Team Match play and individual match play

[Kor.A.Door]

Played a match play, 3 points per group, 2 individual matches and a team match.

Do you play nice or do you play the jerk at times.

I feel like I hurt my team match yesterday by saying to much. The issue was on hole 14, the guy my partner was playing hit 2 in the water, my partner was just off the green in 3, the other guy was off the green in 7, as we started toward the green the guy tells my partner that he is done, conceding his hole which puts my partner in for 4, birdie, being nice I said "just so you understand by telling partner to pick up, You are giving him a birdie, which gives us the hole. As I think back I shouldn't have said anything until we were scoring the hole, that would have put us up 1 in the team match, but I opened my big mouth and cost us the hole, I want to win, but I'm not sure that winning that way is how I want to do it.

What's the correct way to handle that, be a jerk and take the hole or be nice and say something even though it costs the team.

[RookieBlue7]

He can't take the concession back. There's no jinx or anything. Once he concedes, it doesn't matter what you say

[apprenti23]

I'm of the opinion that it's situation based on who you're playing with. If you're playing with your regular buddies, don't be a jerk. RB is right, but with friends you can bend the rules. If you're playing with guys that you don't really care about your relationship or value them, then you can be as much of a jerk as you want. In the situation you explained, either way, I wouldn't say you were being a jerk. I thought it was going to be more-so that you never gave a putt.

[RookieBlue7]

I give guys putts the first couple of holes. Anywhere from 3-20 feet. Why? I don't want them putting any to start the round. I want them cold as ice when they're standing over that 3 footer to win or halve a hole. They're waiting for me to concede that short putt and when I don't it gets in their head

[Kor.A.Door]

Agree on the putting for sure, I didn't give anything until the hole was over. I made him mark 2 footers and wait. This was my first real match play event, the lessons learned will be taken to the next event.

[Mike Z]

Kind of muddy water with two matches in play.  I wonder if he intended to concede only the individual match.  It's probably on the other player to be clear about it but when in doubt I think its best to get clarification.

 

I think you did the right thing. 

[mizuno_lover]

I've played a lot of match play over the last couple of years and would have to say I've played with guys who have been jerks as well as nice guys.  I will add the jerks always played within the rules just their demeanour left a lot to be desired as is their right.  I am simply me and I would like to think I beat guys by playing better golf rather than calling rules on them to win a hole.  An example of this happened about a month ago when one of the members of the team we were playing touched the green with the handle of his putter indicating the line of putt.  If I called the rule on him the hole would of been ours.  I simply let them putt out advised them of their error and that I wanted to beat them by playing better golf not calling rules on them and we won the match on the next hole 3 & 2 as opposed to 4 & 3 if  I had called that rule on them.  They appreciated my sportsmanship and the spirit of the game was protected and up held and everyone walked off the course smiling.  The thing to remember as RookieBlue pointed out a concession can't be rescinded so technically your team won that hole.  Live and learn and above all be true to yourself and what you perceive the spirit of the game to be.  There's winning and there's winning but really losing

[DaveP043]

I think you did the right thing too.  Playing multiple matches within the same group can lead to just this type of confusion, so I believe its simply good sportsmanship to be clear on exactly what is being conceded.  I know what the rules say about concession, and that would definitely apply if there was only one match in play, but the rules don't really contemplate the 3-point scenario you describe.  Where there is a potential for confusion, its best to make sure you're all on the same page.

[Mike Z]

I had one come up this weekend.  Two teams of two playing best ball.  Then an individual bet with with another competitor.  Plus one big game with about 20 players in it.

 

One of my opponents made a fuss on the second hole about a putt given by his teammate which affected his individual match.  Fair enough.  Don't disadvantage him on his individual game.  I completely see the point.

 

Then he proceeds to have his partner help him read all of his putts.  I gave him some crap about it on the back nine - all in fun.  I was messing with him - as it has been customary at our club that partners can read putts, but partners can also give putts. 

 

But, had I wanted to be a jerk about it I think I had every right to call it on him.  Just another example of how something could have gone wrong in a foursome game.

[Kor.A.Door]

The rules for reading putts was listed in the rules by which we play, your partner can help read the putts as long as the team match is still being played, once the team match is decided, partners are no longer able to help. One thing my partner and I decided,upon advice from more experienced players in matches, was to make sure that I dont give a putt to his individual Match opponent, and he doesnt give any putt to my opponent, we talked a lot during the Match, to make sure that we didn't give away a putt hat could matter

[sp0rtsfan86]

Giving putts in match play is tough situation. I've probably played 10 or so tournament match play rounds plus a few with a buddy here. I give anything wtihin a foot, then it goes down from there depending on distance. If a guy is really struggling I might give him a 3 footer if I need a two putt to win from inside 30 feet. I'm a decent pressure putter so I make a lot and prefer to have pressure on me. On the other hand my buddy was so bad inside 5 feet considering I'd make him putt everything out. Sure I felt bad when he 3 jacks but honestly he should make them. 

As for team match play I've never really been that different. I usually give it if it's pretty obvious, but will ask my partner whether it's good or not. They appreciate the fact I ask and 90 percent of the time we agree. The other ten percent is the time they usually putt out.

[Kor.A.Door]

In match play, you cannot just putt out. If the putt is not conceded, and you are not away, you cannot just putt out in match play, you have to putt in order, or in turn, if you putt out of turn, or just putt out, your opponent can make you mark where the ball was, and make you putt it again. Match okay rules are different from stroke play,