Two Ball Match

Levi and I had a terrific alternate shot, or two ball, match with Peter and Paul today. Playing the alternate shot format is interesting because you play with the added pressure of not wanting to let your partner down. 

After halving the first hole with pars, Levi hit a beauty to about eight feet on two and I made the putt to put us one up. We had to give Peter and Paul a stroke on three and they won the hole to square things up. They then went one up with a par on four.

Before we knew it, though, we were three down, Peter and Paul going out in even par 36 to our 38. We halved the tough tenth with bogeys. I hit a stinker for a second shot, hitting about two inches behind the ball and leaving Levi with a tough pitch of about forty yards. Peter missed his approach shot, but actually skipped it across the pond. 

On eleven we won the hole when Paul yanked their second shot into the fescue and lost the ball. We then won the thirteenth and fifteenth to square the match. On seventeen, I made an eight footer for par to keep things all square after Peter had holed another ten-footer like it was nothing. Peter has one of the best short games I've ever seen for an amateur. From a hundred yards and in he is absolutely deadly.

As has been the case so often this year, we came down to the par three eighteenth all square. Levi had us on the green about thirty five feet away. Peter's tee shot had run through the green, but sat nicely on the apron about firty five feet away. Paul putted it to about five feet, and I then putted it to about four feet. Both of us neglected to give it enough to climb the slope to the pin.

Naturally, Peter banged the five-footer home, leaving Levi with a knee-knocker for the half. Levi stood over the putt and, looking at the hole, stroked it firmly in the center of the cup. No blood. After eighteen holes we were where we started, all square. After some discussion we decided we'd play another eighteen tomorrow to determine the winner, rather than going sudden death. So, come 1230 hours tomorrow, we'll be back at it, hammers and tongs.

If you haven't tried the two ball, or alternate shot, format, you really should. But you need to establish one rule with your partner. And that is, no saying, "Sorry." You play your hardest and let the chips fall where they may.