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 5th 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 6th hole, which was
nice (I should have got birdie from 10 feet though).
I was next to the green in two shots on the
7th 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 8th
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 9th 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 13th while
Graham edged ahead with one point. I managed to claw the point back on the 14th
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 15th 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 16th 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 17th
and were standing on the 18th 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.
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