Club Championship Stories

Let's hear them! Comebacks, low scores you shot, course conditions, hole outs, etc.

Two years ago I had 44 putts and shot 84. Was so frustrated that I decided to WD. My playing partner shot 73 and got so lucky- holing out a chip, getting up and down from above the hole, etc, while I was missing 3 footers for par and 3-jacking from 20 feet. Second day he shot 87 and still won. I learned a great lesson about never giving up in golf. Still hurts me.

I have been in two so far in my current club and sucked in both. I tend to peak in June-July, and the CC is in late August...no excuse, just need to either find a way to keep it up all season or peak at the "right" time to compete.

I have never belonged to a club so my stories involve our annual city championship. Skip the rest if you prefer to only read CC stories.


I first started playing in the event in 1989. The tournament started at 7am and every 10 minutes another 4-some would tee off from #1. The last tee time was 1:30 in the afternoon. The tee times were determined by players listing what they thought they would shoot for 18 holes - better players first. My first year I was honest and listed "90". The typical scoring in the 3 day event ran anywhere from 330 down to 210 so I was assigned a tee time of 1:20pm. By 1:20pm the course was backed up everywhere; the round took over 6 hours. Plus, the advent of mandatory soft spikes had not yet occurred. Every green looked like a pin cushion in the late afternoon sun. My scores were 83/93/90 for a total of 266, a slot in the 7th flight (10 flights total) and a final position of about 100 out of 156 players. The final day I got to tee off about 11:30am and the round took only 5 hours or so.

The next year I had been playing better and decided to list "87" as my most likely score. I received the 1:10pm tee time. I recall playing decently for my skill level and posted 255, a spot in the 5th flight, right around the middle of the pack. The first two rounds took over 6 hours each while we putted over and around 18 million spike marks. The last day I got to play at 10:30am and the round took less than 5 hours.

At this point I now understood the system. [i][b]Lie[/b][/i] about your estimated scoring ability, get an early tee time, enjoy a better pace of play and better conditions the first two days.

The next year I stated I was likely to shoot "80" for 18 holes. I got the 1:20pm tee time. Everyone else's fibs about their ability were improving faster than my golf skill!

Fortunately a new administrator took over the following year. We went to 3-somes, starting on 1 and 10 with a morning session and afternoon session. And ... the order was flipped the second day so if you teed off at 7am on Friday, you got a later afternoon time Saturday with your ultimate slot on Sunday determined by results. No more lying.

No, I never won and my best finish to date was T25.

2 years ago I won the A flight at my club. A flight is just below championship. We used to play matchplay then the final 4 in each flight would play 36 holes of stroke play. They changed that to just the 36 hole stroke play 2 years ago do to low attendance. Anyways first round I shot my lowest score all year, a 76. Next day I locked my title up with a more normal 84. Still to this day I cant believe how good I played that first day. I was nervous and had only been in the 70s maybe 3 or 4 times up to that round. I started birdie, birdie, par, birdie. I saved the ball. It was an awesome day.

I have a couple of highlights. I belong to a university course in the area. We play a qualifying round, then top 8, 12, or 16 in the match play depending on how many people get in.

First round of match play I'm paired with good ol' doc. Doc's about 60 years old, really good player. Looks like a home built swing, and for an older guy could really bomb it. Certainly hits it past me! But I can chip and putt with the best of them.

I'm 1 up going into 18. Sharp dogleg left, a bit of a goofy hole. Here it is, tee box in the lower left:
[attachment=2660279:18th hole katke.jpg]

The hole is 420, but you can't hit it more than about 220 straight, but sometimes you can cut the corner. Beyond the corner are some trees.. I hit one down the middle the best I could leaving about 180 in. Opponent hits a sweet tee shot, hugging the left side and drawing. His ball lands onto the stone 200 yard yardage marker at the left corner of the dogleg and bounces another 50-60 yards into the trees beyond the fairway. I figure I'm golden!

I get up and cold top my 4 hybrid, and it goes maybe 100 yards. Doc hits an amazing recovery shot under and through the trees which ends up at the back end of the green, with a front pin. It's going to be a tough 2 putt, as the green runs hard back to front, so he's in real danger of putting it off of the green.

I have 80 it, and get too cute with the SW, hits the front edge of the green and rolls back about 10 yards off the front, now I'm looking at a tough up and down for bogey.

Doc hits a great putt. I mean, it's easily an 80 footer, to about 4 or 5 feet.

So now I need to stick it... and I did... right into the hole. It was a tough chip, and I 3 hopped it into the hole.

Doc looked at me like "Are you kidding me?" and I swear I thought I was going to see a grown man cry!

About 4 or 5 years ago when I lived in NC.

Club Championship was 2 day stroke play. I was about a 5 handicap at the time, so I had no real hope of winning.

Somehow I was 1 over through 16. I was pretty excited. 17 is a pretty easy par 5. With a good drive, you can get a lot of extra roll on and have a mid-iron to the green.



Welp... I slice my first one OB. Slice my second one OB. My third one is ... you guessed it... OB to the right.

My fourth ball (7th stroke) is pulled in the left rough. Not a big deal. I get up there, and can't find the ball anywhere. There's nowhere for it to really be lost... it's just crawled up in the rough somewhere and I just can't see it. Back to the tee box.

5th tee ball (9th stroke) I hit one down the middle. Now I have about 180 to the green and I'm relieved. I top it. Right down to the bottom of the hill and in to the ditch. I have to take a drop. Laying 11.

I'm hitting 12. I've got 20 yards straight up the hill. I chunk it. It rolls back in the ditch. I drop again and then knock it on the green and 2-putt for a smooth [b]16[/b].

At that point, I couldn't even be mad. I apologized to my playing partners and just laughed it off.

I believe since the club has now closed I have the ALL TIME CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT TITLE for highest score - that is. Shot 90, 92 Totally humiliated. It wasn't until years later that I realized changing to a balata (haaa, it thinks balata is a misspelling - times have changed) ball on the eve of the tourney was the EXACT reason I was 1 club short for 2 days in a row. Dumped most of that dozen in the water just short of the greens. DOH!!!!

This past years club championship at my home course was the single most disappointing tournament I played all year. Its played as a 2 day stroke play event with the lowest handicaps going last. I'm one of the lowest caps at the course with a 6.2 cap currently.. Anyways, day 1 Saturday:

We start the round off and I worked my way into a 2 shot lead at the turn. A couple bogeys to start off the back 9 brought me back into a tie for the lead and we get to #15. Now #15 is a short 290 yd par4 slight dogleg right with a table top fairway falling off sharply downhill on either side with woods on either side. The ideal play is about 170 off the tee leaving a wedge to a heavily sloping green that falls away from you. Wind into me and left to right... I figure I'd just hit a smooth cut 6iron and I'd be set. NOPE. Worst swing I put on a ball in 10 years and hit a popcorn fart flare cut into the woods on the right. I hit a provisional and striped it down the center leaving me about 110 in... At this point I'm praying we don't find my first ball... Well.. Sure enough one of my playing partners finds the ball and its a horrendous lie... Anyways fast forward and I take a smooth 9 on the hole after multiple miscues. Leaving me 5 behind the lead after day 1. I come back on day 2 and shoot a solid 79... The leader shoots 83 and beats me by 1....all due to that horrendous 15th hole.
Well, I got my revenge in the member match play format. I closed him out on that very same 15th hole 5&3 draining a 20' birdie putt on him.

Our club champs is an absolute gongshow, I won 3/5 as a junior lost two to my good buddy which hurt a bit. One my last one in a playoff which was really great. Got up and down making a 12 foot slider from dead long left, which took me to 3 and 0 in playoffs for my career.

Best story though is we have a member thats ex can tour, absolute drunk. Our horse race is on day 2 of the club c's, anyways he got wasted durring and after it and ended up sleeping on the couch in the proshop, I woke him up when I got into work at 6:30 he had a 6 shot leaf shot 78 and lost by 1.

One of the years I lost I was 6 down shot 32 on the front to get within 1 and choked on the back 9

I refuse to play in City/State Championships. People GRIND all day, which isn't fun to be around. If you can't carry on an enjoyable conversation all day with your playing partners...its really not enjoyable.

Won my club championship for the 2014 season. Started off with a good lead after round 1 and just lost it for the last nine holes and won in a three hole playoff. It was the most exhausting nerve racking thing I can remember doing. The last couple hours were a mental hell followed by a crazy high. Driving back to the club house after winning a hole three playoff with people watching was the best golf feeling I can imagine.

[attachment=2662091:image.jpg]

4 birdies in 1st six holes to set tone (and stun) young Titleist (employee) hotshot in quarterfinals
then came from 4 down with 5 to play to knock off perennial champion in semis

only to lose to D1 scholarship golfer in finals

lost to same kid 3yrs in a row while he was in school - (he currently is one of best club professionals in the area)

I had a 101° temp for the final 18 of a 36 hole "Final Foursome" for my last one in '94. As our Pro was speaking before presenting me & the Runner-Up with our trophies, everything got blurry & wavy visually and I spun and vomited all over my crystal bowl and the Runner-up's silver plate, which were on a cloth covered table on our Club house patio, in front of about 100 people, give or take a few.

My Father was pissed-

He said it was a "total lack of discipline and focus" that I couldn't go 5 more minutes and excuse myself.

I kid you not-

So you see, considering everything, it's understandable why I've got issues

Have a nice evening Gals & Gents

All the Best,
Richard

The year after I won my first club championship at a former club, the course went from private to semi-private due to sale to a management group. The new director of golf was a former Nationwide tour player who had just gotten amateur status reinstated and he continually chirped that he would easily win next Club Championship due to his "tour experience" to anyone within earshot. Needless to say, this behavior did not endear him to membership.

I met him in match-play semis and barely managed an 8 and 7 win.

In finals, I made an Eagle from 85 yards out on a par 5 to win 1 up over a very good player and friend that has subsequently passed away from ALS. Led by my friend, 7 of the "elite eight" chose not to attend banquet and went out to a nice dinner at restauant owned by another member together, leaving D. of G. to attempt to explain absence to President of management group, who had driven from Fla.to NC to meet members.

After this experience, new D. of G. was assigned and I retired from playing in club championships.

[quote name='Mitchell' timestamp='1426645551' post='11164017'] The year after I won my first club championship at a former club, the course went from private to semi-private due to sale to a management group. The new director of golf was a former Nationwide tour player who had just gotten amateur status reinstated and he continually chirped that he would easily win next Club Championship due to his "tour experience" to anyone within earshot. Needless to say, this behavior did not endear him to membership. I met him in match-play semis and barely managed an 8 and 7 win. In finals, I made an Eagle from 85 yards out on a par 5 to win 1 up over a very good player and friend that has subsequently passed away from ALS. Led by my friend, 7 of the "elite eight" chose not to attend banquet and went out to a nice dinner at restauant owned by another member together, leaving D. of G. to attempt to explain absence to President of management group, who had driven from Fla.to NC to meet members. After this experience, new D. of G. was assigned and I retired from playing in club championships. [/quote]

The baddest man I know. Well played, Sensei.

I have played in 2 club championships at the course I belong to. Finished second both times. The first time I finished with 3 doubles in a row in the second round to miss out on a playoff by 1 shot... I guess I had about a 5 shot lead standing on 16 tee and choked it away. Second time, the guy who won was just miles better than anyone else including me, he shot 3 or 4 under for two rounds. Usually if you can break 75 twice you have a chance. I couldn't touch that. Maybe this year, we will see! Its always fun to play in, I like grinding it out once a year. Typically, I prefer to play a more relaxed game with gimmies and stuff, but once a year it is fun to see what its really like.

Played in my first club championship last summer. Coming into it I was playing pretty ok. I got paired up with this guy who couldn't stop talking about how nervous he was and that it's not fair that a 6 index has to play with scratch guys. Probably didn't help that I birdied the first hole and missed a gimme birdie on the second. Well anywho on the back nine he says something like "well as long as you don't make any big numbers you'll win this". Classic kiss of death. I limp in going 6 over on a four hole stretch following said statement. The next day I figure i'm out of it considering some guy shot a 72 and there were misc low 70's scores. So I post 74 the second day, played the par 5's at plus 4 as well, and lost by 2. Moral of the story is, ignore the twitchy guy and take advantage of those par 5's. Still kind of stings, i feel like i gave away that parking spot!

[quote name='Duffner's Waggle' timestamp='1426692206' post='11166369']
[quote name='Mitchell' timestamp='1426645551' post='11164017'] The year after I won my first club championship at a former club, the course went from private to semi-private due to sale to a management group. The new director of golf was a former Nationwide tour player who had just gotten amateur status reinstated and he continually chirped that he would easily win next Club Championship due to his "tour experience" to anyone within earshot. Needless to say, this behavior did not endear him to membership. I met him in match-play semis and barely managed an 8 and 7 win. In finals, I made an Eagle from 85 yards out on a par 5 to win 1 up over a very good player and friend that has subsequently passed away from ALS. Led by my friend, 7 of the "elite eight" chose not to attend banquet and went out to a nice dinner at restauant owned by another member together, leaving D. of G. to attempt to explain absence to President of management group, who had driven from Fla.to NC to meet members. After this experience, new D. of G. was assigned and I retired from playing in club championships. [/quote]

The baddest man I know. Well played, Sensei.
[/quote]THIS is one of the 2-3 Greatest stories that I've read in my time on the board!!

Very Well Played on all fronts Mitch, lol.

As my Teacher always said, "If You wanna play the game, Ya gotta pay the Piper"

Ya just better make sure that You know the rules & Ya know the Players, lol.

Stay well My Friends,
Richard

[quote name='518TitleistX' timestamp='1426298340' post='11139825']
This past years club championship at my home course was the single most disappointing tournament I played all year. Its played as a 2 day stroke play event with the lowest handicaps going last. I'm one of the lowest caps at the course with a 6.2 cap currently.. Anyways, day 1 Saturday:

We start the round off and I worked my way into a 2 shot lead at the turn. A couple bogeys to start off the back 9 brought me back into a tie for the lead and we get to #15. Now #15 is a short 290 yd par4 slight dogleg right with a table top fairway falling off sharply downhill on either side with woods on either side. The ideal play is about 170 off the tee leaving a wedge to a heavily sloping green that falls away from you. Wind into me and left to right... I figure I'd just hit a smooth cut 6iron and I'd be set. NOPE. Worst swing I put on a ball in 10 years and hit a [i][b]popcorn fart flare cut[/b][/i] into the woods on the right. I hit a provisional and striped it down the center leaving me about 110 in... At this point I'm praying we don't find my first ball... Well.. Sure enough one of my playing partners finds the ball and its a horrendous lie... Anyways fast forward and I take a smooth 9 on the hole after multiple miscues. Leaving me 5 behind the lead after day 1. I come back on day 2 and shoot a solid 79... The leader shoots 83 and beats me by 1....all due to that horrendous 15th hole.

Well, I got my revenge in the member match play format. I closed him out on that very same 15th hole 5&3 draining a 20' birdie putt on him.
[/quote]

"Popcorn fart flare cut"

Quote of the week!

I was going to collect them all but ....


Harris Wittles would love this thread #Humblebrag.

Great stories guys. What prize would you rather play for than the coveted parking spot?

Okay, so this is a story about my dad. He was playing his first senior club championship last year. On hole number one, he hit his drive in the rough and so did another competitor playing, both were using a Callaway Ball.

The guy tells my dad to hit while he searches 20 yards short of where my dad is. So my dad sees the Callaway ball and hits the green. The other competitor drops and hits his shot, when they get to the green the competitor recognizes his ball mark on the ball my father hit onto the green. At this point they call a rules official out and it takes nearly 40 minutes to square things away.

My father told me he felt bad and gave the guy a better lie - 10 yards closer to the green and not blocked out partially by a tree. I told him afterwards that it could have impacted the outcome, and it was the wrong thing to do. Such a strange experience, and it was probably his first competitive round ever, unless you count scramble's/best ball matches.

I have since recommended my dad stick to casual rounds (which he makes extremely competitive anyways)...

The rules official recommended I start playing my dad for money to get him used to playing competitively and following all of the rules (marking your ball, no preferential lies, declaring a provisional, etc.)

[quote name='El Santo' timestamp='1426771587' post='11172357']
What prize would you rather play for than the coveted parking spot?
[/quote]That parking spot was THE most coveted prize, lol. We have a "Men's lot" that is right next to the locker room, the clubhouse & Pro shop and the practice tee. The spot is the third spot from the clubhouse, next to the Pro's & 1st Asst(which I was instrumental in getting for him as originally they had to park in the lot furthest from the clubhouse back behind the tennis courts-They don't get paid dirt, the least we can do is give em a nice spot!).

So I show up the week after my first one, either a Weds or Thursday late afternoon, to play in the Inter-Club swat, the "Moonlighters," and I roll down to the Men's lot and my spot is taken......

By my Father!!

So, he plays earlier in the day in the general swat and I knew that he'd be hitting balls on the practice tee, as he lived on the practice tee. For an Am, he dug more dirt than anyone I've ever seen, lol.

So I walk down and ask him about Parkin in MY spot-

He didn't even look up and rolled another ball into place and replied, though I am paraphrasing, "The only reason that you had clubs to hit or a place to hit them is because of me. This doesn't begin to repay me, but it's a start."

I turned and walked up to my locker to get ready for the swat.

My Father always has had a way of keepin my ego in check

Fairways & Greens My Friends,
Richard

In 2007 I lost the Sweetwater CC club championship in what was basically the last nine holes. I was totally gutted. I played well in the stroke play qualifier and played even better in the first match play rounds. I turned on the final day 4 up and managed to relinquish that lead over the next 6 holes. I was fighting hard to keep my ball in play as my swing had abandoned me. Standing on the 17th tee one down, I hit my tee shot into a fairway bunker which I proceeded to leave myself in after my second shot. My opponent David Cook, a consummate gentleman, managed to hit a great shot into that green to win the hole and the match. I was devastated. We had a crowd following us those last two holes and most were pulling for me. I couldn't believe I choked so badly as I had typically thrived under pressure. I stepped away from the game for about 14 months after that I was so disappointed in myself. I've run in to David several times since and he almost expressed regret for beating me that day. He was as shocked as I was that I fell apart. It only validated my belief that the better man won that day. He was and still is the embodiment of golfs ideals.

Fast forward seven years. New club, new championship. Two days of stroke play and I'm paired with the reigning champ both days. We play regularly and have actually become good friends. The first day I manage a two stroke lead over the field in lackluster conditions. The second day I start strong but my closest competitor is matching me and when I flatten a little he continues to make birdies. For the middle 6 or so holes of my round I make steady pars as my competitor plays similarly making a couple of birdies. Finally around the 13th I get my spark and make a couple birdies and end up making it to the 18th tee with a three shot lead. I managed to close the deal with a somewhat disappointing par on a short par-5 to seal the deal. It was sweeter than sweet and lifted the weight of the previous final day defeat which had taken so long to get over. AND!!!! I got the parking spot!! ha.

Cheers guys.

[quote name='Forged4ever' timestamp='1426777982' post='11173113']
[quote name='El Santo' timestamp='1426771587' post='11172357']
What prize would you rather play for than the coveted parking spot?
[/quote]That parking spot was THE most coveted prize, lol. We have a "Men's lot" that is right next to the locker room, the clubhouse & Pro shop and the practice tee. The spot is the third spot from the clubhouse, next to the Pro's & 1st Asst(which I was instrumental in getting for him as originally they had to park in the lot furthest from the clubhouse back behind the tennis courts-They don't get paid dirt, the least we can do is give em a nice spot!).

So I show up the week after my first one, either a Weds or Thursday late afternoon, to play in the Inter-Club swat, the "Moonlighters," and I roll down to the Men's lot and my spot is taken......

By my Father!!

So, he plays earlier in the day in the general swat and I knew that he'd be hitting balls on the practice tee, as he lived on the practice tee. For an Am, he dug more dirt than anyone I've ever seen, lol.

So I walk down and ask him about Parkin in MY spot-

He didn't even look up and rolled another ball into place and replied, though I am paraphrasing, "The only reason that you had clubs to hit or a place to hit them is because of me. This doesn't begin to repay me, but it's a start."

I turned and walked up to my locker to get ready for the swat.

My Father always had a way of keepin my ego in check

Fairways & Greens My Friends,
Richard
[/quote]

You're legitimately one of the coolest cats alive Richard. I'm not entirely convinced this isn't you.....

[attachment=2670355:DE MIM banner5 copy copy.jpg][attachment=2670357:Richard.jpg]

Stay Thirsty My Friends...

[quote name='Forged4ever' timestamp='1426777982' post='11173113']
[quote name='El Santo' timestamp='1426771587' post='11172357']
What prize would you rather play for than the coveted parking spot?
[/quote]That parking spot was THE most coveted prize, lol. We have a "Men's lot" that is right next to the locker room, the clubhouse & Pro shop and the practice tee. The spot is the third spot from the clubhouse, next to the Pro's & 1st Asst(which I was instrumental in getting for him as originally they had to park in the lot furthest from the clubhouse back behind the tennis courts-They don't get paid dirt, the least we can do is give em a nice spot!).

So I show up the week after my first one, either a Weds or Thursday late afternoon, to play in the Inter-Club swat, the "Moonlighters," and I roll down to the Men's lot and my spot is taken......

By my Father!!

So, he plays earlier in the day in the general swat and I knew that he'd be hitting balls on the practice tee, as he lived on the practice tee. For an Am, he dug more dirt than anyone I've ever seen, lol.

So I walk down and ask him about Parkin in MY spot-

He didn't even look up and rolled another ball into place and replied, though I am paraphrasing, "The only reason that you had clubs to hit or a place to hit them is because of me. This doesn't begin to repay me, but it's a start."

I turned and walked up to my locker to get ready for the swat.

My Father always had a way of keepin my ego in check

Fairways & Greens My Friends,
Richard
[/quote]

[color=#282828]"This doesn't begin to repay me, but it's a start." This made me laugh out loud.... great story![/color]

My friend won the "Super Senior" City Championship (age 65+) last August. He lives a decent distance from town, rarely plays the city course and when he does play there, he always plays with me. So ... I have a primo parking place reserved for me every time I play there without him. Truly a "win -win" situation.

I had a guy walk off on hole 5 and then try to rejoin us on 8!!! LOL it was annoying and funny all in one...

ill make mine nice and short because it still pisses me off lol, Three hole playoff last year and lost to my dad.

[quote name='Tee2Green85' timestamp='1426808424' post='11176285']
ill make mine nice and short because it still pisses me off lol, Three hole playoff last year and lost to my dad.
[/quote]Ah Bro, I feel for Ya!!

That would be brutal!!

Take him down this Year!!

Have a great season


Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard