Do you like Match Play or not?

[PiustheDrGolf]

Hi all,

I just noticed that I enjoy match play format more than any other formats.
I was watching WGC Match Play today and was cheering for one over the another. I like some golfers among others. No.. let me put it this way. I do like some golfers and hate some golfers. If they get paired up, I do have my favorite on each pairs. In example, Tiger vs. Phil (o) or Tiger vs. Anyone who can walk on golf course (o).

I looked back my 20 years of playing golf and I have enjoyed every match games. For viewing, I can cheer for one pairs after another. For playing, I get two opponents to play: Architect & Opponent. I guess that's why I like the format so much. How about you guys?

[Fat Slice]

I love match play. I won our club's tourney last year (small club, had to beat 4 people only). Can't wait to start it up this year! I love the psych-out factor.

[ET-Taylor]

i like it as a blow up hole doesnt mean your round is over like in strokeplay

[Fourputt]

I like match play a lot. I play in several of the season brackets in my Men's Club each year.

[uttexas]

I really like match play, both playing that format and watching it on TV. The pace of play tends to be quicker and there's the little bit added gamesmanship/strategy/comradarie with match play.

[joepro23]

I like watching match play and it is too bad there isn't more of it on the tour. I would imagine the tour and sponsors are afraid of a lousy sunday final match that can perhaps scare the casual viewer away if they don't recognize the names. Even if Tiger or Phil aren't winning going into Sunday in stroke play, the networks can play it up that there is still some drama left if they come back. I am watching either way and match play creates a lot of excitement so I enjoy it.

As for playing, my club is actually switching their club championship back to match play. I was just getting used to it being a 4 round stroke play tourney and what I liked about it was that even if you had one bad day you could still recover during the other rounds. One bad round in match play and you are toast. I will adjust though and do have some success in the format in the past.

[montru]

Wouldn't a club tourny get long and drawn out over several days?

[joepro23]

I guess you could call it long. Match play can either be quick (if you get knocked out early) or take 4 rounds as well in a 16-player bracket if you make the finals. I heard there were a few reasons for switching back to MP. Stroke play really slowed up the course since people took a lot longer when they had to putt everything out (especially on our fast greens). Match play can also bring some people back into contention (or at least they think so) that are prone to have a few blow up holes during the round. And lastly, some people who made the cut but were not really in contention going into the final round actually quit or were not interested if they did play.

[Bump-n-MI]

I like watching match play and it is too bad there isn't more of it on the tour.

I'll take watching stroke play over match play any day of the week....although I'll play in a match play event over stroke any day of the week

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As for playing, my club is actually switching their club championship back to match play. I was just getting used to it being a 4 round stroke play tourney and what I liked about it was that even if you had one bad day you could still recover during the other rounds. One bad round in match play and you are toast. I will adjust though and do have some success in the format in the past.

Our club championship is stroke play (which is the way it should be IMHO), we do however have a match play event that is just as big. Both are a blast but I think I play my best in the match play format.

[Ben]

Match play is really fun. I enjoy it a lot. Its a good test of skill. I played just last Friday against a member at my club. Had to give him 12 shots! But, I beat him! 2 up. Low handicappers love to complain about giving up so many strokes. I just played my own round and let the 10hdcp screw up. It was great.

Wouldn't a club tourny get long and drawn out over several days?

Most club match play events are quite long, as you suggest. Ours lasts two months. I know of another local club where theirs goes all summer. We give our members two weeks to play the match against their opponent. That gives them plenty of time to match schedules.

[Bump-n-MI]

Ours lasts two months. I know of another local club where theirs goes all summer. We give our members two weeks to play the match against their opponent. That gives them plenty of time to match schedules.

Ours too lasts several months. We tried finishing ours in 4 weeks but schedule conflicts were plentiful. Now, as soon as the matches are set you have 1 week to finish or there will be a DQ.

[bogeyhitter25]

It forces players to make decisions all the time. They aren't playing against 100+ other people, just one.

I love match play.

[peter draggin]

I would much rather play match play in a tourney as well as watch it.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I love it as much as stroke play, Im playing the same game no matter what.

[whetstone]

When playing against a lower handicapper, match play allows me to compete with them, as blow-up holes are what drives up my handicap so much.

[WALRUS]

i like match play for viewing but as for playing i enjoy stroke play because when you get in your opponents head and they screw up a hole, they go down more than just 1 to you

[Doctorfro]

It's not even a contest. Match play is far more fun and definitely more interesting to watch. For a player like me, I can make a lot of pars but occasionally I get in big trouble and have the ability to post a big number on a hole. In match play, I've only lost the one hole, not multiple strokes. And the strategies employed just keep you on your toes all the time. Of course the greatest golf contest is the Ryder Cup (match play). I have to admit though, my biggest heartbreak was losing the match play championship at my club 15 years ago when I was two up with two to play and lost in overtime. Still hurts to think about it.

When I was on the golf committe at our club long ago, I came up with a plan to solve the problem of the tournament running too long. We took a weekend and played the first two rounds of our matches. It cut the field down in a hurry and then we played the remaining matches each in a weeks time. Didn't drag on. And our final was 36 holes. Fun stuff!

[Ben]

When I was on the golf committe at our club long ago, I came up with a plan to solve the problem of the tournament running too long. We took a weekend and played the first two rounds of our matches. It cut the field down in a hurry and then we played the remaining matches each in a weeks time. Didn't drag on. And our final was 36 holes. Fun stuff!

That's a smart way of doing it. I like the idea of 36 hole final! Like US Opens from back in the day.