Backache
Assistant Pro
I've always looked . I lost a final once when I found someones ball which was very lost.
Why are people A-Holes when playing MATCHPLAY?
- Thread starter Petercool
- Start date
Swango1980
Well-known member
No obligation in the Rules
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
I had to give 17 shots in a match a few years ago. My opponent was really upset when we got to the stroke 18 hole and he realised that he wasn’t getting a shot.my pet hate is people who have no clue on the rules yet insist on arguing the toss about them, even though they have n clue. i did play a guy at Nairn about 4 times in match play games, who was hard work. 1st time i played him, i was giving 10 shots and beat him quite easily, by the 13th. got drawn with him a couple of years later and his handicap was much higher, i was giving him 17 shots. i was getting over salmonella poisoning at the time and wasn't really fit to play, sweat was poring off me. but it was his i get a shot here on every hole but one started to grind on me after a whilehe beat me that time, but i had the misfortune to get drawn twice more in matches
Patricia Mcgrath
New member
I've fallen fowl to this before in doubles . After agreeing the score and leaving the green and on the nx tee the partner decided they had won the hole. We reluctantly changed the score as she had made it all so confusing.. we lost on the 18th .. lesson learned..
cookelad
Tour Winner
I got to a knockout final against someone who was known to have a hole in his pocket (my old club isn't come across very well in this thread is it!), as soon as it was clear he would be my opponent in the final I was advised by a number of members to follow him closely if he put a ball in the trees and had to go look for it which I did and won the match. So while I don't believe there's any obligation sometimes its beneficial.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
No, but that doesn't mean you tell them outright that you won't be doing it! You do what most people do and just pretend to make a token effort.
Petercool
Member
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
No. It was the 10th at the time. After recent changes stroke 18 is now the 14th.
SteveJay
Head Pro
One of the travesties of the system. You give shots on the harder holes from stroke 1 and up, depending on the number of shots given. So the very holes that you really need a shot too (e.g. stroke 1) you don't get it. Having to par or birdie a stroke index 1 hole because your opponent gets a shot and you don't, is a hard challenge.
We have been canvassing our league (without success admittedly so far) to change to a system where everyone gets the shots they should, rather than the lowest HC playing off scratch. Would achieve the same difference, but mean the lower HC players would still get the shots they need.
Swango1980
Well-known member
But surely it's the very hardest holes that the worse player most likely needs to get a shot relative to the better player?
rulie
Head Pro
That was the theory- strokes were given on the hole(s) where the higher handicap player needed a stroke to get a half (tie). WHS has different recommendations, but not sure all clubs have implemented them.
SteveJay
Head Pro
I agree, but its tough giving a higher HC player a shot on the holes where you would normally get/need a shot yourself. If it was played with both players getting all their shots, you would be giving shots on the easier holes, so (a) you might still have a chance of being competitive despite giving a shot and (b) the higher HC will have an advantage on holes where they stand a better chance of scoring lower.
I get the logic, there isn't an ideal solution in my view!
Swango1980
Well-known member
Ultimately, if you are only giving 1 or 2 shots, there may be very little between the golfers anyway. And, golfers don't play uniformly. An 18 handicapper, to me, isn't "expected" to bogey every hole. What I would expect is a handful of pars, perhaps even a birdie, but a handful of doubles or worse. Even single figure handicappers, I expect the odd double on their card, or worse.
So, even if a one handicapper would get a shot on SI 1 in Stableford, I'd still give the higher handicapper a shot on SI 1 because the probability is higher that they will get one of their doubles or worse on that hole.
sunshine
Well-known member
Just read the OP and not the 5 pages of comments. Great write up by the OP by the way 
it's inspired me to write up my recent knock out match on a different thread.
Anyway, my immediate reactions are:
1. Is this guy Australian?
2. Is he a cricketer?
it's inspired me to write up my recent knock out match on a different thread.Anyway, my immediate reactions are:
1. Is this guy Australian?
2. Is he a cricketer?
seochris
Challenge Tour Pro
I was in a similar situation where I was new to a club and trying to fit in....
so in the quarter final round of a matchplay knockout and I was off 14 at the time and him about 6. so kept getting snipes about my handicap....are you sure you're off 14, never seen a 14 handicap drive a ball like that....will be seeing the handicap sec when we get in etc etc....not 1 good shot mate or any of that so he was a total ahole.
I decided I really didn't want anything to do with this so after 12 holes I said look mate if you think im cheating with my handicap have the f...ing match....walked in and put his name up for the next round...
to this day I bitterly regret that decision and will have never done anything like it again...having said that I've not played anyone like that since.
so in the quarter final round of a matchplay knockout and I was off 14 at the time and him about 6. so kept getting snipes about my handicap....are you sure you're off 14, never seen a 14 handicap drive a ball like that....will be seeing the handicap sec when we get in etc etc....not 1 good shot mate or any of that so he was a total ahole.
I decided I really didn't want anything to do with this so after 12 holes I said look mate if you think im cheating with my handicap have the f...ing match....walked in and put his name up for the next round...
to this day I bitterly regret that decision and will have never done anything like it again...having said that I've not played anyone like that since.
sunshine
Well-known member
Yeah I’d definitely burst out laughing like others have mentioned.
Then I’d probably add that I will definitely be helping them look for their ball.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I would go the opposite way and start winding him up more. "Wow I don't normally putt this well!" or "Wow, and to think I tripled this hole last week, birdie today!"
RichA
Well-known member
View it from the other perspective. The higher handicap player won't be getting shots where he usually does on however many holes is the difference between the handicaps.
Eg. HI 5 v HI 15. Higher guy will get shots on SI 1-10 but not on 11-15 where he is used to having one. That's 5 holes where the low guy has the advantage, cancelling out the perceived advantage of the high guy on SI 1-5.
rulie
Head Pro
"where he is used to having one" He may get them in stroke play, but doesn't in match play - why is this perceived as a problem? Just play harder and hope for a little luck!
RichA
Well-known member
You're missing my point. I'm disagreeing that there's anything fundamentally unfair about matchplay between different handicaps.
