Matchplay Etiquette?

[rudebhoy]

Have got my first competitive matchplay game next week, QFs of the 2nd division of the club championship (top 8 in a strokeplay event qualified for it).

Am not expecting much from it as I'm playing a bloke who should be giving me 7 shots and we are off scratch.

I'm more bothered about the etiquette. I assume it's fine to chat away to the opponent? Also, do folk generally call it a day as soon as the match is over, or do they carry on and play the full 18?

Any and all tips and pointers welcome, no matter how obvious they might seem!

 

[Maninblack4612]

Chat if they chat back, if not remain quiet. Walk in as soon as the match is over, have never done anything else. Winner should buy the bevvies.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

First - enjoy it , it’s just a club KO , it’s mainly supposed to be fun for both of you , chat to him ( obviously at the right time ) and be pleasant whilst playing as I expect you would be playing any type of game

When it’s over I have played on at times or gone in - just ask the question and see what happens

And after it’s done - again it’s up to you , at times I have had to shoot but sometimes I have stayed for a drink - and I always offer regardless if I have won or lost

 

[jim8flog]

I have virtually always carried on. Golf is not just about the winning or losing but also the enjoyment of the game and if you only get one game a week why quit early.

I am compulsive chatterer. For me golf is just as much about the social side of the game as the competitive and I do not see why you cannot be both at the same time just be careful to give the opponent adequate time and respect at the appropriate times.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Not sure about club matches as I don’t play in them, but I do regional ones.
I can never be bothered to play the full 18 but I always end up with someone who wishes to carry on. Might not be the case in your match being members.
I’ll chat if they seem decent, I’ll even help look for an errant ball despite not having to.

Remember that he who is furthest away from the pin plays first. Trivial, but if you have a 30 footer on the green but your opponent is 15ft off the green. It’s your go! (Usually in a comp/knock everyone comes on the green?)
Don’t get upset if you go 3 down, you can claw it back. Hit a bad shot? Drink some water and forget about it.

 

[louise_a]

I play a lot of matchplay and normally people chat, however one girl I have played a few times is tight lipped all the way round, first time I played her I wondered what was wrong with her and it got in my head.

So if you get a silent one just ignore it and get on with your game.

 

[rudebhoy]

thanks for the advice guys. am just gonna go out and enjoy it.

 

[C&R]

I play a lot of matchplay and normally people chat, however one girl I have played a few times is tight lipped all the way round, first time I played her I wondered what was wrong with her and it got in my head.

So if you get a silent one just ignore it and get on with your game.

Was she any good.?

 

[duncan mackie]

In club matches whether to continue or not falls to the visitors - home side are hosts and should act like ones.

Club knockout and, bluntly, you do what you feel appropriate for you (if you are going to be an are about it that is always your call).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Enjoy. I'm sure the opponent will make conversation between shots and you'll soon get a feel as to how talkative he is. Only ever played with one guy that was so obsessed about his game he'd say nothing on the tee (not even "good shot") and would race off to his ball and simply stand there until it was his shot. Not my most enjoyable four and a half hours

You'll be fine. As for walking in, simply ask the question when the time comes. Our 15th and 16th tend to be furthest away from the clubhouse so any games ending there, players carry on. I guess it depends how your course is laid out as to how feasible it is to walk in

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Engage with your opponent as you walk down the fairway - you'll soon sense whether or not he is interested in chatting.

I'll add that I have a personal rule that if a match is close as we enter the final few holes I tend to pretty much shut up - I certainly put the banter and gay badinage away even if that's been the order of the day during the match to that point. You can never quite know 100% how seriously an opponent is taking a match, and so when things are still up for grabs I let our golf and respect for each others play and good shots do the talking. Also helps me focus.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Engage with your opponent as you walk down the fairway - you'll soon sense whether or not he is interested in chatting.

I'll add that I have a personal rule that if a match is close as we enter the final few holes I tend to pretty much shut up - I certainly put the banter and gay badinage away even if that's been the order of the day during the match to that point. You can never quite know 100% how seriously an opponent is taking a match, and so when things are still up for grabs I let our golf and respect for each others play and good shots do the talking. Also helps me focus.

Spot on.
I would also add that I would always compliment an opponent on a good shot.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I really don’t understand people who don’t talk and engage in conversation in Club knock outs... golf is about fun and being social. We are not pros and we are out playing for the love of the game.

Of course... there is respect and etiquette at the correct times, but no chatter at all, come on..! Get a grip of yourself and some perspective on life.

One guy at our club takes a buggy and brings his wife along for support... there is apparently no chatter between players but his wife makes small talk.

I think that you need to think about things more from your opponent or playing partner's perspective. No matter the context of your round - your opponent or PP might have had terrible or frustrating experiences in the past and this time is determined that things will be different. Or it may be the case that he has signficant difficult other personal stuff on his mind and so doesn't wish to chit-chat his way around a golf course - that might be upsetting for him - maybe he just wants to get round and off the course.

Point is. A silent opponent might be so for a huge variety of reasons - and he might not want to explain. You just need to accept that that is how it's going to be. If he wishes to talk with you during the round then he will. But I suggest - after the round please don't be critical of him to your friends or other members - or talk negatively about the way he acted.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I really don’t understand people who don’t talk and engage in conversation in Club knock outs... golf is about fun and being social. We are not pros and we are out playing for the love of the game.

Of course... there is respect and etiquette at the correct times, but no chatter at all, come on..! Get a grip of yourself and some perspective on life.

One guy at our club takes a buggy and brings his wife along for support... there is apparently no chatter between players but his wife makes small talk.

Spot on. :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Then what is he doing out there playing golf in the first place..! Of course I respect other people's opinions and if they don't want to talk, then I'm not going to bother them... nor do I have any intentions or anything to gain from trash talking them behind their back. Not my style.

My point was simply that I don't get it... I personally just cannot understand the 'enjoyment' of playing a round in silence and not getting to know your PP.

What is he doing out there? Have you never had failure after failure in a competition or competitions and reached the point where you are absolutely determined to break the run of failure. And to do that you might decide to be less of the happy-chatty 'it's only a club match - no big deal' person that you usually are. You decide - for once - to take it more seriously as you are very fed up with the run of failure.

And then also - not that long ago I played a K/O match when my personal circumstances were such that I really didn't feel like playing. But I had no option for re-scheduling. I did not want to just concede - as I am not a fan of entering competitions and conceding matches - I don't think that that is fair to others in the comp apart from anything else. Besides. The period from the match I was to play to the next round end date was sufficient that I felt I'd be in a better place. So I played despite how I felt, I doubt I was much fun or company during the round. But that said - I cannot imagine that I was totally silent all the way round - but if someone wanted to be like that then so be it. Up to them.

I would comment differently were my playing partner, competitor or opponent and myself playing in a friendly casual roll-up.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Nope, never... I guess I just don't take it as seriously as others.

All valid points you make, but like I said above... I enjoy the social part of the game, whether thats in a k/o, roll up or game with mates. The thought of 4 hours in silence scares me haha

Lucky you I have

 

[rudebhoy]

Had my first competitive matchplay game last night. The bloke I was playing was great company, very friendly and chatty, and very encouraging when I hit a poor shot and very complimentary when I hit a good one.

He beat me convincingly (6&5), which was what I expected as he should have been giving me 8 shots, but it was a really enjoyable experience, and I can't wait to do it again, hopefully in a comp when I get my full allowance!

 

[shortgame]

I really don’t understand people who don’t talk and engage in conversation in Club knock outs... golf is about fun and being social. We are not pros and we are out playing for the love of the game.

Of course... there is respect and etiquette at the correct times, but no chatter at all, come on..! Get a grip of yourself and some perspective on life.

One guy at our club takes a buggy and brings his wife along for support... there is apparently no chatter between players but his wife makes small talk.

Think I prefer playing partners who don't talk much compared to those with verbal diarrhoea who just won't shut up (usually all about themselves) - I find that exhausting 😩

 

[shortgame]

Had my first competitive matchplay game last night. The bloke I was playing was great company, very friendly and chatty, and very encouraging when I hit a poor shot and very complimentary when I hit a good one.

Great, just as it should be (most are like this in my experience)

a really enjoyable experience, and I can't wait to do it again, hopefully in a comp when I get my full allowance!

Awesome :thup:

 

[rudebhoy]

Think I prefer playing partners who don't talk much compared to those with verbal diarrhoea who just won't shut up (usually all about themselves) - I find that exhausting 

had a guy who turned up at the first tee one day and asked to join me and my mate. He then spent the next 3 and half hours telling joke after joke after joke. it was like a monologue. amusing for the first 5 minutes, but I felt like strangling him as the round when on!