Matchplay tactics

[SaintHacker]

Yeah its always fun having to walk off a green and say to your opponent "halved in eight"....both of you must be thinking what the bloody hell did I do there!!!!

I love matchplay. Playing in a singles knock out a few years ago with a mate from the club. Great banter all the way round but played with no real quarter given, plenty of gimmees then, no we'll have a look at that. Never more than one hole either way and square standing on the par 4 18th tee. I ended up winning the hole with a 7!

 

[Neilds]

Can’t help feeling that this is another thread that shows a lot on here are overthinking the golf they play! Just like those who have a totally different game during medals and take things far too seriously ?

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Can’t help feeling that this is another thread that shows a lot on here are overthinking the golf they play! Just like those who have a totally different game during medals and take things far too seriously ?

My FiL is decent mid handicap player when playing stableford of matchplay. Put a medal card in his hand and he falls apart.

I've always played with the same mentality regardless of the format.
That said. I would play straight medal and 1v1 matchplay all day long. One is the proper test of golf, the other is a straight competition against another.

I've no time for the 4bbb or stableford formats.

 

[Smiffy]

I absolutely love a bit of banter, bordering on gamesmanship, on the way round. But you've got to know your opponent well. I wouldn't dare do it with a total stranger, but knowing they can give as good as they get makes it all the better.
?????

 

[ger147]

My only matchplay ‘head game’ tactics are to do with gimmes. On greens 1-4 18” putts are generally straightforward, on greens 5-7 the same length is often tricky - therefore I will give 18” or less putts on 1-4 because things get tricky...not going to give my opponent opportunity to get his eye in on that length ?

That will explain why guys like you hate me when I practice any putts I'm given early on in any case.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That will explain why guys like you hate me when I practice any putts I'm given early on in any case.

Ah well - easy to hole them when it doesn’t matter so I’m not bothered when my opponent does that ??

 

[ger147]

Ah well - easy to hole them when it doesn’t matter so I’m not bothered when my opponent does that ??

If thinking that makes you happy carry on. I'm quite happy with a wee practice to get my eye in

 

[sunshine]

That said I absolutely do not play any mind games by vocalising my thinking. I did it once on the 18th green at Hindhead in an inter-club match. Last out I was level playing the last and I had to win my match for us to win overall. I holed my putt and my opponent had a 3footer for the half and so to half our match and half overall. I told my teammates at the side of the green that my opponent had to hole his putt or I'd win the match. My opponent would have heard - he missed the putt then gave me a bit of a glare

I don't see anything wrong with what you did. You were just stating facts, as long as you didn't start talking in the middle of his stroke or give an opinion on what a tough putt it was to try and put him off. Anyone who complains about that is just weak minded.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I love match play and always play the man.

I have had some memorable games.
5 up with six to play and winning at the 19th.

6 up at the turn at Muirfield and holing a 6 footer on our last [9th green] to win.

6 down after 7 and winning 2/1 in a 4BBB match.
I told my nervous young beginner of a partner on the 8th tee. We can win this as we are now playing 5 holes into the wind. He was seriously impressed.

The most memorable match being a 36 hole final of a club scratch KO.
Fabulous game both playing really well tight game and each rounds which completed in under 2.5 hours.
Lost on the last hole after being the dodgy 2up with 5 to play having never been a hole down.

 

[sunshine]

I voted: play the course.

It's extremely rare for me to change my game plan based on my opponent. I'm trying to play the percentages in stroke play, no reason to change tactics for match play. On the greens I may be more aggressive if I have a putt for a half, but that's not really playing the man.

Maybe it's different for all you good players on here who play at scratch or better. I understand that you need to chase birdies and eagles to win holes, so there is more strategy knowing when to play conservatively for par.

Personally I'm just settling for par, or bogey with a putt for par. Try and make myself hard to beat.

 

[sunshine]

The most memorable match being a 36 hole final of a club scratch KO.
Fabulous game both playing really well tight game and each rounds which completed in under 2.5 hours.

Your abiding memory of the club scratch KO is that you played in under 2.5 hours?

I won a club KO a couple of years ago. I remember each round. I couldn't tell you how long any of the matches lasted!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't see anything wrong with what you did. You were just stating facts, as long as you didn't start talking in the middle of his stroke or give an opinion on what a tough putt it was to try and put him off. Anyone who complains about that is just weak minded.

Nah - it’s too easily interpreted as trying to increase the pressure on my opponent through my words and not my actions. For me matchplay golf is all about the latter and should never be anything to do with the former. Whether the opponent should be able to cope with my ‘sledging’ is irrelevant. I just shouldn’t do it.

 

[Crazyface]

Here's a good one. Instead of all them gimmies, make them putt EVERYTHING IN. I did this in the last MP I played. I expected to get trounced. But this messed his head up so much I got as far as the 15th, which is utterly fantastic for me in MP.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I would love to play matchplay against some of you lot, you've beaten yourselves before the first shot has been hit ?

 

[Traminator]

I would love to play matchplay against some of you lot, you've beaten yourselves before the first shot has been hit ?

I'm glad you said it not me ??

 

[Traminator]

Nah - it’s too easily interpreted as trying to increase the pressure on my opponent through my words and not my actions. For me matchplay golf is all about the latter and should never be anything to do with the former. Whether the opponent should be able to cope with my ‘sledging’ is irrelevant. I just shouldn’t do it.

Your "sledging" would have the same detrimental effect as being savaged by a pack of 3-week-old labrador puppies ??

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I would love to play matchplay against some of you lot, you've beaten yourselves before the first shot has been hit ?

I’d hope that my lack of giving a crap would lull you into a false sense of security ?

 

[cliveb]

Play the man.

The goal in stroke play is to take the fewest number of shots.

The goal in match play is to take as many shots as you like provided you win. A bit like Colin Chapman's statement that the aim of motor racing is to cross the finish line first in the slowest possible time.

Classic example: in a 4BBB match last year, one of our pairs were 1 up coming down the 18th. One of the pair (who happened to be the team captain) was out of the hole. The other had 2 putts for a half, went for the birdie and ended up 3 putting, thus converting a match win into a half. He will never be allowed to forget.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Your abiding memory of the club scratch KO is that you played in under 2.5 hours?

I won a club KO a couple of years ago. I remember each round. I couldn't tell you how long any of the matches lasted!

Not an abiding memory, it was just was a truly joyful pace of play for both of us to play a final.
We were about 2.25 hours for the first 18 [par72] and the club had allowed 4 hours inc lunch for the second tee time.
We had a 30 minute gap for our morning start time, once we had caught up the other members they just stood back and waved us through.
The secretary had to call the afternoon Captain/referee to hurry him up to the club.

That same year [1978 ish] I refereed a Ladies County final. It finished on the 12th green in under 1.5 hours.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Play the man.

The goal in stroke play is to take the fewest number of shots.

The goal in match play is to take as many shots as you like provided you win. A bit like Colin Chapman's statement that the aim of motor racing is to cross the finish line first in the slowest possible time.

Classic example: in a 4BBB match last year, one of our pairs were 1 up coming down the 18th. One of the pair (who happened to be the team captain) was out of the hole. The other had 2 putts for a half, went for the birdie and ended up 3 putting, thus converting a match win into a half. He will never be allowed to forget.

Did you confirm with him whether he was playing the man or the course?