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Match play golf?

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Carpfather1

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Ive entered the club summer knock outs in singles and doubles this year I don't normally bother with it all.but im enjoying the competitive side of the game at the moment so thought why not!?what have others found gives them the edge when playing match play?.
 
Just managed to get my first rounds booked in for greensomes, 4BBB and singles matchplay.Makes a change from the usual stroke play and the tactical side make for a challenge.
 
With matchplay even if I am playing badly I just never believe I'm going to lose and am shocked if I do. Don't think it's an edge but I'm not going to try and change it.
 
Some people have it, some don't. I love match play, I thrive on competition. I always think I'll win and don't like to lose. For me it's easy to go up a notch in intensity and I cope well with the pressure. It's my favourite format of the game I think.
 
ruff-driver said:
If your oppo gives you a short putt, take it and whiff it, it's all about mind games :D
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I'd say the opposite. Don't miss it. Let him feel the pressure of thinking you can't miss. Never give him or her hope. Ever. You'll get given longer puts and they will put themselves under even more pressure because they won't think you'll miss.
 
Dont overthink matchplay, it's still golf.

Like all golf don't take unnecessary risks, actually matchplay can be when you try your most heroic golf.

Have a gameplan to score to your ability, stick to it even if you are 5 up.

The more you think about mind games the more susceptible you are to them.
 
Carpfather1 said:
Ive entered the club summer knock outs in singles and doubles this year I don't normally bother with it all.but im enjoying the competitive side of the game at the moment so thought why not!?what have others found gives them the edge when playing match play?.
Click to expand...

Make sure you use your shots - nothing like being net 1 on the green I.e. Play a conservative tee shot when you know you have a shot on your opponents, if there is a tricky tee shot
 
Carpfather1 said:
Ive entered the club summer knock outs in singles and doubles this year I don't normally bother with it all.but im enjoying the competitive side of the game at the moment so thought why not!?what have others found gives them the edge when playing match play?.
Click to expand...

I find that playing better than the other person works for me...

But positive thinking helps. A game is not won or lost until it's actually over. 3 down with 6 to play i used to have thoughts along lines of "running out of holes, I'm not going to catch up now,". Now it's "ok, get this next hole & it's only two down.". Last two matches I've actually been 3 down with 6, and have won going up the last. Likewise if 3 up with 6 to play, used to think it was in the bag. Now it's more a matter of "ok, let's win just a couple more, and we're there."
 
I have never played a game of match play in an actual comp for some reason - which is weird since its the game I most suited to.
Actually have my first one in next couple of weeks after qualifying top 8 in one of our clubs biggest comps.
 
Love matchplay, if I'm to sum up what I've learned about it in 1 word it is...

Momentum.

It is all about momentum. Who has the upper hand, who is chasing? If you don't have it, you need to get it. If you have it, you need to keep it.

I 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. 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.

Get the upper hand and never leave the foot off the gas.

Regards team events, in foursomes it's important to recognise how many approach shots each player will make given the odds/evens tee allocation. Also never say sorry to each other, you will both make mistakes, don't say sorry time for recrimination is afterwards. Betterball make sure you keep both balls in play at all times. One in the cabbage leaves a two-against-one situation and that rarely results in a win. Be mindful of where your shots are and don't give away silly holes trying to ram home a bridie when a par will win it. Similarly don't ever think your oppo is out of it until theyve holed or conceeded, because just when you think "I've got this in the bag" and are counting how many up you are, they'll pitch it in from 50 yards and guess what they've now got?

Momentum.

Have fun, I freakin love matchplay.
 
I love match play and always go out with the attitude that I am going to hammer this guy, I think it's just my competitiveness. I am actually playing Foursomes tomorrow for the first ever time in a competition called the Jimmy Bruin (thinks its a Northern Irish thing) and have never met my partner, we have been paired by our handicaps, and cannot wait.
 
Even if you are being hammered keep your 'game face' on.

4 down at the turn and you win the 10th - you are absolutely back in to the match. If you are holes down don't try to win holes by taking too many risks, it is very easy for your opponent to lose holes when they are a few ahead. And getting the momentum in match play can have astonishing outcomes.
 
Hammertoe said:
I love match play and always go out with the attitude that I am going to hammer this guy, I think it's just my competitiveness. I am actually playing Foursomes tomorrow for the first ever time in a competition called the Jimmy Bruin (thinks its a Northern Irish thing) and have never met my partner, we have been paired by our handicaps, and cannot wait.
Click to expand...

You mean this guy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_qRG1HRh4o

Check that for a swing, goes to show, what matters is what happens at impact.
 
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