Match play is wierd

[G_Mulligan]

I love match play but it tends to do strange things to your head and your game. I was playing a good friend at a course neither of us had played we were both going great on the front 9 and kept nicking holes and halves off each other with pars and the odd birdie the whole way. I went one up after paring the SI 1 8th and then on the 9th my swing felt too quick and I lost my tempo. Never really got it back but kept grinding away the whole back nine but lost 2&1 I was very disappointed with myself but smiled, shook hands and got the beers in.

So sat in the bar and chatting about it we went through the round hole by hole and it turned out I shot 23 points out and 19 points back. If I had not checked my score I would have been a bit down on myself at the way I played the back 9 but really it was ok my misses were not horrible by and large and it showed my short game, scrambling, putting, and recovery shots were better than ever which is fantastic.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't worry. Look at the recent matchplay comp or the Ryder Cup and you will see players well below par getting beat. You played under handicap and got beaten by the better man on the day. If I'm playing matchplay I take no notice of score and a 6 can still win a hole Just get it in one shot fewer than the oppo

I know what you are saying and regardless of format when the tempo goes it becomes hard. At least your scrambling and putting held up and you still got it round and were competitive

 

[G_Mulligan]

No of course that is the point I was making I guess. Because it was match play I got a bit too focussed on the state of the game or my opponent. If it was medal I would have been seeing the scores I was making and feeling good despite my swing going a bit off. As it was I played well but got beaten by the better man so will take the positives and run with it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

...and you can play total rubbish and generally much worse than your opponent - and beat him