STAROBA-KOBA Edisi 4: Day 3 at Kedaton - pakdokter's matchplay against pakMesha..

24th July 2011

Pakdokter went down to the hotel lobby for a drink with pakdokter's partner last night and was joined by pakBaha a.k.a. Bob - a single-handicapper who was bought by our CdM from ASAS to strengthen the STAROBA team this time. Pakdokter asked for some 'tips' to help increase pakdokter's chances against the younger and stronger opponent, pakMesha, in our individual-matchplay game on the final day. Pakdokter could not forget Bob's advice - " keep all your limbs soft , doc - avoid keeping your limbs stiff!".........

Well, Bob, when you are past sixty, you will be lucky if you can get anything ''stiff ''....

Anyway, when morning came pakdokter did everything pakdokter could to remain 'not stiff'....

Pakdokter's flight was made to play first out of the 5 which teed-off from the 10th hole. It was probably a reflection of how important our results were to the final outcome of the game. Pakdokter hit a good drive - benefiting from being able not to be 'stiff ' as advised by Bob and that rattled pakMesha who sent his ball into the adjacent fairway. He was lucky to send a high ball over the trees back into our fairway short of the green. Pakdokter duffed the second into the front bunker, sent a bad sand shot out over the green and chipped poorly in to lose the hole with an 8 to pakMesha's bogey. So pakdokter went 1-down. It should have been an easy 1-up actually after such a good drive.

Pakdokter's par at the 11th and 12th put pakdokter 1-up and after losing the 14th, pakdokter's birdie against pakMesha's par kept pakdokter still 1-up against the young Goliath. We finished the 1st Nine square.

Into the 2nd Nine - pakdokter went 3-up at the 4th hole. Feeling a little 'overconfident' - pakdokter took things a little too easy and allowed pakMesha to come back and square the match at the 8th hole. But like old wine - age matters - and pakdokter's coolness and lacking in 'stiffness' helped pakdokter to send an easy drive at the 9th after pakMesha topped his ball into the water from the tee. pakMesha got to the green on his 4th and 2-putted for a 6. Pakdokter sent the 3rd shot on to the green and easily 2-putted for a 5 to take the match and gave STAROBA 1 point.

Unfortunately, pakdokter's flight-mate - pakTgAzman - could not match pakErik's blustering form. To their credit, they both played below-par golf - but pakTgAzman simply could not match pakErik's consistent game and conceded the match to KOBA.

Pakdokter, for once, did not take any pictures during the match - and this probably helped pakdokter to stay 'focussed' and not allow fatigue to afftect pakdokter's game......