My First Real Match Play
It was two days before a tournamnt at RTGC ( Royal Thimphu Golf Club).I went to play at Royal Thimphu Golf club with Col Ajeet Meelu and Mr Ashok. Col Meelu is the one who introduced us to Golf by us i mean me and Mr Gupta. He being a 15 handicap always use to play at ease with us .That day there were other Bhutanese golfers also there and suddenly before tee off it was decided to have a match play.Now in Match play there are two players who team as one team and pitch themselves against others. I was the worst and most handicapped ie 18 amongst the players. Golf balls were juggled and put in a hat shaken and thrown to the ground ,the closest two were paired.I was teamed up with captain Kinga Dorji of Royal Bhutan Police.I exclaimed "friends our is the weakest team".There were 5 teams in all and i had never seen Kinga play and was not aware of his game or handicap.I was really skeptical about our chances.I had lost the match before it even started.Col Meelu asked me to calm down and said my teammate was a very steady player.
Now the stakes , every one contributed 1000 rupees the winner was to take 5000,runners up 3000 and the third team 2000. The game was to be played on stableford system of scoring.The first group of five ball teed off. We followed. my partner was a very steady player and me equally unsteady & erratic in my game.In the first nine i only scored 7 points whereas the average was 15.My partner had 20 points.I felt sorry for him.Back nine first hole gave me a birdie and my game turned though i could only make 17 points in the back nine.But it was a good round to my standards.My total score was 24 and our team's was 63.We tied up for the fourth position at 63.It was a brave effort not from me but from capt kinga.To top it all we decided to play the same match in same format the next day and to my surprise when people suggested change of team kinga refused saying he would rather have me as team.How is that for team spirit and camaraderie.
I learned a few things from him and understood real listening is willingness to let other person change you.
