How do i become ruthless player.

kid2

kid2

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It's something I can't seem to get my mind focused for.
When we play interclub matches I'm the very one who will give you 150%.
I'm as honest as the day is long and I wear me heart on my sleeve when I play these.. but in the practice rounds leading up to these which are usually either scratch singles matches or scratch 4 somes matches I just can't seem to get my game face on. I've always been like this even playing friendlies when I played football. If it was against strangers then no bother. But against players or teams that I knew it seemed to be a case of " I know what I'm capable of so whats the point in putting on my game face when it's only practice".

I'm the same with the golf. Because I know all these lads im playing against even moreso for places in a team I just can't seem to bring myself to say... right... I'm going to absolutely batter you and finish you off early and show the manager what I'm capable of.

Do I need to start being a bit more ruthless?
 
Grow a Tash. Works for me.:whistle:

all the ruthless people had tashes, Charlie Chaplin, super Mario, 118 118. Go compare opera singer. I rest my case.

pm me, al give you a few tips 👍
 
think the most concrete approach to being able to improve the game is an understanding where the focus should be

focus whether matchplay or strokeplay should be on folks own game on the process needed shot to shot to be able to play to their own potential
- maybes there's occasional moments of reacting to an opponents matchplay (ob etc) mistake by changing the plan to less risk at that particular moment -

but the main focus should not be around any individual drawn against be it an international, state or club match or strokeplay tourney - it should only be about the process shot to shot to fulfill the game plan against the course and staying in the present to achieve that

would say given the viewpoint expressed in the op the point of focus is being skewed and that will always be detrimental to someones own ability to play to their true potential
 
the_coach said:
think the most concrete approach to being able to improve the game is an understanding where the focus should be

focus whether matchplay or strokeplay should be on folks own game on the process needed shot to shot to be able to play to their own potential
- maybes there's occasional moments of reacting to an opponents matchplay (ob etc) mistake by changing the plan to less risk at that particular moment -

but the main focus should not be around any individual drawn against be it an international, state or club match or strokeplay tourney - it should only be about the process shot to shot to fulfill the game plan against the course and staying in the present to achieve that

would say given the viewpoint expressed in the op the point of focus is being skewed and that will always be detrimental to someones own ability to play to their true potential
Click to expand...

Is that a long winded way of saying play the game ?
 
I try not to personalise my matchplay games. I play the course, and the shot in front of me. If I make pars, I'll be in a good position in the game.
 
kid2 said:
It's something I can't seem to get my mind focused for.
When we play interclub matches I'm the very one who will give you 150%.
I'm as honest as the day is long and I wear me heart on my sleeve when I play these.. but in the practice rounds leading up to these which are usually either scratch singles matches or scratch 4 somes matches I just can't seem to get my game face on. I've always been like this even playing friendlies when I played football. If it was against strangers then no bother. But against players or teams that I knew it seemed to be a case of " I know what I'm capable of so whats the point in putting on my game face when it's only practice".

I'm the same with the golf. Because I know all these lads im playing against even moreso for places in a team I just can't seem to bring myself to say... right... I'm going to absolutely batter you and finish you off early and show the manager what I'm capable of.

Do I need to start being a bit more ruthless?
Click to expand...

imo golf is all about you, i dont care what any of my golf mates do, golf is all about me and how i perform, dont care what any of my golfing partners do, its about how i play, this does sound selfish but......
 
Perform a vigorous haka on each tee

Now at first people may snicker, but they wont snicker when you absolutely refuse to accept par rip it down the fairway and finish by drilling that birdie putt only to race to the next tee to perform a yet more vigorous version.

They may laugh, but your scorecard will be something they envy

Trust my I have a PHd

If you go with my tip, video evidence would be appreciated
 
Last edited:
I think it's quite difficult & you can't help being more motivated if you regard the match as "important". It reminds me, strangely, of when I did my accountancy exams many years ago. We used to do past papers for revision & I never managed to finish one. Come the actual exam & I was so fired up I finished every one with time to spare. Funny analogy but I think it's the same sort of thing.
 
I'm in a similar boat. Head to head matches, for some reason I'm able to get in the zone and play some really good golf keeping the pressure on the opponent. Even at the weekend where I was playing a drawn 4BBB matchplay game I only lost by 1 hole and was 2 up through the turn. (their 8 pars on the back 9 did me) Strokeplay I kind of just plod around and make my score - normally not a good score at that....
 
Matchplay i was always the same, my record was ridiculous as a junior got 19.5 points out of 20, the problem for me and you no doubt is golf is about 1 shot, the one you are hitting right now and in matchplay you can totally focus on exactly what you need to do with that 1 shot and nothing more.

Strokeplay, my mind wanders to par this hole, should birdie the par 5 might score yada yada or dwells to a degree on earlier shots or what i am doing wrong
Matchplay, the only thing you think about is what do i need to do with this shot

I got to a 3 handicap
Matchplay i was as good as a scratch golfer, some mental golf training would have been useful, but really that is quite serious stuff just to try and be off scratch.

The solution therefore seems to be, play matchplay with your playing partners (You do not tell them but aim to beat them, so you aim for halfs and wins each hole) the result hopefully being you count em up and have a good score.

OR

Do the haka
 
Maybe I've misunderstood the OP, but I'm reading it a different way, possibly because it's the way I used to be in matchplay with friends too.

I used to feel that I didn't want to be responsible for them not having a good time, and if I battered them that'd be the case.

I bought a book about developing a 'killer instinct'. It more more about life in general but had a section on sports.

I read a few chapters then stopped and haven't picked it up again since, because a more apt title for the book could have been "how to be an arse and not care about anyone else".

I did pick up something from it though, and have adapted my attitude partly due to that and partly from conversations with others and stuff read on the internet.

Think about it more like you want them to be impressed with your game, and (this is the bit from the book) make them not look forward to playing you if you get drawn together in a club knockout. Not in a "don't want to spend time with you" sort of way, but a "don't fancy my chances against you" way.

If you're 4 up, try to get 5 up. If you're 5 down with 6 to play, they won't think they have the upper hand next time if you take them to 17 or 18.

The final straw for me was losing to a guy that thought he had no chance against me. He was right (or should have been), but I lost to him partly through trying to help him feel more positive (like he was my partner - I know I'm an idiot) and partly through me not trying to kill the match off as quickly as I could. ie. if I had a 6' putt for the win I'd be happy with 2 for the half, that sort of thing.

All I ended up doing was losing a match I should have won, and making the guy think I wasn't as good as he previously thought I was. Lose-lose.

Show them how good you are, that they want to avoid you in the matchplay draw, but that you're great to spend a few hours with on the course if they draw you in a medal.
 
Region3 said:
Maybe I've misunderstood the OP, but I'm reading it a different way, possibly because it's the way I used to be in matchplay with friends too.

I used to feel that I didn't want to be responsible for them not having a good time, and if I battered them that'd be the case.

I bought a book about developing a 'killer instinct'. It more more about life in general but had a section on sports.

I read a few chapters then stopped and haven't picked it up again since, because a more apt title for the book could have been "how to be an arse and not care about anyone else".

I did pick up something from it though, and have adapted my attitude partly due to that and partly from conversations with others and stuff read on the internet.

Think about it more like you want them to be impressed with your game, and (this is the bit from the book) make them not look forward to playing you if you get drawn together in a club knockout. Not in a "don't want to spend time with you" sort of way, but a "don't fancy my chances against you" way.

If you're 4 up, try to get 5 up. If you're 5 down with 6 to play, they won't think they have the upper hand next time if you take them to 17 or 18.

The final straw for me was losing to a guy that thought he had no chance against me. He was right (or should have been), but I lost to him partly through trying to help him feel more positive (like he was my partner - I know I'm an idiot) and partly through me not trying to kill the match off as quickly as I could. ie. if I had a 6' putt for the win I'd be happy with 2 for the half, that sort of thing.

All I ended up doing was losing a match I should have won, and making the guy think I wasn't as good as he previously thought I was. Lose-lose.

Show them how good you are, that they want to avoid you in the matchplay draw, but that you're great to spend a few hours with on the course if they draw you in a medal.
Click to expand...

That's a great read Region.
It kind of answers most of my questions. 👍

I especially like the bit that says make them not like playing you because their impressed by how good your game is. And that they don't fancy their chances.
It's a nice way of putting it.
 
Definitely subscribe to the "if you're 3 up get to 4 up" mentality.

I won our club matchplay a couple of years ago and had the same tactic every match. I'd get there early and play the first few holes, taking a few putts around the hole from different sides. Then go back to the start and putt and keep warm while my opponent, usually running to the course from work, would see me practising and say "let's go". The aim was always to win the 1st, then the 2nd, then the 3rd. I often did, having just played them and felt familiar, while my oppo was cold. That 2 or 3 hole advantage saw me through a few games. Is that ruthless? I don't know, but at no point was I working out how many holes I had left and how many I could half. I closed out one 6 & 4, kept on him long after he was done for. Otherwise I couldve ended up allowing a chink of light in and the momentum swings and the advantage is not with the player up, but with the attacking player.

Last couple of years I've not been allowed the luxury of time and been the guy turning up with 5 minutes to spare. And I got beat.
 
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