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GOLF

The tactics of match play

January 8, 2016

Match play and medal play are the two basic ways to play golf.
In medal play, the total strokes for the round are compared to the competition, on a gross or net basis.

In match play, the golfers compare strokes hole-by-hole instead, again on a gross or net basis. Unlike medal play, however, one botched hole won’t ruin the chance to win, which is why it’s a popular way to compete. On the other hand, this method of scoring can significantly alter the tactical choices to be made during the game.

I saw several examples of some classic match play elements Sept. 29 in a compelling contest during last fall’s U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek Golf Club, in Egg Harbor Township, N.J.

Bill Leonard of Dallas, Ga., defeated Raymond Thompson of Drexel Hill, Pa., in 19 holes, but for most of the round there was no way to tell who would be the likely winner. For anyone with a vested interest in either player, the hole-by-hole tension must have been terrific.

Thompson's approach shot on the par 4 first hole sat less than six feet away, in prime birdie range, while Leonard's first putt had to come from 35 feet out. This being match play, however, Leonard made his birdie, and Thompson missed.

That proved the first rule of match play - always assume your competitor will make any putt, and never assume you have the advantage.

Leonard gave his lead back immediately on the next hole, thanks to a fine approach shot by Thompson to gimme range. The Georgian looked to be in even more trouble on the par 5 third, when a left-leaning drive landed among trees. Leonard’s second shot bounced against a few more. He then took two more shots to reach the green.

However, Thompson's third shot from a hardpan lie in the left rough 50 yards out ran across the green and into high fescue. His fourth shot bounced over the green, leading to a double bogey. Leonard's bogey putt was conceded, giving him back the lead.

That's another match play truism: when your competitor's already in trouble, don't join him.

Leonard made it two-up on the next hole with a 20-foot birdie, and the two men played the next two holes even. Thompson made another great tee shot on the par 3 seventh, cutting the lead by one, but then blew a great chance to go all-square on the next hole, despite an over-300-yard drive to the edge of the green on the short par 4 eighth.

Leonard hit into such trouble off the eighth tee that he could only hit a left-handed shot and advance his ball about 15 yards. His third shot ended 25 feet from the hole.

However, Thompson's long drive was not in a good place. A large mound in the middle of the green sat between his ball and the hole, with his ball on a down slope. He tried to putt over the mound, only to leave the ball perched on top, 20 feet from the hole. Thompson ended up bogeying the hole, tied with Leonard. As Thompson said after the round, "I should have putted along the side of the mound, and left myself a 10-footer."

In other words, it often pays to be conservative in match play.

Leonard kept his one-up advantage until the 11th hole, when Thompson's tee shot on the short par 3 finished inside 2 feet from the hole. Thompson's bogey on 13 put Leonard back to one-up, but the match went right back to all-square on the par 3 14th. Leonard drove into fescue left of the green, and made bogey.

Thompson returned the favor on the par 4 15th, with a pulled approach iron into light fescue beyond the green. Leonard's routine par brought him back to one-up.

Both men parred the 16th, matching each other's score on the same hole. This only happened eight times in 19 holes.

Thompson made it all square again on the par 5 17th, with a fine birdie that Leonard couldn't match. They tied each other again on the 18th, and went back to the first hole to continue.

This time Thompson was farther from the hole, but only by a foot more than Leonard - 8 feet to 7 feet. The difference was that Thompson putted downhill, and Leonard putted uphill. Thompson missed his birdie putt by a few inches, and Leonard made his - match over.

A visibly tired Thompson said, "I didn't quite get it done today, but it was fun."

Leonard said, "You're supposed to keep plugging away until they tell you to stop."

Leonard's 2015 Senior Amateur came to a stop later that afternoon, during the Round of 16. He lost one-up to the qualifying medalist, Randal Lewis of Alma, Mich., in another close-fought contest.

 

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