Are mind games acceptable in matchplay matches?

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I'm playing my mate tomorrow in our matchplay singles comp. We usually play together in our club comps and we always play for money but the mind games get pretty intense at times.

He's reluctantly agreed to play skins as we normally play £5 front back and overall.

Is it acceptable to play mind games in such an important game?
 
I never have and never will play mind games against an opponent. If I'm not good enough to beat them with my golf, then I don't deserve to win.
 
If you can beat him without the mind games why not just do that?
And if you cant then it just means you'd do anything to try and win, and personally i think its not very sportsman like/

When I'm playing matchplay with a friend i might have the odd fun comment but nothing designed to purposely make him miss or play poorly.

Beat him fair and square you'll enjoy it more.
 
Bratty said:
If I'm not good enough to beat them with my golf, then I don't deserve to win.
Click to expand...


That'll be you out in the 1st round again then Bratty
;)

I love a bit of "banter" during a friendly game, but would draw the line in a serious competition, even against a good mate. Unless he started it first
 
Last edited:
Some fair replies there.

As it's an important comp I agree its not right to play mind games, I'll just have to make sure I'm on my A game ;)
 
If its a bounce game amongst the guys, then yes the banter can be sharp. But its banter, not mind games. If its in a competition, then no. However, if my opponent is struggling you won't hear me say things like, "don't worry its only one hole." Or, "plenty of holes left yet." He'll get a "good shot" or "well played" if he plays one but if he's struggling I'll not be encouraging him to play better.
 
If someone started playing mind games with me at golf I would think they are a pathetic little individual whose life must be so sad that they are reduced to trying to psyche out someone in a completely inconsequential game as part of a leisure pass time. And I'd tell them to get a life. But may be that's just me.
 
If you are on the green with easy looking putts and likely to lose the hole I always make the other fellow putt out, I think that is fair enough as you never know.

When we go on a company golf trip with just a shiney little trophy on offer, the mind game amongst colleagues is immense especially where water is in the vicinity:cool:
 
they will backfire against a seasoned opponent - every time.

such players simply feed of them at the most basic level (something close to many of the comments already!) and break them down to "Ah - got you; you don't think you can win without these feeble little efforts"

for those playing them they are also more of a distraction than for the other player because they require a concious effort; they can be ignored without such effort. this concious effort has to come at a cost in terms of concentration.

fwiw my playing record in club singles matchplay competitions is entered 9 and won 4 with about 45:5 match wins and I've never knowingly played mind games, ever.
 
The closest I get is not giving a putt my opponent would normally expect to have or giving him one a little further out. That way he's never sure when he'll get one. Other than that hit it, find it and try and get in the hole quicker than the oppo
 
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