Match Play Opponent "Too Nice" - Gamesmanship?

[Aflighter]

On 7/24/2018 at 3:51 PM, iacas said:

That's just another form of taking yourself out of your own game, and letting someone else change your behavior.

Figure out what you want, and then enforce that sort of state on the match. Answer him with brief answers, tell him to let you alone, ignore him… whatever.

I take this approach a bit myself.

If an opponent is behaving unusually, I figure he feels he needs this trickery to beat me, so I've already got a leg up on him.

That's what I'm thinking.He was talking because he was scared of you.If he was better then he wouldn't talk like that.He was clearly trying to apply pressure with the birdie talk.Just pay him no mind and smile then beat him.

[graham57]

Rather than having to deal with gamesmanship or overly talkative types, I have had to learn to keep myself in check when playing competitive golf. I have a tendency to try to cheer my opponent or flight partner up after a bad shot, but eventually became sensitive to whether this was being received positively or whether it was better just to keep quiet. Now, I tend to limit any comments or chatter to a minimum or to times when we have to wait for the group in front to move on.

[Matty89]

I'd drop it, makes you sound like a bad loser.

Learn about mental toughness and psychology to toughen up in situations. Someone saying 'bad break' as you claim to could be construed as 'unsportsmanlike' for almost rubbing it in.

Someone shouldn't be able to knock your focus so easy, and if they try and play you at these games learn how to bite back effictively usually best by not letting it affect you or alter your play.

[rehmwa]

Frankly, in golfing, I've seen no exception to the following:  being irritated at someone being nice, is pretty much just someone that's already frustrated with themselves but they can't own it so they find an excuse to try and blame anyone but themselves for their performance.

(again, it's all about the player.  whether the other guy is 'gaming' or 'manipulating' or sincere, it just doesn't matter.  we own our own attitude and CHOOSING to allow someone else's behavior to affect us is just that - a choice)

[windlaker]

Nothing really to do with "Gamesmanship", more about getting in my own head.

This week in our league, I was matched up against my instructor.  Thought about it all day long, leading up to the match. 

1st hole, slice on into a pond.  2nd hole, tried to lay up on a hole with a creek out at 235 yards.  Hit my H3 right into the creek.  Farthest I've EVER hit that club...normally good for 210-220. I ALWAYS hit that club on that hole, and NEVER hit the creek.  Goes on from there. 

Totally psyched myself out. 

[mcanadiens]

7 minutes ago, windlaker said:

Totally psyched myself out. 

The more you want it, the worse it gets.

Those amped up shots are really fun. Hit my first-ever 150 yard 9I in my club championship last week.