I Love Matchplay..........

.....especially when I win.

When you play match play golf, you can have a brilliantly close and tense game, but play rubbish golf and today was a case in point!

It was the first knockout stage of the winter league with the 16 qualifiers from the league stage.....let battle commence.

I was playing Rob Williams and giving him 3 shots and as anyone will tell you, the key is to not lose the first hole.

It was looking ok, until I got to the green and the I 3 putted to lose. I never 3 putt. Well not normally. This was the first time I'd played on proper greens for what seems like ages. Plenty of chance to hone the skills of putting on temporary greens, but now we're back on propoer greens and it was not a matter of hitting at the hole and hoping for the best!

One down!

Second hole and I hit a decent shot, but 3 putts again for a half!

Third hole and decent drive, Rob's hooked his second shot well left. So did I, but not as badly!

Duffed a chip and then knocked it stiff, but lost...............Two down!

Heading for the 4th tee, shot hole for Rob and it's not looking good, lose this and I'm in trouble! Three down after 4 is not good. But a decent drive, good second, Rob in the bunker and back to one down!

Chuck the 5th away and a bad tee shot on 6, it's not looking good again. Lucky Rob's gone in the water. Only manage a half though! Rob duffs his drive on the 7th and I plonk mine in the fairway. He's got a shot, but not got a spare ball with him on the tee, so he concedes the hole! He only needed to get a ball from his bag that he'd left by the bridge, walk back and hit another shot and who knows. He had a shot after all. Could this be a turning point. So I win the hole and head for my nemesis hole, the 8th. No matter how well I'm hitting my tee shots, I struggle on the 8th. We are off the forward tees, but the winds in our faces.

I tug it low left and it does'nt feel good. I know when I've not quite got it and especially on this hole.

Luckily, I've got across, but a bad lie and I put it in the fairway bunker...........get it out, back of the green and duff a putt....hole conceded! Back to 2 down! Much of a muchness on the 9th, but Rob criss crosses the green a couple of times with dodgy chips and  I finally sink a putt to win. 1 down at the turn. Considering I've putted like an idiot and had the touch of an Elephant around the green, I'm in good shape.

The last few rounds I've played, I've pulled my tee shot into the pond on the left. Not a good thought as I set up for my tee shot and true enough I tug it left. Did it get through? No. I manage to play out without a penalty, but then a fat shot short, chip on and 2 putts amazingly I get a half!

11th and a decent tee shot and two putts for a par and a win. All square!!!

The two other players making up the 4 ball were Bob Aston and Gary Leese. Gary was off 16 and Bob, of Scratch was giving him 16 shots. It was tough for Bob to give that many shots, but he is a tough cookie when it comes to matchplay. With Gary 5 foot away for 2 nett 1, Bob has a 15 footer for Birdie. You could tell in his eyes, he was not going to miss!!! He did'nt. Gary missed!!!

Decent tee shot, great second and I've got a decision. Go for the green, or lay up. With Rob in a bit of trouble the only way I can let him back in would be to go in the water! I lay up. For the first time in the match I'm 1 Up!!!

Rob's got a shot, so I ask him if he wants to concede the hole as he's lost his other 2 shot holes.

Good tee shot, good second shot, but end up in the face of the bunker! Rob is struggling, but manages to get on the green.

Bob had hit a long drive, but ended up in the second Fairway bunker on the right. An amazing bunker shot of some 150 yards to 20 feet, he leaves his birdie out on the lip of the hole.

I squirt my bunker shot out chip on and 2 putt, but Rob hits a good chip and it's back to all square.

14th tee. Water left, water across the fairway, lake left, more water in front of the green! No wonder I chose it as the Captains Charity Hazard. Hit any of the water hazards and it's a minimum 50p to the Help for Heroes Charity!

Guess what..........every round I've played since it came into force, I've been in the water. Sometimes twice.

Rob lays up with his drive. I'm aiming up the left to lay up as well, but too far left and I'm in the bushes. I'm in the hazard, but it's maybe playable. 50p!!! I wait for Rob to play and he lays up short of the second lot of water. No choice now, I've got to take a drop and go for it. Still hindered by the bushes I crash a rescue club to the front of edge of the green, two putts, half!

15th, drive in play, second short, duffed wedge, up and down, half. Still all square, as Sir Alex would say, squeaky bum time!

Rob hits a drive straight at the bunker on 16 and bounces through! My drive is long enough, but left with 190 to go. Sky my next shot, but it's in play. Despite Rob's luck off the tee, he duffs his next into the lake and after hispenalty, he is through thye back of the green for 4.

I hit another fat wedge leaving me a 25 foot putt from off the green. Unfortunatley, I run it 20 feet past. I leave the next one 2 foot short, but Rob manages to take 3 from about 5 feet and I win the hole with a 6!!!

17 and just need to keep it dry! Which I do, but well right. Horrible lie and thin the chip over the bunker and to the far side of the green. Rob put;'s his to about 8 feet. I've now got a 40ft put , with a massive borrow. Get it to 18inches and manage to salvage a half!

Half up 18 and I'm home.

Just keep it dry.

Shit.....in the bunker. Rob's about 30 yards past the bunker and in play. I get a good connection out of the bunker, but still got a long way to go! Looks like extra holes, especially when Rob get's it to about 120 yards from the green!

Fairway Wood, get it up there as close as possible. Good connection out of the light rough, but has it ended up in the bunker? Walk up, it;s ok , short of the green. Rob's not sure of what club to take, or shot to play. He leaves it about the same distance as me. B0th played 3, I only need a half.

Me to play, chip and run, don't leave it short!!! It's off, dead online, little speedy, hit's the pin, flirts with the hole, but stays out on the lip. Par 5...........Rob needs to hole his chip. His face is a picture! He knows! Half hearted attempt and the match is mine!

Like I said, I love Matchplay!!!


Bob lost 2&1......5 birdies, but too many shots to give. I play Gary next week......I think he's favourite, but you never know!!!!