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Club Championship Advice

usaf_giles

usaf_giles

Well-known member
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Jun 16, 2012
Messages
710
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252
Location
Augusta, Ga
Handicap
8.2
So with my club championship coming up. I had a question for the forum. Our club, like most others, has a flighted championship. Women's, Senior, Men's, Champ. Last year I won the men's division but felt a little unsatisfied knowing there was another tier above me. Now this year I have a choice between defending in the men's division or stepping up, playing from the tips, knowing I will more than likely finish in the middle of the pack. What would most around here do? What's better? Winning a second-tier tournament, or competing with the best and coming up short.
 
Give me a trophy! I’ll take 1st place in the lower tier over being average in the top tier.
 
I had similar back-and-forth with opting for championship level in the all-city tourney this year vs. the senior tourney. At 66 I feel I may not have many years to try to win champions so I decided to give it a shot. My goal was to make the final cut of 12 finalists. I finished 8th and have the belief now that I can compete with the kids next year. I should have many opportunities to play against the fellow old-timers down the road.
 
I’m competing in our championship division this year. Mainly because it’s non handicapped. I played in the net division a couple years ago and came in 4th or something. I played to my then handicap (14 course 16 shooting 87/93). I got beat by 2 or 3 guys who had course hc of 18 or higher all shooting sub 87 both days. One shot 81-83 as a 19. Kind put me off the whole thing.

so I decided, if I’m going to lose, it’ll be straight up. I don’t expect a win, but if I can come in the top third I’ll be ok.
 
usaf_giles;n8887760 said:
So with my club championship coming up. I had a question for the forum. Our club, like most others, has a flighted championship. Women's, Senior, Men's, Champ. Last year I won the men's division but felt a little unsatisfied knowing there was another tier above me. Now this year I have a choice between defending in the men's division or stepping up, playing from the tips, knowing I will more than likely finish in the middle of the pack. What would most around here do? What's better? Winning a second-tier tournament, or competing with the best and coming up short.
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If the tournament field is flighted by handicap then play in the flight which matches yours.
 
I never really understood why clubs do gigantic flights of handicapped golf. Find all the guys that want to play championship flight and then group 9 or players of similar handicap and let them play straight up. rant over.

Strive to improve, play against the better players and maybe you pick up something with there preparation or course management that can help you.
 
If it was a certain victory, I would move up even if it meant being middle of the pack. If the lower flight is a fight but you have a chance to repeat, I stay down. Either way, go get them!
 
I’d play in the upper tier. I’m assuming that the top tier is straight up with no HC? I “usually” play better against better competition and I’d look forward to the challenge of it.
 
challenge myself from the tips. i’m like you; feels empty knowing there is another goal to be achieved.


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I forgot a flight. There are three men’s flights. White(handicapped), blue (no hc ), and champ (no hc).

I’m still undecided at this point. Leaning towards the champ but I’ll see how this week goes I guess.




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It depends on what your overall goal is(if any). If you want to someday be competitive in the Championship flight, then by all means move up and gain some experience. If you want to feel the chance of winning again then compete from whatever tees you normally play from.

I've done both and really didn't feel like I gained anything from playing the championship tees, simply because I never felt I was going to be all that good. If you do move up a flight I would play those tees every chance I got before the tournament.
 
I have a similar decision to make each year. Although, I have not won the first flight. Been close a couple times. First flight is usually par to win. Championship is usually - 4 or so over 27 holes from the tips. I know that I can't compete for first in champ flight as I've never shot that low.

One of these years I'll give it a shot. But, so far, I've decided that I'm better off going for first flight as I can actually compete.
 
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