Reference - Match
Play - Strategy
In stroke play, the
golfer plays against the golf course and a large field of other golfers.
In match play, the golfer plays directly against one other golfer (or
one side).
Your opponent is right there next to you. You get to see exactly how
well or how poorly he is playing, and he gets to watch your game, as
well.
That makes match play a different ballgame, literally and figuratively.
And, in ways large and small, it changes the way golfers approach the
match.
Here is a look at how strategy and tactics can change in match play:
One on One
Match play adds nerves and gamesmanship to golf. Both are likely to
increase, because the one player you must beat is right there next to
you. Take a lead and you're likely to feel more relaxed.
Fall behind and you're likely to feel much more pressure.
Match play is usually played more aggressively than stroke play from the
very first shot. You want to put the pressure on your opponent early,
then keep it there.
But there are certainly times when it's best to be conservative, and
some golfers believe the best initial strategy is to play your normal
game until someone wins a hole. That approach is akin to giving your
opponent a chance to make a mistake. Most believe, however, that falling
behind early is too big a risk, and so aggression is called for from the
first tee.
A player with a lead will generally play more conservatively; a player
trailing will usually become more aggressive. Either way, match play
requires that you react to your opponent's successes and failures.
Reactionary Golf
What do we mean by reacting to your opponent's play? The object in match
play is to win individual holes. If your opponent hits a fantastic shot,
that forces you to try to hit an equally good shot.
If your opponent chunks a shot into a pond, that gives you an opening to
play safe. In match play, it doesn't matter if you take 8 strokes to
play a hole ... if your opponent is taking 9.
Your decisions on the types of shots to play are directly related to
your standing in the match (ahead or behind?) and on the hole (sitting
pretty or in pretty bad shape?).
On the Green
The way that match play affects a golfer's strategy is perhaps best
showcased on the green.
Let's say you've got a tricky downhill putt. In stroke play, you would
be very careful not to run the putt way past the hole, because in stroke
play, a high score on an individual hole can ruin the round.
But in match play, how aggressive you are with this putt depends on how
things stand on this one hole. If your opponent has already holed out
and your putt is to halve the hole, you must be very aggressive with the
putt. If you run it 10 feet past, it doesn't matter - the hole is lost
whether you miss by 10 feet or 1/10th of an inch. If your opponent has a
short, easy putt remaining, you must try to make the putt - but you must
temper your aggressiveness just a little bit. There's always a chance
your opponent will miss his short one, and you want to be able to make
your comebacker.
If your opponent has an equally difficult putt remaining, then be more
careful with your putt. Running it way past the hole, leaving yourself a
difficult comebacker, is a bad play when a halve is otherwise the most
likely outcome of the hole.
Conceding Putts
You should go into your match expecting to have to make every putt.
Don't expect your opponent to concede anything - be prepared to hole out
everything. Your opponent may, in fact, offer concessions at various
points, but you must be mentally prepared if he doesn't.
By the same token, you must decide how to approach concessions for your
opponent. Of course, offering your opponent a concession increases the
odds of his condeding some of your putts, too. Fail to concede an early
short putt and you opponent may not concede anything to you.
But what do you know about your opponent? Is he a good putter? Bad? It
matters. A great putter is probably going to make those short putts
anyway. So pick a distance - say, 2 feet - and, at least early in the
match - concede any putts within that distance.
But if your opponent is a terrible putter, make him putt everything
outside 6 inches.
Some experts at match play believe you should concede every short putt
early in the match. If it meets your length criteria, concede it. Why?
So you can stop conceding later in the match at a critical juncture. Say
the match is all square on the 17th hole, and your opponent faces a
2-footer with a little break. You've conceded every 2-footer today, but
this one you're going to make him putt. The fact he hasn't had to make
any of these in the match to this point increases the odds he'll miss
this one.
Of course, at no point do you want to concede a putt when you believe
there's a realistic chance that your opponent will miss it to give you a
win or a halve, and only rarely would you concede a putt that gives your
opponent the hole (if the putt is 3 inches, yes; 2 feet for the win,
no).
On the Tee
You always want your tee shots to be long and down the middle. But in
match play, when you are first to tee off, it becomes even more
important to find the fairway. A poorly hit tee shot is an opening for
your opponent; a well-struck tee ball puts more pressure on your
opponent.
If you are trailing in the match, however, you may have to be aggressive
with your tee shot regardless - you might be forced to
grip-it-and-rip-it and hope for the best.
If your opponent hits first from the tee, his shot impacts your
decision. If he hits a lousy tee ball, then maybe the best thing for you
to do is hit 3-wood or a long iron to better the odds of keeping your
ball in the fairway. You can be more conservative when your opponent has
made a mistake.
If your opponent cracks a terrific drive, then you'll feel pressure to
try to match it.
The Hero Shot
You're standing in the fairway, 210 yards from the green.
You can get the ball to the green, but 210 yards is right at your limit.
And you must go over a creek fronting the green in order to do it. Do
you go for the green? Or do you lay up?
Depends on how you stand on the hole and in the match. If you're ahead
in the match, maybe it's not worth the risk. If you're 2-down and the
match is on the 14th hole, maybe you have no choice but to risk it.
Then again, how does your opponent stand on the hole? If he's in a bad
spot, then perhaps the hole is winnable without trying the hero shot.
How Many Holes are Left?
Always consider your options in the light of how you stand both in the
match and on the particular hole. The closer you get to the 18th hole,
the more aggressive you'll need to become if you're trailing.
Likewise, carrying a lead late in the match gives you the option of
playing more conservatively. But that can change quickly if your
opponent puts together a couple great shots.
Balancing Act
Match play is a balancing act. You must balance the need to be
aggressive enough to win individual holes against the situations at hand
- where do you stand in the match? How do you stand on the hole? How
does your opponent stand on the hole?
And you must control your nerves. Don't get cocky when you're ahead.
Always assume your opponent is going to make his putt, or put a good
stroke on that approach to the green.
And don't panic if you fall behind early. You'll need to make something
happen, but that doesn't mean trying every low-percentage shot that
presents itself.
It's easy to see why match play is the type of golf that many prefer to
play.
From:
http://golf.about.com/od/beginners/a/matchplaystrat.htm
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