[CornFed]

[quote author=Hulk01 link=topic=12165.msg119334#msg119334 date=1432778423]
And a third: I'd argue that the hardest things in sports might be taking two free throws to tie a game with no time left, and to have a six foot putt when it counts--which it does all the time--in team match play golf.  You can deal with letting yourself down in stroke or match play solo, but the risk of costing your team a win can overwhelm you--as many Ryder Cup players can attest.

When watching the replay on the Golf Channel last night, I was surprised to see that Davis conceded Stackhouse's par put right before her own miss.  While Stackhouse's ball was closer to the hole, it wasn't a tap-in -- it seemed like Stackhouse was about 3 feet away, while Davis was about 4-5.  In addition, while I only watched the highlights of the U$€ match, it seemed like they conceded the winning put, which was also not a tap-in.  I can understand if the ball was literally on the lip of the cup, but given the point about nerves in match play, why would you concede any non-gimmee put late in a match?
[/quote]


Stackhouse's final putt was a gimmee and I would be disappointed if our players had not given it if the roles were reversed.  But there is no objective distance at which a putt becomes a gimmee.  Therefore, there may be times when a player errs by being too generous.  Some players (Ian Poulter in the last Ryder Cup comes to mind) err on the side of being overly grudging.  The downside of not conceding an obvious gimmee is that it can inspire the opponent and even rally their team.  The upside is that your opponent misses a putt in a truly "Bill Buckner" moment (mixing sports analogies) and you win solely as a result of imposing the available crushing pressure as a competitive tool.


Ultimately, it depends upon perceptions.  Medal play requires that all putts be completed.  That is because the entire field has to be protected.  In match play concessions are allowed and are used to engender sportsmanship and camaraderie.  If a player, particularly at these levels, is making his opponents putt out one-and-a-half footers, it is disrespectful and churlish, both toward the opponent and to the game of golf.  If a player is conceding 3-footers, they are stupid at any level.


Bottom line is that the game still has an element of the old grace of its genteel origins.  I, for one, am glad for that.  I will be deeply saddened if it were ever to fall to trash-talking, or overt gamesmanship.  Now, as to less than overt gamesmanship is a different matter.  ;D  Do you breath in or out on your downswing?

[CornFed]

[quote author=Hulk01 link=topic=12165.msg119334#msg119334 date=1432778423]
And a third: I'd argue that the hardest things in sports might be taking two free throws to tie a game with no time left, and to have a six foot putt when it counts--which it does all the time--in team match play golf.  You can deal with letting yourself down in stroke or match play solo, but the risk of costing your team a win can overwhelm you--as many Ryder Cup players can attest.

When watching the replay on the Golf Channel last night, I was surprised to see that Davis conceded Stackhouse's par put right before her own miss.  While Stackhouse's ball was closer to the hole, it wasn't a tap-in -- it seemed like Stackhouse was about 3 feet away, while Davis was about 4-5.  In addition, while I only watched the highlights of the U$€ match, it seemed like they conceded the winning put, which was also not a tap-in.  I can understand if the ball was literally on the lip of the cup, but given the point about nerves in match play, why would you concede any non-gimmee put late in a match?
[/quote]


Stackhouse's final putt was a gimmee and I would be disappointed if our players had not given it if the roles were reversed.  But there is no objective distance at which a putt becomes a gimmee.  Therefore, there may be times when a player errs by being too generous.  Some players (Ian Poulter in the last Ryder Cup comes to mind) err on the side of being overly grudging.  The downside of not conceding an obvious gimmee is that it can inspire the opponent and even rally their team.  The upside is that your opponent misses a putt in a truly "Bill Buckner" moment (mixing sports analogies) and you win solely as a result of imposing the available crushing pressure as a competitive tool.


Ultimately, it depends upon perceptions.  Medal play requires that all putts be completed.  That is because the entire field has to be protected.  In match play concessions are allowed and are used to engender sportsmanship and camaraderie.  If a player, particularly at these levels, is making his opponents putt out one-and-a-half footers, it is disrespectful and churlish, both toward the opponent and to the game of golf.  If a player is conceding 3-footers, they are stupid at any level.


Bottom line is that the game still has an element of the old grace of its genteel origins.  I, for one, am glad for that.  I will be deeply saddened if it were ever to fall to trash-talking, or overt gamesmanship.  Now, as to less than overt gamesmanship is a different matter.  ;D  Do you breath in or out on your downswing?