UK Knock-Out 2018

[James Boon]

A quick update from the left hand side of the draw...


Matt Dawson and I are playing our match at Cavendish this coming Sunday. Perhaps this will give one of us some insight into our opponent in the next round?


Cheers,


James

[James Boon]

Matt and I didnt manage to play Cavendish a few weeks ago thanks to some dreadful weather so we rearranged for today at Harry Colt's Northamptonshire County. The weather forecast also wasnt good for today but it was actually not a bad day for golf in the end.


It was a tight match with Matt the stronger on the front nine, getting to 2 up, but I pulled it back on the back nine, managing a 2&1 victory. Duncan has been waiting patiently for us, so we havent wasted any time and are hoping to play our semi final on 19 Nov at The Hallamshire in Sheffield, another Harry Colt course. How are things looking north of the border?


Sean's tour of Northamptonshire County is worth a look:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41336.msg1519699.html#msg1519699


A few comments...


I spotted photos in the clubhouse which suggested that the hole numbering has changed. The natural inclination off the back of the 3rd is to tee off on what is now the 8th, and I think this used to be the case, but the club probably changed to facilitate the addition of the new 7a, 8a and 9a as a route back to the clubhouse giving a loop of 9.


We played from the green tees today, which were a fully measured course, on the card and the course planner. It turns out the green tees are the winter course, but I suspect the tees are out in the summer in case anyone wants to play them. This is different to many courses in GB&I that just move the white and yellow tees forwards and I liked that it was a measured course in winter. However as we had what turned out to be decent weather and the course wasnt busy or wet, it was frustrating at times looking back at so much redundant teeing area behind us.


The last 3 holes all have a drive into a slight dogleg left to right where the adverse camber runs the ball away into the rough. This was perhaps exaggerated by us playing the winter course / forward tees, but was certainly tricky.


The course is parkland but has a definite heathland type of feel in places even if there is very little heather. I wonder if some aggressive tree clearance may help bring back the heathland feel a bit more?


Cheers,


James

[Duncan Cheslett]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.


I'm really looking forward to playing The Hallamshire. I popped by the other week while visiting my daughter in Sheffield and it looks a lovely course. It has received zero attention on this site so hopefully we can unearth a gem!


If anyone fancies joining James and I we are booked on at 10am on Monday 19th Nov.  It's £30 each.


http://www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk/

[Sean_A]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.


I'm really looking forward to playing The Hallamshire. I popped by the other week while visiting my daughter in Sheffield and it looks a lovely course. It has received zero attention on this site so hopefully we can unearth a gem!


If anyone fancies joining James and I we are booked on at 10am on Monday 19th Nov.  It's £30 each.


http://www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk/

Duncan


I am thinking of coming up to join you and Boony...I will let you know.


Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

How are our Northern cousins getting on, anyone?  Jon, Niall?

[Niall C]

We are due to play at Traigh on Saturday. The forecast looks OK so looking forward to it.

Niall

[Duncan Cheslett]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.


I'm really looking forward to playing The Hallamshire. I popped by the other week while visiting my daughter in Sheffield and it looks a lovely course. It has received zero attention on this site so hopefully we can unearth a gem!


If anyone fancies joining James and I we are booked on at 10am on Monday 19th Nov.  It's £30 each.


http://www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk/

Duncan


I am thinking of coming up to join you and Boony...I will let you know.


Ciao

Sounds good. If you fancy a game somewhere Sunday pm let me know.


Manchester GC?

[Sean_A]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.


I'm really looking forward to playing The Hallamshire. I popped by the other week while visiting my daughter in Sheffield and it looks a lovely course. It has received zero attention on this site so hopefully we can unearth a gem!


If anyone fancies joining James and I we are booked on at 10am on Monday 19th Nov.  It's £30 each.


http://www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk/

Duncan


I am thinking of coming up to join you and Boony...I will let you know.


Ciao

Sounds good. If you fancy a game somewhere Sunday pm let me know.


Manchester GC?

Up the dreaded M6?  I an working on somewhere to play...will let you know.


Ciao

[Michael Whitaker]

[Matt Dawson]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.

Thanks Duncan, and well played James


A couple of careless 3-putts on the back 9 from me (and a cold-blooded shank) allowed the very solid Mr Boon to take advantage for a 2&1 victory. There were a few birdies and plenty of pars in a decent encounter though, so no complaints at all.


I really enjoyed Northants County, to give it its due. Some of the undulations on and around the greens were decidedly wicked - the 16th green in particular.


James is spot on about tree encroachment...on firm ground from forward tees it was quite claustrophobic, and some heather here and there would give the holes a bit more character.


Enjoy your next round!

[Ben Stephens]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.

Thanks Duncan, and well played James


A couple of careless 3-putts on the back 9 from me (and a cold-blooded shank) allowed the very solid Mr Boon to take advantage for a 2&1 victory. There were a few birdies and plenty of pars in a decent encounter though, so no complaints at all.


I really enjoyed Northants County, to give it its due. Some of the undulations on and around the greens were decidedly wicked - the 16th green in particular.


James is spot on about tree encroachment...on firm ground from forward tees it was quite claustrophobic, and some heather here and there would give the holes a bit more character.


Enjoy your next round!

Commiserations Matt - Mr Boon is highly regarded as probably the most solid 4 handicapper on GCA unless it is up against his nemesis Mr Duran. Best of luck Duncan and James in the semis on the Fitzpatrick's (Matt and Alex) home patch.


I am familiar with Northants County and do know the Duck family who are notable members of Church Brampton as it is known locally (Angela played for England Ladies and Michael played cricket for Northants) whose sons Robert and Tom who are very strong golfers in their own regard and I played in the same school golf team as them.


Robert won the Carris Trophy (England U18 Championship) at Northants County with a then course record 65 in 1995 and he went onto college golf at Augusta State. Robert played with Luke Donald in the Palmer Cup a while back and the scoreboard said 'DONALD / DUCK'


I have to say Tom is now the better golfer in the Duck family as Robert is married with kids plus coaches at Florida State (I think) these days. I can remember Robert being late to a Grafton Morrish event at Hunstanton as we were paired together because he was busy working as agent/manager of Francesco Molinari then helping him to prep for the 2010 Ryder Cup.


The head pro at Northants County Tim Rouse - is a pretty steady golfer and has a reputation of being a good golf coach.


I do agree with Boony and Matt it tends to be claustrophobic off some tees and I have played in Winter pro-ams there off the green tees and it was great to see that not too much distance was sacrificed because it was Winter golf. It still played quite tough though.


Tree surgery would help similar to what they have done to Luffenham Heath lately.


Cheers
Ben

[Matt Dawson]

I have played in Winter pro-ams there off the green tees and it was great to see that not too much distance was sacrificed because it was Winter golf. It still played quite tough though.

Whoa there a minute.

Playing the green tees meant that we played a 5700 yd course rather than a 6800 yd one from white tees. Every hole we teed off 60 or 70yds forward - which meant James & I hit three-quarter PW/SW into almost every par 4...and I hit PW on every par 3 bar one

The club had removed all the yellow and white tee markers, so it wasn't just a case of "play the appropriate tees for your game" as GCAers like to say.

It's why I rarely play courses as a green-fee visitor, as I find this happens a lot. To me it's like finding only 15 holes of the course are open, and it drives me nuts. Fully understand if there's a planned maintenance or reseeding in progress on a few holes - but there wasn't.

[Ben Stephens]

I have played in Winter pro-ams there off the green tees and it was great to see that not too much distance was sacrificed because it was Winter golf. It still played quite tough though.

Whoa there a minute.

Playing the green tees meant that we played a 5700 yd course rather than a 6800 yd one from white tees. Every hole we teed off 60 or 70yds forward - which meant James & I hit three-quarter PW/SW into almost every par 4...and I hit PW on every par 3 bar one

The club had removed all the yellow and white tee markers, so it wasn't just a case of "play the appropriate tees for your game" as GCAers like to say.

It's why I rarely play courses as a green-fee visitor, as I find this happens a lot. To me it's like finding only 15 holes of the course are open, and it drives me nuts. Fully understand if there's a planned maintenance or reseeding in progress on a few holes - but there wasn't.

Whoa I had not realised that maybe I suspect it being a winter pro am they set the course longer and some were in different locations to the summer tees. Still it is not an easy course from the 5800 yard markers 

[Jon Wiggett]

Well Niall and I played yesterday at Traigh which offers a very good traditional west coast links experience. The course is not long but very quirky and certainly not a push over. I took some photos and will put a short course tour up soon.


As for the match neither of us brought our A game to the course which ended up with a 3&2 victory for Niall.

[Michael Whitaker]

[Duncan Cheslett]

Well done James and commiserations Matt.


I'm really looking forward to playing The Hallamshire. I popped by the other week while visiting my daughter in Sheffield and it looks a lovely course. It has received zero attention on this site so hopefully we can unearth a gem!


If anyone fancies joining James and I we are booked on at 10am on Monday 19th Nov.  It's £30 each.


http://www.hallamshiregolfclub.co.uk/

Duncan


I am thinking of coming up to join you and Boony...I will let you know.


Ciao

Sounds good. If you fancy a game somewhere Sunday pm let me know.


Manchester GC?

Up the dreaded M6?  I an working on somewhere to play...will let you know.


Ciao

Any thoughts on next weekend Sean?  I'd be up for a game on Sunday if you're coming north.

[Niall C]

Well Niall and I played yesterday at Traigh which offers a very good traditional west coast links experience. The course is not long but very quirky and certainly not a push over. I took some photos and will put a short course tour up soon.


As for the match neither of us brought our A game to the course which ended up with a 3&2 victory for Niall.

I look forward to Jon posting his photos. Even though the views weren’t quite as extensive as they could have been due to the weather threatening to close in it was still a beautiful setting. That however would count for little if the course wasn’t worth the effort and I’m glad to say it was. It’s a nice mix of not too long with some up and over and along the top, some downhill and a few blind shots thrown in. What I’ve come to think of as the quintessential style for a Scottish nine holer.

Jon can give better chat about the turf etc but I’d say it’s more a moorland than a links. Whatever, it was in pretty good nick with the greens slow enough not to be frightening but also quick enough to allow for borrows. All in all, good fun.

With regards to the game, as many of you know I don’t really have the A game that Jon referred to. On Saturday I managed to get the ball off the tee pretty well and chipped and putted well enough, so I’d give myself a B+. First time round Jon was hampered as I was to an extent, by not knowing the course, and therefore with all the shots I was getting I managed to get into a fairly healthy lead. Second time round he was able to claw back some of my advantage but again by using my shots I managed to hang on.
 
On the drive home it occurred to me that I’d inadvertently hit upon the secret to beating better and bigger hitters like Boon and Wigget and that’s to have them drive for several hours to a wide open short course and then par the buggers into submission. Brilliant, sign me up to Captain the next Ryder Cup team 

Niall

[Duncan Cheslett]

Well, on a very cold, damp, windy day in Sheffield James Boon and I played our semi-final match this morning in the company of Sean Arble.


The venue was Hallamshire Golf Club, a Harry Colt course originally on the moors at the outskirts of the city, but now somewhat hemmed in by suburban housing. It still however, has a heathland feel, with heather and gorse in plentiful supply.  The first four and the last five holes are over plainer, flatter ground, but the course really comes alive in the middle section, with dramatic holes over roller-coaster terrain. Sean took plenty of photos despite the unpromising conditions, so expect to see one of his tours shortly.


The match between Boony and myself was a tight one, with never more than one hole in it and the lead swinging back and forth.


I managed to win my final shot hole (the 16th) with a double bogey to inch ahead and then cling on to my slender lead to prevail on the 18th green.


Well played James and commiserations.

[Niall C]

Well done Duncan and hard luck James.

Tim - any thoughts about our game ?

Niall

[James Boon]

Well played Duncan, and thanks to Sean for joining us.


I'm not sure if it was Duncan's extra edge by virtue of living in the vicinity of Manchester (where he must be used to the weather we experienced) or the 8 shots I had to give him, but he deserved the victory none the less!   


Just spotted Sean has started a tour of The Hallamshire so I'll comment on the course over there.


Cheers,


James

[Tim Gallant]

Well done Duncan and hard luck James.

Tim - any thoughts about our game ?

Niall

Hey Niall,


Yes, let's pick up in PMs and see if we can't sort something soon!

[Michael Whitaker]

[Duncan Cheslett]

I'm not sure if it was Duncan's extra edge by virtue of living in the vicinity of Manchester (where he must be used to the weather we experienced) or the 8 shots I had to give him, but he deserved the victory none the less!   

The weather was more akin to that in Buxton than Manchester, where the rain tends to descend vertically rather than horizontally.


As a Derbyshire lad, I would have thought it right up your street!


You're right about the shots though. Full handicap in matchplay definitely favours the steady 12 handicapper over the Cat 1 guy. In medal you would beat me nine times out of ten. In matchplay I would probably beat you six or seven times.


I can definitely see the argument for playing these games off 9/10 or 3/4 handicap.


However, it is what it is. Get over it! 

[Mark Pearce]

You're right about the shots though. Full handicap in matchplay definitely favours the steady 12 handicapper over the Cat 1 guy. In medal you would beat me nine times out of ten. In matchplay I would probably beat you six or seven times.

THat's the myth propounded by low handicappers, and here you are, a proper mid-capper, giving them succour.  The reason for the change was, and remains, that stats show that low handicappers still win way more than 50% of matches against high handicappers.

[Duncan Cheslett]

Shhhh!!


I don't really mean it. I was just trying to make James feel better!