Well, I decided to go for 'B' and I may have even screwed that pooch.
I had two recent rounds of 86 and 83 that made me hopeful that my game was back to a degree. Particularly my short game, which has always been my fallback, as I have always lacked length. Both rounds could have been considerably better if I could have gotten my speed better on some long putts. Sometimes I'm better off missing greens a little than hitting a green and having a 40-50 footer.

Well, I went out yesterday to qualify and shot a very bad 90. I actually played pretty well, but I had two 8's. In both cases I hit bad approach shots and, instead of taking my medicine and settling for no worse than a double, I hit bad recovery shots and let it snowball into the hole. The round should have been no worse that a 86, which would qualify easily for match play, but 90 is kind of on the bubble. I won't know until Thursday, since they added qualifying days due to some lost days from bad weather.

Wow. My 'bad' 90 made it, flighted 7th out of 8.
I've been a member at my club for 30 years and I am playing a guy I never even heard of. Must be a relatively new member. I love beating up on young guns who hit it 40 yards past me off the tee. I get 'em mumbling by the 6th hole, wondering how they could possibly be losing to an old guy like me. If I win the first round though, I'll probably play another wily vet who has one of the best short games at the club.
But not to get ahead, first round Sunday.

Well, had my first round match yesterday. Somebody dropped out so they had to re-seed and my opponent was the defending 'B' champion.

I started out on fire and blitzed him over the first six holes with 5 pars. The lone bogey was a bad three-putt to half the hole, but I was four up after six and five up at the turn. 40 with a double bogey on eight. Still halved that hole.

My opponent birdied 10 and got the tee for the first time all day. He then went on a par binge and I started feeling the heat and melted down. He won six of the first eight holes on the back and I was 1 down going into 18. I then hit an awful approach on 18 and shortsided myself in the worst way. My opponent laid up instead of attempting a challengin approach, assuming I was going to make bogey. Epic meltdown. I would be unable to show my face for months because of the ragging I had coming.

I stepped up to the ball and hit my 60 degree straight up in the air, stopping it eight feet past the hole. Phil couldn't have done any better. Then I holed the downhill-sidehill putt to half the match, walked over to the first tee, hit my best drive of the day, followed by my best approach of the day, and birdied 19 for the win.

Four three putts, two of them on putts no more than three feet with the fire at my feet on the back. I am going to be on the putting green all week. Playing the #1 seed on Saturday.

WooHoo!

Congratulations.

It was a save worthy of Brad Lidge.

Well, it's over. Lost my semi-final match 2-1. I actually played pretty good, but I was playing a guy who was just better today. Even through 15 holes and I lost 16 and 17. I shot 40 on the front and was 1 down. Was two down going into 13 and won the next two holes with a birdie and an up and down par. I hit a terrible shot on the par 3 16th and made bogey and he birdied the par 5 17th to win.

I usually don't complain about the 'rub-of-the-green', but my opponent got all of the luck today. Lucky bounces, twice had wide open shots from in the trees, and he made an 85 foot bomb to half a hole. I had to work for everything.

Flight qualifying
 

I've been eligible for the A flight for 14 years now. This year my game has taken a horrible turn for the worse and, as the qualifying dates draw near, my handicap makes me eligible for the B flight.
What do I do? Man up and go for the flight where I probably belong and grind it out? Or embarrass myself by maybe falling short in a lesser flight?

I can kinda relate in regards to tennis. I am ranked high in my current rating, but should be moved up to the next level for next year, which means i will surely get my ass kicked. Right now, I am a big fish in a little pond with some competition, but I practice with the bigger fish. I'm not sure which way I would rather have it though.

I would drop down and try to get my game back.

Dont you get better by playing better competition, even if it means you get beat down at the start? If you drop down aren't you then artificially making yourself appear better because you are beating lesser talent?
I guess it depends on how much ego beating/boosting you want.

How close are you to the line?

I'd man up and grind it out in the upper flight. You should never be embarrassed because you're actually good enough to be there.

Ask yourself this...What would ryr do?

I'm the defending A flight club champ, of course I would play in A flight.

I believe the correct answer is "kick someones ass!"

My current handicap actually is closer to the C line than the A. B is 12-15. I've been anywhere between 8-11 for about 12 years now, and started this season at 11. It has steadily risen and I just hit 15 this week. I took a lesson a while back and I am starting to see positive things, but my confidence is totally shot. I have to qualify on Sunday and I think I am going to play where I belong right now, which is B. But I'll have one more range session tomorrow with the pro watching, and I'll make a decision then.

I know who will be playing in the different flights and over the years I have competed very well in A, making two finals. My problem right now is posting a decent medal score to even get into match play. I can still par or birdie any hole on the course but I am always having 3-4 holes that elevate my score to an unacceptable level. I am very confident in match play but I have to get there first.