One on One
Match play adds nerves and gamesmanship to golf. Both are likely to increase because the one player you must beat is right there next to you. Take a lead and you're likely to feel more relaxed. Fall behind and you're likely to feel much more pressure.
Match play is usually played more aggressively than stroke play from the very first shot.
You want to put the pressure on your opponent early then keep it there.
But there are certainly times when it's best to be conservative and some golfers believe the best initial stragegy is to play your normal game until someone wins a hole. That approach is akin to giving your opponent a chance to make a mistake. Most believe however that falling behind early is too big a risk and so aggression is called for from the first tee.
A player with a lead will generally play more conservatively; a player trailing will usually become more aggressive. Either way match play requires that you react to your opponent's successes and failures.
Reactionary Golf
What do we mean by reacting to your opponent's play? The object in match play is to win individual holes. If your opponent hits a fantastic shot, that forces you to try to hit an equally good shot.
If your opponent chunks a shot into the pond, that gives you an opening to play safe. In match play it doesn't matter if you take 8 strokes to play a hole...if your opponent is taking 9.
Your decisions on the types of shots to play are directly related to your standing in the match (ahead or behind??) and on the hole (sitting pretty or in pretty bad shape??).
On the Green
The way that match play affects a golfer's strategy is perhaps best showcased on the green.
Let's say you've got a tricky downhill putt. In stroke play you would be very careful not to run the putt way past the hole because in stroke play a high score on an individual hole can ruin the round.
But in match play how aggressive you are with this putt depends on how things stand on this one hole. If your opponent has already holed out and your putt is to halve the hole, you must be very aggressive with the putt. If you run it 10 feet past, it doesn't matter - the hole is lost whether you miss by 10 feet or 1/10th of an inch. If your opponent has a short, easy putt remaining you must try to make the putt - but you must temper your aggressiveness just a little bit. There is always a chance your opponent will miss his short one and you want to be able to make your combacker.
How Many Holes are Left?
Always consider your options in the light of how you stand both in the match and on the particular hole. The closer you get to the 18th hole, the more aggressive you'll need to become if your trailing.
Likewise, carrying a lead late in the match gives you the option of playing more conservatively. But that can change quickly if your opponent puts together a couple of great shots.
Balancing Act
Match play is a balancing act. You must balance the need to be aggressive enough to win individual holes against the situations at hand - where do you stand in the match? How do you stand on the hole? How does your opponent stand on the hole?
And you must control your nerves. Don't get cocky when you're ahead. Always assume your opponent is going to make his putt or put a good stroke on that approach to the green.
And don't panic if you fall behind early. You'll need to make something happen but that doesn't mean trying every low-percentage shot that presents itself.
It's easy to see why match play is the type of golf that many prefer to play!
