Singles match strategy different depending on handicap of opponent?

[Kennysarmy]

I recently played a singles match, winter cup, where I beat a guy 4&3, we both had 5 shots, so the match was effectively a scratch game.

In the next round I'm playing a higher handicap golfer and having to give him a free tee shot on 13 holes.

I'm wondering if strategy should be any different playing someone who is on the course lying zero where I might be in a similar spot for 1 !

Match play is so much more than just playing the course and shooting your lowest score over 18 holes.

Thoughts?

 

[Junior]

We're a similar handicap. I just try and not give holes away. Make your oppo win them.

Countless times I've made a scrappy bogey and my opponent then goes and 3 stabs for the half. Make nothing worse than a bogey and the pars and birdies will come. Gd luck.

 

[srixon 1]

Just play your normal game. And if you win a hole with an 8 against his/her 9 don’t worry about it. A win is a win. Also, if you lose a hole because of a big score, it’s only one hole and can be recovered.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I recently played a singles match, winter cup, where I beat a guy 4&3, we both had 5 shots, so the match was effectively a scratch game.

In the next round I'm playing a higher handicap golfer and having to give him a free tee shot on 13 holes.

I'm wondering if strategy should be any different playing someone who is on the course lying zero where I might be in a similar spot for 1 !

Match play is so much more than just playing the course and shooting your lowest score over 18 holes.

Thoughts?

How can you both have had 5 shots in a singles match? If your PHs for the match were the same then no shots given and none received.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You can only control what you're doing with your ball. Don't give a silly hole away trying to force something. Players are higher handicaps for a reason and chances are he'll muck up the odd hole especially if he's leading coming down the stretch and gets nervous.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

How can you both have had 5 shots in a singles match? If your PHs for the match were the same then no shots given and none received.

Re-read the end of the first sentence. They were playing level and no shots

 

[sweaty sock]

I agree with junior, the good team players at our club are always the steady away, no bogey types, keep it in play and let them make the mistakes, trying to push puts pressure on your own game that leads to mistskes that are all too easy to exploit if you already have a shot.

 

[rksquire]

I think with the HC difference your opponent will be more worried about playing you - your strategy really will be to keep it simple and play your normal game. He will be thinking he can't do worse than bogey on any hole and will need pars on some, there's more pressure on him to play to his handicap. There's slightly more scope for him to have a 'better' day, especially if he's an improving player - I imagine (having been there myself!) he can score mid 80s to high 90s, I can't imagine your spread is as wide as this. I always enjoyed playing better players as it made me focus more and as a result (coupled with the fact, when working, my driving was quite good) it would annoy better players if I'd have a run of 3 or 4 pars in a row. That fact I'd had an 8 or 9 each side of that that run doesn't matter.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

I'm a high handicap golfer, and won last summer's high handicap summer matchplay (HI 19+)

A few of my oponents were not used to conceding shots, and on the holes where they had to do so tried to play them like a scratch golfer and rather threw the holes away. Whilst I did play well relative to my handicap in some of my matches (especially the later rounds), there were a few rounds where it very much felt like my oponent lost rather than I won.

My advice is to just play your game - there is a reason your oponent has a higher handicap. If you need to chase the game at any point, de-risking will put your oponent under pressure and tends to force mistakes.

 

[MikeF86]

IMO - Absolutely smash a drive down the first fairway and as he looks at you open mouthed realising what he's in for, just casually say 'Not happy with the strike but i'll take it'.

On a more serious note, you are giving him 13 shots as you are a better player. Play to you handicap and let him worry about playing to his. By rights, he should potentially have more errors than you.

 

[louise_a]

I have no problem giving a lot of shots and would expect to win far more than I lose, occasionally they will have a worldy round and there is not a lot you can do about that ( I still have nightmares about a semi final last year)

I would say play your own game and let them worry

 

[3offTheTee]

I could well be your opponent, I am not, but if I was my strategy would be to half the 5 easiest holes and ensured I had a bogey, at worst,on the 13 holes where I had a shot.

Just trying to give you a perspective from the other side.

Good luck btw

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Re-read the end of the first sentence. They were playing level and no shots

To be fair - that's not actually what OP said...we both had 5 shots, so the match was effectively a scratch game.

But if both were getting 5 shots it was not actually a scratch game, and as you well know, many will play a play a hole differently when they have a shot than when they don't. And that will include the tee shot.

Just checking that our OP and his opponent didn't make what seems to be a quite common mistake - forgetting to difference off the lowest handicap when calculating shots given/received.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

You go out there with an aggressive mindset, show him early on that you're the better player, and put him under pressure!
Then grind him into the dirt!

...buy him a drink afterwards?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

On the matter - playing a singles match last Sunday I received 5 shots; playing another singles match week on Saturday I will give 8 shots What will I do differently? I think the only difference is going to be around the risk I take on my short game.

So from maybe 130yds in, and taking into account shots my opponent has already played:

With a shot I will more likely play away from trouble and to the heart of the green, flag position being of secondary importance.
Giving a shot I will more likely look to play to the flag.

But in both the above scenarios I can't control what my opponent actually does but what I can do is put him under pressure - as he will be trying to do to me.

So it was last match. I was one up on the 17 tee and I had a shot on that hole. As I had won the 16th I had the honour and really focussed on hitting the fairway - distance being less important. I hit it smack in the middle a reasonable way down. My opponent felt he had to maximise his distance to give himself the shortest approach as he was pretty sure I'd either hit - or be very close to - the green with my 2nd. He yahoo'ed it out of bounds and conceded. That's pressure,

 

[bobmac]

To be fair - that's not actually what OP said...we both had 5 shots, so the match was effectively a scratch game.

But with both getting 5 shots it was not actually a scratch game, and as you well know, many will play a play a hole differently when they have a shot than when they don't. And that will include the tee shot.

Just checking that our OP and his opponent didn't make what seems to be a quite common mistake - forgetting to difference off the lowest handicap when calculating shots given/received.

What?
I read it that they are both off 5 so no shots given

 

[HomerJSimpson]

To be fair - that's not actually what OP said...we both had 5 shots, so the match was effectively a scratch game.

But if both were getting 5 shots it was not actually a scratch game, and as you well know, many will play a play a hole differently when they have a shot than when they don't. And that will include the tee shot.

Just checking that our OP and his opponent didn't make what seems to be a quite common mistake - forgetting to difference off the lowest handicap when calculating shots given/received.

Don't be obtuse. It's quite clear what the OP is suggesting.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Strategy on the tee is to complete the hole in the fewest shots reasonably possible, until the point when you know what your opponent will score/has scored in which case the strategy may become take one less shot than they did (if you've got two for it, take them) or go for broke. That doesn't change whether I'm giving or receiving shots.

 

[Backache]

Personally my strategy in match play doesn't vary according to the handicap of the opponent and doesn't really vary from stroke play unless I obviously have to get up or down or have a cushion where I might slightly vary a chip or pitch to the green.
Oops missed above post which explains it better.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Thanks for taking the time to reply everyone.

I definitely have a different strategy when playing stroke play to matchplay, I'll definitely try and "prove" I'm worthy of my lower handicap, but my expectation of what shots he will play I think I'll set high so I'm not constantly disappointed that he's hit another fairway or another green in regulation, I can't control that, and if it happens and I need to start making some long putts I better not leave them short!