Match Play Strategy

[jsgolfer]

So in our A-Team match today, we ended up losing our match in a playoff, but had a chance to win the match if our last group made a par on their last hole.  Both of our players were on the green in 2, one 35 feet and the other 25 feet on the same line.  The other team players were both off the green and after they got on the green, one had a 4 footer for bogey below the hole and the other had a a 6 footer for par above the hole, which for the guys who’ve played Springfield know, a putt above the hole is not easy.

Our first player leaves his putt 5 feet short and marks it, but the other player, tells him to try make it.  So of course he misses it and then the player with the 25 foot putt knocks it 4 feet past the hole.  

So their player who has the par putt knocks it three feet past the hole and misses to make 6, the other guy makes his bogey putt, and our guy misses his par putt.  We tie and lose in the playoff.

So of course after we watch this unfold, the discussion was; when do you have someone try and make their putt versus having two chances for the par and the win.  Consensus in this instance was that the first guy should not have tried to putt out.  

So in my mind, if you have a marketable putt, you have the ther person go when you know that you can two putt, but in this instance the make possibility from 25 feet is almost zero, so there is little advantage to having your partner go because if they miss then you have to two putt.  And then you may not take your normal stroke.

So what say the TSt’ers, would you have had your partner putt out in this instance of tell him to leave it?

 

[iacas]

You only have the guy try to "make" the par putt if you need a birdie to win. Some people will feel more free to make a stroke knowing that you've already at least tied.

I agree that with two putts at birdie and then par, that was the way to go.

Generally speaking, I don't like trying to do some weird sort of "match play strategy." Only when one team is WAY out of it - like both have hit a ball OB and not played their next balls very well, either, or when one team is a foot away for birdie or something - do you alter strategy from the normal. Most people just aren't used to match play, so just play it like stroke play, most often.

[Shorty]

The problem with your scenario is that in attempting to ease pressure, you create it. You essentially think that one of you only has to 2 putt for a likely win. Instead, the second guy thinks he has to hit his first putt really close because his partner hit a poor first putt. That's when the mental side of match play steps in. It's not about strategy, it's about playing normal golf and recognising the importance of one of two players getting their first putt close (especially with the same line) and avoiding both guys three putting. The second guy should have had a better feel for the speed.

[DeadMan]

I agree with @Shorty. You're just creating pressure, on both players. I also think I would rather have 2 shots at making a putt from 3-5 feet over a must 2-putt from 25 feet.