Match Play Competition????

[Basher]

I have a competition coming up soon.

I know about stroke play and Stableford. This competition is match play and I'm afraid to say I'm not perfectly au fait with the system.

Any tips which may help please?

It's a knockout, I play off 25, my opponent plays off 15. It's a full handicap compewtition too.
Do I gain any advantage due to my high handicap?

Any help appreciated.

 

[Kaizer_Soze]

You get 10 shots from your opponent, these shots are at the holes with stroke index 1 through to 10.

Match play is about playing your opponent rather than the course, i.e if your opponent has the honour on a mid range par 4 (drive and short iron distance) and sticks one in the trees instead of trying to launch a drive and leave a wedge to the green play conservative, take a 4 iron off the tee, you'll still only have a 5 iron to the green and unless your opponent makes a wonder shot from the trees you are still in prime position to win the hole.

 

[Farneyman]

Got this from the rules. You can download them from the R&A website or order a free copy. Only cost £1.20 postage.

http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?&action=rules.rulessub.rulespage

Hope this helps.

A match consists of one side playing against another over a stipulated
round unless otherwise decreed by the Committee.
In match play the game is played by holes.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rules, a hole is won by the side
that holes its ball in the fewer strokes. In a handicap match, the lower
net score wins the hole.
The state of the match is expressed by the terms: so many “holes up”
or “all square”, and so many “to play”.
A side is “dormie’’ when it is as many holes up as there are holes
remaining to be played.
2-2. Halved Hole
A hole is halved if each side holes out in the same number of strokes.
When a player has holed out and his opponent has been left with a stroke
for the half, if the player subsequently incurs a penalty, the hole is halved.
2-3.Winner of Match
A match is won when one side leads by a number of holes greater
than the number remaining to be played.
If there is a tie, the Committee may extend the stipulated round by as
many holes as are required for a match to be won.
2-4. Concession of Match, Hole or Next Stroke
A player may concede a match at any time prior to the start or
conclusion of that match.
A player may concede a hole at any time prior to the start or
conclusion of that hole.
A player may concede his opponent’s next stroke at any time, provided
the opponent’s ball is at rest.The opponent is considered to have holed
out with his next stroke, and the ball may be removed by either side.
A concession may not be declined or withdrawn.
(Ball overhanging hole – see Rule 16-2)
2-5. Doubt as to Procedure; Disputes and Claims
In match play, if a doubt or dispute arises between the players, a player
may make a claim. If no duly authorised representative of the Committee
is available within a reasonable time, the players must continue the
match without delay.The Committee may consider a claim only if the
player making the claim notifies his opponent (i) that he is making a
claim, (ii) of the facts of the situation and (iii) that he wants a ruling.The
claim must be made before any player in the match plays from the next
teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all
players in the match leave the putting green.
A later claim may not be considered by the Committee, unless it is based
on facts previously unknown to the player making the claim and he had
been given wrong information (Rules 6-2a and 9) by an opponent.
Once the result of the match has been officially announced, a later
claim may not be considered by the Committee, unless it is satisfied
that the opponent knew he was giving wrong information
2-6. General Penalty
The penalty for a breach of a Rule in match play is loss of hole except
when otherwise provided.

 

[backwoodsman]

Reasonably simple: Best nett score wins the hole. Winner is player who leads by more holes than there are left to play. (you lead by three holes, and there's only two left to play - you win)

As your oppo is off 15 and you're off 25 then you get a shot on holes 1 to 10. (provided it's off full handicap, which you say it is). The knack, if you can, is to play well on the holes where you get shots - in order to make them count. They are the holes where the better (lower h/c) player is expected to take fewer shots, so if you can match the score gross, then you take the hole.

 

[Nico]

Effectively your opponent plays off scratch and you receive a shot on the stroke index 1 - 10.
The scoring is hole by hole on a win/loss basis and when one person has more holes than are left they are the winner.

So a score of 3 and 2 would mean that one person was 3 holes ahead with only 2 left to play and they would win.

 

[backwoodsman]

Effectively your opponent plays off scratch and you receive a shot on the stroke index 1 - 10.
The scoring is hole by hole on a win/loss basis and when one person has more holes than are left they are the winner.

So a score of 3 and 2 would mean that one person was 3 holes ahead with only 2 left to play and they would win.

Nico; You peeking over my shoulder as I typed ??

For interest, I wonder what percentage of folk would pick 3&2 as their example score - it seems to be the one always quoted.

 

[Nico]

We should do some research to see how often this actually is the score?

It so happens it is the score in the last 2 matches I played.

 

[viscount17]

only played match play one (I lost) but have another coming up.

you need to maximise your shots - make sure you know which holes you have shots on, if you even bogie these your opponent has to birdie to win that hole.
I believe this really is about percentage golf and there is no percentage in a long shot that ends up missing
(please tell me if I've got this wrong guys!)

 

[USER1999]

Bobby Jones always played the course, and ignored what his opponent did completely. It didn't do him any harm.

On the other hand, this is stupid, because if your partner goes in the pond, then why take on the same shot, when you can play safe? Percentages should be the way to go, unless your oppo is so good, that you need 'flash' to win. (think going down the last with Tiger).

 

[RGuk]

I used to be a canny matchplayer.....if you can play sensibly on the holes you get shots, you are going to be tough to beat. A 15 h'cap is not going to make many pars so if you can safely bogey the 10 holes you get a shot on (SI 1-10) you are going to be difficult to beat. You might have a rough ride on the holes SI 11-18, especially the par 3s, but try to keep the pressure on. I would say it depends on your style. If you play off 25 because you have 3 or 4 terrible holes but are otherwise steady, you could do very well.