Match Play Gamesmanship Thread

#1

My course’s club championship is this weekend.

The format is 18 hole match play tomorrow, winners advance to 18 hole match play Sunday, then the championship 18 hole match would be next Saturday. The flights are based on handicap but there are no strokes given during the matches. I’m not in the Championship flight but I’d still really like to win my flight.

I’m a 12 handicap but typically a good match player thanks to my putting. I’m looking for any tips to help with consistency, mentality, and strategies. I figured I’d create this thread in case anyone else out there is playing in their championships as well and are looking for any advice!

The Grudge Match: A Thread That Needs to be Deleted So Future Generations Will Not Know Our Shame
Preparing for Competitive Matches
#2

Just enjoy it. Played my first club championship last year and I was nervous but I loved it. It was a three day stroke play so it’s a little different when you have to put up a score on every hole but just try and have fun. Center of the fairway and center of the green. Lots of pars will demoralize your opponent.

1 Like
#3

You’re a 12 and in the Championship flight? OK, you have one path to victory and one path only- gamesmanship.

Match #1:

First tee:
Count your opponent’s clubs…audibly… (Ok, let’s see here, one, two… twelve, thirteen aaaaand the putter makes fourteen." Never make eye contact during this process.

9th fairway:
“Have you always regripped the club on your way back down to the ball?”

12th green (if the match goes that deep):
“Is the insert on your putter face loose or am I just hearing a weird click?”

No insert: “If this were stroke play what do you think you’d shoot today? Like, if you were putting well, what would you shoot?”

Get back to me after your first win.

39 Likes
#4

Not

#5

Right before a tee shot

“Do you inhale or exhale at the top of your backswing?”

9 Likes
#6

Love it, I’m not in the championship flight but I would really love to just go out and slam the door on three solid matches

#7

Note to self: do not play a money match with Laz

4 Likes
#8

Sorry- misread that you were. WHO CARES AMIRITE?!?

By any chance are there caddies involved?

2 Likes
#9

Caddies aren’t allowed unfortunately but if there were you’d be hearing “Go get that” from the other side of the course after I sweep the leg on 10 green.

2 Likes
#10

Would be an interesting day to get paired up with him at the Kansas Mid-Am. Would be tons of side games being played.

#11

Just focus on how costly a mistake would be when preparing for each shot.

5 Likes
#12

No, no, no…Much deeper.

If you had a caddy, or a buddy walking along, you would set up doubt early in the opponent’s head.

Let’s say the opponents name is Rob and the head pro at the club is Jasper.

On Rob’s first miss, let’s say he pulls it left of the second green, you turn to your caddy and say “Jasper was right. Dead left.” But you have to say it loud enough for Rob to hear this.

Now Rob is thinking Jasper is shit talking him to his opponents. ‘Who’s side is Jasper on, anyways?’

5 Likes
#13

This needs to turn into a “Match Play Gamesmanship” thread.

1 Like
#14

“That’s a conforming wedge, right?”

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#15

“Is golf the only thing you do right handed?”

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#16

“Did you hear about the guy that died from Lyme disease? Yeah man, playing golf…Makes you wonder, do we even matter in the grand scheme if a bug the size of, well, a small bug can kill us. Wild, man. Wild.”

2 Likes
#17

“what’s the year it was made? I just want to check on google to be sure quick”

#18

“Did your wife go to Ohio State? What was her maiden name?”

(IMPERATIVE you find out where the wife went to college. The bigger the school the better.)

10 Likes
#19

“Do your arms every just feel itchy when you are standing over putts?”

“Looks like you are starting to get a little red…might want to throw on some sunscreen.”

#20

I was in a junior match a few years ago and had my buddy on the bag in a full Masters caddy bib with my last name on it. Huge flex on the first tee when he handed me my club and just said “Rip it”

4 Likes