I have my club's big member-member match play tourney at the end of this week and am really excited. Whenever I play in an event like this, I really shut down socially and put my game face on. My feeling is that I am here to compete against whoever for the next 9 holes and move to the next team we face. I am not trying to be rude or a jerk, I just try to maintain my focus. After the round is played, I relax and say my thank you's to the other team and tell them I enjoyed playing with them....which I usually do.
My playing partner on the other hand, is a very social guy and people enjoy being around him, myself included. I have no problem with this and let him do what he is comfortable with. For the most part, I let him do the talking and I am cordial when needed. Sometimes he can be a little too nice and award Gimmies from 4-5 feet!!.
My questions are; What ground rules should be set up between my partner and I in regards to scoring? Does my style of play offend most people or do others usually figure things out early on and give me my space? I want the match to be fun for everyone and don't want to be the black cloud in the group, but, I love to compete and this is how I go about doing it on the course. In a friendly round, I joke around as much as anyone and people always ask me to play again later.

Well I think you should always confer about a gimme in any competition with a partner, and outside of a foot should really be thought about twice.

As for the attitude you have for tournaments, I actually found for me that when I tried that and wanted to be all about the match and golf, I thought about it to much and it hurt me. For me, when I was social and laughing and having a good time with the 4 of us, I played my best. And when I played against a guy who wanted to be all about his game face - I actually put a bit of gamesmanship into it (as you can tell who wants to be social and who wants to be focused 100%). When I play against someone like that, I'll talk to them as we walk, usually pisses them off enough to alter their game and tip the scales in our favor.

I guess you can do whatever you need to to play your best. But contrary to what you might think your partner's style is probably a lot more effective at getting into the opponents head than yours. Using you as example it is probably hard for you to maintain your focus and aggression when playing against "Great shot! Good putt! sweet talking, do gooding Mr. Rogers types. Just be yourself because it is very hard mentally to put up a front and keep the inner self from showing through. Remember also the bigger the match the bigger the chance you will have more distractions to deal with. Championship match of the club match play you might have a sizeable gallery following you. So you better learn to deal with the interaction.

Just remember golf is a gentleman's game. Being a jerk on the course under any circumstances means that eventually you will be playing as a single only.

Give them the 5 footer on 2, but make them putt the 14 incher on 16. Gamesmenship.

Personally, I play better when I'm more relaxed and easygoing. What really counts is how YOU play, not what the opponent does. I typically do not give gimmies over 18 inches or two feet max, unless it is a friend or relative and they are having a bad hole.

Hey man, whatever works for you is good with me. If that's the "Game Face" then have at it.

I will say this though...I generally get a pretty good laugh out of a dude with uber-focus going on during some kind of a member-member / club tourney. It's just funny to me. Especially when I know the guy and I KNOW that's not his normal personality. And like one of the above posters mentioned, it's usually a pretty easy task to get under the skin of someone with the "Game Face" on. You can tell this is their U.S. Open, and it's not hard to get 'em rattled with just a little friendly converstation.