Club Championship Preview

The Intro;

The fourth of my major competitions of 2010 is the Club Championship at the golf club which I am a member of.

This is a 36 hole strokeplay event played this Saturday.

The Background;

This will be my fourth year playing in the Club Championship. Last year it was experimented with playing over 2 days, 18 holes on Saturday followed by 18 on Sunday, however this year it has reverted back to 36 holes on the one day. In the three previous years I have been 13^th, 7^th, and 3^rd. My score has improved by 5 shots each year, from 161 in 2007 to 156 in 2008 and 151 in 2009.

The Course;

The course is one of the longest in Middlesex, at over 6,500 yards. There are 6 par 4s over 400 yards, and a par 5 which is one of the longest holes in Middlesex. Because this competition is open only to club members, knowledge of the course isn’t that big an advantage as all of the competitors know it well.

The Competition;

The maximum field is 60 players, although this year it looks as if only 40-45 players will be taking part. The groupings are done in reverse handicap order, so I will likely be out in the last  group.

The winning scores in the last 3 years have been 150, 148 and 150. Last year I shot 70 in the first round, only to collapse spectacularly in the 2^nd round to shoot 81 and lose by 1 shot. That was a disappointment that I can’t really adequately convey through this medium, I hadn’t done myself justice and I knew it.

The Target;

The only way the day can be considered a success is if I win, although that is a long shot currently. In 2009 there were 3 players playing considerably better than everyone else in the weeks leading up to the tournament, and those 3 people finished 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd. This year there are a couple of people scoring better than everyone else in competitions, and I am not one of them.

All I can do is try my best and see what happens. I have the ability, as do many other people in the competition, it’s a case of performing on the day.

Updates will appear here at about 2pm and 7pm on Saturday.