Scratch Team at Selsey

So a quick review just before the Match starts. England V USA. COME ON ENGLAND.

So today Slinfold Scratch team played against Selsey in the PAV Trophy first round. I again was lucky enough to be picked for this great competition and Matchplay off scratch is such great fun. So there are 12 points available and everyone plays 36 holes, with 4 x foursomes and 8 x singles.
Selsey is a nine hole course although it used to be 18, until someone bought it and decided to put holiday homes on 9 holes and call it a golf and country club in the 60's. (so no more complaints about Slinfold please). We played a practice round there on Tuesday and you play the 9 holes twice from very slightly different Tee's, which is a little confusing sometimes, nut all the Tee posts have numbers on them so you cannot make a mistake (can you?). On our first trip we did not think much of the course but was told it is somewhere that would grow on you, and they were right. The more I played it the more I enjoyed the challenge and it has small greens and a lot of undulations in the fairways and with 2 x 440 Yard par 4's back to back that are normally into the wind plays quite hard for a par 68.
So in the morning I played with Richard Clegg in the foursomes. We started of a little poorly and were 2 down after 2. However we pulled that back with a couple of birdies and we both putted and chipped very well. As we came to the 17th we all Square and we just missed a 12 foot put to win this hole, but they returned the favour missing a shorter putt on 18 and we made a half , shooting 4 over. Al the other foursomes went to the 18th too with 1 more half but we lost the others 1 down each. So 3-1 down at half time. In the afternoon I was out 5th against one of the guys had played in the morning (luck of the draw and Richard was playing the other guy too). We managed to half the first three holes in par (which were the tougher ones into the wind) and then I lost both 4 and 5, which were the long par 4's. I managed to win one back on the 6th but lost 9 and 10 to go three down. I battled back to 1 down after 15 but a loss on 16 and half on 17 means I lost 2&1. However if I had putted like I had in the morning I think I would have one, just could not get the pace of the greens in the afternoon. The rest of the team battled well but we only managed 2 x halves in the afternoon so we were beaten 10-2. I am sure home advantage gives them a couple of shots but overall the whole team played very well, and again we all learn so much having the opportunity to play in these. If we can keep our side together for next year, and maybe add a couple of new players, I think we will have a great chance in years to come. And again a BIG THANKS to Nick Baker who organised all of the matches, put the team together and bought us all together as a team for these matches.

OK 7:15 no more writing, Beer and COME ON ENGLAND