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What are the keys to team play, pairings, match ups.

Tadashi70

Tadashi70

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With so many team events on tap for THP in 2014. I am wondering what makes a good team. What does a twosome need to be effective? What are the tangibles and intangibles needed to be successful?
 
Let me beat War Eagle to the punch and say handicaps :alien:
 
I dont believe there is a magic recipe.
Some say in two a day matchups that teams should remain the same. History says that is like a coin toss and works half the time.
I struggle with some people saying they have to play with a certain type of player.
Usually those are the ones that end up saying congrats to those holding up the trophies. A captain that is willing to sacrifice for the good of the team is the captain that holds the trophy in the end.

It will almost always come down to 1 or 2 good shots that need to be made. Regardless of who has to make them. The rest comes down to honesty about one's state of their game.
 
For me it's communication & honesty. Be honest about the current state of your game so you and your partner can maximize what each of you do well. Be able to call the other off a shot if it doesn't make sense from a course management perspective. I think if you can communicate well then that will set up well to play off each other.

As a team if the freedom there is to discuss shots openly without the other person feeling attacked is huge in my opinion. I've played in non THP events where you just couldn't talk to a certain person because they knew everything & your opinion didn't matter. One of the worse golf experiences of my life.
 
Sounds silly and simplistic, but just play good golf. You can put good friends on a team or you can put 2 really good players together on a team, but if both of those guys don't play well, the team will probably lose.
 
mikeg_74 said:
For me it's communication & honesty. Be honest about the current state of your game so you and your partner can maximize what each of you do well. Be able to call the other off a shot if it doesn't make sense from a course management perspective. I think if you can communicate well then that will set up well to play off each other.

As a team if the freedom there is to discuss shots openly without the other person feeling attacked is huge in my opinion. I've played in non THP events where you just couldn't talk to a certain person because they knew everything & your opinion didn't matter. One of the worse golf experiences of my life.
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This was something I felt like my teams did well at when in Lake Charles Invitational. Barberakb and I worked really well together in the Alternate Shot format. If we both hit great drives, I usually hit the approach because I was on with my irons that day, but he was putting better, so he would make the putts. We were both honest about what shots we had the most confidence in and we chose whose ball to play based on that. We had a really good time out there and played some damn good golf, too.
 
I like Ary's answer about just playing good golf. I also think confidence plays a big factor with a team. Knowing when to go for certain shots and what your partner does to cover you when it doesn't go right. Confidence when you play in a team is big.
 
I guess it depends on the format. My league partner might be a 12 on a good run and i'm in the 14-15 range but we've beat plenty of twosomes who play to single or low single digits. I think for certain formats it's all about the ability to cover up each other's mistakes or shortcomings. For instance, we go on ham & egg runs in our match play league that allow us to keep up with much more consistent golfers. No real science to how it happens, but a kind of rhythm is the best way I can explain it. In captain's choice, I'm consistently longer but he's straighter and has a better short game (generally), which allows us to play smart. He always tees off first, and as long as he's in the fairway I'm free to swing away. I always putt first to give him the best line possible. Things like that. Hope that makes sense. I've never played more than once in any other team format besides stroke play.
 
Miller Time said:
This was something I felt like my teams did well at when in Lake Charles Invitational. Barberakb and I worked really well together in the Alternate Shot format. If we both hit great drives, I usually hit the approach because I was on with my irons that day, but he was putting better, so he would make the putts. We were both honest about what shots we had the most confidence in and we chose whose ball to play based on that. We had a really good time out there and played some damn good golf, too.
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Jank & I played a tournament this past weekend and we were paired up for the Alt Shot 9. What helped us IMO was being able to understand what each of us are feeling & how we are playing. We won that 9 and closed out the match 3&2 playing some great golf.
 
I think depending on the format, it doesn't hurt to put like handicapped golfers together. And play good golf :thumb:
 
I know that assembling the teams for the first MC round was one of the first times I had deeply thought about this subject, and as soon as I convinced myself that one approach was best, I could talk myself 180 degrees in another direction. There were a list of things I considered at least in part (no particular order):

Venue and Yardage
Playing Format
Skill Level
Individual Strengths/Weaknesses
Skill Combinations of partners
Personalities and effect on partner
Experiences in similar scenarios

In an event like the Morgan Cup there is an additional element of straight-up (no handicaps) match play, so regardless of all the factors, the luck of the matchup draw trumps most of these.
 
I think having 2 players that have complimentary games if its an ALT shot format would be the key (Ex someone good off the tee and around the green complimented by someone with a good second shot game). when it comes to other types of pairings, I think you have to play good golf, but also be paired with someone who can either keep you focused and confidence high when you're on, or redirect your focus when you play a bad shot to not drop out of the round.
 
arydolphin said:
Sounds silly and simplistic, but just play good golf. You can put good friends on a team or you can put 2 really good players together on a team, but if both of those guys don't play well, the team will probably lose.
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Its funny you say this. As I was scrolling through the answers I thought "I want a partner who beats his handicap by about 5 strokes." Just like in all other sports, winning (playing well) solves a whole lot of stuff :)
 
I think it's finding a way to match strengths with weaknesses. For example, if I am paired with a really good putter I will have no problem at all putting first to give them a read. If I make it, bonus. But my job there is to make sure that my partner has when (s)he needs to make their putt if I miss.
 
I think format dictates part of it, ideally complimentary games to suit a format would be ideal.

but in the end its still all about hitting good golf shots like Ary said.
 
No magic.

Each golfer needs to play their own game and not worry about perfection. I've found, in partner type events, that the individual golfers tend to be harder on themselves for a given shot, than they would if they were playing in an individual event.

If 30' away from 100 yards is a good shot when you play as an individual, don't kick yourself for hitting it 30' away from a 100 yards, in a team event. 30' is a good shot for you. Take it. Pat yourself on the back. And, stay positive.
 
I think it is important to have two personalities that work well together. There is a lot to be said for someone that can truly lift another up after a bad shot or have someone know the other is going to pick them up and do all they can


Proud Member of #TeamParadise
 
adwillingham said:
I know that assembling the teams for the first MC round was one of the first times I had deeply thought about this subject, and as soon as I convinced myself that one approach was best, I could talk myself 180 degrees in another direction. There were a list of things I considered at least in part (no particular order):

Venue and Yardage
Playing Format
Skill Level
Individual Strengths/Weaknesses
Skill Combinations of partners
Personalities and effect on partner
Experiences in similar scenarios

In an event like the Morgan Cup there is an additional element of straight-up (no handicaps) match play, so regardless of all the factors, the luck of the matchup draw trumps most of these.
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The last idea he had was put the two nutts together. :)
 
I don't believe in so much different aspects of game play, but more the chemistry between the pairing, and how each player brings the best out of the other player.
 
I play team golf for my competition. Alternating shot actually.

There are a few things that I feel are important:
1. Play good golf
2. Be able to give loads of positive energy to your teammate
3. Handle your own and your mates bad shots. (It's not the end of the world ;))
4. Be courteous to the other team
5. Remember to have fun and celebrate good shots, also when it's your opponent!

Just my €0,02
 
adwillingham said:
Personalities and effects on partner...good and bad :act-up:
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#feelsorryforadam

back on topic. Not sure there is a special sauce for the garunteed win. Golf is such a hard sport anf has many many variables. All the way from the player, wind, hell just a bad bounce can throw off a great shot.

Fortunately I have never had to pick a team in golf, but i am taking notes incase the oppertunity ever rises.
 
Luck of the draw. Both golfers need to hit good shots at the right time. Ive played in scrambles where there were holes that 4 of us put the ball to 15ft on one hole and the next none of us hit the green. Gotta stay positive and hopefully carry your partner when he has a bad shot and he does the same.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
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