[Garland Bayley]

Given the choice of playing a match with a wager on the front, on the back, and on all eighteen, would you rather do it medal play, or match play?

[Duncan Cheslett]

Matchplay every time.


I really don’t see the point in scoring a one on one match by overall strokes. Matchplay is the true essence of golf and involves far more tactics than simply counting the shots taken.


That was one of the flaws of Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. Matchplay would have produced far more entertaining viewing.


It’s also far more fun to play.

[Jeff Schley]

While I agree with Duncan my preference would be match play, there is a mental toughness needed for the Nassau bet Kalen proposes. Front, Back, 18 is a Nassau bet and while you can lose a hole, you can't totally blow up for it will jeopardize the 18 total. You have to stay mentally in it each hole. Takes longer obviously, but a different mental test.

[Duncan Cheslett]

While I agree with Duncan my preference would be match play, there is a mental toughness needed for the Nassau bet Kalen proposes. Front, Back, 18 is a Nassau bet and while you can lose a hole, you can't totally blow up for it will jeopardize the 18 total. You have to stay mentally in it each hole. Takes longer obviously, but a different mental test.

There’s no reason why you can’t do the same in matchplay. Playing out until the back nine is decided potentially gives the loser of the match a chance of rescuing something...

[Jeff Schley]

While I agree with Duncan my preference would be match play, there is a mental toughness needed for the Nassau bet Kalen proposes. Front, Back, 18 is a Nassau bet and while you can lose a hole, you can't totally blow up for it will jeopardize the 18 total. You have to stay mentally in it each hole. Takes longer obviously, but a different mental test.

There’s no reason why you can’t do the same in matchplay. Playing out until the back nine is decided potentially gives the loser of the match a chance of rescuing something...

Duncan while you can, it doesn't incorporate a penalty for the blow up hole. You have to avoid that in the medal play Nassau, in match play a 10 scored and losing a hole is much different impact than a 5 and losing the hole. It is two different models, in medal play you want to win the hole yes, but you have to guard against the blow up hole.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Match play is fantastic, it’s more sociable, quicker and is the clear go-to for all non-competitive rounds.


But to say it is a clear winner over medal play is somewhat missing the point. One is playing an opposition, the other is a 4 hour test against the course. It takes a lot of skill to hold a good medal play round together. They both come with their own challenges and excitement.


And to the other thread from Mark, believing in medal play is very different to believing in Par... the notion of par constrains rather than aids when it comes to golf course design. It is merely there as an easy recording mechanism.

[Thomas Dai]

Didn’t Mr Jones from Georgia say something about playing old man par not the opponent in matchplay?
Atb

[Tommy Williamsen]

Match play. I have a buddy where we play three hole matches and count up who has won the most little matches. That way the last holes even have a point at stake.

[Steve Lang]

   Ms Sheila and I have had perpetual match play in that format for going on 29 yrs... but don't forget the PRESS bet, a 1 down PRESS can be rejected but rarely is and a 2 down PRESS is automatic...   


strokes are negotiated at the beginning of the match, always a delicate proposition...

[JESII]

And to the other thread from Mark, believing in medal play is very different to believing in Par... the notion of par constrains rather than aids when it comes to golf course design. It is merely there as an easy recording mechanism.

Ally, could we explore this a little bit?


In my opinion, the idea of par should be the strongest tool in your arsenal. A client that won't let you use it is a somewhat different issue.


If you were to find a wonderful hole that would be 290 from the back tees (and maybe 200 from the front tees) and the terrain made it best as two-shot hole, you should be able to build it and let me think I need to make a 3 to keep pace.


While it's easy to say it shouldn't matter, that temptation absolutely dictated all the excitement #13 at this weekend's PGA Tour stop delivered on Saturday. The announcers said a half dozen times, if they can just recognize the option to hit it 30 yards short left of the green, they'll make 4. They all went for the green and it seemed the average score was about 6.

[David Ober]

Given the choice of playing a match with a wager on the front, on the back, and on all eighteen, would you rather do it medal play, or match play?

I'm assuming you're talking net golf?


The choice depends on my goal.


If my goal is solely to WIN the match, and nothing more, then stroke play for sure. I rarely make doubles or worse when I'm healthy, so making my opponent have to count that one triple or quad definitely helps me.


If my goal is to just have fun and play quickly, then match play --  unless I'm playing a good to very good player, in which case match and stroke can be virtually identical in both regards.

[William_G]

always prefer match play but keep score for GHIN


if no match happening, I almost forget what score I am shooting LOL

[Kalen Braley]

As a High Capper, its a no brainer to always want match play, so when that snowman comes around, and it will come...it doesn't wreck the round and/or put even more pressure on and do it again or something and then the match is effectively over at the turn.

As an additional point to that, one generality about HC's that is certainly true, is that a large % of them don't know the rules as well as they should.  So worst case in match play a rules violations occurs and its just loss of hole and helps to avoid the end of round disputes that can accrue..

[Ally Mcintosh]

And to the other thread from Mark, believing in medal play is very different to believing in Par... the notion of par constrains rather than aids when it comes to golf course design. It is merely there as an easy recording mechanism.

Ally, could we explore this a little bit?


In my opinion, the idea of par should be the strongest tool in your arsenal. A client that won't let you use it is a somewhat different issue.


If you were to find a wonderful hole that would be 290 from the back tees (and maybe 200 from the front tees) and the terrain made it best as two-shot hole, you should be able to build it and let me think I need to make a 3 to keep pace.


While it's easy to say it shouldn't matter, that temptation absolutely dictated all the excitement #13 at this weekend's PGA Tour stop delivered on Saturday. The announcers said a half dozen times, if they can just recognize the option to hit it 30 yards short left of the green, they'll make 4. They all went for the green and it seemed the average score was about 6.

I'm not sure we are saying different things.

Designing with par in mind constrains exactly because it tends to force architects in to a box with what they are trying to achieve, whether it be "long fours need to have bigger greens" or "short fours need to protect just short of the green" or "I can't build too many half par holes" or whatever....

None of the above is true of course. But it's easier to forget about these things when you just say "here's a cool hole playing from this point to over there - now I'll work out a good strategy to give the golfer some challenges on the way".

What course is it that has no par figures on the scorecard? Friars Head? I like that idea. I prefer the idea of a course that has neither yardages nor par figures: Just get from tee 1 to green 18 in the least number of shots.

[archie_struthers]

 


I'll take it a step further, just personal preference. I like to play a nassau in our team bet with greenies and birdies. On the individual side my favorite is an all day wager where if you get knocked out you can press for half but are not obliged to. Given that we aren't pro's I think stroke play is best left for organized tournament golf.

[Peter Flory]

I prefer match play, but there is one flaw with it.   If you're losing on the last hole, the best that you can do is tie- like hockey.  So there are never any wild swings at the end like you can get in medal play.  Maybe an interesting variation would be that the 18th hole is worth 2 in match play. 

The reason that I prefer match play overall is because you can attempt shots that wouldn't be prudent in stroke play due to the risk/ reward ratio, especially short game related.  So match play allows players to show off the full range of their talents while medal rewards more conservatism. 

[Mark_Fine]

Garland,
I love match play (especially if everyone agrees to play even up) for lots of money but that usually doesn't happen.  So then what do we do 

[Paul Jones]

A couple of guys in my weekend group have the chipping yips... we play Match Play every time.

[Michael Wolf]

Match play. And if there are strokes involved, chop them into 1/2 strokes with each side assigning half of the holes.


I'm a six, you're a three, you give me a 1/2 shot on 6 holes. You pick three of the holes, I pick three of the holes.


Michael

[Tim Martin]

I prefer match play, but there is one flaw with it.   If you're losing on the last hole, the best that you can do is tie- like hockey.  So there are never any wild swings at the end like you can get in medal play.  Maybe an interesting variation would be that the 18th hole is worth 2 in match play. 

The reason that I prefer match play overall is because you can attempt shots that wouldn't be prudent in stroke play due to the risk/ reward ratio, especially short game related.  So match play allows players to show off the full range of their talents while medal rewards more conservatism.

Peter-Although you can only tie the original nassau bet you can “hog” press on 18 to bail out completely. Or pay double.....

[David Ober]

I prefer match play, but there is one flaw with it.   If you're losing on the last hole, the best that you can do is tie- like hockey.  So there are never any wild swings at the end like you can get in medal play.  Maybe an interesting variation would be that the 18th hole is worth 2 in match play. 

The reason that I prefer match play overall is because you can attempt shots that wouldn't be prudent in stroke play due to the risk/ reward ratio, especially short game related.  So match play allows players to show off the full range of their talents while medal rewards more conservatism.

Peter-Although you can only tie the original nassau bet you can “hog” press on 18 to bail out completely. Or pay double.....

We call that an "Aloha" here in SoCal....

[Andrew Harvie]

If our handicaps are close, match play every time, but if there's a big spread in handicaps (lets say I'm playing against a 15 handicap) I'd like stroke play simply because it provides a better chance even once you subtract 15 from their score. I'm a lot less likely to make big numbers in stroke play as well, but match play is more fun

[David_Tepper]

Anyone for Stableford?

[John Kavanaugh]

Anyone for Stableford?

Not so much. You got guis establishing handicaps making triples and not being penalized when a double pays the same. Stableford has been hijacked by clever baggers.

[William_G]

Anyone for Stableford?

Not so much. You got guys establishing handicaps making triples and not being penalized when a double pays the same. Stableford has been hijacked by clever baggers.

no doubt

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