Root For or Against?

I want my opponent to hit good shots and we are going head to head making it a great match!
 
Skipped a bunch of pages in this thread, but agreed with most I've seen that I'm not actively rooting against anyone. I play in a league every week during the summer and I want to see everyone play their best golf to see who comes out on top. Feel the same way about any competitive format I've played in.
 
Predominanrly I try to not pay attention to opponents shots until after. Focus on what I have to do.
 
that's such a touchy thing. I'm all for very specific rules for gimmes in friendly THP competition.

I forget who it was but he had a whole putting routine that, I won't lie, was long and frustrating to me. I made him go through the whole routine for a two footer to tie a hole then conceded it before he could putt. then i felt bad, and the golf gods smote me. :LOL: lesson learned
It was the doing it out of frustration part that got you smote haha. I love match play for the reason that there is a lot of mental game to it and a little bit of gamesmanship is part of what makes it fun. There is a line though where it's too much or not in fun and a richard move.

As for the rooting part. I don't root for them to hit it OB or in a bunker. I might root for them internally to not drain a 15 ft birdie putt to beat me though. If they do though I'll tip my hat to them.
 
I don't root for them to hit it OB or in a bunker. I might root for them internally to not drain a 15 ft birdie putt to beat me though. If they do though I'll tip my hat to them.
I'm all in on tipping my hat If I lose-particularly if my opponent plays well. Good on him.

I don't see the difference however of internally rooting not to drain a 15 footer versus not rooting internally for a shot to go OB. A shot is a shot.
 
If it's at a THP experience then I'm 100% rooting for my opponent. Being in the experience is already a huge win.
 
I’m not rooting against my opponent, especially at a THP event you want everyone to play alright and have a good time. But I’m not really rooting for them either, I hope we are both hitting good shots just hoping that I’m playing a bit better than they are.
 
I'm all in on tipping my hat If I lose-particularly if my opponent plays well. Good on him.

I don't see the difference however of internally rooting not to drain a 15 footer versus not rooting internally for a shot to go OB. A shot is a shot.
I mean it’s a difference of par or a double. I don’t want them to play bad. We are all there to have fun and it’s more fun making pars than it is doubles or triples.
 
Bad shots happen to everyone. It happens in golf, no matter what.

Now to root for or against, I'll only root against @JohnSinVA to hit it into the water or bunker.
You should know not to put a wedge in my hand around the green. Or at least know enough to not stand somewhere near the target line 😈
 
I won't root for an opponent...not in my DNA. My purpose is to win the match, not lose it.
I will however, verbally acknowledge a good shot. No reason a good time can't be had and still play competitive golf.
 
Question for the group as it is something I have been thinking about. If you are playing match play in a THP Experience and are competing, are you rooting for or against your opponent, shot by shot?

Meaning as they tee off, do you hope they find bunkers, etc.

There is no right or wrong answer, but was genuinely curious as it came up recently.
I am never rooting for my opponent to play poorly in an event like that. Certainly not a THP event where at the end of the day we are all brothers.
Even in league I am don't want that. I want for us to all get birdy's and tie every hole but 1.
Playing well is much more fun and Who wants to watch someone struggle?

Now don't get me wrong I am super competitive and want to win but the person would have to be a complete Jackwagon, Then I might root for him to hit it into the water.

Life is way too short!
 
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You should know not to put a wedge in my hand around the green. Or at least know enough to not stand somewhere near the target line 😈
You are bound to hit me when I"m not looking one of these days :eek:
 
Question for the group as it is something I have been thinking about. If you are playing match play in a THP Experience and are competing, are you rooting for or against your opponent, shot by shot?

Meaning as they tee off, do you hope they find bunkers, etc.

There is no right or wrong answer, but was genuinely curious as it came up recently.
I’m rooting for myself to win. Hope they play well so I can beat them straight up. But always want to win
 
Rooting for everyone to play good golf for sure, especially at a THP event, we’re all there to have fun and vibes are always better when everyone’s hitting good shots!
 
In my very first THP Event, while I was still learning the vibe, I got excited when an opponent made a mistake. My playing partner @sposey013168 very quickly told me to stuff it and "that's not how we do things round here".

Winning is nice, but nobody wants to win a hole with your opponent in pocket or visibly searching for something.
 
Never root against. Except @e1iterate always hope he loses a ball 😀.

Seriously though no, I hope everyone does well and has the best time they can.
One less person on my guest list 🤣
 
Personally if I’m playing against someone in a match I’d like to beat them when they are playing well. It’s more fun that way win or lose versus a situation where someone is clearly just way off.
 
i don’t root for anything negative and want everyone to play well. But I sure want to play better.
 
I'm always rooting for them to play well. In general and hoping a shot clears the water or similar. I joked about it at the Morgan Cup with @Bernoulli because I'd hear something celebratory come out of my mouth for one of them and then be like "I mean damnit! 😆" . It just feels wrong as a fellow player to hope things don't go well for someone out there.
 
I wouldn't say I'm rooting for them, but I am definitely not rooting against them. I'm probably neutral. I would genuinely rather beat someone when they are playing good and not beating themselves, just like I don't want to beat myself to lose. Maybe it's my lack of a "killer instinct" but for most opponents, I think it's more satisfying to beat a par with a birdie on 18 than to beat them by a wide margin (always exceptions though, like if they are being an ass or something haha).
 
I am not thinking about my opponent’s shot. I assume they will hit a good shot. My focus is on what I need to do. If they hit a stinker, I am grateful for the gift. If they hit a good shot, that is what I expected and now I have to perform.
 
I don’t root against an opponent, I want a fair match and hoping I hit a few better shots and come out on top. If not, the better player won that day.
 
I would say I am in the neutral category. I definitely don’t root against them but I am not rooting for them to hit awesome shots. It seems like I am fence sitting but I really don’t root actively either way for my opponent. I think it is bad karma to root against them.
 
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