There is a lot of strategy in match play, and you can use this to your advantage if you know what to do, so here are a few tips for next time you play match play:
It is very easy to get caught up in your opponents golf game when you play match play.
If they are playing very well you can get dejected or if you are playing very well you can think ‘I have this in the bag’.
Neither are good for your game so try and keep track of the score without getting overly involved in his or her game.
Another way to do this is to concentrate on playing the course and not your opponent, thats the way you always play golf, thats what got you into the team, keep playing that way.
Keep your emotions hidden
If you are going well keep your excitement to yourself, your opponent will think you play this well all the time and start to feel
a bit dejected.
If you are not going so well, dont appear down about it, that way your opponent will think you are confident that your game will
turn around soon and she will feel a bit anxious about your continued confidence.
In a nutshell, stay even keel and it can be quite disconcerting for your opponent.
Never give up.
In match play things can turn around very quickly.
If you find yourself down by quite a few holes, don’t worry because your opponent might think they have the game won and relax
and all it takes is for you to win a couple of holes and they might start to worry and lose a few holes and next thing the whole
momentum of the game has changed.
On the other hand if you are up by a substantial amount never think the game is won until it actually is, don’t relax, or worse try and protect a lead, this is fatal, try and increase your lead.
This goes for your usual game of golf.
Sometimes we find ourselves doing really well, way outside our comfort zone,
How often do we start to get nervous and think, if I can just get 2 points on the last 3 holes I will break my handicap by
….and then we stuff it up.
Next time you find yourself doing much better than you normally do, instead of thinking…if I can just….in other words
if I can just protect my score….think…’if I can just improve on my score even more, keep playing the way you had up until that point, dont suddenly try and protect your score keep pushing for the three pointers, it works, give it a try,
Practise does not make perfect
Practise makes permanent !!
Good Golfing
Anne