Beaten But Still Positive

Yesterday (24th September) saw me playing in a club match away at Caversham Heath near Reading. I had already played in the first leg at Royal Ascot and enjoyed a win and was looking forward to it. I'd played on Friday afternoon at Royal Ascot as a bit of practice which hadn't gone according to plan but a diligent hour on the practice ground after seemed to have found something that clicked and the ball striking was pleasantly sweet.

The 18-hole golf course at Caversham Heath was designed by David Williams and built to exacting USGA standards. It is still relatively new, being a little over ten years old but the golf course has matured well. Off the very back tees it is a long test measuring 7,151 yards. Even though we were off the white tees, it was still a very challenging 6,875 yard examination. I was paired with Pat Quaid, former Royal Ascot captain and a guy I've enjoyed many rounds of golf with. He's a wonderful Irishman big in both stature and heart. We were paired against a 15 and 19 handicapper so it was evenly matched on paper at least.

The first plays across the side of a hill and is a 370 yard par 4. We were given an immediate statement of intent when one of the opposition rolled in a twelve footer for an opening birdie to go one up. I got it back at the next with a par and the lead continued to go one way and then the other until we had the first halved hole on the 6th.

The 7th hole was to prove pivotal and to be honest I still can't understand how I lost it. The hole itself is 453 yards off the whites and a straight away par 4.

I had been driving the ball exceptionally well (for me) on the opening few holes and I really unleashed a great one here. I was left with 174 yards into a slight breeze and because it is stroke index 2 and I was giving shots away to my opponents and my partner had found trouble I was forced to go for it. It was right on the limit of my hybrid but a 5 wood would have been way too much. I hit the hybrid and absolutely pured it. It rose with a hint of right to left draw and was all over the flag. Sadly, it was literally a foot too short and landed in the top lip of the bunker guarding the green. Not only that, but it plugged on landing and presented me with little or no chance to escape. In the end I made a six and on the card it looks like I didn't play the hole well but I'd hit two stunners and come away empty handed. Sometimes it can be a very cruel game.

The rot set in and the Caversham pair took the eighth and ninth to lead two up at the turn. I made a mockery of the 10th after another good drive when I hit my approach way left of the target and failed to find the putting surface with the recovery to hand them a simple win. By the time we stood on the 13th tee we found ourselves five down. At this point I should point out that I have never lost a club match playing better ball format and had a record extending back over eighteen previous ties. This proud streak goes all the way back to the old Royal Ascot course when we were in the middle of the racecourse but I have to be honest and say it wasn't looking good.

Pat was determined to battle on and made a sumptuous birdie two at the par three 13th to reduce the arrears. The 14th is another monster par 4 in excess of four hundred yards and being stroke index 1 meant I was giving shots away here. I hit another pearler of a drive but was still just under two hundred yards away, into the wind with both opponents sitting on the fairway. He who dares. Out came the five wood and to be fair I hit it solidly enough but missed right. By the time both the Caversham guys had made a five nett four, it was all over. My record had gone and we'd been tonked 5&4.

Still I wasn't quite finished. The next is a par 5 playing 489 yards. Another stunning drive and I was 234 yards away. With nothing resting on it I decided to get the three wood out and have a pop for the green. As my game is erratic at the best of times, I rarely go for par five holes in two as experience has taught me that I usually walk off with a seven or eight rather than a three or four. Today though my ball striking was top notch and this arrowed straight into the heart of the green to around fifteen foot. I missed the eagle but had a tap in birdie.

In the end, I covered the six holes in level par. Too little too late though. However I didn't feel too bad when one of the Caversham guys worked out he'd gone round in approximately eight over par (give or take the odd given putt). Now off a 15 handicap on a course of that length that is some good shooting so I wasn't too disappointed. The club lost the fixture 4-2 overall but having held a healthy 5-1 lead from the home leg meant that Royal Ascot had come through overall 7-5.

It's rare for me to come away without a hint of disappointment especially given the result but my golf today, especially with a lack of practice with the golfers elbow I'm struggling with (funny how you don't feel it when you are playing well) and the general malaise that has crept into my game, was arguably the best I've hit it all year. Certainly it is the best driving performance which has always been a weakness. It's funny how easy the game becomes when you can get it in play off the tee. At least I feel confident in my ability for the Greensome Challenge at Royal Ascot (Sunday) and that my long suffering partner Mike Stannard may even get some assistance and not be forced to carry me and do all the work. We shall see!