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Playing with guys who 'have to play for something' or its not fun


dave s
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Golf is fun for me bet or not.  I prefer playing with my group of friends for small stakes... even if it's only a dime per skin.

Bottom line, a bet makes it feel more competitive, at least for me.  And that increases the intensity and makes it more fun.

I have one guy who won't keep score and won't play by the rules unless there is a bet.  All it takes is a $1 Nassau to put him in line with playing by the rules.

 

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My senior group is the first one where I've regularly played for money.

It's pretty low-key: We have four-man teams, selected by a draw of cards at the start. $5 per person goes into the pool.

We have a modified Stableford team scoring system, plus an individual skins game on side.

After money for skins winners, top two teams get 2/3 and 1/3 split.

No real $$ exchange hands unless four or more groups show up. But the day's braggin' rights are priceless!

Our games don't detract from the fun of playing golf so it's OK. Just playing golf is enough of a reward for me.

Focus, connect and follow through!

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We usually like to play for a "little" something. It could be quarter skins, or post round beers. I have run into strangers who have tried to goad me into taking larger bets than I'm comfortable with. Maybe they're hustlers. Maybe they just think they are. I ran into one of those.

His grip was actually pretty good, but his swing was straight out of the bizarro world! I decided to take the bet and cleaned his clock! But, I wasn't an a**hole about it. I congratulated him on his too few good shots, and commiserated with him properly on his misses. What surprised me most was that he actually paid up at the end of the round!

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3 hours ago, Gunther said:

I'm confused how you play presses.  If you're winning the game and the guy wants to press, that just means you lose your winnings if you lose from there, right?  Break even.  How would you lose the house if a guy pressed you?  Unless I've been doing it wrong?

Since I don't do it, I'm probably the one who's confused.  :hmm:

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Quote

The amount of the press bet is the same as the original match bet. For example, in a $2 Nassau, presses are for $2. This is basically a double-or-nothing proposition for the player in the lead. 

 

Joe Paradiso

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3 hours ago, Gunther said:

I'm confused how you play presses.  If you're winning the game and the guy wants to press, that just means you lose your winnings if you lose from there, right?  Break even.  How would you lose the house if a guy pressed you?  Unless I've been doing it wrong?

This is how its played. You cant press unless you are losing, and the person being pressed can either win double or break even. If you're up, you cant lose.

I agree with @Big C nobody taught me how to gamble on the golf course. Its all lessons I have paid for with lost bets. I have always been under the impression that you have to accept a press, no matter what. If you're up, you better damn sure step on their throat and keep winning if you want to keep your winnings. I've always felt it was bad form to turn down a press, because if I was ever having a bad day and wanted a shot to win my money back, I would expect the courtesy in return. You dont have to play for big money, but some skin in the game makes it interesting. I would say 70-80% of my rounds have something on the line (whether its GIR or Long Drive or Closest to the Pin)

Kyle Paulhus

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1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

The amount of the press bet is the same as the original match bet. For example, in a $2 Nassau, presses are for $2. This is basically a double-or-nothing proposition for the player in the lead. 

To make sure I understand...

I get the double or nothing.  My question, is it a new game for the remaining holes?

For example, say it's match play and at hole 15 I've locked it up.  My opponent wants to press.  So we are starting a new game for the last 3 holes, double or nothing.  Right?

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I used to know all the press stuff from when I was a caddie, and listened to the members go for the $$ in match-play Nassau format.

In most groups, you had your base Nassau: Say, $5 for front, $5 for back, and $5 for 18. Then, you had "auto presses" whenever someone was 2 down on any of the bets. So, if you were 2 down on your press, and lost two holes in a row, there would be a second auto-press on your first auto-press that ended up 2 down.

In some groups, presses are optional - the two-down pair can offer to press if desired, and the other pair can accept or reject. Handicap strokes are involved to even the team's chances.

If someone was having a bad day, it could get expensive.

The Golf Factory offers a Tutorial on Nassaus.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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18 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

To make sure I understand...

I get the double or nothing.  My question, is it a new game for the remaining holes?

For example, say it's match play and at hole 15 I've locked it up.  My opponent wants to press.  So we are starting a new game for the last 3 holes, double or nothing.  Right?

If you're tied at 15, there's no press, just play it out.  The press comes if you're 2 up on 17 and he can't win.  He presses.  If you win or tie the last hole, you win double, if he wins the hole, you push the bet.  

Thanks gents, thought I'd been doing it right but got a little off track there with @Fourputt's post.

;-)

Edited by Gunther

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51 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

To make sure I understand...

I get the double or nothing.  My question, is it a new game for the remaining holes?

For example, say it's match play and at hole 15 I've locked it up.  My opponent wants to press.  So we are starting a new game for the last 3 holes, double or nothing.  Right?

You are exactly right. A press bet means that your opponents have conceded the prior part of the match, and want a chance to get even in the holes remaining. If you are up, you can't lose! You either win double, or you owe nothing.

It's best to get this all ironed out beforehand, but that can get a little involved. In many places it is simply de rigeur that a 2 down press will be accepted, it's automatic! I've even heard of some instances where a player, or team, demanded "air presses". They can be 2 down, but want the right to see the opponent's tee ball in the air before they call for a press! I've never had that happen to me, and thank God! I might have had to brain the guy with my driver!

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yeah - never bought into this ... I just play golf for the pure challenge of it.    Guys that have to gamble or put something on the line most definitely annoy me.

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John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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12 hours ago, Gunther said:

I'm confused how you play presses.  If you're winning the game and the guy wants to press, that just means you lose your winnings if you lose from there, right?  Break even.  How would you lose the house if a guy pressed you?  Unless I've been doing it wrong?

http://golf.about.com/cs/chichirodriguez/a/chichi_nassau.htm

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"My ball is on top of a rock in the hazard, do I get some sort of relief?"

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My understanding is that if you don't wish to allow presses that has to be agreed to before the round starts otherwise pressing is permitted and expected.   Some will feel it's bad form to not accept a press if a no press rule wasn't stated in advance.

Our group doesn't allow presses but at my old club there was an automatic press after someone fell behind by 2, which can get expensive for the guy who's having a bad day.  It gets really expensive for sandbaggers.  

It's not too bad playing Nassau but if you're betting per hole it can get expensive, especially if you play games like Hammer where bets are placed on each hole and each player has the option of doubling the bet on every shot.  On a Par 5 it can get expensive if both sides Hammer each other after each shot.  

Joe Paradiso

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I enjoy playing for money with people that don't cheat and are honest. I prefer to keep it simple though and just bet a dollar a hole. I get a little bit of a thrill playing with people that are better than me, and should have no problem taking my money.

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Our weekend crew can range from 8 to 20 players and the handicaps range from 15 to scratch. We play $5 skins and $4 greenies game. We make it as fair as possible with age and hdcp tee adjustments. No one really gets hurt (unless they have an additional internal game of wolf or side bets - but that's their problem). Although most just enjoy the game for itself, a little wager does offer itself to more focus and better shot deliberations. For the lesser players, myself included, that one good shot can result in a nice return and just makes the day a little more productive. Want to test your metal, you have a 4 footer left for par on the green (you've hit the closet to the pin on the par 3, but you have to make par to win it and you already hit a lousy first putt and you know it's worth about $20), you'll find out fairly quickly just how good you deal with a little pressure. Now just imagine, that putt is for a big championship or to just make the cut to make it to the next stop. We all did this as kids growing up, but now there's actually something real on the line. I know it gets my juices flowing - well at least moving a little, at my age nothing really flows anymore and granted, it's not for everyone, but it does add a little spice to the game.

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On 6/27/2016 at 2:17 PM, Groucho Valentine said:

Well its sort of bad form to refuse a two down press, that could have been why he was getting so irritated.  But as somebody who has hustled from time to time, winning the presses is how i take people big time, so maybe he was trying to game you all.  

I understand folks who like to play for cash all the time. It keeps your head in the round a little more. For competitive people it gets the juices going.

 

I am competitive and betting does nothing for me.  I want to smash the the people I am playing with all the time no matter what.

You make it sound like competitive people HAVE to bet.

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1 minute ago, Strandly said:

I am competitive and betting does nothing for me.  I want to smash the the people I am playing with all the time no matter what.

You make it sound like competitive people HAVE to bet.

No, not always. But having that cheese on the line definitely gets the juices flowing. I find that gambling and ultra competitive people often go hand in hand in golf. 

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Note: This thread is 2821 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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