Club championship

[denver_nuggs_15]

1. He is a stickler for the rules. He tries to call a penalty even if there is nothing wrong with what the person does(for exampe i tap in from 1 inch last year(thinking the putt should have been given in the first place) and he tries to call me on it). This stuff gets into my head how can i combat that.

As someone above me said, mark it with a ridiculous coin. And try to get in the guy's head. Play really slow if you have to, or make him putt everything, or when you are going to the next tee say, "That water on the left up here is a real magnet. Be cautious." Some crap like that to mess with him. And when he calls you, make him take out his rule book to prove that it's a rule/penalty. This one kid I played with tried to call me on 6 shots on one hole (I think on one shot, too) and I asked for him to show me the specific rules that I had violated. He couldn't find the "rules" I broke in his 2 year old rulebook.

2. When i have a bad hole it can get into my head. How do i combat this?

You just need to let it go. How do YOU forget about a bad shot? Try to do the same for a bad hole. Forget about the hole because you can always recover in golf.

3. My new irons are supposed to arrive today or tomorrow. I will be at the range for 2 hours tuesday-thursday. Considering ill practice this much should i use them in the match.

Don't use them until you are 100% comfortable with them.

This is the single most important tourney of the year for me. Any advice for match play tournaments is welcomed. Also what should my strategy be for theholes i have to give him strokes on. Thanks a ton.

Don't play very aggresively if he's not really in a hole. Figure out what is "working" that day for your game, be it chipping, mid-irons, etc., and play to that. Set yourself up for those types of shots. If you are really nailing your 9-iron, try to hit that club into greens on par 4s by hitting the appropriate club off the tee or on par 5s by laying up to a certain distance. And always think about your [i]next[i/] shot. Give yourself some good angles.

[xringx]

O.K.

Hence my statement about gamesmanship....

I think we agree.... I just really feel that it dont matter who you play, you are playing the course and conditions.... I DO agree that in a match play situation, if your opponent has already shot himself in the foot and all you need to do is play it safe, then you change your shot selection/play... Just like if he is on the green in 2 on a par 5, you should probably take your best shot at the green on your 2nd shot.... Which to me falls into the conditions part....

[Catul]

I don't agree about the gamesmanship - play your game, be a gentleman, and do the best you can. Don't try to get inside his head, etc. Oh, if he doesn't concede that really short putt (I'm talking a few inches), that's pretty bad - mark it, read it from behind the hole, side, etc. like it's a long putt - let him know how ridiculous it is to make you putt from 4"; that's pretty nasty man!

Your first two points are all mental - Bob Rotella's book "Golf is not a Game of Perfect" addresses these specifically, can you get your hands on it at the library maybe? Definitely worth reading!

[Scrape-o-TheClown]

I don't agree about the gamesmanship - play your game, be a gentleman, and do the best you can. Don't try to get inside his head, etc. Oh, if he doesn't concede that really short putt (I'm talking a few inches), that's pretty bad - mark it, read it from behind the hole, side, etc. like it's a long putt - let him know how ridiculous it is to make you putt from 4"; that's pretty nasty man!

I agree with you 100%....dont mess around with all the games because that will take you out of your element And BTW that is one of the best golf books ever written.

[ApocG10]

When your head starts spinning, and you start to get frustrated, stand up, close your eyes, and take 30 deep breaths. Count each one, it should take about three minutes tops. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Taking deep breaths doubles the amount of oxygen you get, and the brain works best when your making an effort to give it lots of it. The added oxygen will have a calming effect and increase focus. Kind of the premise of meditation. Long, deep breaths.

[Parker0065]

I agree with the guy's that are saying to stay calm and stay within your own skin!

I wouldn't go after him with attitude unless that is your normal personality. If your more the quite friendly type then you should stay within your normal personality and concentrate on your own game.

Match play is a different animal than stroke play but you still have to take it one swing at a time. Every good shot you hit is going to put pressure on your opponent and every bad shot will give them an oppertunity.

Finally I feel your pain about having to give strokes. I played in my courses match play last year and had to give my first opponent 7 strokes. It was a great match and I finally put him away on #18 with a 20 foot birdie putt. My next opponent I had to give him 10 strokes. I started out very well and was -1 under par through the first four holes and I was two down to him! That was frustrating,,,lol! He was up by 5 at the turn and I fought back only to lose 2&3. I kind of felt like he padded his handicap a little, but a month later in our 36 hole medal play championship I dusted him by more than 20 shots so maybe he hadn't padded it. For what ever reason it seems that handicaps play a bigger advantage to those recieving strokes in match play. Probably because you can have a "Blow Up" hole in match play and still be ok, but in medal play your toast! Anyways like I said I feel your pain but remember one thing, you are giving strokes because you are a better golfer! Take that as a compliment to your game and go into the match with confidence that you are the better player.

Good Luck!!!

[Titleist Man]

Thanks for all the advice.

[Titleist Man]

Ok so we have a tee time at 7 AM sunday if i win i play another 18 for the next round...... Any advice on how to get loose w/out going to the range. I want to go chip and putt instead of going to the range

[bruce]

Get in his head,don't give him a single putt no matter how close,this can
p@*s a lot of golfers off.Even if he looks at you expecting you to give it,don't,play him at his game and still be cheerful.

[Jay-Bird]

Ok so we have a tee time at 7 AM sunday if i win i play another 18 for the next round...... Any advice on how to get loose w/out going to the range. I want to go chip and putt instead of going to the range

You've got to at least hit a few balls. 10-20 wedges to lengths of 50, 75, 100, 125; and five or ten full swing 8 or 9 irons is good to wake up your mind and muscles. It shouldn't take too long to hit a few balls. Stretch first.

My only other advice would be to really focus on every shot. Zone everything out as much as you can when you're hitting a shot. If on every stroke you stay committed to the shot from pre-shot routine through execution you will be fine. Keeping your mind focused will help quell anxiety and you'll be able to play good golf. Easier said than done.

[Titleist Man]

You've got to at least hit a few balls. 10-20 wedges to lengths of 50, 75, 100, 125; and five or ten full swing 8 or 9 irons is good to wake up your mind and muscles. It shouldn't take too long to hit a few balls. Stretch first.

I would do what you said but the range isnt even open at that time. The best i can do is a few 50 yd shots. So my questions is how to loosen up.

[goblue107501]

There is actually a thread going on right now in the 'playing tips' section about how to warm up when you can't hit balls.

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24749

If it were me I would try and wake up extra early and get there as soon as I could (like 6:00 or so). That way your body has time to wake up and get loose. Even if you can't hit balls, you can chip and putt and get loose. The last thing you would want to do is roll out of bed and get to the course at 6:50. Make sure you eat something though. You don't want morning hunger to hit at the turn.

[Titleist Man]

Well i won my 1st mtch 6 and 5!!!!!! It was great. Second match my opponent and I are dead square after 18. We played the next hole and and i made a 10 footer for the win!!!! It was great i was 3 back at one point but i had a chip in and a few great putts. Thanks for all the advice guys now 3 more rounds to go....

[ukalum]

Great job. Keep it up!

[Three Putt]

Well i won my 1st mtch 6 and 5!!!!!! It was great. Second match my opponent and I are dead square after 18. We played the next hole and and i made a 10 footer for the win!!!! It was great i was 3 back at one point but i had a chip in and a few great putts. Thanks for all the advice guys now 3 more rounds to go....

Good deal...you pimp slapped the first guy.

[DBake]

I truely believe you win match play by wearing out your opponent, keep the ball in the fairway.

[RandomRaiderTTU]

Keep it up! Glad to hear you got through the first two rounds!

[billm408]

Well i won my 1st mtch 6 and 5!!!!!! It was great. Second match my opponent and I are dead square after 18. We played the next hole and and i made a 10 footer for the win!!!! It was great i was 3 back at one point but i had a chip in and a few great putts. Thanks for all the advice guys now 3 more rounds to go....

Congrats! Sounds like you found a groove. Good luck moving forward.