1st foursomes (alternating shots) matchplay coming up - any tips?

[Curls]

Probably too late now but if it's alternate drive then if one of you is better at approach shots then decide who tees off odds and evens based on the card.
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Hi Region, not too late, match is tomorrow after work. I think someone else on the thread mentioned this but I didn't get it until the way you described it, will re-evaluate as yesterday we chose who would drive based on who drives better at those holes, when as you say the approach is more important. Slap me with the obvious brick! My first rodeo, cheers for the advice.

 

[Curls]

Just went through the course and as it happens I approach way more than partner if I drive the evens, which he prefers I do. I approach 6 times on the front 9 (and possibly another one if the wind is up), otherwise my partner approaches holes 4-6 only. On the back I approach 10-14, then my partner on the last 4 holes (again another might come my way wind permitting). Fascinating, I never thought it would be so unbalanced. Of course all this depends on us putting our drives where they're supposed to! But yeah, big difference, if we could wrap it up early my partner would hardly approach at all bar 3 in a row. Great tip and puts me in a different frame of mind, cheers

 

[Val]

Horrible format, really dont enjoy it. It can be a number of holes before you get to putt.

 

[Curls]

Horrible format, really dont enjoy it. It can be a number of holes before you get to putt.

In my case that would be a good thing

 

[Curls]

Big thanks to all who gave advice here, we used it to full effect and won 3&2 having been 2 down after 4. As fate would have it my partner (off 23) teed off the same holes as their 18 h/c, and that meant I was often playing against the 9 h/c. This worked out well, I'm not sure it would have gone so well the other way around but I can't be sure, next round our oppo are both off 18 so all bets are off. We never said sorry, the odd "you knob" was thrown out but after a ropey front 9 we stormed the back, I approached 13 - 16 and put my partner between 5 and 15 feet each time, and he only rolled em all in! They had no response, felt great when we started getting the upper hand. They both commented I looked every bit the single figure h/c and its only a matter of time, which was nice to hear, I definitely matched their 9h/c guy it while my partner did his best to throw it away What particularly surprised me was 6 times on the front 9 I was left with 3 - 5 footers for halves or a win, and I holed all of them. On the back I holed a 15 footer for an important half. If you told me that a month ago I would have laughed, this Bob Rotella fiend is a legend.

Love it or hate it format, I love it. Ask me again if we lose the next round

Anyway they were great sports and invited us to their Saturday morning spin up so it was the introduction to the social side of the club we were hoping for. Had a couple of pints with them after. Top blokes. Roll on round 2

 

[pbrown7582]

well played, good you had friendly oppos and a good game tahts what its all about best of luck in round 2,

if you think pair your self against the better player worked speak with your partner and plan to do this even if it menas changing odds and evens on the 1st tee, just both go to the tee prepared to bat and follow there lead?

 

[Curls]

both go to the tee prepared to bat and follow there lead?

I wouldn't mind but the buddy gets a bit nervous and likes to know whats going on ahead of time, next round opponents are both off 18 so we'll probably do the same again (though it does leave him teeing off on 2 of the 3 par 3s and he didnt get within a country mile of either of them lol). The evens are certainly the harder driving holes and if you dont get in position you have no hope of going for the green in two, it also means that I approach on far more holes than he does, which really told down the back stretch when I started hitting near pins and putting them under pressure to respond, no one could believe it when the buddy started sinking everything, least of all him

 

[Smiffy]

There is one word that should never be used in foursomes..."sorry"

Whenever I have played foursomes (which is not my favourite format I must be honest) I have always said this to my partner on the 1st tee. "Whatever happens, don't apologise for anything. We will both make mistakes, just get on with it and neither of us must utter the word sorry".

One of us has usually said "sorry" by the time we walk off the 2nd green.