them with shots towards the green while I hit the ground behind my ball and pushed it to just short of the water but in the hazard. Max and Chris were just short of the green with their 2^nd shots and I chose to lay up short of the bunker with my second shot with my 8 iron. The lay up didn’t really work as I hit it about 10 yards further than I thought I could and cleared the bunker but scooted through a shrub and had a shot at the green. I got another member’s bounce with my approach shot and had a good chance at par which just missed and we settled for 5 while Chris and Greig got 6 and the points gap was back to 2 with our 19 points playing their 21 after 9 holes. 

Walking to the 10^th hole Greig helpfully pointed out that the next three holes are affectionately known as the Bermuda Triangle (or was it the Devil’s Triangle or Triangle of Hell?) and regularly make or break many a competition round.  

Standing on the 10^th tee I could see plenty of potential for failure with apple trees reachable straight ahead, dense rough and out of bounds lining the fairway on both sides and a blind tee shot to top it off. Trusty hybrid was a little left of where I aimed and took a lovely kick off the downslope right to be 143 yards from the pin in the middle of the fairway! Cheerin’! I would normally have grabbed my 8iron for a 143 yard shot, but I had gone long with the 8 on the previous hole so I pulled the 9iron from the bag, hit the ball as sweetly as you like exactly where I was aiming and it landed no more than 2 feet from the pin for a tap-in BIRDIE!! And a tidy little 4points from the first of the killer 3 hole stretch. Chris made a lovely par for 3 points on the 10^th so the gain was only a solitary point but we were only 1 back now.

The 11^th was an uphill dogleg par5. It’s only 485 yards but the elevation makes it unreachable for me, especially with the way I was hitting the driver so I hit the hybrid again with the aim of three safe shots to the green. 4iron was second up and I pulled it into the trees on the left of the fairway needing a chip out to about 60 yards short of the green in 3 shots. I still really struggle with choosing the right shot for steep uphill approaches and came up short of the green with my 4^th shot, but only by a little. My fifth shot was only a 7iron bump’n’run chip up the steep front of the green to a front pin position. I saw it very clearly and popped it in the hole for par and 3 more points!!  Chris and Greig were in for 6 and our points were now even with 7 holes to play.

Downhill, 150 yards, par3 12^th. Very pretty hole that I felt quite good standing on the tee of. 9iron again (steep hill!) and slotted it on the green. Max was short of the bunker on the right, Chris was in the bunker and Greig was in the trees on the left. Chris got out of the bunker and then chipped to tap-in range with a great chip and a bogey with 1 point. My birdie putt was soooo close! But it still missed and I tapped in for par and 2 points to take the lead! So that was Hell’s corner over and done with and I had stolen 9 points from those three holes! Feeling chuffed!

13^th hole was punishment to those who slice (kind of a recurring theme on this course!) so the hybrid was chosen to perform another miracle and I found the right rough but still had a shot. Speaking of miracles, Max sliced right with his first and we were all pretty certain it was out of bounds right, somehow it must have hit something and bounced into the middle of the fairway! 

There were quite a few very lucky bounces and kicks during this game with the most helpful trees surrounding a golf course I have ever seen! 

I can’t remember the rest of the hole but the scorecard (I found it by the way!) says we both scored bogeys for 2 points on the stroke index1 hole. The par3 14^th was 170-odd yards to a green protected by sand. Max hit a fantastic shot to about 10 feet and popped it in for his Birdie and 3points! GO-ON Maxy-Boy! Chris and Greig could only manage a bogey and fell a further 2 points back.

There was heaps of room on the 15^th hole so the usually trusty 910D3 driver was deployed. It was long, but it was waaay left. It was far enough left to have cleared all the trouble and left me a shot to the green from the 7^th fairway. Greig safely found the fairway and Max and Chris found the apple trees guarding the left of the fairway. Max and Chris both collected a tree or two on their way to the green and Greig and I were slightly right of the green with our approach shots and we both made 2point par’s.

More calamities from the tee, this time 3 of us found the lake (I didn’t even use my driver!) guarding the inside of the dogleg right 16th. Max missed the water, but he almost missed the ball too leaving it in very thick grass short of the fairway taking another 2 shots to get out of. A drop and a lay-up left me short of the two-tier green and a ¾ 60 degree wedge was required to get to the top tier. I hit about a 5/8 shot and hit the steep rise and rolled back onto the lower tier. Chris pulled his third shot and it bounced once, went out of bounds next to the greenside bunker and reappeared in bounds a second later! NICE KICK!! He hit a fantastic chip shot to a couple of feet from the pin and popped it in for a bogey and 2points. I two putted from the bottom tier for a double bogey and 1point. Back to 2 points!

The 17^th has some trees left, Max and Greig found them. The tee for the 6^th is on the right of the fairway, I found that and I think Chris found the fairway. My hybrid (always the clubs fault!) was starting to let me down. I had 185 to the middle of the green and smacked my 4iron onto the green and it rolled off the back. After a false start, Max’s approach shot was a good one and he two-putted to be down for 5 and 2 guaranteed points. My first putt from the fringe wasn’t my best effort and left me with about 8 feet for par. Knowing that Max already had 2 points helped me to hit the putt firmly and with confidence into the back edge of the cup for 3 points and a 3point cushion going up the last after Chris and Greig could only manage a 2point bogey.

The 18^th was a drivable par 4 uphill and protected by lots of sand and some out of bounds on the right. 4Iron lay-up for me leaked a little but was safe and Max went for the green with his first shot and found the Greens-staff yard. 3 from the tee was just short of the green with his 5wood. Greig found the greenside bunker with his drive and Chris was up by the green with his drive also. My approach from the rough landed on the downslope leading to the front of the green and rolled through the green onto the fringe. A tentative shot from the fringe left a longer putt than I wanted for par which I missed and we settled for 5 shots and 1 point to have a total of 21 on the back 9 and a grand total of 40 points. I can’t remember if it was Greig or Chris that closed out their round with a 5, but they matched our bogey for 1 point and a total of 37 points gave Max and I the win! Massive thanks to Greig and Chris for hosting us at their beautiful course, top chaps!

I had a great time in all of our games in the League to Dubai and have surpassed any expectations by just getting to the regional finals for the South section.

We are on our way to Donnington Grove Baby!!!

League to Dubai Singles. Match against Graham Gregg. Monday 12th August 2013.

I’ve been finding it difficult to write about this match. I’ve let this report drag over into the fifth day so far, I’ll just have to harden up and finish it. I hate golf sometimes!

It was my final game in the League stage. A win or draw would guarantee my progression to the regional final at The Donnington Grove Hotel & Country Club at the end of September. No pressure then!

Crack on!

Work done at 2pm. Tee off time of 2.30pm comes around quick-smart without much time for a warm-up! Suck it up Princess….. we were off!  Graham plays off 6 from Burnham and Berrow in Somerset and has a daunting swing as a 66 year-old. His drive on the first was awesome and my sprayed drive almost found the waist-high rough through the second fairway. “Play with the swing you have on the day” they say. Aimed at the pin expecting the slice to be countered by the uphill and ball above the feet position to smash the ball out of sight left and going lefter! Grrrr!

Provisional ball led to no points on the first while Graham made a very nice par after just missing his birdie putt and he was off to a storming 2 point lead after a solitary hole.

Standing on the second tee after Graham pulled his shot slightly left and long I convinced myself that it was the lie on my approach shot that caused the leftedness and had put the shanked chip shot out of my mind………..Swing away and I did have the lefts afterall! My six iron landed long and left, just near Grahams and we had ourselves an ’up and down’ comp which Graham won to go a further point ahead. Booo!

I chose the conservative option from the third tee while Graham pulled left of the rough inside the dogleg and OB. His third was short of the trees and I had a great opportunity to get possibly all three points back. I managed to squander that opportunity by taking 4 shots from just through the green for a single point. Ho..hum. Every point is important.

We both missed out on points on the par three 4th and I made yet another donation to the ‘feed the fish a golf ball’ fund. The 5^th hole I was conservative again and layed up with my hybrid which led to a birdie attempt from about 20 feet which just missed for par and 3 points with Graham matching the score with a great up and down from through the green. We also both got par on the 6^th hole, which was nice (I should have got birdie from 10 feet though).

I was next to the green in two shots on the 7^th hole with a great chance at getting at least 3 points while Graham had to chip out of the rough on the fairway to be on the green in three shots. I three putted from way too close and Graham matched my 5 for 2 points. 

Golf is a Funny game. Graham pulled a point further away on the par 3 8^th hole after missing his birdie putt and I was very lucky to have scored one point after two poor shots left me through and above the green leaving a very tricky chip  down a bank to a green sloping away. I was standing over the chip trying to decide between a flop (which had just put me in that position) and a chip to the top of the bank and hope the rough slowed the ball down enough to not run off the green. I chose the latter and it nearly went in! Easy putt for the point, phew!

The 9^th was not kind to Graham. It isn’t an easy hole, but I still believe it is easier to hit driver than to try to find the small lay up areas. Par for me and 3 points to even the scores after 9 holes on 13 points each! Blistering!!!

We scored 2 points each on each of the next three holes with some very good golf and some very ordinary golf. I hate not scoring points on a par5 but that is what I did on the 13^th while Graham edged ahead with one point. I managed to claw the point back on the 14^th after finally holing a putt for 3 points.

Graham is a wiley old fox. He knows how to pile on the pressure. I tried to ignore him, but it worked. I went two points ahead on the par5 15^th and he was saying that it was game over. I knew it wasn’t. I’m sure I got into my own head.

I never take my putter from outside the fringe and hardly ever take my putter ON the fringe. Why the pooh did I choose to putt from the rough on the 16^th hole!! I took 4 shots from being through the green in two shots for a blob while Graham was instantly back to even-stevens with par.

We both got 2 points on the 17^th and were standing on the 18^th with one hole to decide our game. I hit a beautiful drive! Middle of the fairway about 70 yards from the pin. Graham was also fine from the tee and then he pushed his approach shot wide! I couldn’t believe my luck (I hadn’t hit mine yet, mind you).

I stood over the ball with a very clear picture of what I was going to do. I wasn’t nervous and was very comfortable. It's a shot I practice lots……………I shanked that little frustrating ball of plastic and resin at a 45deg angle into the thick rough and trees. I was gob-smacked. I was furious. I nearly snapped my wedge on my trolley. I was SO ANGRY!

Graham found my ball for me and I had a little window to try to chip through to get to the green. The game wasn’t finished and all wasn’t lost. There was still a chance to win or draw.

I hit a really nice chip which just hit a small branch. That small branch was very solid and kicked my ball away from the green and onto the fairway. Still up and down from there for two points.

An unconvincing chip left me about 30 feet for the 2 points while Graham had about 5 feet for his two points.

I hit a fantastic putt which just lipped out and I tapped in for the single point. Fingers, toes, legs and arms were crossed while Graham stood over his putt all to no avail as he popped it in the hole for 2 points and the win.

Massive congratulations to Graham. It always feels great to win away from home. I think it is because you know how much the home opponent is going to be hurting from the loss! I HURT damn you! I HURT!

There are still two chances for me to make it to the regional finals at Macdonald Donnington Grove. Neil needs a win and draw at least from both of his last two games to qualify (66 points behind) and Peter needs to win his last game convincingly (43points behind).

Golf is a funny game and anything can happen. Just have to wait and see.

League to Dubai Singles. Match against Paul Culliford. Sunday 4th August 2013

OOOOHHH it’s proper wet!        Proper Welsh wet!

Paul and I were both keen to get our game done today as we have pretty tight schedules so we arranged to try to get our game done in the forecast gap in the rain.

In the August Medal on the previous day I had zero confidence in my full swing with my driver so I popped to the driving range on the way to the Coed and ironed out my issues so that I knew I could stand on the 1^st tee and smack the dimpled white sphere down the fairway (or at least to the right and not left and lost).

The wet weather gear was donned and we were off for what turned out to be a ridiculously high-quality game. I just can’t get over how well Paul chips the ball!

The first was 3 points for par each after I missed a 3 foot chance for birdie and had my first taste of the quality of Paul’s chip shot. I knew the pressure was on from there and managed to hit the green on the right level for another missed birdie chance on the 2^nd hole while Paul scrambled very well for a 4 and two more points for his tally.

My nice drive into the valley on the third left me a sand wedge to the green which I buried into the wall of the wet greenside bunker. It was properly buried and could only be seen from the angle it went in! Paul hit a nervy drive to the plateau and left his approach short to show off his chipping skills again and a bogey 5. I smashed my 60deg into the wall of the bunker just below the ball and managed to get it to pop out for a chip up and down to match Paul’s 5.

The 4^th green was a little wet still, but that is no excuse for 3-putting from the middle of the green for a bogey 4 while Paul (the scrambler) matched my 4 from long and left. Playing from the yellow tees, the 5^th fairway can be driven through so I chose my hybrid and hit a lovely shot to the middle of the fairway and Paul sociably put his ball within 3 feet of mine so that I could show him the way to the green. I fluffed my approach and left it just short of the bunker and had my own up and down to walk off with par while Paul hit the green and 2-putted to match my par.

Still my honour on the 6^th and I pushed my 4iron to the right of the fairway leaving a gap wedge to the green around a small tree from the rough stuff which left me a 12 footer for birdie. Paul popped his tee-shot in the long distance green-side bunker and nicely splashed out to make his par. I missed my birdie chance (again) and settled for ‘just a par’ (I wish they were ‘just’ pars! Always pretty excited by Par!).

The 7^th tee saw me teeing off first with a single point advantage over Paul. I slap-pulled my 4 iron left and found it just in the foot-long rough protecting the neighbour’s house. Paul’s first was lost further into the rough and his provisional was in position A. The rough grabbed my club and turned it over leaving me to push the ball out of the rough with my usual 2^nd shot distance as my third shot. I stiffed my third onto the green, missed the par attempt and tapped in for a 5 and two more points.

Paul had a fantastic shot at a birdie on the 8^th after a member’s kick from the tree to the left of the green had him about 10 feet away (un)fortunately he missed the putt and tapped in for a great par. I had to chip on from above the green and limped to the 9^th tee with a 4, a single point and the loss of the honour. Paul chose the hardest lay-up on the course and had to drop after finding the pond on the corner. I took on the corner and found the fairway. I thought it was possibly long so I hit a provisional and had totally miscalculated the wind. My drive was fine and my provisional was way short and gone. I came up short with my approach shot with my 60 deg wedge. Really does feel like missing your mouth with a spoon! After dropping from the pond Paul scrambled for a point and I limped off with a 5 and 2 points. At the halfway mark Paul amassed a total of 17 points and I had 19. Quite a ridiculous total playing off ¾ handicaps! I really felt like I had left a lot of points on the course too!

10 was into the wind and we both managed to keep our drives playable, missed the green with our approaches and we walked to the 11^th with a 6 and 5 and I increased my lead a little more. The 11^th hole plays MUCH shorter from the yellow tees and my 9 iron left me with a long birdie attempt. Paul managed to find both bunkers on his way to a double bogey 5 and I got my par after leaving my birdie attempt 4 feet away from the hole.

My driver was still being my friend on the last of the railway holes into the breeze and I found myself in the fairway needing an 8iron to the green. I chose my 9iron, came up short and used 3 unconvincing shots to get the ball in the hole for a 5 and 2 more points. 2, 3, 2 (points) on holes 10, 11, 12 is nothing to be sneezed at and I’ll take it any day! Paul took the scenic route to the green via the woods and  came to the 13^th tee with another single-pointer.

A big drive on 13 gave me the opportunity to hit the green in two on the par5. My 3-wood was a little slappy and came up very short, but clear of 'the tree' and Paul and I were both on the green in regulation. Paul’s birdie attempt from over 10 yards was excruciatingly close and a tap-in par was the result. My own long range birdie attempt wasn’t as close but I still managed to go to 14 with a par and a smile. For the first time in competition I chose to hit my hybrid on the short par4 14^th. It was a good choice and left me a nice 7 iron to a tight green which slid just to the safe side, off the green, pin high. Pauls approach from the short rough left him almost chipping in from the front of the green and my two putts gave us both par4’s and 3 points each to go to the par5 15^th.

Into the wind and the rain had started in earnest again. So close to a birdie on 15 for Paul and a scrambled bogey for me. Paul was fighting back! His run of 3 point holes had him back to within 4 points. The rain was quite persistent now with a little bit of surface water starting to re-appear after drying out for our first twelve holes. I got to try out my FJ rain glove! It’s awesome! And I hope I am never without one in the rain again! If you haven’t tried one, get one.

16, 17 and 18 were quite uncomfortable holes. The weather was getting to us a bit and we just wanted to get it done. My pull-hook into the trees on 18 was less than inspiring and the lucky kick out into the valley was a god-send. I still tried my best to not score any points on 18 by hitting my next shot into the rough on the right and snagging the club while duffing out onto the fairway to leave myself an up and down from 40 yards for 2 points. Pauls’ last chip of the day was another awesome effort leaving yet another tap-in for 2 points giving him a total of 33 points, which on a normal day would be enough to win on ¾ handicap. My long putt through some standing water miraculously found the bottom of the cup and I finished my best ever round of golf after my 80^th stroke giving me 37 points off ¾ of my handicap! I had a great time today playing with a great sport and a very decent golfer who will not be playing off 20 for much longer I’m sure! Speaking of handicap reductions, I better get this card to the committee for my own reduction. The journey to low single figures continues!

Round 4 is next Monday at home against Graham Gregg from Burnham and Burrow. Hope the form I just found isn't temporary!