Matchplay – Keep your ball in play

The golden rule in matchplay is to never give your opponent the hole. By keeping your ball in play, you force your opponent to make birdies to gain the advantage and often, this strategy will grind them down and force them into a mistake.

This strategy applies off the tee (avoiding out of bounds and water hazards) but also in fairway bunkers, where you don’t want to get too greedy and leave your ball in the sand for your next shot. It also applies to poor lies in the rough, as TG Elite Pro Scott Cranfield demonstrates in this golf video tip.