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Do you prepare differently if you know your opponent?

Tadashi70

Tadashi70

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No that the pairings have been released for the #thpkickoffclassic I see mind sets may have changed. People start working now that they know who they will face. It made me wonder if knowing your opponent makes you plan differently? Do you prepare differently?

How does knowing who you will face affect your prep?
 
Nope. My game is my game and nothing will change that.
 
#Cookie said:
Nope. My game is my game and nothing will change that.
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This, it doesn't matter who I am playing, my game is my game and no point trying to change it because of who I am playing
 
Nope, I only have to remember to not get amped up watching you and John hit those bombs and swing my swing. It will be fun watching you 2 go at it, and seeing the magic of 441 with the XXIO.
 
I want to say no but at least locally my mindset changes when playing vs certain people just based on things they might do that annoy me. Game wise I just try to shoot the best I can.
 
Nope.....I play the course for the most part, other than a few strategic moves in match play....just put up the best score I can and try not to worry about what my opponent is doing.
 
Not likely. My game is my game - I know playing a guy like Ron, ( lightening Bolt ) etc, I'm not going to be close to them off the tee. I know my strengths are mid - short irons and short game - that's where I need to make hay.
 
Tadashi70 said:
No that the pairings have been released for the #thpkickoffclassic I see mind sets may have changed. People start working now that they know who they will face. It made me wonder if knowing your opponent makes you plan differently? Do you prepare differently?

How does knowing who you will face affect your prep?
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Effect my prep? No. Effect how I may play certain shots or holes? Maybe. If I know who I am playing and know their strength's/weaknesses, I may pick different times to be aggressive or conservative.
 
Not really with regard to the physical preparation, though maybe a little around the edges if I think a particular skill will be helpful. On the other hand, knowing the opponent can help with mental preparation. As an example, when I played in recent match play events I went into them expecting certain things when I played especially low and especially high handicappers. That allowed me to be mentally prepare to deal with certain situations.
 
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Honesty, I try NOT to prepare any differently. But, I will admit that, at my old club where I knew everyone so well, if I was matched against someone I felt was a jerk, I would often work even harder in preparation. Back to the reason I said I try NOT to, I've found that, on the course, wanting to beat someone really bad usually affects my game negatively. I try too hard, try to hit the "perfect" shot, etc., rather than just playing my game. In an even match, or a handicapped event, I can be tough to beat if I play my game, or, at least, I used to be.
 
I do not. My goal is always to play my game. If I go in confident that I can execute in my own style, I usually end up playing my best golf.
 
I have been out of match play for a while but in the club championship I would see guys that I really didn't want to play early on and though my prep didn't change, state of mind definitely did. Some players who had relatively high HP would play lights out against me and in 9 hole play it was a tough win. 18 holes almost always ended as it should.
I really hope this new season I get in as many tourneys as I can. I miss having to really grind.

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I want to say no but in all honesty the answer is yes. If I know I am playing a player a good amount better than me I will take a few less chances and try to play safe and smart and use my pops to my advantage. If its more of an even match I will take a few more chances knowing I have a better chance to gain points back should something go amiss.
 
It affects how I approach each hole if I know their game. If they're short hitters I'll hit more 4 woods off the tee if their short game sucks. If they're bombers, then I'll hit more driver. After that my strategy changes as the hole unfolds. Regardless, if I get up early I try to step on their neck instead of coasting.
 
Prep before the event not at all.

The way I play the round yes and I shouldn't but I will take chances that I shouldn't and sometimes that leaves me scrambling too much and things can get away from me in a hurry.


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You mean like going Tonya Harding on them :D

But no, the opponent doesn't change the prep for me. My game is going to be my game for better or worst regsdless of what the other guy is doing.

Now, my anxiety level before and during might go up, if I'm up against somone like yourself (Tadashi) or another scratch/low digit guy vs someone my own level. So, that is something I need to learn to deal with, even though outwardly I'm not changing anything.
 
No...every round I play is simply me vs the course and conditions for the day, my "opponent(s)" is/are there purely for a social benefit to my round.
 
I would prepare the same regardless. Many times in our weekly league I find out who we're playing on the tee box. Even though pairings are done in advance, I usually just write down the times and show up ready to play.
 
Absolutely not. The only thing that I can do to get ready for a round is to prepare my game. That is the only thing within my control.
 
Nope I will focus on me and work on my own game, maybe work on my trash talk but thats it
 
No. I have to play my game regardless of who the opponent is and trust that will serve me well.
 
I play different people differently, mostly regarding "smack talk", but usually I just go about my golf game and do not really care who I am playing.
 
Nope I cannot control what my opponent does it can only control what I can do. I would still prepare the same as I normally would
 
cbaker2882 said:
Effect my prep? No. Effect how I may play certain shots or holes? Maybe. If I know who I am playing and know their strength's/weaknesses, I may pick different times to be aggressive or conservative.
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How does knowing who you are playing dictate when your aggressive or not?
 
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