Etiquette Vs Gamesmanship

Redzah

Hi all,

Just want to hear your views on the following scenarios which occurred in my garden county match yesterday;

a. On the 15th, my opponents hit the ball what looked like O.B. and replayed and I hit it to 10 feet. They subsequently found their ball and hit a great shot from heavy rough to 15 feet and holed the put for par. My playing partner knocked the birdie putt 1-1.5 feet passed the hole but it was def a gimme and had been all day for both them and me. Anyway they made me putt it and i knocked it in. Was this bad etiquette on their part as u would think they would be happy with the half?

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet. As we were 1 up and i was confident i'd get the putt I asked the opponents if they wanted to pick up and move on being 99% confident that they would decline as they were 1 down. They looked at me and said nothing, so i said i'd take their silence as a no.

The reason i asked this is because;
1. Their was a 1% chance that they would accept and that would mean less holes for them
2. I was very confident of holing and i knew I was to putt first. Therefore, if i knock it in all of sudden my opponent is thinking 'should've just excepted as he's been knocking them in all day'. Basically, it puts other thoughts in his head.

Was this bad etiquette or gamesmanship on my behalf?


c. On 17, I hit an awful lag putt from 30 feet and came back down the slope. My partner then hit it 5 feet past. My opponent hit it to 1 foot (prob shorter than the one they made me hole on 15). I looked at it and said nothing and knocked in my 5 footer. My opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer to win the hole and it rolled all the way down the slope to 25 feet away and they missed the one back to lose the match.

Was it bad etiquette that i made him putt this in the first place? I justified it based on the 15th but further justified it when he missed the putt.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and any other bad etiquette vs gamesmanship events that have occurred in competitive matchplay matches u've been involved in?

Mr. Larson

Redzah wrote: »

Hi all,

Just want to hear your views on the following scenarios which occurred in my garden county match yesterday;

a. On the 15th, my opponents hit the ball what looked like O.B. and replayed and I hit it to 10 feet. They subsequently found their ball and hit a great shot from heavy rough to 15 feet and holed the put for par. My playing partner knocked the birdie putt 1-1.5 feet passed the hole but it was def a gimme and had been all day for both them and me. Anyway they made me putt it and i knocked it in. Was this bad etiquette on their part as u would think they would be happy with the half?

Not necessarily. Nobody owes you anything and you can't blame them for wanting to win the hole and capitalise on their fortune. Personally I would have given it to you but if I was on the recieving end of it I would have just popped it in and returned the favour perhaps on the next opportunity (like you did).

Redzah wrote: »

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet. As we were 1 up and i was confident i'd get the putt I asked the opponents if they wanted to pick up and move on being 99% confident that they would decline as they were 1 down. They looked at me and said nothing, so i said i'd take their silence as a no.

The reason i asked this is because;
1. Their was a 1% chance that they would accept and that would mean less holes for them
2. I was very confident of holing and i knew I was to putt first. Therefore, if i knock it in all of sudden my opponent is thinking 'should've just excepted as he's been knocking them in all day'. Basically, it puts other thoughts in his head.

Was this bad etiquette or gamesmanship on my behalf?

Not really either - you made an offer which you are entitled to do, a calculated risk - it was their choice so they didn't have to do anything they weren't comfortable with. It probably threw them off a bit as they tried to figure out what the best option was.

Redzah wrote: »

c. On 17, I hit an awful lag putt from 30 feet and came back down the slope. My partner then hit it 5 feet past. My opponent hit it to 1 foot (prob shorter than the one they made me hole on 15). I looked at it and said nothing and knocked in my 5 footer. My opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer to win the hole and it rolled all the way down the slope to 25 feet away and they missed the one back to lose the match.

Was it bad etiquette that i made him putt this in the first place? I justified it based on the 15th but further justified it when he missed the putt.

No you were vindicated by the fact that they missed the putt. I didn't see anything wrong in any of that.

Redzah

Jabberwocky wrote: »

Not necessarily. Nobody owes you anything and you can't blame them for wanting to win the hole and capitalise on their fortune. Personally I would have given it to you but if I was on the recieving end of it I would have just popped it in and returned the favour perhaps on the next opportunity (like you did).



Not really either - you made an offer which you are entitled to do, a calculated risk - it was their choice so they didn't have to do anything they weren't comfortable with. It probably threw them off a bit as they tried to figure out what the best option was.



No you were vindicated by the fact that they missed the putt. I didn't see anything wrong in any of that.

Cheers Jabberwockey. By the way we both missed on 16 :eek: from 6 feet so the calculated risk nearly backfired but it is a tactic i often use as I am confident from this range and all my gesture does is heap pressure on my opponent if i knock it in.

FixdePitchmark

Redzah wrote: »

Hi all,

Just want to hear your views on the following scenarios which occurred in my garden county match yesterday;

a. On the 15th, my opponents hit the ball what looked like O.B. and replayed and I hit it to 10 feet. They subsequently found their ball and hit a great shot from heavy rough to 15 feet and holed the put for par. My playing partner knocked the birdie putt 1-1.5 feet passed the hole but it was def a gimme and had been all day for both them and me. Anyway they made me putt it and i knocked it in. Was this bad etiquette on their part as u would think they would be happy with the half?

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet. As we were 1 up and i was confident i'd get the putt I asked the opponents if they wanted to pick up and move on being 99% confident that they would decline as they were 1 down. They looked at me and said nothing, so i said i'd take their silence as a no.

The reason i asked this is because;
1. Their was a 1% chance that they would accept and that would mean less holes for them
2. I was very confident of holing and i knew I was to putt first. Therefore, if i knock it in all of sudden my opponent is thinking 'should've just excepted as he's been knocking them in all day'. Basically, it puts other thoughts in his head.

Was this bad etiquette or gamesmanship on my behalf?


c. On 17, I hit an awful lag putt from 30 feet and came back down the slope. My partner then hit it 5 feet past. My opponent hit it to 1 foot (prob shorter than the one they made me hole on 15). I looked at it and said nothing and knocked in my 5 footer. My opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer to win the hole and it rolled all the way down the slope to 25 feet away and they missed the one back to lose the match.

Was it bad etiquette that i made him putt this in the first place? I justified it based on the 15th but further justified it when he missed the putt.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and any other bad etiquette vs gamesmanship events that have occurred in competitive matchplay matches u've been involved in?

Redzah.

Ye all sound very friendly down in wicklaaaa. Move to Dublin .

How were the flowers ?

a) They were wrong.

b) You were winding them up, to get them back.

It all results in the Sally Gap becoming becoming the North Side of Everest.

Jul3s

a. You were foolish expecting to be given a gimme.

b. To an experienced player you'll sound naive at best or just plain stupid depending on his percieved level of your golfing experience.

c. You don't have to give gimmes, especially at such a crucial stage of the match.

From the rules book section on etiquette

The Spirit of the Game

Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

Consideration for Other Players

No Disturbance or Distraction
Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making unnecessary noise.

Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.

On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.

Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.
On the Putting Green
On the putting green, players should not stand on another player’s line of putt or, when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.

Mr. Larson

Redzah wrote: »

Cheers Jabberwockey. By the way we both missed on 16 :eek: from 6 feet so the calculated risk nearly backfired but it is a tactic i often use as I am confident from this range and all my gesture does is heap pressure on my opponent if i knock it in.

I would argue that if you're going to pop it in it's going to put pressure on them regardless. If you fancy the putt, why give them an out? They could easily accept because they are not confident from that distance or there is more break in theirs. Why bother would be my question, just knock it in and watch them brick it.

brick tamland

A one foot putt rolling 25 feet past.

Yikes

Webbs

For me once you get into the last few holes there arent really any gimmes (apart from a 6inch or less tap in) unless its to my benefit - can make a 6+footer easier to go for if not thinking about the opposition. So for points 1 and 3 have no issue with either competitor.
Your second point is sailing a bit close to the gamesmanship wind.

PhilipMarlowe

a. @ 1 down playing 15, it's a case of gimmies me arse because the clock is ticking down and they had every right to ask you to putt, just as you should have expected to be asked IMO.

b. Offering good-good on a pair of 6 footers is gamesmanship IMO because being 1 up, your side only needed a half. If you were that confident in making it then keep schtum, make it and put the squeeze on the match.

c. No issues with you ask them to putt at the business end of the match. If they were that rattled by being asked that they missed, then maybe they learned something about matchplay.

Redzah

Jul3s wrote: »

a. You were foolish expecting to be given a gimme.

b. To an experienced player you'll sound naive at best or just plain stupid depending on his percieved level of your golfing experience.

c. You don't have to give gimmes, especially at such a crucial stage of the match.

From the rules book section on etiquette

The Spirit of the Game

Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

Consideration for Other Players

No Disturbance or Distraction
Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making unnecessary noise.

Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.

On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.

Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.
On the Putting Green
On the putting green, players should not stand on another player’s line of putt or, when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.

Don't think i was foolish expecting it and it was easy to knock in the short putt on 15, i suppose all it did was give me a sense of their desperation.

Jul3s I have enough experience to be confident asking if they wanted to call the putts. I adopted this strategy against arklow on the 3rd green from about 7 feet after we had a long arguement on the 2nd hole about where to drop the ball that went into the hazard. So i asked my opponent who was their local hero, a scratch golfer in his 50's if he wanted to calm things down after the last and call the putts knowing well he'd decline. He declined as expected and i knocked mine in. He missed his and I told him he was unlucky :pac: and I went onto the next happy as larry.

dnjoyce

Sounds like a great way to build up a bad reputation around your local clubs tbh.

Redzah

Jabberwocky wrote: »

I would argue that if you're going to pop it in it's going to put pressure on them regardless. If you fancy the putt, why give them an out? They could easily accept because they are not confident from that distance or there is more break in theirs. Why bother would be my question, just knock it in and watch them brick it.

Ya fair enough Jabber, I just think it adds a layer of complexity to their thoughts when standing over their 6 footer having been asked this and the putts were both straighforward enough, mine was just outside the right and his was inside left. I'll take it that you are saying that it was not unethical what i did by asking for this but in your opinion i should just get on with it and hole the putt.

Redzah

brick tamland wrote: »

A one foot put rolling 25 feet past.

Yikes

Ya i know it was crazy. He pushed the putt but on any other green it was only 1-2 feet max past but the 17th green on druids heath is mental at times and it was unfortunate (for him) what happened

Holy Diver

The more you've said about the 6 ft putts the more it sounds like gamesmanship to me.

Redzah

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Redzah.

Ye all sound very friendly down in wicklaaaa. Move to Dublin .

How were the flowers ?

a) They were wrong.

b) You were winding them up, to get them back.

It all results in the Sally Gap becoming becoming the North Side of Everest.

I'm living in Dublin Pitchmark, just prefer to play my golf away from you lot

Redzah

Holy Diver wrote: »

The more you've said about the 6 ft putts the more it sounds like gamesmanship to me.

Yes it was definately gamesmanship but should this act of gamesmanship by me be frowned upon (i.e. does this gamesmanship result in it being ethically wrong) or is it all part of the match?

Redzah

dnjoyce wrote: »

Sounds like a great way to build up a bad reputation around your local clubs tbh.

Which part would result in a bad reputation? I'm asking the question as when i was thinking back about this I was wondering was i crossing a line or was it all part of the match and above board?

Russman

I think there's too much thinking going on in that match to be honest .

The point about the 6 footers is that its very close to gamesmanship IMO, personally I don't mind losing too much to someone (apart from the usual disappointment) but I hate to lose and also think "...and he's a bo11ix too"
There's no need for it, especially if you essentially have the guy beaten already.
Its just golf, not life and death.

Redzah

Russman wrote: »

I think there's too much thinking going on in that match to be honest .

The point about the 6 footers is that its very close to gamesmanship IMO, personally I don't mind losing too much to someone (apart from the usual disappointment) but I hate to lose and also think "...and he's a bo11ix too"
There's no need for it, especially if you essentially have the guy beaten already.
Its just golf, not life and death.

Cheers russman, i take your point on this. However, in an interclub competition I always adopt and attitude of winning is the most important thing and the niceties are for afterwards. Based on the feedback i've received it seems that asking somebody to hole out is ok no matter what the distance but my mental feckacting around calling 6 foot putts etc. needs to stop.

Russman

Oh absolutely, in inter-club its all about winning, but not at ANY cost, there's a line (somewhere ) not to be crossed IMO. To be fair I don't think you did cross it in this case, just got fairly close to it.

I saw a case 2 years ago in a metro match where a guy claimed a hole (wrongly as it turned out) from a junior who didn't know any better. Long story short, the guy won his match by 1 hole, his team went through and his team mates were disgusted with him. His club formally apologised after the event. I know you didn't do anything like this at all but you'd hate to inadvertantly cross the line in the heat of battle.

Best to leave "mind games" at home, in reality there's no such thing, beat them with your golf

Osgoodisgood

Redzah wrote: »

However, in an interclub competition I always adopt and attitude of winning is the most important thing and the niceties are for afterwards.

I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?

It's golf. Knock in the 6 footer. Move on.

slave1

Redzah wrote: »

Just want to hear your views on the following scenarios which occurred in my garden county match yesterday

a. On the 15th....gamesmanship, not bad etiquette, this would not have put me off

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet....I'd never expect to split a 6' putt, you don't want this doubt in your head standing over a putt

c. On 17, my opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer ... good matchplay on your behalf, at the end of the day it is a competion and your gut instinct was correct in my opinion

ShriekingSheet

slave1 wrote: »

a. On the 15th....gamesmanship, not bad etiquette, this would not have put me off

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet....I'd never expect to split a 6' putt, you don't want this doubt in your head standing over a putt

c. On 17, my opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer ... good matchplay on your behalf, at the end of the day it is a competion and your gut instinct was correct in my opinion

Eh, how can you have a different answer for A and C? In both cases a short putt wasn't given.

Redzah

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Eh, how can you have a different answer for A and C? In both cases a short putt wasn't given.

The tone was set by my opponent on 15 so its a does 2 wrongs make a right scenario. He missed it (unbelieveably) so the answer is i was right but it was a 1 in 50 miss

Redzah

slave1 wrote: »

a. On the 15th....gamesmanship, not bad etiquette, this would not have put me off

b. On 16, both my partner and our opponent hit poor lag putts to 6 feet....I'd never expect to split a 6' putt, you don't want this doubt in your head standing over a putt

c. On 17, my opponent subsequently missed the 1 footer ... good matchplay on your behalf, at the end of the day it is a competion and your gut instinct was correct in my opinion

See there was no doubt in my head on 16 as I knew he would say no so it was pure gamesmanship but i'm wondering was it wrong on me to do this knowing well what the answer would be. I asked him this as i knew he would say know and i believed the odds were in my favour of holing over him holing so to me it was worth it to get inside his head a bit. I've split a 6 foot putt many times before and enjoy watching this scenario play out when i ask if they want to split, it normally throws them a bit but for me i'm just used to it.

ShriekingSheet

Not giving a putt is fine from any range if you ask me. Even if there's a 0.00001% chance of missing, an opponent is welcome to hope for that chance.

Asking "good-good?" over a couple of putts is unecessary. I've never been asked it in years of playing club matches, so I summise that only spas do this.

If you're put off by someone walking ahead to their longer drive before you hit, or that kind of thing, you're also a spa.

Basically, people who do gamesmanship, or let it affect them, are all eejits.

Redzah

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Not giving a putt is fine from any range if you ask me. Even if there's a 0.00001% chance of missing, an opponent is welcome to hope for that chance.

Asking "good-good?" over a couple of putts is unecessary. I've never been asked it in years of playing club matches, so I summise that only spas do this.

If you're put off by someone walking ahead to their longer drive before you hit, or that kind of thing, you're also a spa.

Basically, people who do gamesmanship, or let it affect them, are all eejits.

But sheet i've done the whole good-good thing at senior cup level for years and have seen it done in other matches. I don't think this makes me a spa.

Also somebody walking ahead is bad etiquette if it affects your line of vision.

Gamesmanship is apart of most sports so there must be plenty of eejits involved in competitive sport.

dnjoyce

Redzah wrote: »

But sheet i've done the whole good-good thing at senior cup level for years and have seen it done in other matches. I don't think this makes me a spa.

Also somebody walking ahead is bad etiquette if it affects your line of vision.

Gamesmanship is apart of most sports so there must be plenty of eejits involved in competitive sport.

The fact that you've done it for years doesn't make it right. Whatever about a couple of two foot putts when the match is still level early on - good good is maybe acceptable then , but on a few 6-footers at squeaky bum time - it is silly. The more you do it the more you are in danger of fitting Sheet's description. Beat opponents by playing better golf.

For Paws

Can't see where you crossed the line from sportsmanship into gamesmanship.

All within the Spirit of the Game, imo.

Trick is not to piss off opponents too early in the match and get them more focused on beating you.

And if you get a rep for being hard to beat at matchplay, that's a plus.

Draupnir

Good-good is only acceptable if the putts are genuine gimmes in my opinion, if you start trying to dodge holes when you've got a lead by offering missable putts then that's beyond acceptable and wouldn't be great for a player's reputation.

It's in the spirit of the game to get on with your own shots, if you are confident then hole your putt. If you genuinely want to give him his putt, give it to him. Otherwise, it's just not golf.

Draupnir

For Paws wrote: »

Can't see where you crossed the line from sportsmanship into gamesmanship.

All within the Spirit of the Game, imo.

Trick is not to piss off opponents too early in the match and get them more focused on beating you.

And if you get a rep for being hard to beat at matchplay, that's a plus.

You get a rep for being hard to beat at matchplay by playing well, you get a rep for being a knob to play against, win or lose, if you are carrying on like this.

Sportsmanship is the opposite of gamesmanship.

Back9bandit

under the rules, you are not entitled to ask if both putts should or could be conceeded. You can only offer a gimmie, you cant ask for one

stockdam

1. Always expect to have to hole a putt, no matter how short it is. You have to do this in strokeplay and your opponent doesn't have to give you a putt. Never expect it and then if it's not given then it doesn't bother you.

2. Wise up. You can give your opponent their putt (even a 6 foot one) but don't ask for yours to be given. If I was your opponent and you asked me this then I would think you were bricking it or taking the piss. If you were very confident in holing your putt then why give them theirs......2 up is better than one up.

3. Same as number 1. If you feel that a putt is missable then ask for it to be putted. If they ended up 25 feet away then it just shows that not only was it missable but so was the return putt.

Mizuno Man

Asking to pick up for a halved hole from 6 feet is pretty silly. You are adding more "complexity" to your own head by thinking through all the possible thoughts that might be going through your opponents mind! In all likelihood, your opponent probably just thought the same thing that I would in that situation: "Ha! Feckin eejit! Good-Good for a half my arse!" (No disrespect intended!!)

Subsequently watching you hole your putt and me miss mine would make me annoyed that I missed my putt and that's it. I wouldn't give a single additional thought to your offer of a half because it was a ridiculous one in the first place. I would see offering a half from 6 feet in a similar light to offering a half from 100 yards back down the fairway. Who knows what could happen? And holing 6 foot putts all day means very little at the business end of a match....

As for gimmes, there are two rules in my book.

1) Never ever expect a gimme. From any range at all. Always expect to have to hole out everything. Apart from anything else, you can never get caught by surprise when your opponent asks to putt when you weren't expecting it - and that usually leads to a poor read, a rushed putt and a missed half!

2) Never give a putt that you think your opponent could conveivably miss. You proved my point here with making your opponent putt from a foot on the last and fair play to you!

I always laugh at people who think that giving a load of generous gimmes early in the match and then suddenly asking the other side to putt on a pressure hole is a good strategy. I would love to play you people! You'll never catch me out because I expect to have to hole everything! And I may well have missed three of the four putts you already gave me ealrier on so I'm already 3 holes better off because of your ridiculous idea of golfing pyshcology! Ha!

rednail

redzah for a guy who was moaning about other clubs takin the garden county trophy too seriously i think your actions at the weekend show you up a bit. no one needs to give any putts in matchplay but asking good good from 6 foot when your opponents are down in the match is nothing but silly gamesmanship, it just makes you look like a bit of a muppet. just let the golf do the talking and have a pint with your opponents afterwards, nice to win but more important to be nice.

Raisins

I have seen teams give a good few putts that they think their opponents will probably make in any event and then suddenly say nothing over a putt in the hope that they will miss it. Leave aside the fact that this would likely not catch out a seasoned player and that lots of players would take the gimme and then practice the putt.

Do you think this is acceptable or would it lower a players reputation in your eyes?

stockdam

Raisins wrote: »

I have seen teams give a good few putts that they think their opponents will probably make in any event and then suddenly say nothing over a putt in the hope that they will miss it.

I think this is verging on pathetic. Let your own game do the talking and if it's not good enough then improve it. If you get beaten by a better player then accept it but don't try silly tactics.

Mr. Larson

Always felt it could be counter productive to make someone putt a straight one from within 1.5 feet. It's almost like you're making some kind of statement about what type of person you are and once they hole it, it's like you've tried something on and failed. Maybe I'm a soft eejit. I prefer a good natured, friendly tussle on the course, don't like introducing a nasty element to it as it would just make me feel uncomfortable.

matt-dublin

Matchplay is about some silly tactics and is much more of a mental game than any other format. Some of these tactics may or may not win you a match and as long as youre not breaking the rules there should be no issue here.

at the end of the day you're playing against them, I personally would never give a gimme for a win, i might for a half but only inside 8 inches (esp in druids heath where an 8 in putt can have a 2 inch break!)

Whyner

Redzah - Is it against the rules to ask for a gimme?

The 6 footer thing was a bit dopey of you and unnecessary. Reverse the roles and what would you think

matt-dublin

I don't think its against the rules but potentially could be seen as conceeding the hole

Redzah

Whyner wrote: »

Redzah - Is it against the rules to ask for a gimme?

The 6 footer thing was a bit dopey of you and unnecessary. Reverse the roles and what would you think

A couple have asked this now, as far i'm aware i didn't think it is illegal but would definately love somebody who says it is to show me where in the rules it says this as i am not 100% sure its not illegal?

If i reversed the role i'd laugh at my opponent but if he subsequently holed his, that extra element would be in my head of 'i wouldn't have to putt this if i had agreed'. This causes an element of doubt in your head no matter how strong minded u are.

GreeBo

Redzah wrote: »

If i reversed the role i'd laugh at my opponent but if he subsequently holed his, that extra element would be in my head of 'i wouldn't have to putt this if i had agreed'. This causes an element of doubt in your head no matter how strong minded u are.

Id have more of a doubt in my head if I was down and gave up the chance of winning a hole.
A half when you are down and on the back nine isnt much use.

Whyner

Redzah wrote: »

If i reversed the role i'd laugh at my opponent

Really?

Redzah wrote: »

if he subsequently holed his, that extra element would be in my head of 'i wouldn't have to putt this if i had agreed'. This causes an element of doubt in your head no matter how strong minded u are.

No it doesn't

Russman

I agree (with Greebo), there's too much emphasis on this whole "doubt" thing IMO.

Redzah

Whyner wrote: »

Really?



No it doesn't

Sorry I forgot you guys are never mentally phased and have nerves of steel. I must add that to the growing list of boards members talents which include hitting the ball 300+ yards on a regular basis .

I struggle to comprehend how some of you guys are not;

a. On the European or US Tour
b. A mind coach making big bucks
c. A category 1 golfer
d. A category 2 golfer
e. All of the above (i know not possible but u get my point)

The more u can put thoughts in a competitors head, even if he is thinking 'this guy is a plonker', the less he is able concentrate on his game

matt-dublin

I think the asking for a 6foot putt is a bit silly, but if someone asked me to give them one my response would be:

"Ah gowan ourra that, stick her in there boss!"

Russman

Redzah, people are only giving their opinions.

Some people don't massively buy into the mind games thing with regard to matchplay. Personally I don't really think it matters too much myself, relative to the shots themselves. I've played enough matches over the years (at most levels) to know I'd rather hole a putt than try to get doubt into the other guys head. What if he couldn't care less what I do ? What if I couldn't care less what he does ? Maybe I'm a bit simple but I'd only be confusing myself trying to keep up with the thoughts I'm trying to put in my opponents head.

dines08

Asking good good from 6 feet because you wanted to throw off your opponents thought process is pointless if you yourself miss the 6 footer you were so confident of making.

Don't see the benefit of it really, think that is most players view. Unnecessary

irish bloke

Redzah wrote: »

A couple have asked this now, as far i'm aware i didn't think it is illegal but would definately love somebody who says it is to show me where in the rules it says this as i am not 100% sure its not illegal?

Would you go back and conceed the match if it was???;)

Whyner

Redzah wrote: »

Sorry I forgot you guys are never mentally phased and have nerves of steel. I must add that to the growing list of boards members talents which include hitting the ball 300+ yards on a regular basis .

I struggle to comprehend how some of you guys are not;

a. On the European or US Tour
b. A mind coach making big bucks
c. A category 1 golfer
d. A category 2 golfer
e. All of the above (i know not possible but u get my point)

The more u can put thoughts in a competitors head, even if he is thinking 'this guy is a plonker', the less he is able concentrate on his game

What are you rambling on about now?

People have a different mind set depending on the situation. Mine differs to you here and you ramble on about the 300 yard drive