Have you won your Club Champ? Share your story....

[MattyO1984]

Just as the thread is progressing - I appreciate that there is never going to be a set pattern but in general in the States, how often would Clubs having competition golf?

 

Where we are in the North of Scotland, during the season we tend to have a Medal on a Wednesday and a Saturday every week. Then added into that are some mixed competitions, ladies, seniors and juniors. It total, during the season, more days than not there are competitions on in some shape or form. I can’t find anything for this year but attach a schedule from 2020 which shows how much competitive golf we have in the fixture list - https://www.elgingolfclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Diary-as-of-27th-Jan-2020.pdf

 

I wonder if that is in part because until the WHS came into being it had not been possible to play for handicap purposes if it were not in competition

[Forged4ever]

Apologies as I was responding to Mark's post, though I didn't mean to post this and accidentally hit "save," lol. I can't find the "delete."🤷🏻‍♂️. At some point today/tomorrow I'll finish this. Haha, one thing that has not happened across the past decade is that I've become more IT savvy. I'm still an IT *sshole😜🤪

 

Stay Well My Friends🍻

RP

Edited January 27, 2022 by Forged4ever

[nitram]

Says a lot about the folks who say they've learned more from losing than winning one of these. I don't care who it is, no one is gonna bat 1.000 in competition, unless you're one and done and that's as rare as a unicorn. Losing will make a true competitor better if you allow yourself to focus on what got you beat and how to improve.

 

 

[DaveGoodrich]

I've won our club championship two years running, but it is definitely a "big fish/small pond" situation.  No real "sticks" in our club.  I was pretty proud of the first win however, because it took 2 playoff holes to get it done.  Playing against my good buddy, I hit my tee shots to pretty much the exact same spot 3 times in a row on 18, leaving me about 190 out to a green with water all along the right side of the fairway and green.  I'm not a long hitter, so 190 is a solid 3-hybrid for me.  In regulation, I made bogey, which forced the playoff 😡.  1st playoff hole I left my approach about 20 yards short, chipped to 10' below the hole 😱, but made the putt to force another playoff hole 😀.   2nd playoff hole, I left my approach 5 yards left of the green and above the hole.  Chipped it to a foot for par and the win 😎.   I don't think I will ever play that hole again without thinking of that day.  

 

 

[jwb10]

20 so far, and the quest continues. Longest was 41 holes, shortest 24...

[cardoustie]

1986 and 2002.  So long ago.  I’ve had too many runner ups to count 

 

I won the first one as a junior in the men’s division, crazy good first round of 2 under with a double on 18.hung on in round 2 to hold all the older better players off.

 

2nd one, round 3 was in a 4hr monsoon.  Had a one shot lead and nobody else broke 80 day 3.  Ran away with it and then used that to play in the Canadian Club Champion of Champions event 

[ThinkingPlus]

I have won 7 or 8 (can't really remember) CCs. I also have a couple of local women's associations titles, a senior women's state title (NM), and a couple of state level (private clubs) senior women's match play titles.  I usually place in the top 5 of the state senior women's stroke play and maybe top 30 against the kids in the state women's stroke play.

 

However, every title I have won was where I was the overwhelming favorite (except one).  On paper when your index is lower than everyone in the field by more than 6 strokes you are expected to win (and should). So I really don't have any storys of a great struggle with a tearful acceptance speech while holding the trophy.

 

The one time I was not favored was a somewhat humorous outcome.  My hubby and I played in a non-course affiliated club through work in SoCal.  The better golfers at work all belonged to real clubs.  We played with this traveling club of geeky engineers chock full of double digit handicaps.  There were only 2 women in the club so no point in a women's CC.  So I was playing against all the guys from the same tees.

 

No one would have given me much of a chance including myself.  The club had 3 or 4 mid-single digit players with better caps than I had.  I was hovering around women's scratch which is equivalent to a men's 6 or 7.

 

So I shoot low 80s on day one (maybe 81???).  I am 4th or 5th heading into day 2, but 5 or 6 back.  I was just hoping to have solid day 2.  Went out in 41 (ugh), but one of the leaders in my group was leaking oil badly.  I started playing better on the back and came home with a clutch birdie on 17 to shoot 37.  Feeling pretty good about a 78 and not embarrassing myself I figured I might have snuck into 3rd.

 

We turn in scores and I ask how everyone has done.  Find out that the field collapsed and blew apart.  Surprise, surprise, I won by 2.  It was a fairly somber crowd and I was shocked. Nothing like a zero pressure, blind hogs and acorns win!  LOL!

[KBong]

27 minutes ago, ThinkingPlus said:

I have won 7 or 8 (can't really remember) CCs. I also have a couple of local women's associations titles, a senior women's state title (NM), and a couple of state level (private clubs) senior women's match play titles.  I usually place in the top 5 of the state senior women's stroke play and maybe top 30 against the kids in the state women's stroke play.

 

However, every title I have won was where I was the overwhelming favorite (except one).  On paper when your index is lower than everyone in the field by more than 6 strokes you are expected to win (and should). So I really don't have any storys of a great struggle with a tearful acceptance speech while holding the trophy.

 

The one time I was not favored was a somewhat humorous outcome.  My hubby and I played in a non-course affiliated club through work in SoCal.  The better golfers at work all belonged to real clubs.  We played with this traveling club of geeky engineers chock full of double digit handicaps.  There were only 2 women in the club so no point in a women's CC.  So I was playing against all the guys from the same tees.

 

No one would have given me much of a chance including myself.  The club had 3 or 4 mid-single digit players with better caps than I had.  I was hovering around women's scratch which is equivalent to a men's 6 or 7.

 

So I shoot low 80s on day one (maybe 81???).  I am 4th or 5th heading into day 2, but 5 or 6 back.  I was just hoping to have solid day 2.  Went out in 41 (ugh), but one of the leaders in my group was leaking oil badly.  I started playing better on the back and came home with a clutch birdie on 17 to shoot 37.  Feeling pretty good about a 78 and not embarrassing myself I figured I might have snuck into 3rd.

 

We turn in scores and I ask how everyone has done.  Find out that the field collapsed and blew apart.  Surprise, surprise, I won by 2.  It was a fairly somber crowd and I was shocked. Nothing like a zero pressure, blind hogs and acorns win!  LOL!

Congrats on all your titles...KUDOS!

I know I know...it's BAD FORM to ask a woman their age

BUT

How old are you?....or PM me.

Me...I'm turning 61 next month...ugh.

 

So were many of these women's senior titles starting at 50, 55, 60?

[ThinkingPlus]

28 minutes ago, KBong said:

Congrats on all your titles...KUDOS!

I know I know...it's BAD FORM to ask a woman their age

BUT

How old are you?....or PM me.

Me...I'm turning 61 next month...ugh.

 

So were many of these women's senior titles starting at 50, 55, 60?

60.  All after 55.  Worked too much before that.  Hard to play the bigger tournaments when still working (multi-day mid-week events burns up vacation time I had allocated to other things). Made it to a plus cap as a weekend warrior which isn't too bad.

[sharkiesj]

I’ve won 1 CC in 2004.  I was a good player then but not a great player. Our 2 best players didn’t play in it that year so it was really wide open who could win.  The first day was an absolute gorgeous, beautiful day with no wind at all. I shot 79 and was pretty much toast.  I changed my entire bag except my wedges and prepped for the next day just hoping to beat my buddy.  
 

Went to the course for day 2 and temps dropped 25 degrees.  It was freaking freezing and windy as he//.  Gusting 25-30 mph.  Leaves and dirt blowing everywhere I seriously considered not playing because I f’n HATE being cold.  I shot 73 and played surprisingly well. I found out later on, that 1 of the guys in the last group had to only bogey the last hole and he would’ve won but he tripled-bogeyed and walked right off the 18th green and straight to his car trunk-slammed and peeled away missing our awards dinner/banquet.  
 

Man, looking back to 2004, it seems like 40 years ago.  I don’t know that golfer anymore.  In 2014 I was involved in a serious auto accident.  I’m incredibly lucky to be alive.  I suffered massive injuries and can no longer play the game the way I used to.  I can chip and putt but can no longer swing without pain.  I was angry for a long time because the game was taken away from me.  It wasn’t on my terms but I am alive so…at least I got that going for me.  I’m older now so I’ve comes to terms with it, and I’m ok with just being able to scrap it around for sh:ts and giggles.  

[TH3H4M]

I won our cub championship this last year. A small town 9 hole course that actually brings a decent crowd but not too many below 5 handicaps. Still proud of my victory since it was one year removed from having the chipping "yips" and managing third last year. A highlight from the tourney for me were the first hole of the tournament I bombed drive dead middle to 90 out.. bladed wedge OB dropped a ball hit it to 15 ft and saved my bogey, hell of a way to start. I also finished in disappointing fashion. I would be willing to bet with the absolutely nasty and unfair pins for the tournament I was the only person that went 35 holes without a 3 putt (a buddy carded a 5 putt) but that 36th one got me.. Looking forward to next year.

[KBong]

14 hours ago, ThinkingPlus said:

60.  All after 55.  Worked too much before that.  Hard to play the bigger tournaments when still working (multi-day mid-week events burns up vacation time I had allocated to other things). Made it to a plus cap as a weekend warrior which isn't too bad.

Wow...that's a lot of titles in 5 years...kudos.

Did you previously live in NM?

I think you now live in SW TX now?

[br61]

14 hours ago, ThinkingPlus said:

60.  All after 55.  Worked too much before that.  Hard to play the bigger tournaments when still working (multi-day mid-week events burns up vacation time I had allocated to other things). Made it to a plus cap as a weekend warrior which isn't too bad.

I hear you about those mid-week events. I wish I can play in more of those but not enough vacation time. It's why my avatar said I need a 6 month vacation twice a year. Ha.

 

I'm 60 too, soon to be 61. 

 

You did very well with what you've done!

[ThinkingPlus]

3 hours ago, KBong said:

Wow...that's a lot of titles in 5 years...kudos.

Did you previously live in NM?

I think you now live in SW TX now?

Lived in NM from 2007 - 2017.  Deep south TX since.

[ThinkingPlus]

3 hours ago, br61 said:

I hear you about those mid-week events. I wish I can play in more of those but not enough vacation time. It's why my avatar said I need a 6 month vacation twice a year. Ha.

 

I'm 60 too, soon to be 61. 

 

You did very well with what you've done!

Thanks! 

[DangerousDan]

I won 9 club championships at my previous course, moved to a new club in 2021 and won that club championship by 11 strokes.

 

The 2021 CC will be hard to improve on but man that was fun.  We had members lining the fairways and greens watching the last 9 holes.

[Darth_Blader]

The guy who did win a few years plays in my league group. I consistently beat him and it drives him nuts...That's as close as I get. 

[OleVirginia]

Carded a 73 (+1) in Qualifying to secure the 3rd Seed going into 16-man bracket behind exempt defending champ and a 19/20 year old kid back from Wake Forest (fired 68 that morning if I recall correctly). Drew a 3x champ in Round 1 but was able to drain a 15+ footer for birdie on 18 to win 1 up. 2nd Round was decidedly less stressful at 5&3. 3rd/Semifinal Round produced a date with the aforementioned WF kid who had me dormie standing on the 15th tee. Proceeded to chip in on 15 for birdie, stuffed the approach on 16 for another, parred 17 and birdied 18 to send it to extra holes. Back on 1 tee again, I made birdie to his par to advance to the 36-hole Sunday Final against a foe who has won at least once in the each of the past 4 decades. After the morning 18 I was up 5. Dad came out to caddie after lunch and under his keen supervision I quickly gave it all back. Fast forward to 15 part duex, now only 1 up, my tee shot finds the fairway while my opponent's comes to rest in the bunker. What happens next is the stuff we all dream about as golfers... Tiger-twirled and started walking after the approach which backed up to 12 feet just below the hole and then walked in the birdie putt, 2 up with 3 to go. 16 is a 5 par with water running up the entire left side. Safety squeeze right of the path ends up behind a tree so my only option is to advance the ball about 125 yards but still in the rough. 3rd shot comes up just short of the green in the throat. At this point, my opponent is safely aboard and looking at 12-14 foot downhill birdie putt. Still with the honors I freaking chip in for birdie! The rest is an absolute blur but I will always remember crying tears of joy in the arms of my father when his birdie bid trickled past. I represent the 3rd Generation of my family at the Club and with my win that Sunday (in emphatic fashion no less!) we became the first and only family to boast multiple champions (Uncle is 9x champ). 

 

P.S. - Scotty graciously granted my request to memorialize the putter and in true 'ho' fashion it's been replaced with a 009!

 

TBM

 

[pjm]

On 2/1/2022 at 3:54 AM, OleVirginia said:

Carded a 73 (+1) in Qualifying to secure the 3rd Seed going into 16-man bracket behind exempt defending champ and a 19/20 year old kid back from Wake Forest (fired 68 that morning if I recall correctly). Drew a 3x champ in Round 1 but was able to drain a 15+ footer for birdie on 18 to win 1 up. 2nd Round was decidedly less stressful at 5&3. 3rd/Semifinal Round produced a date with the aforementioned WF kid who had me dormie standing on the 15th tee. Proceeded to chip in on 15 for birdie, stuffed the approach on 16 for another, parred 17 and birdied 18 to send it to extra holes. Back on 1 tee again, I made birdie to his par to advance to the 36-hole Sunday Final against a foe who has won at least once in the each of the past 4 decades. After the morning 18 I was up 5. Dad came out to caddie after lunch and under his keen supervision I quickly gave it all back. Fast forward to 15 part duex, now only 1 up, my tee shot finds the fairway while my opponent's comes to rest in the bunker. What happens next is the stuff we all dream about as golfers... Tiger-twirled and started walking after the approach which backed up to 12 feet just below the hole and then walked in the birdie putt, 2 up with 3 to go. 16 is a 5 par with water running up the entire left side. Safety squeeze right of the path ends up behind a tree so my only option is to advance the ball about 125 yards but still in the rough. 3rd shot comes up just short of the green in the throat. At this point, my opponent is safely aboard and looking at 12-14 foot downhill birdie putt. Still with the honors I freaking chip in for birdie! The rest is an absolute blur but I will always remember crying tears of joy in the arms of my father when his birdie bid trickled past. I represent the 3rd Generation of my family at the Club and with my win that Sunday (in emphatic fashion no less!) we became the first and only family to boast multiple champions (Uncle is 9x champ). 

 

P.S. - Scotty graciously granted my request to memorialize the putter and in true 'ho' fashion it's been replaced with a 009!

 

TBM

 

 

Congratulations!  I was fortunate enough to play Belle Haven during a visit to the States about 10 years ago.  Course and facilities were in great condition and I had a fantastic day.

[Obee]

On 1/28/2022 at 8:11 AM, DangerousDan said:

I won 9 club championships at my previous course, moved to a new club in 2021 and won that club championship by 11 strokes.

 

The 2021 CC will be hard to improve on but man that was fun.  We had members lining the fairways and greens watching the last 9 holes.

Dude. Nice. 

[Obee]

On 1/27/2022 at 2:49 PM, ThinkingPlus said:

Lived in NM from 2007 - 2017.  Deep south TX since.

Yeah, great. When you coming to SoCal for a match, lady?!?! 😜

[Obee]

On 1/26/2022 at 8:51 PM, sharkiesj said:

I’ve won 1 CC in 2004.  I was a good player then but not a great player. Our 2 best players didn’t play in it that year so it was really wide open who could win.  The first day was an absolute gorgeous, beautiful day with no wind at all. I shot 79 and was pretty much toast.  I changed my entire bag except my wedges and prepped for the next day just hoping to beat my buddy.  
 

Went to the course for day 2 and temps dropped 25 degrees.  It was freaking freezing and windy as he//.  Gusting 25-30 mph.  Leaves and dirt blowing everywhere I seriously considered not playing because I f’n HATE being cold.  I shot 73 and played surprisingly well. I found out later on, that 1 of the guys in the last group had to only bogey the last hole and he would’ve won but he tripled-bogeyed and walked right off the 18th green and straight to his car trunk-slammed and peeled away missing our awards dinner/banquet.  
 

Man, looking back to 2004, it seems like 40 years ago.  I don’t know that golfer anymore.  In 2014 I was involved in a serious auto accident.  I’m incredibly lucky to be alive.  I suffered massive injuries and can no longer play the game the way I used to.  I can chip and putt but can no longer swing without pain.  I was angry for a long time because the game was taken away from me.  It wasn’t on my terms but I am alive so…at least I got that going for me.  I’m older now so I’ve comes to terms with it, and I’m ok with just being able to scrap it around for sh:ts and giggles.  

Much love, my brother.

[ThinkingPlus]

8 hours ago, Obee said:

Yeah, great. When you coming to SoCal for a match, lady?!?! 😜

I am afraid my time in SoCal is long gone, but you never know.

[Audi A-Fore]

Have won 3 stroke play CC's and a year long match play championship in 2 associate clubs that I belong to. Most recently, in 2020, at Poppy Hills in Monterey. Paired with my friend who was defending champ and leading. I went driver, pure 5w to the green there. I'm more of a short knocker (7i 155y), so reaching 18 in 2 was a surprise. He had a long putt for birdie he cozied up, I had a 25-30' eagle putt that bent to the right about a foot and a half. I canned it and beat him by 1 stroke! That was a fist pump moment for me for sure. 

[drr324]

Won our match play championship in 2005.   Played well through early rounds and got to the finals against the one guy who was treating it like his NBA finals & Superbowl all wrapped into one.  He didn't talk to me, was hyperfocused every shot, etc, etc.  Got through 15 holes all square and came to the 16th hole, 324 slight dog leg right- straight line driveable for me.  I had honors, said "what the hell- might as well fly one on for a chance at eagle", he gave a little snort type noise, and I proceeded to actually fly one just on the right side fringe, bounced left and squirted on.  You'd have thought I shot his wife right then and there....  instantly defeated for a brief second- then steps up like he is going to tear the cover off one.   Hits a low hooky one into the rough on left side and right then- I knew it was over.   His body language said it all, he was going to lose his one shot at winning his Superbowl.  I birdied, he bogeyed- one up with two to go, but it didn't matter- he was done.  Next hole- par 3- I'm on, he flares one right into the pond and says _ It's over, congrats.

[Grizz06]

First of all I have no biz winning a club chip but I was in the running a few moons ago.

 

I played really well day 1 and was 2 off the lead.   Mind you, some of the better players (mostly guys I hang with) were out of town playing in another event.  

 

I was trailing two of my good buddies.  One had a tough day 2 and shot 80 and the other was my boy Mikey who is a fantastic player. Mikey, is a short hitter but is as good as anyone I’ve ever seen 100 yds and in. He had a brain fart and hit the wrong club and doubled hole 17 to give me a chance.

 

We were tied going into 18 (short par 4).  I’m up first and blister a wind aided 3w and it bounds up and on the green.  I have 25 ft but I can maybe 2 putt for birdie.   Mikey, drives it in the middle of the fairway per always and proceeds to hole out from 60 yards also per usual.  I’m a self admitted bad putter and have no chance but the stars aligned and I snake one in sending us to a playoff (it was cool because many people were watching).  

 

I picked tee first out of the hat and proceeded to totally over swing my 3w topping it 200 yards down the fairway.  It was certainly nerves and the fact I’m a mental midget.   Mikey hits the exact and I mean exact same drive as last time and is 20 yards by me.   I proceed to gather myself and hit a great little wedge to about 8ft….   Mikey proceeds to hit a walk-off wedge as he holes it AGAIN!!   The only thing that went through my mind was “of course he did” and laughed.    He just shrugged his shoulders and gave me a hug.  It actually ended the way it should have and wouldn’t change it for the world but what are the chances?!.  

[Mcgeeno]

I've won 4 of the last 6 at my club. I remember posting here almost 10 years ago about joining a new club and two guys had won the club championship I believe 18 out of the last 20 years. Essentially a pair of legends where I live with full trophy cases and a really solid regional golf resume.

 

I'm proud to say I've joined the little club after spending the first 3-5 years finding my footing and lerning how to deal with nerves again after not playing competitive golf for a long time.

 

The cool short story is that nobody has 3-peated at our club in a long time (I want to say 25 years or so). Thats my goal this year. I won two, then lost two by one stroke combined lol to a main rival and then have won the last two. 

 

This year I actually shot a 65 in the final round (My lowest tournament score ever) and like to think I put a statement out there for next season. I won by 9 and kept my foot on the gas the whole way. From what I have been told our tournament scoring record was 63 and I was flirting with it on the back nine but didnt convert some putts.

 

Some young guns are coming up the pipeline now though and I dont plan on making it easy on them haha.

[Teekman]

Won my club championship last year, fellow members would tell me constantly I wasn’t a +1 cause they’ve never seen me shoot well. Which I’d kindly reply I’m just out here to have fun and make birdies … and that if there was something I wanted I’d compete for it.

 

Fast forward to the club championship and 2 days of 20+ mph winds, while everyone faltered I put together two days of -6 golf winning by 5 strokes and unfortunately in the process dropping my handicap to +3 right before the member/member. Granted I did get the parking spot I wanted!

[wobgon]

I should chime in here and say that my sister won her 35th club championship at the same club this past August.....Yep,35 😯

Edited February 9, 2022 by wobgon

[Bye]

Just 1 about 15 years ago.
 

I once lost by 1 shot to a friend playing in the same group. I had a real problem hole at this course it cost me badly many times over the years. Anyway I played safe hitting 3 iron off the tee (14th hole) a smooth 5 iron to a foot and I had the momentum. Well I thought I did, the putt didn’t touch the hole. We battled on to the 18th where my friend slotted a down hill 15 footer to beat me by one.