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Two rounds this weekend just gone.
Saturday was Monthly Medal day, so it was stroke from the plates and being in the next to last group out, I had some time to hit some balls on the range before the round.
The round was a mix of good and not so good and I was surprised at the end of the round when I added them up and signed for an 87/12 net 75 which included 3 doubles, a triple and 32 putts with 2 3 putt greens thrown in.
So I had the odd feeling of having played badly, but then still managing to score reasonably well. No doubt in my mind that 6 or so months ago, an 87 would have brought a very large smile to my face. How things change....
Sunday was my first pennant match play match of the new season. My new handicap saw me selected in our Scratch side, having played in our Handicap side last year. I probably don't need to say so, but in the Handicap side, shots are given for handicap differences, whilst in the Scratch side, its off the bat regardless.
Anyways, I was in the team and the Captain had decided that with my length, I was to play at number 2 (of 8). My opponent asked me half way down the first fairway what my handicap was and I got no reaction when I told him. He didn't hit the ball at all well and after 4 holes I was 2 up.
Whilst we were sitting waiting on the 5th tee, I overheard him tell my club mate he was off 4 and I got the distinct impression, he had been a bit miffed when I hadn't asked him what he played off earlier. Frankly, I simply didn't want to know.
We halved the next 3 holes and when I hit a gross shank from the par 3 8th tee, I would lose that hole to a par, despite managing to salvage bogey myself.
Having won the long drive on the 9th hole the day before, I stepped up to the tee again thinking I would blow it miles down the centre, I only succeeded in overdoing it and block slicing the ball OOB, which is a long way away right. Would lose that hole as well, to turn square.
Would lose the 10th to a birdie and at one down, my opponent had started to find his game and I remember thinking perhaps I only had a couple of holes left.
We halved the 11th and 12th in pars and then a par was good enough for me to win the 13th after I managed to get it up and down from over the back of the green and his par attempt missed.
Now back to square and I'm thinking I'm not done yet.
Again we halved another 2 holes in pars and we get to the 16th tee and my 3 iron finds the centre of the fairway about 150m out. His tee shot was a beauty centre fairway also, but some 50m closer. My 8 iron was on target all the way, pitching just on the front edge, but sucking back off and finished about 10m from the pin on the fringe grass. He badly duffed his second and chipped his 3rd on but nowhere close. I put my 3rd to about 8 feet and when his par attempt sat in the jaws but didn't drop, I would roll that 8 footer in to win the hole and go 1 up.
We halved 17 in par 3's, and I stood on the 18th tee 1up, knowing the worst finish was now a halved match. Our last is a par 5 and it has generally been good to me and today would be better. I split the fairway to about 170m away. His drive was not a good one, and finished in the treeline, having to recover to the fairway, still behind my ball, his 3rd was a good one, finishing about 20m short of the green. with a bit of a head wind, I took 4 iron and hit it sweetly right on line finding the putting surface only 15 feet from the hole. At that point, I knew I was home. My birdie 4 was enough and I had won the day 2up.
Whilst I wasn't keeping tabs on my stroke score for the day, only wins/losses, I believe I would have posted something about 79 or 80, shooting 37 or 38 around the back 9.
Very happy with that and yes, my golfing smile has returned....
Thanks for reading....
Cheers...
