What's my chances then ?

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backwoodsman

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I've just seen the draw for the Club Challenge - our second tier "prestige" matchplay event for H/Cs 10-24.

It's me playing off 21 - badly at present - drawn against a player who is off 14 who is reputedly "a decent player but sometimes blows up".

What with previous threads about high h/c against low(er) the question is: who rates my chances at a result. And who doesn't?
 
if you think you can win you will dont go into the match all tense thinking damn he is lower than me go into it thinking im winning this
 
I'm going in to it with "think positive" written on the inside of my specs.

My game tends to be some damn good holes, most average and some <u>whopping</u> disasters - with the seriously bad holes just outnumbering the good. Which to my mind, puts me in a reasonable position for matchplay.

I reckon he'd wipe the floor with me at strokeplay - but losing a hole by four shots is no worse than losing by one. And life being as it is, for some reason, I tend to play the harder holes much better than the easy - so could well be able to match him gross on some of those <u>and</u> get a shot. Am looking forward to it...
 
Don't give him anything until he has had to bag a couple of 2 footers for par. I find that if I get into the best pals act I get humpd so I tend to go for a wee bit of conversation but not all out pan pals.
 
With all those shots it'll be a walk in the park!
Click to expand...

Backwoodsman beware of the low h/capper playing mind games :D :D

Like you i am drawn against a 14 h/c in our club comp.I am of 21 as well and the odds are not in our favour.We will have shots on index 1-7, 21 against 14 i would say thats about even who wins these holes,so 11 holes with no strokes on average the low h/c should win most of these.

But it all depends who plays well on the day like your attitude obout beeing positive good luck let us know how you get on go out and win 5/4 :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
Go out confident, stick to your own game and use the same plan you always do on each hole.

And most importantly enjoy it, at the end of the day that why we all play the game :)
 
Having just been successful in my first matchplay game for a long time, my advice would be that matchplay is unique in that you can take each hole as it comes. You're not building a round so if you start with a double bogey (as I did) then it doesn't matter. Put the bad hole behind you and concentrate on the next hole.
 
Matchplay is very different from stroke play, you are only playing against him. Always keep thinking about the next shot and what your opponent has just done.

Best of luck and enjoy your tie.
 
Thanks all. Interesting to see the different views - ie some think I've a bagful of shots and, some who think it's just up to me on the day. We'll see what happens. But I'm hopeful - as I said earlier, I tend to play the hard holes well. I've just checked Scoresaver to see the holes where I get shots (ie 1-7 as he's off 14 & I'm 21). Top row of figures is the actual SI of the seven hardest holes - bottom row is what Scoresaver calculates for me based on my performance

1-2--3--4-5-6-7
7-3-12-15-4-6-13

Only one hole do I find find harder than the course, and only two others come close. The rest I find easier than the course suggests. Give me a shot on these holes, & the poor sap doesn't stand a chance...

On the other hand prides comes before... so lets wait & see
 
just relax and enjoy it mate!

Dont have preconceptions of holes before you play them, a plan maybe, but dont count on them as he could go birdie the 7 holes you have shots on, prob not, but its a possibility.

I try to capitalise on an oportunity if it presents itself, but dont pencil wins in before they happen as golf always seems to bite me if I do. Try and play my game first and foremost, and try and hole some putts!

Good luck, hopefully you'll get a result!!
 
You have to take each hole as it presents itself. I won my singles match last week and gave him 10 shots :eek:

I had numerous holes where I had 2 putts for the win but was putting from inside 10 feet. Just rolled them up to the hole and walked on. The score is irrelevant and never ever think youre out of a hole until you see that ball into the cup.

GL
 
Sooo... after many a delay and cancellation caused by meetings, cock-ups and not least by stolen clubs - today's the day. First ever serious matchplay match.(and looking out the window, a nice day for it too).

But I've already lost two shot on him due to a h/c cut. I suppose that means I'll have to do him by the 16th not the 14th.

Fingers crossed for a nice straight one down the first...
 
The pressure is on the lower player, so let him work for it. Try to play a tidy game, don't give too much away. If he wins a few holes early, fine, don't panic. Stick to your game and keep trying to score. Sometimes when a player gets a lead that they think they deserve, but then finds it difficult to close the game out, they get frustrated and press too hard and make mistakes. If you lose a hole by 3 shots, then tell yourself the other guy wasted 2 by winning by 3, when he only needed to win by 1. Play little mind games with yourself like that. If you are feeling a bit intimidated, imagine him with a flowery dress on.

There is an old saying that 2 up with 5 to play never wins.
 
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