If you have ever watched major match play tournaments at professional level, you will notice that players will concede putts.
If you are new to match play golf, it is when a team or player gains a point for each hole they win. So, if you score one under par on a hole and your opponent makes a par, you have won the hole and receive a point. The actual score you carded for that hole is then forgotten about and does not come into play.
The Ryder Cup is the most popular golfing event which uses match play.
During the Ryder Cup and other match play events, you will notice players conceding a putt. This is when a player allows the opponent to pick up the ball from its position, without dropping a shot. You are giving them the putt, without making them play the shot.
If the ball is very close to the hole, leaving the opponent with an easy putt, this is the most obvious time to concede the putt. They are not going to miss from such a short distance, so it makes sense to concede it.
However, there are times when it is not so clear and this can lead to confusion. Is conceding a putt a strategy which you can use to your advantage during a match play tournament?
The answer is yes, you can use this to your advantage and one way of doing that is by conceding early 4 foot putts during a round of golf, when the opponent is not able to win the hole. They could have it for par and you may have a putt for a birdie. You are not going to lose the hole so you can concede the putt with confidence.
By doing this, it prevents the opponent from making any putts from what can be an awkward distance, especially when under pressure. So, if they come to a pressure situation later in the round and are left with a 4-foot putt you can make them play it, knowing they are yet to find their range at that distance.
If you are playing a match play against someone who is taking a lot of time over their putting, trying to establish a rhythm and slowing you up, you can concede the putt to speed things up a bit. You could even wait a few seconds for them to look at the putt and begin thinking about it prior to conceding.
You could be in a situation where you are four shots down with 9 holes left to play. In this instance, you should make the opponent putt everything other than when the ball is resting next to the cup. Do not worry about it, if it was you who was four shots to the good entering the back 9 holes, they would do the same.
Do not think about it as being a slight on your ability if an opponent asks you to putt from a short distance during match play. See it as a challenge and show them you are happy to earn the win, rather than have it handed to you.
There are some occasions when you know you must concede the putt, especially when the ball is very close to the hole. For everything else, use the tips above and you may gain a psychological advantage in the match.
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