Play to win or Play the Course

[Jahmoo]

As I have just come back after a 6 month layoff, I had forgot how brutal a game of golf can be with the Swindle boys, well, playing for money can get the worst of them going.

My question is: Do you play any different when money is on the game, or just carry on playing the course as usual. I say as usual as that is what I do.....I hold all emotion connected to the thought of losing the cash, or winning, I just casualy go about my business playing the course.

It was a 4 ball, paired up, it was £3 Front, £3 Back & £4 Overall, not a huge amount. Myself and my partner made no references to Team talks, or "In the Hole" Shouts , just now and then a sorry Partner when a bad hole happened, but I noticed the strangest thing with the other pairing, team talk at every Tee, banta on every hole, the usual, great swing for a 19 Hcper, you should have used the right club, ooh, he is in the bunker, that's your shot gone.

We were winning but lost it up the last, my driving had just gone, could not stop pulling shots. I played no different to normal, but still lost nothing, would it had been different if I played for MONEY!

Would you have played the game different?

 

[Cernunnos]

Brutal.... You should have played the Montgomerie (@ Celtic Manor) yesterday. I either parr'd & bogeyed a hole, or made a complete horlics of it & set up two digit scores.

But wow, what a course, wish I could play that every week.

 

[Imurg]

I play the course and see what happens as far as the other game goes.
If I try to force or hold a lead I tend to bugger it up. I try to focus on every hole and try to play it as well as I can. if I come out on top that's great - if not, there's always next time.

 

[CarpeDiem]

I just play the game, but surely the main point is to beat the course. A handicap is there to help you do that.

 

[heronsghyll]

I play differently if it is match play against and opponent than an individual medal or stableford round.

In match play I might play safe if my opponent is in trouble, or might go for it if I am down.

The game format changes the way we play, course management is totally different.

That's my view anyway...........

 

[slugger]

I play to enjoy myself. The better i play, the more i enjoy myself so i'll always play to score less... thing is, that quite often gets me in trouble and i end up not enjoying myself and wonder why i even bother!

he he.

 

[USER1999]

I play the course, as in my head I am always playing stroke play any way.

 

[Cernunnos]

PLaying the course gives the best chance of actually winning. Taking risks is tanamount to rolling a dice, where only one side gives you birdie & the other sides are a mixture of parrs, lucky scraped parrs boggeys, double bogeys & worse. By playing the course & taking less chances increases the chance of keeping a good score whether for parrs, birdies or bogeys, this for even a stablefore would give amixture of 1's 2's & 3's, even 4 pointers.

At times yesterday I forgot this, so could have done with following my own advice. That said if I played there again I'd probably feel more confident toplay the course than trying to get a few high point stableford holes & loads of blobs

 

[Herbie]

If its stroke play I play the course.
If its match play I play to win each hole and this does not always require trying too hard to get down in par, you just have to beat your oppo, or at times half will do.
If its stableford I just knock my balls around in a nonchalant manner knowing I wont win anything, but play for fun.
Partner formats I play the course then slap my partner if he lets me down. just kidding.

 

[Cernunnos]

rofl... Times I've felt like lamping my playing partner. whether or not he's suposeed to be on my team or not.

Yeah HNJ I'll generally go along with that tbh, but with some additions (assuming I follow my own advice)

Strokeplay - Play the course

Matchplay - Play the course whilst only doing enough to beat your oponent or forcing your oponent to make a mistake. Know your oponents weaknesses

Stableford - Play the course relax & enjoy yourself, you never know, get enough 2 & 3 points avoid blobbing anything then you can put together a good enough score to win by playing the course.

Oh & Number one cardinal rule to try not to break, don't play someone elses game.
It sometimes is better not to know where your playing partner has chosen driver or 3 wood, or decided on a 4 iron. Pitching wedge or 9 iron. or for that matter the line they are playing.

 

[rgs]

Strokeplay and stapleford play the course.

Matchplay play the course but also play my opponent. No point in playing a risky shot if my opponent is in trouble.

Playing with a partner observe two rules
1---never say sorry.
2---Never blame your partner for a poor shot.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I play with a regular 4 ball on a saturday and we normally chuck the balls to choose partners. I tend to try and play my own game and shoot as low as I can but if I'm having a bad day I won't worry about my score and focus on the match instead. I try and go second in our team so I can decide on a play after my partner has hit.

Sometimes we have a stableford to freshen it up and then its all about me and the course and not worrying what anyone else is scoring.

 

[KeefG]

Strokeplay & Stableford i play the course, however if i'm playing with my brother i cant help but play against him at the same time. Bloody sibling rivalry