Matchplay is awesome.

[virtuocity]

Had my first taste of competitive scratch matchplay today and it was a superb experience.

Went from being 1 down to 3 up at the turn. I then lost 3-in-a-row 11th through 13 before playing some steady golf to win 3 and 1 at the end.

For a high handicapper who don't have the 'net' mindset and are instead very conscious of their 'gross' score along the round, it was good fun not to care about any other score than beating the opponents. It was only a few minutes ago that I noticed that I shot 40 points along the way off my new lower handicap. I didn't think that I had played remarkably well either.

Looking forward to a winter of matchplay golf! Anyone else score well (strokes) when playing in this format? Anyone else playing matchplay over the silly season?

 

[Liqdaddymac]

I love matchplay myself.

You can always play matchplay vs the course too!

 

[Curls]

Pretty much always score better (gross) when at matchplay, for me its all to do with the putting, if I have a putt to win/half I stand a better chance of making it than if Im playing medal. I know thats a mind set thing, something I struggle with. It is a fantastic format, love it! You work out the shots given/taken and away you go, best fun in golf imo.

 

[D4RK1]

We all love a bit of match play. Don't really take you're stableford score too seriously tho as your bound to have had many putts conceded. Which maybe why you're surprised at you're stableford score. Well done on the win though, they always make you come back for more

 

[CMAC]

not a big fan of singles matchplay, quite like the 4BBB matchplay as you can go for everything and try shots you wouldnt dare in a medal.

What comp were you playing this late on in the season? (or is it a winter knockout thing)

 

[GB72]

4BBB matchplay is my favourite social round. You can play adventurous golf, good for banter, no need to worry about scorecards etc (unless you want to) and allows for a quick round. If it is not a comp then 4BBB is the format for me.

 

[virtuocity]

Don't really take you're stableford score too seriously tho as your bound to have had many putts conceded. Which maybe why you're surprised at you're stableford score.

He never conceded any putts over 2 feet apart from conceding a hole when I was 10 feet from the pin and I gave myself 2 putts from there. Reckon my total will be reasonably accurate.

 

[fundy]

Best format of the game for me, much rather play matchplay, either singles or 4bbb than any other format

 

[virtuocity]

not a big fan of singles matchplay, quite like the 4BBB matchplay as you can go for everything and try shots you wouldnt dare in a medal.

What comp were you playing this late on in the season? (or is it a winter knockout thing)

It's a winter matchplay ladder. Everyone is listed on a ladder, ordered by handicap. You can challenge the person above you or two above you on the ladder to a scratch matchplay match. If you beat him, you swap places on the ladder. This is going on all winter so looking forward to see how far up the ladder I make it.

 

[CMAC]

I like the ladder idea at Golf- used to do it when I played a stupid amount of squash and quite satisfying getting up there.

Great they are doing it scratch and even better you are embracing it as it wont be easy playing a cat1....but loads of fun though.

 

[virtuocity]

Great they are doing it scratch and even better you are embracing it as it wont be easy playing a cat1....but loads of fun though.

Yeah a lot of members aren't happy about it being off scratch as you have no chance of getting to the top of the ladder. But if you challenge someone above you and they can't make the tie then they automatically forfeit so I'll be sure to keep challenging people above me as much as I can!!

 

[D4RK1]

It's a winter matchplay ladder. Everyone is listed on a ladder, ordered by handicap. You can challenge the person above you or two above you on the ladder to a scratch matchplay match. If you beat him, you swap places on the ladder. This is going on all winter so looking forward to see how far up the ladder I make it.

That sounds brilliant. I'll have to suggest that at our course if they don't already do something similar.

 

[IanG]

It's a winter matchplay ladder. Everyone is listed on a ladder, ordered by handicap. You can challenge the person above you or two above you on the ladder to a scratch matchplay match. If you beat him, you swap places on the ladder. This is going on all winter so looking forward to see how far up the ladder I make it.

That's a great format - I too remember it from many years of playing squash. Having it off scratch is fun - if enough matches get played it will provide an interesting ranking when compared to the handicap ranking

 

[richart]

Had my first taste of competitive scratch matchplay today and it was a superb experience.

Went from being 1 down to 3 up at the turn. I then lost 3-in-a-row 11th through 13 before playing some steady golf to win 3 and 1 at the end.

For a high handicapper who don't have the 'net' mindset and are instead very conscious of their 'gross' score along the round, it was good fun not to care about any other score than beating the opponents. It was only a few minutes ago that I noticed that I shot 40 points along the way off my new lower handicap. I didn't think that I had played remarkably well either.

Looking forward to a winter of matchplay golf! Anyone else score well (strokes) when playing in this format? Anyone else playing matchplay over the silly season?

40 points.:mmm: We have introduced a new rule for Carnoustie. Maximum handicap 18.

 

[chrisd]

Well done and glad you enjoyed it.

Pretty well all of my winter golf is 4 ball better ball Matchplay, it's great fun and even better when you learn how to play it

 

[JustOne]

I've heard of a 'snakes and ladders' game that is similar but it's drawn from whomever turns up on the day so you might get drawn to play someone above you (ladder) or someone below you (snake).

The only proviso is that the highest person on the day has to play either of the two closest people to him (that's drawn first) so they have a shot at the higher spot and not someone who's currently 64th and hasn't 'worked their way up' so to speak.

 

[richart]

Well done and glad you enjoyed it.

Pretty well all of my winter golf is 4 ball better ball Matchplay, it's great fun and even better when you learn how to play it

I love winter 4 ball better ball matchplay. Good way of meeting new people who are just as mad as you wanting to play golf in a British winter. You seem to get the more sociable players playing, rather than ones just interested in getting their handicap down.

 

[Wayman]

love matchplay best format I think

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Love matchplay. Prefer 4BBB and the safety net of a partner although they may not agree. Gets tiring carrying me all the time

 

[RobertB]

Enjoyed regional team matchplay for club seven singles off scratch. Min handicap in team 10.0, probably all who represented clubs were "10.something" but in reality standard suggested most 7-8's.


My best comeback, 7 down at turn with par at 9th for half to be about 6 over. Then played back in par to win match on 18th. Worst a grim tussle that I lost 2 holes after being 1 down for 12 or so holes.