Add pressure when playing with a buddy?

[David in FL]

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

I'm going to disagree just a little with those that say the amount doesn't matter. We always play for a little money, just to make it a little moe fun, and to add a bit of substance to the bragging rights at the end of the day, but it doesn't really add any pressure to the game because a $5 Nassau isn't significant. If your intent is to "add pressure" you should really consider putting enough on the line (whatever that means to you personally) that you really don't want to lose the money. To paraphrase Lee Trevino. "Pressure isn't a 4 foot putt for $50,000, real pressure is a 4 foot for $5, when you only have $3 in your pocket..." If you want to add pressure, there needs to be some genuine pain in losing. I would also recommend straight stroke play on occasion. Pure, honest stroke play is a brutal game. No concessions, no pricing up when you're out of a hole, and those slimy little breaking 2-footers really get tough when it's all on the line.

[Fourputt]

I agree with David, the amount isn't that important.  Having a small wager of any kind adds spice to the round, but you don't want it amount to be large enough to make it deadly serious - you still want to be friends at the end of the day.  Playing a quarter a hole can be good for bragging rights.  When you walk away 2 bucks richer - that would mean that you royally trounced him that day, regardless of the small amount of money that changed hands.

We used to play skins for 25 cents per hole with ties carrying over, 25 cent greenies (closest to the pin) on the par 3's (that jumped to 50 cents if you made birdie).  We also played a round robin match for $2 per robin ($6 max you could lose in it).  I think the most I ever lost was about $5 total, but there was pressure on every hole to do no worse than tie so the skin could carry over.  Even at a quarter a hole, 4 or 5 carries made for a good build up of pressure when a hole got to be worth a whole buck or more.  It doesn't sound that impressive, but it wasn't the money that was important, it was the principle of being able to keep putting on the pressure.  Every tie put a little more pressure on the next hole.  The money was more just a way of keeping score, but those quarters had more significance than just writing down a number.

The thing I like about playing skins is that you can play stroke play for handicap, but the wager works more like match play.  Unlike actual match play, there is always something at stake right to the end the 18th hole.  Also,  a guy can be having a less than great day playing, but still win a couple of skins (or a nice carry) and feel like the round wasn't a total loss.

[cedrictheo]

I can understand that more money most likely means more pressure. I think I'm going to start low though and see if that gets the competitive juices flowing. Im really excited to try match play, perhaps it's because of the tour event this week...

[Crim]

Im really excited to try match play, perhaps it's because of the tour event this week...

I prefer match play over stroke play, it's just seems easier & more fun to keep track of.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cedrictheo

Im really excited to try match play, perhaps it's because of the tour event this week...

I prefer match play over stroke play, it's just seems easier & more fun to keep track of.

The rules are generally easier to apply.  Penalties which are 2 strokes in stroke play are just loss of hole in a match.  If Player A and Player B both accidentally play each other's ball, the first to play loses the hole and the second to play doesn't matter because the hole is already finished.  They don't have to go back and correct the error and try to figure out how many penalty strokes to apply as they would in stroke play.  A player may also choose to ignore a penalty by his opponent, as long as they don't agree to waive the penalty together.  All he hurts is himself if he doesn't call the penalty.

[GHIN0011458]

Play Battle Golf- you won't want to lose a hole.

[iacas]

I can understand that more money most likely means more pressure. I think I'm going to start low though and see if that gets the competitive juices flowing.

Im really excited to try match play, perhaps it's because of the tour event this week...

Since most of your tournaments will be stroke play, don't do too much match play - it can lead to too much focusing on the person you're playing with and things like "oh well, lost this hole" instead of grinding out your bogey to make sure it's not a double or triple.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cedrictheo

I can understand that more money most likely means more pressure. I think I'm going to start low though and see if that gets the competitive juices flowing.

Im really excited to try match play, perhaps it's because of the tour event this week...

Since most of your tournaments will be stroke play, don't do too much match play - it can lead to too much focusing on the person you're playing with and things like "oh well, lost this hole" instead of grinding out your bogey to make sure it's not a double or triple.

Good point!

[PooN]

Not sure about pressure, but sometimes if we are the only ones on the course and we're feeling like it's more of a 'practice round' we will play worst-ball/best-ball - Each guy has a tee shot.  Then you both play from the spot of the worst ball.  The next shot you pick is the best ball.  Alternate like that until your ball is on the green.  Once on the green you putt your own ball.

Or, we will play two-ball-high-score.  Each player plays two balls from tee to green.  Add the total score for both balls.

Just a couple ways to change up stroke or match play

[Uncle Peter]

Just wait for the cart girl or marshall to pull up behind you, then hit your shots. That does it for me.

[ghalfaire]

Me too.  I like a little money at stake.  The buddies and I usually have a game with something like a dime a point and a couple or three points/hole.  I don't think I have ever seen anyone lose more that $1 a round but it is for bragging rights.  Sometimes at the club we have a $5 Nassau but that is expensive as it gets for me.  More money that than that and it gets too serious and not fun anymore.

[Crim]

Everyone one on one bet I make is for a drink at the clubhouse or local bar. That's more than enough incentive for me.

[cedrictheo]

Ended up doing a match play with my buddy this Saturday (his choice) with dinner on the line. He did not like loosing. We were even after 9 but then his driver went haywire and I made a bunch of pars to beat him 5 and 4. I felt more competitive juice flowing than our usual rounds but honestly didn't feel much pressure knowing it was just dinner on the line.

[saevel25]

Ended up doing a match play with my buddy this Saturday (his choice) with dinner on the line. He did not like loosing. We were even after 9 but then his driver went haywire and I made a bunch of pars to beat him 5 and 4.

I felt more competitive juice flowing than our usual rounds but honestly didn't feel much pressure knowing it was just dinner on the line.

I think it depends on the person. I always see golf as a game, so the pressure for me it always in my own expectations on my own game. I guess if I had something important on the line, like substantial money I might get that sort of pressure that can weight you down. I am the type of person who would never bet that much money to begin with anyways.

I should try out a few tournaments this summer to see how I do.

[iacas]

I felt more competitive juice flowing than our usual rounds but honestly didn't feel much pressure knowing it was just dinner on the line.

Here's a suggestion.

Set goals for yourself - a few per round. Make rewards and penalties. Say you're allowed one three-putt. If you don't three-putt at all, you earn $50. For every three-putt over 1 you pay into a pool that $50. You do this for other things you want to do that day: pars, birdies, par fives hit in two, whatever you want. If you win the $50, that saves you from having to pay in because you didn't hit 12 GIR that round, you only hit 11 (or whatever).

Your friend, who makes less, could set the same goal but make the penalty $20.

Maybe each of you is responsible for coming up with two goals, plus you could add a fifth that's just the stroke play outcome of the match, or a stroke play nassau or something. But the loser pays into the pool.

Then when the pool is up to $500 or $1000 or something, you play a match, winner take all. The match could be stroke play, match play, or some other format that ideally keeps the pressure on for as long as possible. Maybe it's match play but with a two-up cap: you can't ever get to three-up or more. The match is guaranteed to last until the 17th hole, at least.

[cedrictheo]

I think it depends on the person. I always see golf as a game, so the pressure for me it always in my own expectations on my own game. I guess if I had something important on the line, like substantial money I might get that sort of pressure that can weight you down. I am the type of person who would never bet that much money to begin with anyways.  I should try out a few tournaments this summer to see how I do. :-D

Tournament pressure is very different than what I felt in this match with my friend. I think something about my score posting to the public and the opportunity to tell my friends and family that I won is important to me. It's also a bit uncomfortable to play with people you don't know. So I definitely think you should play some tournaments. They are fun and for me add a different intensity to the game. Also I've noticed that having people you know follow your gamegolf adds a bit of pressure to every round.

[cedrictheo]

Here's a suggestion. Set goals for yourself - a few per round. Make rewards and penalties. Say you're allowed one three-putt. If you don't three-putt at all, you earn $50. For every three-putt over 1 you pay into a pool that $50. You do this for other things you want to do that day: pars, birdies, par fives hit in two, whatever you want. If you win the $50, that saves you from having to pay in because you didn't hit 12 GIR that round, you only hit 11 (or whatever). Your friend, who makes less, could set the same goal but make the penalty $20. Maybe each of you is responsible for coming up with two goals, plus you could add a fifth that's just the stroke play outcome of the match, or a stroke play nassau or something. But the loser pays into the pool. Then when the pool is up to $500 or $1000 or something, you play a match, winner take all. The match could be stroke play, match play, or some other format that ideally keeps the pressure on for as long as possible. Maybe it's match play but with a two-up cap: you can't ever get to three-up or more. The match is guaranteed to last until the 17th hole, at least.

This is a cool idea. I will definitely add goals for each round. I could also keep the pool for myself and then set a date and set a score goal based on my handicap at that time... If I don't beat the target score I have to donate that money to charity...