Hi Guys,

Playing my first matchplay event this weekend and need some advice.
I am vaguely familiar with the rules but understand that there is some ‘gamesmanship” involved, (as far as gimme’s etc.)
What are the rules/ettiquette involved in this type of event.
Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated.
(I am pretty new to golf and play off 27 up against a 12 h’capper).

The most common Rules issue I’ve come across is order of play ... the player furthest from the hole has the honour regardless of where they are. If you are on the green and closer to the hole than your opponent, you don’t have the right to putt out because your opponent can make you replay the stroke if it was their shot. Either wait for the other player to concede or mark your ball.

For basics, read Rule 2 of the Rule book. If you meander your way through the rest of the book, you will note that in Match Play a lot of penalties for Rules breaches are loss of hole, not strokes … bit too many to detail here.

There has been some previous discussion on strategy. Try:
Match Play Tips? or Tips for Match Play.

Once again publish, I owe you a debt of gratitude.
I have been looking forward to this for a while but am a little nervous as the bloke I am playing with is quite experienced.
Looking at it more as an experience than wanting results.
A win would be nice though!

Have a search thru this forum as there was a previous question on matchplay.

best advice is to take it shot by shot and hole by hole and never ever give up. sometimes an 8 on a par 3 can win a hole….

don’t be intimidated and enjoy it, its a game and not like life and death, lighten up and enjoy the walk at least and never panic.

just keep things in check and do not get tense, relax and enjoy your first match!

Thanks sidman,

I don’t take my golf too seriously (maybe that is my problem!).
A couple of Golden Ales before hand may help ease my pre match nerves!
Thanks again

1. Keep your ball in play at all times (make sure you hit the fairway, so perhaps hit the hybrid rather than the driver). Just keep it down the middle, no need to blast it past him by 120 metres.
2. Make him keep playing. You hit decent shots that means he has to play well to win the hole.
3. Around the green, expect him to hole every shot.
4. You’re never out of it until you are totally out of it. You can win or halve holes from seemingly impossible situations.
5. Go easy on the gamesmanship. Nobody likes a smartarse. A losing smartarse is just embarrassing.
6. You can concede 50 cm putts early but you have every right to make him putt it out only 10 cms when its tight over the last few holes. Kinda depends how tight the match is.
7. Have fun.
8. Keep track of where he is at all times.
9. Enjoy the beer afterwards.

Thanks SJGC.
Will take all of that on board.
Will you keep you all posted on the result!

Cheers

Brett, I played my first matchplay last weekend it was 4 ball best ball, my partner off 11 and me 28. Our opponents off 13 and 14 so I was quite nervous on the first tee about my ability to play well against decent opponents. I played out of my skin, like a 15 marker, had to carry my partner on the back 9 to win.

Good advice from SJGC, you are never out of a hole, decent shots will put pressure on your opponent and he will have to give you shots on most holes. I halved several holes with miraculous recovery shots and sunk long putts, lagged 8m ones within 30cm and even one from the fringe with the pin in dropped for me.

‘Nobody likes a smartarse’

Couldn’t have said it better myself! :)

The formula to win in match play is simple – FAIRWAYS

I drew my mate in the first round of our singes knockout…you don’t think there’ll be any sledging going on during that round…..I was telling another mate that I would wear my gameface but then realised I don’t have a gameface :)

Brett, just to rub in all the advice from above (ie STAY ON THE FAIRWAY AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!) I was today beaten 2 and 1 in the club’s matchplay championship by an old guy who I could outdrive by 80m+. Problem was that whenever I used the driver or 3w I lost the hole – my new swing is not yet holding up under pressure.

When I used an iron off the tee to match his driver, I halved or won these holes in most cases. I got cocky 2up at the 10th and he snuck back into the game.

If I had the day over I would leave these 2 clubs at home and add a 60 degree wedge to the bag.

brett
the best advice i could give you is to play the course. if you can play to 3 or 4 better than your hcp your guna go close to winning. don’t forget he’s under pressure too. the par 5’s will be the key, he’ll have to give you shots so play ‘em well. best of luck let us know how you go.

cheers sb

Thanks again everyone,
I am really looking forward to it.
Will keep you all posted on results.
Have a great long weekend!