UK GCA Singles Matchplay Comp 2022

[James Boon]

Niall,


After several efforts to arrange a date (but mostly inactivity from me I'm afraid) I've given Ian our match. Unfortunately my diary didn't pan out as I thought it would this year and I've not been north of the border as much as I thought I would.


Cheers,


James

[Niall C]

James


Sorry to hear that but hopefully we'll see you some time before the years out.


Niall

[Michael Whitaker]

[James Reader]

I’ve been trying to contact Tim Gallant for a while with no success.  Has anyone heard anything from him in the last few months?

[Tim Gallant]

I’ve been trying to contact Tim Gallant for a while with no success.  Has anyone heard anything from him in the last few months?

I'm alive! Just came back on your DM

[Richard Fisher]

Likewise ongoing family crise at this end and other work stuff means that I am going to have to cede our tie to Adam.
Many apologies all round and good luck for the next stage!
Richard

[James Reader]

I’ve been trying to contact Tim Gallant for a while with no success.  Has anyone heard anything from him in the last few months?

I'm alive! Just came back on your DM

Delighted to hear it Tim!  I’ve replied and look forward to getting our match played soon.

[Duncan Cheslett]

Repeated attempts to get a game organised with Sean have proved fruitless and I have reluctantly accepted his offer to concede.

[Tim Gallant]

A glorious November day for golf, James Reader and I finally met for our much overdue match (entirely my fault!). I lured James to the West Links in the hopes of taking advantage of home course knowledge, but his play proved to be much too strong as he took the match 1up.


The quality of the golf was very strong, and I can't imagine James was more than a few over par the whole way around. The best shot of the day was James' superb iron into Redan, which landed and trickled out to about 5 feet.


Well played James, and I look forward to seeing where you and David play your next match.

[James Reader]

Thanks for a great day Tim.  It’s always an absolute treat to play North Berwick and it was great to finally meet.


My shot into the Redan was definitely the highlight although Tim was too polite to mention that I missed the putt.  In fact thinking through my round as I was driving back I realised that I didn’t actually hole a single putt in the entire round.  I know we often complain that “i didn’t hole a thing” but today that was literally true - 18 gimmes!  I hope David is feeling equally generous with his concessions in the next round!

[Marty Bonnar]

The practice Round at Ladybank must have helped!
 

[Michael Whitaker]

Since I'm out of the country until May 2023 I'm out... obviously!

[Michael Whitaker]

[Adam Uttley]

In case anyone fancies joining us, after an aborts attempt pre-Xmas, Tony and I have scheduled our match for Monday 6 March. We will be playing at Royston GC on the Herts/Cambs border. 

[James Reader]

David and I are hoping to play our match in March as well.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I believe it’s commonly accepted by all educated people that there are two occasions where there are no set rules on the format:
1 a knife fight
2  matchplay
 
Thus it was that when Adam Utley and I finally managed to arrange our match over the 9 hole Reigate Heath, we agreed the front 9 would be played with Hickories and the back whatever took your fancy.  Both of us immediately regretted this saying haven’t hit them in ...
 
Come the appointed day and it was threatening rain, but our referee Professor Lupin ordered us to start off the Blue tees.  Those who have played with Adam will know what a fine golfer he is and by the 3^rd hole he was on a run of Pars. One difference was that I found bunkers and Adam wisely avoided them!  I felt fortunate to be only 2 down at the turn.
 
So we moved back to the White tees and adjustment took a little while. Adam completely flew the first green, flirting with OOB at the back. Meanwhile my failure to putt up the false front meant a missed opportunity.  I got one back at the second/11th and now the match only had one hole in it.
 
This was enough to awaken the inner Utley.  The 3^rd now 12th was playing 216 yards uphill – 2 shots. The 13^rd is SI 1, 446 yards - 3 shots! I got strokes on both and was now 3 down! I got one back but the good Professor observed our handshake on the 16^th green giving Adam a fine 3&2 result.
 
This is the second GCA knockout in a row where he’s put me to the sword. The good news is that he’s now emigrated to the North, so at least delaying when we might next meet in “the Quaich”.
 
The scorecard states “Take care – walkers and riders on the course; make sure no one is in range before playing a shot.” This is easier said than done on a Friday morning, never seen so many dog walkers ambling wherever they fancied with no care! The course played well despite a long cold winter and recent rains.  The fairway coverage is a bit patchy, but I’m sure will quickly recover and the greens were true. 
 
Reigate Heath is close to the M25 and is well worth visiting. Yes it’s a bit short but all holes have interest.  The run of 3,4,5 is the most interesting and testing stretch, though I also really like 7 a well bunkered short par 4, where we faced a challenging rear pin.  Some lovely views, and its worth noting a £40 green fee for a Surrey Heathland Course is a very pleasant surprise in 2023.
 
Congratulations Adam, my hopes rest with you.
 (Note Adams 3 on the 4th/13th would have been an eagle if either he'd achieved it on the front nine or had self declared a change of sex PRIOR to playing the hole. )

PS Professor Lupin has confirmed she has accepted my invitation and will attend Buda 2023.


Nice tour here
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,64197.msg1593670.html#msg1593670

[Niall C]

Well done Adam and hard lines Tony.


By my calculation only 5 more games before we have last years champion !


Niall

[Michael Whitaker]

[Michael Whitaker]

Well done Adam and hard lines Tony.


By my calculation only 5 more games before we have last years champion !


Niall

Gosh... I shouldn't have dropped out! It seems I would have been back in time to continue before the 2024 event begins.   

[Adam Uttley]

Thanks for an excellent game, Tony, and for your patience in getting the game organised rather than allowing me to concede to you.  It was a great way to make my hickory debut and see how the course differed between the two types of clubs.


I quite liked the course, especially on the clubhouse side of the road, without it being top drawer. 


On reflection it wasn’t a relaxing place to play golf simply because of the dog walkers coming from any direction at any time.  It felt like the first time I tackled the magic roundabout in Hemel Hempstead!

I believe it’s commonly accepted by all educated people that there are two occasions where there are no set rules on the format:
1 a knife fight
2  matchplay
 
Thus it was that when Adam Utley and I finally managed to arrange our match over the 9 hole Reigate Heath, we agreed the front 9 would be played with Hickories and the back whatever took your fancy.  Both of us immediately regretted this saying haven’t hit them in ...
 
Come the appointed day and it was threatening rain, but our referee Professor Lupin ordered us to start off the Blue tees.  Those who have played with Adam will know what a fine golfer he is and by the 3^rd hole he was on a run of Pars. One difference was that I found bunkers and Adam wisely avoided them!  I felt fortunate to be only 2 down at the turn.
 
So we moved back to the White tees and adjustment took a little while. Adam completely flew the first green, flirting with OOB at the back. Meanwhile my failure to putt up the false front meant a missed opportunity.  I got one back at the second/11th and now the match only had one hole in it.
 
This was enough to awaken the inner Utley.  The 3^rd now 12th was playing 216 yards uphill – 2 shots. The 13^rd is SI 1, 446 yards - 3 shots! I got strokes on both and was now 3 down! I got one back but the good Professor observed our handshake on the 16^th green giving Adam a fine 3&2 result.
 
This is the second GCA knockout in a row where he’s put me to the sword. The good news is that he’s now emigrated to the North, so at least delaying when we might next meet in “the Quaich”.
 
The scorecard states “Take care – walkers and riders on the course; make sure no one is in range before playing a shot.” This is easier said than done on a Friday morning, never seen so many dog walkers ambling wherever they fancied with no care! The course played well despite a long cold winter and recent rains.  The fairway coverage is a bit patchy, but I’m sure will quickly recover and the greens were true. 
 
Reigate Heath is close to the M25 and is well worth visiting. Yes it’s a bit short but all holes have interest.  The run of 3,4,5 is the most interesting and testing stretch, though I also really like 7 a well bunkered short par 4, where we faced a challenging rear pin.  Some lovely views, and its worth noting a £40 green fee for a Surrey Heathland Course is a very pleasant surprise in 2023.
 
Congratulations Adam, my hopes rest with you.
 (Note Adams 3 on the 4th/13th would have been an eagle if either he'd achieved it on the front nine or had self declared a change of sex PRIOR to playing the hole. )

PS Professor Lupin has confirmed she has accepted my invitation and will attend Buda 2023.


Nice tour here
https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,64197.msg1593670.html#msg1593670