Gonna put this here as well, just to get as much traction as I can. I know it’s a long drive for my SW Ohio brethren, but maybe one (or more!) of you Cleveland/Toledo-area guis could make the trip?!
Kicked off my title defense yesterday with a tilt against @auribe14 at Plum Creek Golf Club in Carmel Indiana. A nice Pete Dye track that I enjoyed thoroughly.
Since this was a prelim round I’ll spare everyone the long write ups I usually do and instead hit the highlights. Aaron was getting 11 shots off me yesterday after a run of good play dropped his handicap a full point over the last week.
The match got off to a back and forth start with me having three doubles in the first six holes all on par fours and @auribe14 putting two four for threes on a couple of those par fours on the board. Luckily I was able to take advantage of holes in the middle of my doubles where Aaron wasn’t getting strokes in order to keep the match close with me being 1 down after 6.
Things took a bit of a turn for Aaron on the last three holes on the front with a couple of miss-hit tee shots finding some deep, deep rough off the side of the fairway and an unfortunate double chip situation on 9 allowed me to go on a run of wins to end the front 9 with a 2 up lead.
The 10th hole carried over slightly from the front nine and I was able to win the hole with a bogey to take a 3 up lead. But Aaron was determined to battle back and battle back he did. He won the 11th with a very solid par on the par 3 hitting his tee shot to about 10 feet.
I was able to sneak in another win on the 12th, a par 5, with a solid drive and lay up and my own chip shot to about 5 feet which I missed for birdie, but was able to win the hole with par. From here on out, it was all about how much I could hang on.
On the thirteenth I played what I thought was a sensible three wood off the tee to ensure I hit the fairway, left my 2nd shot just short and was unable to get up and down on a fairly easy up and down for par. Meanwhile, Aaron, made a very solid up and down from short side well below the green for his own bogey to take the hole with a stroke.
On the Fourteenth a very solid drive by Aaron, albeit into the next fairway put the pressure on me and I blew my drive way off the planet to the right. Opening up the hole for Aaron to win comfortably with his third four for three on the day.
My three up lead has been cut to one with four to go and Aaron getting strokes on 16 and 18.
Hole 15 is halved with two very solid pars from both competitors.
Hole 16 is halved with a solid par by me and a putt for par that just slid by for par by Aaron for a 4 for 3 on the par 3.
Hole 17 is a long par 5 with water all down the right. Two solid drives by our competitors, but neither close enough to go for it. Both of us lay up down the left hand side with me laying further back on purpose for a full iron shot. My 9 iron has perfect distance and finds the green about 15 feet away. Aaron gets a little under his third shot and finds the front bunker and is unable to get up and down which allows me to two putt for par to win the hole and the match 2 & 1.
It was a great day, the weather was slightly rainy, but perfect otherwise and I had a blast playing a new Pete Dye as part of this competition against a competitor that just would not quite. Aaron is going to be a tough match for anyone for sure. I hope I get to host him sometime over here for a home and home.
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Thanks from all of us for not charging another 99 bucks to participate in this.
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Anyone in the Cincy/Dayton want to get a match in this next weekend? I can possibly play Friday and/or Saturday.
Start of fall golf season 
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Depending on your plans on Friday @vwhitehead4417 is putting together a group trip to Grand Rapids to play Diamond Springs. You guys could play a match up there.
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Unfortunately I can’t take the full day of Friday off. I’m definitely jealous of the trip though!
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I know its a little last minute but does anybody in Cincy/Dayton or even Cbus want to get a match in this weekend? I can play Saturday or Sunday.
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Want to make the drive up to Fowler’s Mill in Cleveland? I think we still have a couple slots open and at least one match will be happening up there.
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It’s definitely intriguing but I don’t think I can justify the all day trip.
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I would be happy to play a match Sunday morning. I have a single spot booked at Glenview for 820a on Sunday. Happy to play elsewhere close by Cincy if you prefer or there was 1 spot open on that tee time when I booked it this past weekend.
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That works for me! Checked the website and looks like they have a spot left so I can snatch that up.
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I’m going to let @waver82 do a deeper write up if he’d like, but he and I teed it up in an absolute epic battle yesterday morning at Fowler’s Mill near Cleveland. The front nine was a bit of a pillow fight, but the back nine was a knock down drag out fight that Nick was able to pull out a 1 up win on the 18th green after being AS through 17.
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Good Morning Everyone!
We have confirmed our 2024 Match Play Finale host location with the generous Nest member who will be hosting us. Below are a Google Maps image, an aerial, and a cut out from the logo of this editions host. Let’s see who can guess where the Final will be played!
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Columbus country club?
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We have a winner right away!
That is correct! After having a SW final the first year, and a NE final the second year we’ve found a gracious host in Central Ohio for the third year.
Columbus Country Club, a stellar Donald Ross design will host the 2024 Match Play Final!
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CCC is a treat, great get for the match play championship!
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Who do I send my extra 99 bucks to for this opportunity?
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CCC is gonna be WILD because that finish is #interesting.
16 is the 2-handicap hole and a par 4 with some double-whammy high grass and tree trouble.
17 is the 6-handicap hole and a long-ish par 3.
18 is the 10-handicap hole and a par 5. It’s a draw hole with OB left and to the right, you can absolutely dome some people teeing off on 16.
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Anyone free Wednesday morning/early afternoon want to play a match? I can drive 2, maybe 2.5 hours, so anything around Columbus or Dayton works.
The Losantiville squad (@methridge @Cramptcm and I) had a home course 1v1v1 Saturday during classic fall conditions.
Meth V Chris ended in a tie
Collya over Meth 3&2
Chris over Collya 2&1
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