The CLC Matchplay - Season 4: PODS are live... Get to playing those matches

Pod 2 continuing play today with myself against @Thesandman. For those that don’t know we are cousins, so the pod rivalry was out in full force today. Great day out at Cabarrus CC with @BushwoodCaddie and @bmasters joining. *Denotes the 9 holes Ryan gets strokes.

Hole 1 (Par 5)*: Ryan goes from left trees to right trees to fairway to on the green laying 4. I hit fairway, layup, green, and we both 2 putt to push.

Hole 2 (Par 4)*: Ryan right, punches out, third on the green. I’m left rough to the back of the green (front pin). I 2 putt. Ryan needs a 2 putt to push from 25 ft and misses a 3 footer. 1up.

Hole 3 (Par 4): Ryan right rough and second just short of the green. I hit fairway/green. 2 putt from myself, Ryan doesn’t get up and down. 2up.

Hole 4 (Par 4): Both hit fairway and fly the back of the green. I manage the up and down, Ryan’s putt is a roll short to push. 3up.

Hole 5 (Par 3): Ryan short left, I’m back of the green to a front pin. A lovely 3 putt from myself (this becomes a theme) and Ryan gets up and down. 2up.

Hole 6 (Par 4)*: Ryan in the right rough and hits the very left side of the green to a right pin. I’m in the fairway but blocked out by a tree, run up attempt is just short. 3 putts a piece gives Ryan the hole. 1up.

Hole 7 (Par 3): Ryan left edge of the green, I’m on the green about 20 ft from a front pin. Did I say 3 putts were a theme? We both do that and head to 8. 1up.

Hole 8 (Par 5)*: Ryan goes fairway, layup, short of green. I hit it into the right trees, stay in the trees, punch out, and then come up short too. Ryan gets home wit a 6 net 5 and takes the hole. Tied.

Hole 9 (Par 4)*: Both sitting nice in the fairway, Ryan hits short left, I miss right. Ryan chips up to a foot for a net 3 so I need to make mine. @BushwoodCaddie decides he’ll do the honor and holes one from the same spot I’m in. Feeling the energy in the air, I blow one a mile by the hole. 1 down.

Hole 10 (Par 4): Ryan in the bunker and I’m in the right trees. We both layup short of the green. Ugly chips/putts by both but I escape with a win with the 5. Tied.

Hole 11 (Par 5): Ryan left rough and lays up, I’m in the right rough and do the same. Ryan sticks it to 4 feet and I decide to follow him and do the same. I pull my birdie putt, he jars his. 1 down.

Hole 12 (Par 3): I hit the dead center of the green and Ryan is long right. Ryans chip rolls out to leave him about 20 feet and he jars it. The theme music is playing again… we LOVE 3 putts. 2 down.

Hole 13 (Par 4)*: Some wayward shots by Ryan give me the opportunity to take this one. But I do want to note I hate this hole and sunk a par putt. 1 down.

Hole 14 (Par 4): Both hit the fairway. Ryan comes up short of the green and doesn’t get up and down for a 5. I leave myself a 20 footer for bird and can anyone guess what I did? We push. 1 down.

Hole 15 (Par 3)*: Straight over water and all 4 of us hit the green. That may be a first. Ryan hits a great lag to be in with the 3 net 2. I miss the bird. 2 down.

At this point we are not feeling great folks. Ryan pops on 2 of the last 3. Wind is out of the sails.

Hole 16 (Par 4)*: Ryan is in the right rough and hits his second left of the green. Center cut for myself and put it about 15 ft behind the hole. Ryan leaves himself a 15 footer after his chip. My birdie comes up a roll short, so Ryan has a putt to win and comes up just short. We push with his stroke. 2 down, dormie.

Hole 17 (Par 4): Ryan in the right bunker, myself center cut. Ryan catches a limb on the way out and leaves himself in a tough spot. I put it to about 8 ft. Miss the bird but a 4 is enough. 1 down, dormie.

Hole 18 (Par 5)*: Wind dead in the face, Ryan right rough and lays up to about 160. I’m in the fairway and a good layup leaves me 60 yards. Ryan’s is about a yard from making it across the creek in front of the green but goes in. I put myself to about 20 ft. Ryan drops, chips up, and 2 putts to be in for a 7 net 6. I leave myself a couple feet after the first putt and make it to win the hole. Tied.

An agreement was made pre-round to attempt to get out for more holes, but the tee sheet was stacked. So the backup plan was a 10 hole putt off with stymies on the putting green to channel the Vibestock memories. We were going to do 9 holes but decided on 10 so we each got 5 choices of tee/hole. @bmasters stayed around to referee.

A quick 3up from myself through 4 holes (now the putter works), some pushes to follow, and then the fun action came in on the 7th. A true stymie situation led to me pulling this putt and allowing Ryan to stay in it with a tied hole.

Dormie for Ryan with 3 to go. @bmasters in full on referee mode here to decide who is out. It’s me, and I lip it. Hole lost.

After some smack around from Ryan on 9 trying to send my ball every which way, we close it out with a 3&1 win in the playoff. So 2 points for myself, 1 to Ryan.

Really enjoyed the round and looking forward to the 4 more of these I have.

12 Likes

Myself and @grizzly224 are going to use tomorrow’s pairing at The Takeoff at Tanglewood to get a Pod 11 match in action. It might be a tough go for me as I think I’ll be giving a about a dozen pops and the last time I played was The Biscuit Bash in Feb. Still pumped to tee it up even with the impending beat down and missed quota round to come.

4 Likes

Pre talking yourself into the loss is a strong move.

2 Likes

It’s like the mental miss.

1 Like

I’ve been playing well lately so I’m due for a let down. Either way, it will be a great time

1 Like

Mental miss for sure. I have to get all my excuses in order pre tee off

Too much to remember but I can report that @DumpyFlow89 had the self fulfilling prophecy come true. I took him down 4 and 3 at Tanglewood Champions course. My better than it should be play continued with a day where I scrambled for a bunch of bogeys and putted pretty well.

It was a great day and I am very much looking forward to the rematch.

4 Likes

Can’t wait to actually give you a match, today though you had my number from #1 haha. Great time meeting some more First Flight nesticles!

2 Likes

I saw Chris’s teeshot on no 1. That should have given you confidence after seeing that way left darter!

2 Likes

I ended up halving that hole. I took my drop, hit my 8 to about 10 ft and 2 putted for a bogey. It wasn’t my best start but it didn’t hurt me.

1 Like

I put myself in position Z all day (minus my perfect drive off 1) and honestly think Chris might have beaten me gross score as well! Tough scene for Dumpy’s game yesterday. Excited to give it another shot at Chris soon though!

1 Like

Damn. You must have some good clubs ! That was a great bogie.

2 Likes

If you haven’t gotten your pod going yet its probably time to make sure you aren’t trying to play all your matches last minute…

As a reminder group stage is 3/1 - 7/15.

4 Likes

Pod 11 with another match today’s between @Jeff_M and myself back at Holly Ridge. I offered a home and home but Jeff said he wanted revenge on the golf course from our last match. Some wind today with the course playing pretty fun firm, especially the fairways.

On the first tee we figured course handicaps and I got one less this time. Still popping 9 times.

Hole 1,360 par 4 no strokes. Jeff took the hole with a par from the left rough to my bogey from the middle of the fairway. Jeff 1 up

Hole 2, 340 par 4, first pop. Jeff in left fairway bunker but gets out clean. Chip on and 2 putt for a bogey. I’m middle of the fairway with just a flip wedge in. Still can’t make a par but the bogey is good enough. all square.

Hole 3, 140 par 3. Jeff hits the one just short of the green but safe. I go long left. We both can’t get up and down. Hole halved with bogey.

Hole 4, 500 par 5. Pop. Both drive good enough. Jeff hits his second to just short of the green. I duff my second but hit my 3rd from 180 on the green, past the flag. Jeff chips on and 2 putt for par, I 4 putt. Jeff 1 up.

Hole 5, 400 par 4. Pop. Jeff go right into the trees. I hit one down the middle that takes a slope around the corner. Jeff’s 2nd is wet. My 2nd is long. Chip on and 2 putt for my bogey, Jeff gets up and down from his drop for bogey. All square.

Hole 6, 325 par 4. Both hit good drives. I go long ony 2nd and Jeff chunks one. His 3rd is over the green and he can’t get up and down. I can’t either but won the hole with a bogey. Grizzly 1 up.

Hole 7, 474 par 5. 2 good drives. I go left with my 2nd. Jeff is just short. He gets on and 2 putts for par. I duff one and can’t get up and down. All square.

Hole 8, 145 par 3. Jeff short and I’m pin high. Jeff struggles to get up and down and I 2 putt for a par. Grizzly 1 up.

Hole 9, 365 par 4. Pop. Both hit good drives, both go a little long. Both get up and down for par. Grizzly 2 up.

Hole 10, 315 par 4. Jeff hits a good drive. I try cutting the corner and get a bad kick off a mound. My ball is nestled in a clump of grass and I’m only able to get it to the front of the green with the pin in back. 3 putt bogey. Jeff hits his one and has a comfy par. Grizzly 1 up.

Hole 11, 160 par 3. Both short. My chip hits the flag but doesn’t drop. Jeff chips on and makes a nice par putt. Grizzly 1 up

Hole 12, 385 par 4, pop. Both hit good drives. I chunk my approach. Jeff comes up a tad short. I chunk another. Finally one with my 3rd but above the hole. 3 putts leads to an ugly double. Jeff chips on and 2 putt bogey. Grizzly 1 up

Hole 13, 360 par 4. Jeff goes left off the tee and I’m middle fairway. I chunk another iron and Jeff hits a sensible recovery. He is able to get up and down for par and I miss my par putt. All square

Hole 14, 500 par 5. Jeff goes left again off the tee. I hit the middle of the fairway. Jeff’s second is a sensible lay up. I hook my approach left. My next shot was the dreaded s word. Chipped on and 2 putt for bogey. Jeff uncharacteristically struggles around the green and just misses the par putt. All square.

All square with 4 to play but I have made it to a spot where I pop on the last 4 all square.

Hole 15, 380 par 4. Pop. Both hit good drives. Jeff thins one long and into the drink. I chip on and 2.putt for par. Grizzly 1 up.

Hole 16, 160 par 3 pop. I go just long and Jeff is short right. Both chip on but can’t drain the par puts. Bogey with a pop is good enough. Grizzly 2 up.

Hole 17, 355 par 4. Pop. Both hit good drives. Jeff hits his on and 2 putts for par. I chunk my first chip, hit the 2nd one good but can’t make the putt. Hole halved which means I win 2 and 1.

Great time with Jeff and also watch the match between are you double D and bigdawg121. I really had the driver working and Jeff did not play up to his standards.

2 Likes

I’m currently completely in the wilderness with the swing, I can hit it great on the range but on the course I look like I’ve never played golf before. Hopefully I can work through it eventually, it’s been since the end of last year that I played a round of golf I would deem acceptable.

I’m just glad I have you guys to play golf with, otherwise I’d probably hang up the clubs for the season.

3 Likes

I keep telling myself it’s the winter effect and that I’ll be back to playing decent soon.

You’re welcome to adopt that delusion.

3 Likes

Just getting that handicap right I see. Respect the hustle.

I honestly wish that were the case.

To know that I can’t find the club face with an iron is not my preferred lifestyle.

4 Likes

Glad I have a fellow wilderness buddy in my the pod. After next weekend my schedule will clear up, so looking forward to getting a match scheduled with you. Might be an absolute pillow fight between us, but who says those can’t still be fun?

1 Like

@westerj12 @yungbunzz

Pod 6 fired up the Royal Rumble machine yesterday at Longleaf Golf and Family Club: a four-way match between myself, @westerj12, @yungbunzz, and YHM. Way too much action to recount blow for blow here, but a series of highlights and odd events that included the bunnzed one-hopping a shot off the pin on the par three 4th from 190, Wester knocking down 6 net birdies and somehow not winning every way, and YHM eye rolling his way to a win–but not over his father.

Rkris over WesterJ: 2 up
WesterJ over yungunzz: 5up

Rkris over YHM: 2up
Rkris over yungbunzz: 5 up

YHM over yungbunzz: 3 up
YHM over WesterJ: 2 up

5 Likes