Matchplay Mind

As the season kicks into action over the next month or so, many clubs will be posting their first round draws for their annual matchplay knockout events.

Its good to be on top of your game in matchplay, but after a winter lay-off, your swing can be rusty under pressure. Accept that you are going to hit plenty of slack shots. Quite often what wins matches in these situations is the mind.

Seve Ballesteros may be well past his best now, but he was one of the grestest exponents of the matchplay mind in golf.

Seve could conjure up a miracle when he looked down and out, and as his five World Matchplay titles suggest, when he grabbed the lead, he was impossible to catch.

His matchplay mind was driven by the two golden rules which time and again prove their validity even in the most extreme circumstances, and especially when you find yourself not quite on top of your game:

Rule no.1 Never give up in matchplay. You are never down and out till the last putt drops. Anything can happen in matchplay. the biggest lead can be blown, the biggest deficit can be clawed back.

Rule no.2 Once you get ahead, never let up. Taking it easy with a big lead is a huge mistake, and if you are up against player who sticks by rule number one, if you ease up they will always find a way back. Show no mercy when you get in front and make your opponent pay for their mistakes.

Summary: Attitude is one of the key weapons in matchplay, and can be summed up with two golden rules.