Best Matchplay advice!

Spear-Chucker said:
Expect your opponent to hole anything so just play your shots as best you can given the circumstances.
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+1 for this.

It's not over 'til it's over.


No matter where your opponent hits his shots, don't think you've won a hole until it's mathematically impossible for your opponent to halve/win the hole.


Couple of weeks ago my opponent hit his 3rd shot on a par 5 into a water hazard and then ended up short sided in the deep rough after his 5th, so you would have though getting up and down for double bogey would have been a good result for him from that lie. I was just off the green after my 3rd shot, looking at an easy up and down for par and a clear win.

Well - he chipped in for bogey while I chunked my chip and then missed my par putt, so we finally halved the hole...
 
Test the size of your opponents minerals by suggesting a half when they have 3ft left and you are just outside them.
 
UlyssesSky said:
+1 for this.

It's not over 'til it's over.


No matter where your opponent hits his shots, don't think you've won a hole until it's mathematically impossible for your opponent to halve/win the hole.


Couple of weeks ago my opponent hit his 3rd shot on a par 5 into a water hazard and then ended up short sided in the deep rough after his 5th, so you would have though getting up and down for double bogey would have been a good result for him from that lie. I was just off the green after my 3rd shot, looking at an easy up and down for par and a clear win.

Well - he chipped in for bogey while I chunked my chip and then missed my par putt, so we finally halved the hole...
Click to expand...

Interesting and familiar story! :o

I've let myself down so many times getting all over confident - must write out 100 times "don't get ahead of myself"
 
FairwayDodger said:
Depends very much on the level of your opponent. Generally I'd say even when your opponent looks favourite to win a hole don't play yourself out of it trying a miracle shot. Handicap golfers are always liable to throw in a bad shot and let you back in. Stay in the hole as long as you can, make that par, bogey or double bogey... whatever. Force them to hole out for the win, nothing worse than conceding before you reach the green!
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This^^^

And I don't get flustered or show any concern if I find myself 3 down after 4.
 
UlyssesSky said:
+1 for this.

It's not over 'til it's over.


No matter where your opponent hits his shots, don't think you've won a hole until it's mathematically impossible for your opponent to halve/win the hole.


Couple of weeks ago my opponent hit his 3rd shot on a par 5 into a water hazard and then ended up short sided in the deep rough after his 5th, so you would have though getting up and down for double bogey would have been a good result for him from that lie. I was just off the green after my 3rd shot, looking at an easy up and down for par and a clear win.

Well - he chipped in for bogey while I chunked my chip and then missed my par putt, so we finally halved the hole...
Click to expand...

WOW I would of cried! I've also had many of these situations!
 
lukeysafc100 said:
For example - I'm generally quite good off the tee with a decent length driver but in matchplay I'd rather be the person going for the green first - which means me taking a wood or iron from most tees.
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SaintHacker said:
Give them a few putts early on then when the match is getting near the end make them hole a few
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These two old chestnuts are nonsense. Really? Deliberately lengthen your second shot? Give a putt your opponent might miss. No way!
 
Robobum said:
Test the size of your opponents minerals by suggesting a half when they have 3ft left and you are just outside them.
Click to expand...

Similar happened to me in a county match when I was just outside my opponent. I was behind though with holes running out so declined the offer. We both holed but had a chuckle over it on the walk to the next tee. Interesting tactic.
 
tell your opponent on the 1st tee , that your happy to hole out everything ..puts a little doubt in there...mind games win matches just as much as good play ..do a little background research on your opponent , ask around if he/she`s a bomber ...then drop in a ``heard your a big hitter `as your about to tee off and they`ll always try to hit it harder ! then screw it up ...works everytime ..lol. seve was the master at it .
 
Accept that giving 15 shots to someone playing way better than their handicap will be a tough ask! Played today and of my 3 birdies only 1 was good enough to win a hole...opponent got up and down 3 times just when I thought I might get something. Walked in from the 16th having made it respectable - I was 1 under handicap at that point.

I know the handicap system is to even things up but when you need a hole in one just to half a hole it gets tiresome!
 
AmandaJR said:
Accept that giving 15 shots to someone playing way better than their handicap will be a tough ask! Played today and of my 3 birdies only 1 was good enough to win a hole...opponent got up and down 3 times just when I thought I might get something. Walked in from the 16th having made it respectable - I was 1 under handicap at that point.

I know the handicap system is to even things up but when you need a hole in one just to half a hole it gets tiresome!
Click to expand...

One reason I tend to avoid handicapped matchplay nowadays. Giving 30-odd shots may or may not even things up but it's certainly not much fun.
 
The best advice I can give is to always expect your opponent to hole out, from anywhere.
Never feel that you have the advantage on a hole, as the chances are when your Oppo' is 40ft away he'll get it, and suddenly you have to hole your 10ft putt to halve the hole.
 
AmandaJR said:
Accept that giving 15 shots to someone playing way better than their handicap will be a tough ask! Played today and of my 3 birdies only 1 was good enough to win a hole...opponent got up and down 3 times just when I thought I might get something. Walked in from the 16th having made it respectable - I was 1 under handicap at that point.

I know the handicap system is to even things up but when you need a hole in one just to half a hole it gets tiresome!
Click to expand...

lol

I played a guy earlier in the year, gave 13 shots i think.. when i didn't give him a couple of short puts he quizzed me about them (we know each other) and was moaning about me being miserable... i reminded him i was already giving him a fair few shots did he expect more????
 
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