With back-to-back appearances in the final match of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in 2022 and 2023, Drew Stoltz knows a thing or two about how to succeed in match play.
And in this week’s episode of Emergency 9, the Subpar co-host shared his best tip for getting an edge on your opponent.
“My No. 1 goal is just hit the green, put the pressure back on them, and then let them react to what you’re doing,” he said.
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Match play differs from stroke play in an important way: You have the opportunity to set the tone, or react to the play of your opponent. That means your strategy can evolve from shot to shot.
“I’m typically playing a little bit of a safer play in match play,” Stoltz said. “It can depend on what your opponent’s done. If he’s already hit and he’s hit one in there close, of course you need to probably attack the pin and not play conservatively.”
For Stoltz, having confidence in his equipment is key.
“When I am being aggressive, one thing that helps is knowing that I’ve got the best irons in the game,” he said. “The Cobra 3D print helps me get it to right pins, left pins, down low, up top, whatever I need.”
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One benefit of hitting a good shot first is that it forces your opponent to try to match you.
“Let them make the mistakes,” Stoltz said. “They will, and you’ll be moving on to the next round.”
For more from Stoltz, check out the full Emergency 9 video above.
