Add pressure when playing with a buddy?

If you want to feel pressure try making a wager on the round.

Does the amount matter? We don't make the same amount of money...

The amount can be really small, imo.  Me and my buddy play for breakfast or lunch.  That's enough to boost our competitive juices.

If we don't make a bet then we don't feel like we're competing and often don't even tell each other our score.  With any size bet we're focusing on where we stand throughout the round.

We adjust our strokes given/taken by 1/2 stroke every round based on who won the previous round.  In the long run we both buy pretty much the same number of meals.  Even still, it creates a competitive spirit.  (My own goal is to narrow the number of strokes he gives me over time.  A big victory for me would be to get to where we play even.)

It depends on how much disposable income you have.  For some, $5 is enough and others like to play for $500 or more to keep their interest.  I used the term wager because sometimes non-monetary bets can put even more pressure on you, such as loser has to take a picture in buddies favorite sport teams jersey, or some other sort of fun bet where pride is at stake.

You nailed it, we don't even talk about score although both of us know who played better at the end of the day. [quote name="newtogolf" url="/t/81708/add-pressure-when-playing-with-a-buddy#post_1135509"]It depends on how much disposable income you have.  For some, $5 is enough and others like to play for $500 or more to keep their interest.  I used the term wager because sometimes non-monetary bets can put even more pressure on you, such as loser has to take a picture in buddies favorite sport teams jersey, or some other sort of fun bet where pride is at stake. [/quote] I like the non monetary wager idea.

Yeah I was reluctant to say this since betting seems popular here but putting money on the game adds absolutely nothing for me personally and I wouldn't recommend it.  Everyone is different though, you could always try some small amount once and see how it goes.  I think a good non-monetary wager would be the loser has to schedule the tee time and drive the winner there and back for the next round.

Naw....just having a little "SKIN" in the game and pride of winning is enough.............

No need to play for any specific $$  amount... Base on what I have read, you definitely need to put something on the line when you play.   Playing quarter bets or $1 a hole is plenty enough..  It's more about bragging rights!!!!

I think match play is an easy way to add some competitiveness - on each hole you have a chance to win or lose.  You don't have to play the whole back 9 knowing you shot yourself out of the match on the front.

One really easy trick I learned that definitely works for me is just to say "Hey, watch this" before you address the ball to hit a shot.  Seriously . .if I do that, I reduce my chances of hitting a good shot by 75% at least . . it's exactly the same feeling I get in 'pressure' situations.  You and you're buddy could make a game of calling shots on the course.

I haven't played match play yet, it sounds really fun. Going to suggest that for our round on Saturday. I tend to hit my best shots after saying "watch this."

$1 a hole sounds good. Worst I could see winning is $10 and that would be quite a womping.

This thread brings back memories of a friend/pigeon of mine.   He was a co-worker and a person I considered a good friend, but we didn't play together all the time because I belonged to a private club at the time.  He'd always come into work talking about how good he played.....(talking himself out of strokes)   We'd play together and I'd smoke him and I'd agree to give him more strokes.   Like a regular cycle.....he'd come into work talking about all these great rounds and talking himself out of those strokes.......and the cycle would repeat...LOL

We were just young guys in our 20s fresh out of college....We'd play quarter bets and had bets on everything.........greenies,sandies, bullets, snakes, etc. etc, etc..........it all added up.

He'd get down and start pressing...I'd try to talk him out of it to no avail..............playing quarter bets, I'd usually win $20 every time we played.   It was a never ending cycle....LOL  Funny stuff...losing $20 was no big deal, but bragging rights were everything.

I miss those days because he was a good friend, but I moved away many years ago.   We sure had fun........and he was always game!!!

That sounds amazing! My friend I'm playing with now works at a Golftec that I frequent so we have a bunch of mutual friends. Should make for a similar bragging rights situation.

Stroke play is where it's at...IMO

I play a game we call Rabbit with a 4-some.  We play stroke play...posting rounds towards HC.   If one player wins a hole....IE..makes birdie and nobody else does.....he gets a rabbit leg.    If he does it again, he gets a 2nd leg.  If somebody has a leg...it's 3 against 1 to take it away.  IE....if the player holding the leg makes bogey on a hole and somebody else makes par.....a leg is taken away.   The bet is per nine holes................if somebody holds a leg after the 9th  hole is completed........everybody pays $5 to the winner.  The game starts fresh on the back 9.  If it's a push, nobody pays.   It's a way to play scratch golf with players with slightly different abilities.   Sometimes the worst golfer wins.....   All he needs to do is win a leg late.  it happens all the time..LOL The most any player can lose is only $10, but having skin in the game definitely adds to the game.

This is awesome.

My buddy and I put a wager on every game, ever since I got better at putting it seems like his putting has gotten worse. I think it directly reflects the pressure he has knowing that I can now make the putts I wasn't making before.

I think the amount does matter.  Someone will take more risks and attempt lower percentage shots if there is only $.25 on the line.  Put 10 or 20 dollars on the line and they will mos tlikely play much smarter golf.  Of course the amount in relation to their disposable income will factor in as well.

A group of friends and I play monthly poker nights.  Generally, there isn't much on the line ($20 buy in).  People will generally play much differently when their bet is only a buck or so.