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Tips for playing a match against a much better player

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tmoore

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My employer has a spring golf league that plays a 9-hole match each Wednesday afternoon on a local course. It is supposed to be a "for fun" only get together but most of us want to do well. Anyway, I am pitted against my boss in a couple of days (4/21) and he is much better than I am. He is a 10 hdcp and I am a 17 though currently playing a little worse.

Does anyone have any tips on keeping myself together and focused while playing a better golfer who is also the boss? We have a good relationship but he is in intimidation mode right now and I don't want to suck too badly. It is mostly for bragging rights but any confidence builders you can throw my way would be appreciated.

I'll let you know how I do. Thanks in advance.

Tim
 
Keep in mind that its for fun :) if you do badly on a shot, deep breath and try again on the next shot :) Good luck, have fun and let us know how it goes!
 
You may think I'm crazy, but I say downplay it. He says something about how you're gonna lose, just say "Yeah, probably." and act towards him like it doesn't mean much. Now, once the round starts, that's a whole 'nother story!

And who knows, you could go out there and have the round of your life. Everyone has an insane round of golf in them.
 
If you have a choice of tees, choose the shorter ones. A lower handicapper will always get an advantage playing a longer course.

Check the scorecard. Since it is a 9 hole match, if you have a choice of front or back, see where you get the most strokes and choose that one.

Mark the scorecard before you start and see which holes you have strokes on. Play those as your personal par. If you get a stroke and he doesn't, you have a distinct advantage. As a 10, he only pars about half the holes, so if you can bogey those where you get strokes, you have 50/50 chance of taking that hole.

Is it match or medal play? Adjust your strategy accordingly. The whole handicap system is built to level the field, use it to your advantage.
 
C-Tech said:
If you have a choice of tees, choose the shorter ones. A lower handicapper will always get an advantage playing a longer course.

Check the scorecard. Since it is a 9 hole match, if you have a choice of front or back, see where you get the most strokes and choose that one.

Mark the scorecard before you start and see which holes you have strokes on. Play those as your personal par. If you get a stroke and he doesn't, you have a distinct advantage. As a 10, he only pars about half the holes, so if you can bogey those where you get strokes, you have 50/50 chance of taking that hole.

Is it match or medal play? Adjust your strategy accordingly. The whole handicap system is built to level the field, use it to your advantage.
Click to expand...


haa haa, I have no idea what this means!!
 
I presume its not a matchplay format but one thing I suggest is that if your boss is a big hitter dont try to compete with him off the tee. Play your own game dont club yourself off his club choices. If it turns to matchplay concede a few short putts early on and the dont give the one thats expected to be given and make him putt out.
 
my best bet, is to play for your pars, and if you get it right, your shots should give you that great advantage over him on a few holes.
 
Actually a 17 against a 10 is favorable to you in handicapped play. Just remember that over 9 holes he is only 3-4 strokes better than you, and that he has to have more good holes than you to shoot your handicaps!
 
If you're getting shots from him, then that should even things out and you shouldn't have anything to worry about just because his handicap is less than yours. Get your shots and try beat him. If you're not getting shots, then I would look at it this way. His handicap is lower than yours, so he "should" win. That means that the pressure is on him to win. If you lose, well, you were supposed to lose anyway, so no big deal, but if you win, how about that for bragging rights. You have nothing to lose, but a lot to gain. He has little to gain and a lot to lose. Of course, that's mainly true even if you're getting shots. If you start beating him with the shots, he'll start to resent giving them to you and start giving himself excuses for losing in his head, which is the first step towards actually losing.

Good luck
 
Ty_Webb hit it with "The pressure is ALL on him". A couple things to keep in mind: Slow your game way down. I'm talking WAAAAY down. Not only will you feel more consistant and groved, he will be out of groove because better players generally play faster. Slow your backswing and power through the drive, may not be as long but you"ll find short grass and center, lastly on putts keep your elbo's close in and shorten the back swing. Off line will be closer than normal.

Good Luck!
 
"What you've got to do is cut the hamstring on the back of his leg right at the bottom. He'll never play golf again, because his weight displacement goes back, all his weight is on his right foot, and he'll push everything off to the right. He'll never come through on anything. He'll quit the game." -Carl Spackler
 
Forget about how well your boss is playing and just play your game and have fun. If your boss is that much better than you, no one can expect you to compete with him.
 
Thanks to everyone for their replies! I had to leave soon after posting this and I am happy to come back in and see the replies. I think I will try to just relax and keep it in the short stuff. The Carl Spackler quote above is good and in the same realm as what my good friend told me today when I told her who I was playing, she said: "you want me to go break his knees?" Keep in mind that my opponent is her boss too. What she said made my day. I'll let you know what happens after Wednesday.
 
Grogger31 said:
"What you've got to do is cut the hamstring on the back of his leg right at the bottom. He'll never play golf again, because his weight displacement goes back, all his weight is on his right foot, and he'll push everything off to the right. He'll never come through on anything. He'll quit the game." -Carl Spackler
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That's a great idea, and I'll call you if I need that. Now -- if you would -- can I play through here? ...
 
My advice is listen to C-Tech. He laid it out for you. A 17 against a 10 can be tough for the 10. You make three pars and he's going to need to play well to beat you. More often than not you're getting s stroke on the par fives. Play them smart and make two pars and you're on your way.

Kevin
 
I'm a new golfer and not all that good yet so I often get paired with people who are bigger hitters and better all around golfers than I am. As others have said just relax, play your game and enjoy your round...don't let him get in your head, he's supposed to beat you so all the pressure is on him.
 
I play matches against a buddy who's a +2, so I know what its like it play someone much better (although, not my boss).

I find the best strategy is to aim for the center. Hit the middle of the fairway, aim for the center of the green, take enough club. Sounds simple, right? Most people don't do it.

Let him pin hunt, you just go the simple route and beat him on his mistakes. Just my 2 cents.
 
i agree with whats been said about the pressure being on the lower handicap. he is expected to beat you so just take it easy, play the safe shots and dont be drawn into pin hunting.
i remember i beat the club secretary in my first season of match play, i had a 21 handicap, and he was playing off 12. i had him beat by the 13th hole. i seemed to get rule 19'd a lot after that..:D
 
Well, I am back and ready to spill the beans on what happened in my match yesterday. It did not turn out very well for me. Over the last two weeks I had started to develop some driver-swing issues. Yesterday they were magnified and I could never get a good feel for my driver swing. My irons were fine for the most part but I was in the woods quite a bit off the tee. While I won't let it be a major excuse, it rained very hard and was sideways at times. Why the golf course decided the matches should still be played is a mystery for another time.

This was a 9-hole match and I lost 6 - 3. Not a terrible showing but I wanted much more. I do take some positives though. My irons had excellent trajectory and my putting was better than normal. I will play him again in about 5 weeks and I will certainly be practicing and playing leading up to that. Thanks to everyone that posted on my topic.
 
tmoore said:
Well, I am back and ready to spill the beans on what happened in my match yesterday. It did not turn out very well for me. Over the last two weeks I had started to develop some driver-swing issues. Yesterday they were magnified and I could never get a good feel for my driver swing. My irons were fine for the most part but I was in the woods quite a bit off the tee. While I won't let it be a major excuse, it rained very hard and was sideways at times. Why the golf course decided the matches should still be played is a mystery for another time.

This was a 9-hole match and I lost 6 - 3. Not a terrible showing but I wanted much more. I do take some positives though. My irons had excellent trajectory and my putting was better than normal. I will play him again in about 5 weeks and I will certainly be practicing and playing leading up to that. Thanks to everyone that posted on my topic.
Click to expand...

Well, if you had to lose, you could pick a worse opponent to lose to than your boss.

Better luck next time.

Kevin
 
thedue said:
Ty_Webb hit it with "The pressure is ALL on him". A couple things to keep in mind: Slow your game way down. I'm talking WAAAAY down. Not only will you feel more consistant and groved, he will be out of groove because better players generally play faster. Slow your backswing and power through the drive, may not be as long but you"ll find short grass and center, lastly on putts keep your elbo's close in and shorten the back swing. Off line will be closer than normal.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...

DooDue -- I like that tip about keeping the elbows by your side on putting! It makes sense that it would keep your direction more online. Don't tell Calloway :eek:)....
 
C-Tech said:
If you have a choice of tees, choose the shorter ones. A lower handicapper will always get an advantage playing a longer course.

Check the scorecard. Since it is a 9 hole match, if you have a choice of front or back, see where you get the most strokes and choose that one.

Mark the scorecard before you start and see which holes you have strokes on. Play those as your personal par. If you get a stroke and he doesn't, you have a distinct advantage. As a 10, he only pars about half the holes, so if you can bogey those where you get strokes, you have 50/50 chance of taking that hole.

Is it match or medal play? Adjust your strategy accordingly. The whole handicap system is built to level the field, use it to your advantage.
Click to expand...
Wow great advice
 
Just relax and play your game. Play to par not your boss

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
 
(1) Relax and smiles. (2) Aim straight to your target, dont swing too hard, just normal swing. (3) Be serious on putting green. (4) If mulligans involved, take it !
 
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