Kicking myself.

Played in my Clubs "International Pairs" Qualifying yesterday and we blew it. We played early so we could get down to Elland Road and join 34,000 others and watch Leeds Utd v Northampton T.

We got to the 16th Tee -6, just ahead of the lads we were playing with. The 16th is a dog-leg 484yd par 5 (SI 14). I told Alec, my 18Hcp partner to go first and he put his Tee-shot out about 225 in the middle of the fairway. I then tried to cut off a lot of the corner and leave a short Iron to the Green, I didn't hit it 100% but I thought it was enough to make it. Alec hit his 2nd into the rough short right of the Green, so when I couldn't find my Ball I was happy to leave it to Alec.

WAS I WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

He duffed it into the bunker (3) Thinned it OOB (4) Left it in the bunker (6) got it out to the back of the Green (7) and 3 putted (10/9)

I then made a Nett birdie at 17 and finished off with a Par. The guys we played with beat us by 3. Why oh why didn't I play another off the Tee at 16??????

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, David. By not playing a provisional, you inadvertently put weight on the shoulders of your less experienced partner, and unfortunately he wilted under the pressure. A 7/6 from you would have been enough for a half.

A par 5 would have given us the same score that was leading when we left the Club. I don't know what won yet.

 David, that's tough and no doubt you'll have done it before. It takes something like this that'll ensure you take a provisional in next similar situation. We all get out of the habit of hitting provisionals, especially if the course is busy but when you're in a comp every shot's valuable no matter how far in front or behind you are.

 I think John's point is overlooked by a lot of lower handicappers. When I first started to play properly my handicap was 16 and whenever in matchplay, if my partner was out of the hole, then I really felt the pressure, even moreso if our opponents were of a lower handicap than me. It took me a long time to get used to and handle the pressure.    

That is a good point Patrick. It should be the job of the lower Hcp to take the pressure off the higher Hcp.

But it can work the opposite too, we shouldn't put too much thought into their brain.

Thats a tough break David and one mistake Im sure you wont be making again in the future.

Hope you didnt 'blame' the higher HC person or give him any ribbing (well not too much anyway )

Martin,

That sucks

Martin, I thought you had to announce a change in ball type (manufacturer/number) even if a provisional ?  basically to stop this from happening.

Not only that Darren,

Its to stop people playing different balls over different hazards

::thinks::