Can you win your club championship?

[MeikoKaji]

Lost in 21 holes. Lost in 19 holes. Otherwise, typically make it to the semis for the last 5 or 6 years. Lost by 1 in the stroke play event.

 

It used to be heartbreaking and I do want it. Oh, I want it. But, now, I can honestly say I am very happy I don't lose, I give my best. I get beaten. But, it could have gone my way.

 

I'm competing against 'professional amateurs' who are former pros or are there every day, have + hdcps. I'm lucky if I can practice for an hour or two a week and one guy I know practices 4 hours at a time just on putting. I just can't do that but I will not give it away, it must be taken.

[whiteout73]

Probably not, but I suppose I'll find out. My club is having their first-ever championship in a couple weeks. It is 36 holes, stroke play, two flights - Championship (no hdcp and playing the back tees) and Handicapped (use hdcp, and the middle tees) I'm just debating about which flight I want to sign up for. With my low handicap, I'd think I have NO chance in the handicapped flight. However, I also know that I probably stand very little chance playing scratch, especially from the back tees, which at my club are no joke- a few forced carries, etc.

[larrybud]

Play in the Championship flight. Need to measure yourself against the best.

[q-school]

Not even with 12 stroke lead per round. We have some guys who go low. Super low.

[AB1620]

I could but it would take a perfect storm of events that include me playing well, the weather being pretty nasty, and some luck. I would say our talent pool at our CC is lower than 95% of CC's out there but we have 4 or 5 golfers that are very stout. But if somehow those guys didn't play their best I could compete. Last year was probably my best chance and I couldn't play. It is normally scheduled in the Aug/Sept time frame but weather postponed it last year to November. It ended up Cold and very windy. I think something like 75/72 won. I am pretty long so I can negate the wind on our course as long as I'm not wild with it. So if (and that's a huge IF) I would have been on top of my game I could have legitimately competed but who knows how I would have finished under that pressure. One of my biggest problems is I didn't play competitive golf growing up so I don't have the experience of playing with nerves.

[JShaw]

There are only 2 things the keep me from winning my club championship, talent and commitment. Other than that I'm set.

[PKennedy13]

I came in second last year and am way better than I was last year so I expect to win. If I don't I'll be disappointed

[glm]

at my club winning the championship and $3 will get me a beer in the members bar. Plus tip of course.

[CheckJV]

I manage my club's electronic calendar so this year I'm planning to make a last minute change to the date. If absolutely no one else shows up, I have a chance.

[ljrad1995]

Realistically, I should win our club champs as long as I don't completely capitulate and destroy a round or two... 72 hole strokeplay, theres only 3 +markers in our club, and the other two are very volatile golfers, good for a -6 but also good for a +15 in a champs round. Last year I held the 36 hole lead by 3 but had to withdraw from the event due to a Saturday exam at university (what a rort) so hopefully this year I can get to all 4 rounds.

[AC168]

I have a good chance of winning the Sr. Club Championship ... except I'm not a Sr. yet ...

[MountainGoat]

I have a good chance of winning the Sr. Club Championship ... except I'm not a Sr. yet ...

 

I was going to slip into my club championship as a senior last year. I thought maybe I could whip up a 75 or 76 and be the surprise winner. Turns out the actual winner shot a 67. My 75 or 76 would have landed me in next to last place. That was the moment I realized that I've got no shot in these tournaments anymore.

[MeikoKaji]

i thought club championship were match play, but many people here posting it is stroke play. i have only seen clubs where the stroke play event is a thing with a nice trophy in the lobby, don't get me wrong, but it's only the qualifier to get into the club champs. from there, it's top 16 (or 8) in the stroke play then go on to match play until a winner (one club has the final match 36 holes). So, there is absolutely no doubt who the club champ is e.g. didn't just have a good weekend but had a good month and needed to leave a wake of corpses behind. the fun part is to see the brackets and follow the progress. Is this just former colonies (ex USA) style ? what other methods are there to determine club champ? is there a standard?

[llewol007]

It would take me shooting a couple under par and somebody shooting 85. Got close a couple times but........

[Moonlightgrm]

I've won 3 club championships, so my answer is YES.

[PeanutsDaddy]

My club does not have a championship, so YES, I definitely have a shot : )

[bobfoster]

I did 3 times ... 25 years ago or so. Today? Absolutely not.

[Stall]

i thought club championship were match play, but many people here posting it is stroke play. i have only seen clubs where the stroke play event is a thing with a nice trophy in the lobby, don't get me wrong, but it's only the qualifier to get into the club champs. from there, it's top 16 (or 8) in the stroke play then go on to match play until a winner (one club has the final match 36 holes). So, there is absolutely no doubt who the club champ is e.g. didn't just have a good weekend but had a good month and needed to leave a wake of corpses behind. the fun part is to see the brackets and follow the progress. Is this just former colonies (ex USA) style ? what other methods are there to determine club champ? is there a standard?

 

Different clubs, different approaches.

 

Our is 72 hole stroke play. cut after 36 holes. Last two rounds on the same day so spread over 3 consecutive weeks. Scratch prize - club champion. Individual champs for 1st, 2nd and 3rd class handicaps.

 

Its pretty enjoyable. As a 7 handicapper I can sometimes make the cut in the scratch but realistically, Im not going to be beating guys with a 0 or + handicap over 4 rounds. :-(

[Ferguson]

Win the club championship?

 

I would have better luck playing pickup sticks with my butt cheeks.

[Mini88]

I've got 3 runner ups in about twice as many attempts, so yes I do firmly believe I can win.

 

Problem is that since turning 27 and moving off of an extension of my family's ticket I am at the back of the list and waiting for full golf/voting privileges, so not allowed to play.

[MasonHAsher]

I won the only time I entered ours. Shot 77-72 in stroke play, then won three matches to win the championship as a high school sophomore.

[Break81]

Had our club championship this weekend. (one of the two clubs I am in). The one for this weekend, has 2 courses, so 2 days of golf, 2 flights.

 

Smaller group and each flight has maybe 16 players. Here's my issue, because the club is struggling for members, there is no set of rules to qualify. Basically, you can join the club, play in zero events all year and then play in the championship. There was a 3 way tied for first and with the card off, 1st and 2nd place went to players who never play in the monthly events.

 

The other club ("B")I play in, which has more regulars and absolutely more baggers, has 4 flights, and you must play in at least a combination of 5 tournaments or club ran skins games to qualify for the championship weekend.

 

Basically it's pretty hard to win either unless your a bagger. At least with club "B" there are always closest to the pin and skins in every event which adds to the fun. Club "A" is dying on the vine, only 3 payouts per flight, no skins or closest and outsiders welcome.

[playa]

Mine is over 4 weeks. If I was in B grade it would be mine to lose, but being at the wrong end of A grade I could put my best 4 rounds ever together and still only just make top 10. We have a couple of genuine pluses at our club and quite a few 1s and 2s, and I am unfortunately a hot and cold high single digit chop.

[BabaBooey17]

I'm at a new club this year and the answer is no....not that it was a yes at the club I was at last year either though haha.

 

The way they do it here is a 2 day stroke play event where the top 16 go into a 4 round match play...if you make it that far. I qualified for the match play but lost round 1. Buddy shot like -5 and beat me on the 15th hole

[pierso2]

My club alternates from stroke to match play year to year. Last year was match play. I lost in the first round after 21 holes against the eventual winner. I was the only one he played that he had to play the 16th hole against. After our match of 21 holes, his next matches he defeated the opponents 4&3, 6&5, and 4&3. He thanked me after he won saying he loved our match and how it was so back and forth. He's a pretty competitive guy so he really loved the challenge I put up for him. I think we tied all but 5 holes in the 21 holes we played.

 

This year is stroke play. My game has been rounding into form nicely so I think I might have half a shot if I can keep doubles off my card. But I think match play would be better geared for me since I have a few holes that I always go low on and can really pin hunt. We'll see but I have decent faith it'll go well.

[Divot License]

I think I'm listed as an outside favourite for this year.

 

Personally I think it will require a perfect storm for me to win, it's not so much a matter of me playing well but more several other guys not playing there best. I'm just glad that I've earned my way into the Club Scratch Team this year - that's a win for me.

[dpb5031]

Been a member at my club for 23 years and finally won my first yesterday. I usually get knocked out by one of the college kids in the semis, but between good draws and solid play finally made it to the 36 hole final. After several blown opportunities coming in, the match was all square going into the final (36th hole). Piped a drive, wedge to 12 feet, dead center putt! Very gratifying and fun to win like that with a big crowd following us for the final 9.

[conorgolf22]

My club championship is my Masters. It means more to me than any tournament I have ever played in because my grandpa won it 10 times and the trophy is named after him. He is 88 now and in failing health, which makes me want to win my first club championship that much more. I felt good going in to my club championship this year. Ours alternates between stroke and match play.....this year happened to be match play, which I feel suits my game a little better than stroke play. I shot 75 in the qualifier and became the 3 seed. Our club championship is typically won by the same guy now....very good p,Ayer and former college player.

 

I 3-putt 3 of the first 4 holes in the quarterfinal match against the 6 seed and find myself 3 down through 4 and then 4 down after 5....yikes. Fast forward and I'm still 4-down through 10. The last 8 holes were a combination of me putting pressure on my opponent and my opponent starting to fade. I win 6 of the last 8 to win the match 2 up.

 

Now I'm on to face the 7 seed who upset the 2 seed in the morning match. Things are looking good for me to get to the finals. We are all square through 12, before I lose the 13th and 15th holes with bogey. I'm 2 down with 3 to go and really starting to feel the pressure. We halve 16 and now I've only got one option. He misses the 17th green and chips up to about 5 feet. My approach finds the green about 20 feet away and my birdie misses and par is conceded. He blasts his 5 footer through the break and I'm still alive. We both find the fairway on the par 5 18th. He is out of reach to go for the green in 2, but I have about 220 left. He lays up but find the right rough. I hit probably the best shot I've ever hit, considering the self-imposed pressure, and hit my hybrid to 25 feet. His 3rd ends up about 10 feet below the hole. My eagle putt misses on the low side and birdie is conceded. Then I make the cardinal sin of golf.....after seeing my opponent hit such a poor putt on 17 that would've won him the match, I quickly assume we are now going extra holes. He made me pay for that by rolling in his birdie putt to win the match and earning a place in the finals. Adding on, the 4 time defending champ lost in the other semi. Everything shaped up perfect for me, but I didn't get the job done.

 

As a golfer, you quickly learn what it feels like to lose. There are no coaches or teammates to blame anything on. I've played golf all of my life. I've played in high school and in college. I have never been as gutted by losing as I was Saturday. But the great part of this game is that it lies 100% on my shoulders. I have to own it and it is no one's fault except mine. Isn't this a great game??

 

How I channel my inner Happy Gilmore, "only 364 more days until the club championship, gotta toughen up."

[deadsolid...shank]

Been a member at my club for 23 years and finally won my first yesterday. I usually get knocked out by one of the college kids in the semis, but between good draws and solid play finally made it to the 36 hole final. After several blown opportunities coming in, the match was all square going into the final (36th hole). Piped a drive, wedge to 12 feet, dead center putt! Very gratifying and fun to win like that with a big crowd following us for the final 9.

 

Congratulations. That has to be especially sweet to get it done after that many years

[dpb5031]

Been a member at my club for 23 years and finally won my first yesterday. I usually get knocked out by one of the college kids in the semis, but between good draws and solid play finally made it to the 36 hole final. After several blown opportunities coming in, the match was all square going into the final (36th hole). Piped a drive, wedge to 12 feet, dead center putt! Very gratifying and fun to win like that with a big crowd following us for the final 9.

 

Congratulations. That has to be especially sweet to get it done after that many years

 

Thank you, and yes sir! I'll be 50 in less than a year and am a better player now than I was 15 years ago.

 

I honestly credit GolfWRX quite a bit for my improvement. This is where I found Slicefixer (Geoff Jones) whose concepts & fundamentals transformed my game and allowed me to improve through my mid to late 40s. Discussions with the other resident teaching pros and enthusiasts here has helped as well.