Match Play Will Test Your Mental Toughness...

Hi Seth,

Golf Potpourri

by

Mac Stevenson

Match Play Will Test Your Mental Toughness

So far as the PGA and LPGA tours are concerned, match play has
become--for the most part--a thing of the past. But the Ryder
Cup still uses match play and it has become one of the biggest
golfing events in professional golf. Also, match play is still
used extensively for most club and city championships.

It's that time of year when club tournaments and city tournaments
and state tournaments--using the match play format--are fast
approaching.

In match play, the player who wins the most holes between two
contestants over 18 holes wins the golf match. In medal play,
the lowest total number of strokes for the entire round
determines the winner. In tournaments, there's a significant
difference between medal- and match play: In match play, you're
competing against just one opponent; in medal play, you're
playing against everyone in your flight or--in some
tournaments--the entire field.

The most common advice heard from one golfer to another
concerning match play is: "Don't pay any attention to your
opponent, just play the course." That's not only poor advice,
it's a mental task that is impossible to accomplish.

The most fascinating aspect of match play is that your strategy
changes constantly depending on what your opponent does. This is
most evident on putts. As a hypothetical example, you could have
a slick, six-foot, downhill putt to win a hole, or the same putt
to halve the hole. If it's for a win, you have to be cautious
because if you three-putt, you lose the hole. In other words,
you should baby the putt down the slope. However, if that same
treacherous putt is for a halve, you can putt it firmly because
if you miss and go eight feet by, it doesn't matter. The hole is
lost anyway.

Strategy changes on tee shots too, depending on what your
opponent does. If your adversary tees off first and hits one
into the heavy rough, maybe you should put away your driver and
hit a three wood for accuracy. Every situation is different and
your strategy depends on the confidence you have in certain shots.

You shouldn't abandon your normal game, but you can't ignore the
position your opponent is in either.

Getting off to a good start is vital in match play, much more so
than medal play. The worst thing about going one-down is that
you've put yourself in position to go two-down. And that can be
big trouble.

Successful match play is a matter of gaining a winning momentum.
It can go back and forth all day. This phenomenon is similar to
evenly matched college basketball teams being up and down in a
close game. Golf is a game of streaks (good and bad), and it's
most obvious in match play.

In match play, you need a killer instinct. Don't ever feel sorry
for your opponent. When you get a player three-down, you should
focus on gaining a four-up advantage. If you ease up and start
feeling sorry for someone, momentum can switch in the twinkling
of an eye and your control of the match dissolves.

A tough competitor in match play will test your nervous system
like few other things in the world of sports. And if your
opponent happens to be someone you don't particularly care for,
the tension can be numbing. In the latter situation, you have to
battle for control of your emotions. If you tighten up and try
too hard, your coordination and shot-making ability can be gone
for the day--and the match too.

You can't rattle; it's crucial to maintain your poise and focus,
regardless of the opponent and the situation you're in at the
time. Easier said than done.

Golf's capricious streaks are most obvious in match play. It's
the most exciting and entertaining format in tournament play, and
the PGA is making a big mistake in not scheduling more match play
tournaments. The Ryder Cup, which is all match play, is the most
exciting golfing event on the planet.

Until Next Time...

Good Golfing,
Joe Forbush
thinkandreachpar@gmail.com

ThinkandReachPar.com

191 Main Street Suite #1
Nashua, NH
03061
US

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